Human rights defenders are the protagonists in bolstering democracy and undertaking human rights change. As they face up the establishment and challenge the dominant groups controlling economic and political power, human rights defenders are more often than otherwise targets of state and non-state violence and, consequently, they need protection. Yet, what does Brazilian law say about the protection of human rights defenders? To whom belongs the obligation to protect human rights defenders in Brazil exactly? While considering the interaction of international law, politics and national law vis-à -vis the protection of human rights defenders fighting for democracy, human rights and social justice, this paper conducts an analysis of the legal framework for the protection of human rights defenders at the level of Brazilian jurisdiction. It does so in order to contend there is a legal obligation for the Brazilian State to protect human rights defenders and that there is a series of rights that are crucial for human rights defenders to be able to conduct their activities. The final section presents a brief conclusion in which this paper’s discussions are recapitulated.
