A/HRC/19/55 this region, the Democratic Republic of Congo received the highest number of communications (10). 56. In the Americas region, journalists and media workers were mainly targeted due to their work on environmental issues, human rights violations committed by the State, corruption, monitoring demonstrations, exercising their right to freedom of expression, investigating on drug dealing and mafia groups and denouncing impunity. In this region, Mexico received the highest number of communications (10), followed by Honduras (8) and Colombia (6). 57. In the Asia Pacific region, such defenders were mainly targeted for exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression (including through the Internet), promoting democracy, as well as for denouncing corruption and violations committed by the State, witnessing human rights violations, advocating women’s rights and reporting human rights violations. The mandate holder sent the highest number of communications to the Islamic Republic of Iran (22), China (8) and Sri Lanka (7). 58. In the Europe and Central Asia region, journalists and media workers who were targeted focused their work mainly on monitoring demonstrations, democratic governance, investigative journalism, corruption, human rights violations committed by the State, environmental issues and minority rights. They were also targeted for exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression, including through the Internet. The mandate holder sent the highest number of communications to the Russian Federation (9), followed by Uzbekistan (7). 59. Concerning the Middle East and North Africa region, journalists and media workers were targeted mainly because of their activities monitoring demonstrations, denouncing human rights violations committed by the State, working on women’s rights, minority rights, corruption and advocating for democracy. They were also targeted for exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression, including through the Internet. In this region, the mandate holder sent the highest number of communications to the Syrian Arab Republic (6) and Yemen (6). 2. (a) Defenders working on land and environmental issues International human rights framework and approach of the mandate holder 60. The two International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and on Civil and Political Rights share a common article 1 which provides, inter alia, that “all peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence”. 61. The Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in its preamble, recognizes the legitimacy of activities for the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights when it acknowledges the “valuable work of individuals, groups and associations” in the elimination of violations including those resulting from “the refusal to recognize the right of peoples to self-determination and the right of every people to exercise full sovereignty over its wealth and natural resources”. 62. As the Special Representative had highlighted, the protection accorded to defenders by the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders is not dependant on whether the focus of the work of the defender(s) in question is on civil and political rights or economic, social and cultural rights. All peaceful actions by defenders to call attention to possible failures of 11