A/HRC/16/44 sent regarding killings of one or more defenders, their family members, or female relatives of male human rights defenders, along with thirty-five communications regarding attempted killings. 65. Women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues in the Americas appear to be most at risk of being killed or having an attempt made on their lives. The largest number of these communications was sent to Colombia (12 regarding killings, 11 regarding attempted killings), while other cases were reported in Brazil (two regarding killings, four regarding attempted killings); Guatemala (two regarding killings, two regarding attempted killings); and Honduras (two regarding killings, two regarding attempted killings); with attempted killings also being reported in Mexico (two), Chile (two), Ecuador (two), and Peru (two). Those most at risk appear to be women trade unionists and women labour rights activists, particularly in Colombia and Guatemala; women indigenous rights activists, particularly in Colombia, Mexico, Chile, and Guatemala; and women environmental and land rights activists, particularly in Brazil and Colombia, along with family members and associates of all the aforementioned defenders. 66. Outside of the Americas, 2009 saw an alarming rise in comparison to previous years in the number of allegations received regarding murders of women human rights defenders and those working on women’s rights or gender issues in the Russian Federation: four communications regarding alleged killings were sent in 2009. In this context, those targeted were often working on human rights in Chechnya and the North Caucasus generally, along with journalists. Other killings and attempted killings were reported in communications sent to the Philippines (eight communications), Iraq (two communications), India (two communications), Nepal (one communication), Sri Lanka (two communications), Israel (one communication), and the Congo (one communication), with further attempted killings being reported in communications sent to Pakistan (two communications), Bangladesh (one communication), the United States of America (one communication, concerning Iraq under U.S. Administration), and France (one communication, concerning French Guyana) during the 2004-2009 period. 67. Allegations on attacks against the physical integrity of this group of defenders by non-State groups and individuals were received during the 2004-2009 period, cases of which were raised in 52 communications. About half of these cases were reported in Central and South American countries. Those most at risk in this region appear to include women working as journalists, such as those critical of paramilitary groups in Colombia; women advocating for workers’ rights in Mexico, along with women lawyers, indigenous and pro-democracy defenders. Physical attacks were also reported in Europe and Central Asia (10 communications), the Middle East and North Africa (six communications), Asia (five communications), and Africa (three communications). 68. The sources of threats, death threats, killings, attempted killings and physical attacks are generally unknown or unidentified, although it has been reported that they are individuals or groups who are in some way affected or linked to those affected by the work carried out by the defenders they target. In this regard, paramilitary and other armed groups, particularly in the Colombian context, are often the source of killings and death threats, which may target large swathes of civil society, often accompanied by the stigmatization of the work defenders do and declaring them to be “military targets”. In a few instances in the Americas, law enforcement or military officials were also identified as the perpetrators of killings, threats and death threats. In such cases, the women defenders in question were generally working on issues related to impunity for alleged violations carried out by State agents. Similarly, in Europe, the perpetrators of killings remain unknown; those responsible for threats and attacks were occasionally alleged to be State agents and, in some instances, far-right political extremists and religious groups. 13