properly investigated.91 The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed similar concerns in his reports.92 66. Common forms of threats and acts of violence against human rights defenders, which can be observed in a number of countries in the OSCE region, include verbal and physical abuse; arson or bomb attacks on homes, offices and cars of human rights defenders; destruction or seizure of their equipment and other property; excessive use of force against human rights defenders in the context of raids, assemblies and other policing operations; torture and other ill-treatment in detention; and the abduction or enforced disappearances and even killings of human rights defenders. Such abuses are not only directed against the human rights defenders themselves but also often against members of their families, including their children. Human rights defenders and their families become targets because perpetrators seek to prevent human rights work, retaliate against specific human rights activities or simply to instil fear. In most cases, the security risks that human rights defenders are exposed to appear to be long-term and part of a pattern of abuse intended to silence them. 67. Such abuses are either committed by non-state actors, including violent political groups, armed groups and organized crime, privately contracted security companies and others, or by state officials, or with their authorization, support or acquiescence. Sometimes abuses by violent groups are explicitly or implicitly legitimized by public officials.93 68. The obligations of participating States to respect, protect and fulfil human rights requires that they refrain from any threats or acts of violence against human rights defenders, protect them from such acts by non-state actors and take proactive measures to ensure their safety. In its resolutions, the UNGA routinely calls on states to ensure the protection of human rights defenders. The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers has urged Member States to “take effective measures to 91  See PACE Resolution 1891 (2012) on the situation of human rights defenders in Council of Europe member States, adopted on 27 June 2012, para. 3. For examples of cases of threats and attacks on physical integrity, including murder, and impunity for such violations, see the Explanatory Memorandum to the Resolution (Doc. 12957, report of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, rapporteur: Ms Reps), in particular paras. 9-12 and 28-31. For information on reports of attacks on the physical integrity of human rights defenders, see also the information memorandum of the PACE rapporteur on her visits to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, “Strengthening the protection and role of human rights defenders in Council of Europe member states, Information memorandum about the situation of human rights defenders in the South Caucasus region (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia)”, AS/Jur (2014) 03, 24 January 2014. 92  See, for example, his report on the protection of migrants in Europe, where he noted reports of severe attacks against human rights defenders by extremist and far-right groups. See “The Protection of Migrant Rights in Europe, Round-Table with human rights defenders organised by the Office of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Paris, 5 October 2012”, CommDH(2013)9, 18 April 2013, paras. 31-32. 93  See, for example, the December 2013 report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, which states: “The Special Rapporteur continues to receive credible reports and allegations indicating that non-State actors, including private corporations, are involved in violations against defenders, including stigmatization, threats, harassment, attacks, death threats and killings. Attacks are sometimes committed by groups which are directly or indirectly set off by States, either by providing logistical support or by condoning their actions, explicitly or implicitly” (UN Doc. A/HRC/25/55, para. 103). Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders 45