…[This] report highlights both the enormous progress that [defenders] have helped bring about, and the dangers that they continue to face…[since they] have been intimidated, harassed, attacked and killed…[It] focuses primarily on such attacks between January 2010 and September 2012…Despite advances in some key cases of human rights violations, the high level of impunity across the Americas remains a serious concern…Almost half of the cases took place in the context of disputes over lands, several related to large-scale development projects led by private companies. None of the companies or their personnel has been found guilty of any criminal or civil offence in connection with these cases of attacks against human rights defenders…