Amnesty International has called on Ireland to use the European Union presidency to raise the issue of protection of human rights defenders at today's meeting with Latin American countries.
The group called for ministers attending the EU and Latin America summit in Mexico to insert tougher language to guard campaigners into the meeting's final report.
"When a major summit like this is held in a region where human rights defenders are under constant attack, human rights defenders barely feature on the agenda," Mr Sean Love, executive director of Amnesty International Ireland, said.
"The serious situation in the host country Mexico, where the judicial system is being misused to harass human rights defenders, does not appear to be on the agenda at all for discussions between the Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the Mexican President Vicente Fox," he said.
Mr Sean Love, executive director of Amnesty International (Ireland)
Amnesty International said although the EU foreign ministers plan to adopt guidelines to support defenders at their next meeting in June, they should also speak out now.
Mr Love asked the ministers to use today's summit meeting to ensure judicial investigations against human rights supporters are conducted within international fair trial standards.
The group said Columbia is one of the most dangerous countries in which to attempt to advocate human rights. The Irish branch said there have been moves there to discredit and charge members of the organisation Justice and Peace.