Benjamin Wachenje / Global Witness

New York, September 12 (RHC)-- A new report by Global Witness finds nearly 200 environmental defenders were killed around the globe last year.  

Colombia once again topped the list as the deadliest nation for environmentalists and activists with at least 79 people killed — most of them Indigenous, Afro-Colombians and farmers.  The second most deadly country was Brazil. 

In the U.S., the report condemned the police killing of environmental activist Manuel Esteban Terán, known as Tortuguita, during a raid on a Stop Cop City encampment in Atlanta, Georgia.  Tortuguita, who was 26 years old, was struck 57 times by police bullets while peacefully protesting the multimillion-dollar police training complex.  No officers have been charged in Tortuguita’s killing.