An electronic bracelet has been developed for human rights activists

The fight for human rights is an activity that is both noble and dangerous, especially in some countries where a brave fighter can easily disappear in an unknown direction, be beaten, or even killed. It is precisely such situations that the new project of the Swedish organization Civil Rights Defenders is designed for.

Natalia Project , named after Chechen human rights activist Natalya Estemirova, who was killed in 2009, may help save some of the activists’ freedom, or even their lives. The idea is simple: a person in danger will be able to wear an electronic bracelet on his wrist day and night, which, when the “panic button” is pressed or when removed by force, automatically sends out a pre-specified message, as well as the exact coordinates of the person with whom the trouble happened.

The bracelet has built-in GPS and GSM modules, as well as communication means via a secure protocol. In addition to regular SMS, the bracelet duplicates messages on social networks. Anyone can participate in the work - and each wearer of the bracelet will receive a warning if anything happens to another.

By the end of the year, the authors of the Natalia Project plan to produce and distribute 30 such bracelets, and next year - to increase their number to fifty. The numbers are surprisingly modest, especially since in some countries and regions the need for such a means of protection may well require many thousands of copies. And in some places, it would probably be worth providing the entire population with such bracelets.