Latest News
India: Government must stop bauxite mine and refinery expansion until human rights are addressed
(Delhi) Indian authorities have given local communities scant or misleading information about the potential impact of a proposed alumina refinery expansion and mining project to be operated by subsidiaries of UK-based company Vedanta Resources in Orissa, Amnesty International said in a new report published today
2010-02-09
China: Free human rights activist jailed after unfair trial
Amnesty International called on the Chinese authorities to release human rights activist Tan Zuoren, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison today for “inciting subversion of state power.
2010-02-09
Indian government must stop bauxite mine and refinery expansion until human rights are addressed
Indian authorities have given local communities scant or misleading information about the potential impact of a proposed alumina refinery expansion and mining project to be operated by subsidiaries of UK-based company Vedanta Resources in Orissa.
2010-02-09
Arrest of Sri Lankan opposition leader escalates post-election repression
Retired General Sarath Fonseka will reportedly face a military Court Martial on charges that he revealed military secrets and plotted the assassination of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
2010-02-09
China: Free human rights activist jailed after unfair trial
Amnesty International called on the Chinese authorities to release human rights activist Tan Zuoren, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison today for “inciting subversion of state power
2010-02-09
Afghanistan: No impunity for war criminalsas
Amnesty International calls on Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Afghan Parliament to immediately suspend controversial legislation that will give immunity from prosecution for serious violations of human rights, including war crimes and crimes against humanity committed, in the past 30 years
2010-02-08
Arrest of Sri Lankan opposition leader escalates post-election repression
The arrest of retired General Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lanka’s former Chief of Army Staff and opposition political candidate in Sri Lanka’s recently held Presidential Election, escalates post-election repression, Amnesty International said today
2010-02-08
Arrest of Sri Lankan opposition leader escalates post-election repression
The arrest of retired General Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lanka’s former Chief of Army Staff and opposition political candidate in Sri Lanka’s recently held Presidential Election, escalates post-election repression, Amnesty International said today.
2010-02-08
USA: USA to provide effective remedies to violence against women and girls with the introduction of I-VAWA
Amnesty International USA today applauded the introduction of legislation to combat the global crisis of violence against women and girls. The International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) would for the first time make the epidemic of violence against women worldwide a priority of the United States government and integrate prevention strategies across foreign policy and assistance programs.
2010-02-05
Women's lives at risk because of Nicaragua's abortion ban
Activist Ana María Pizarro, tells Amnesty International how pregnant women are at risk of losing their lives because of Nicaragua's abortion ban.
2010-02-05
Ten years on -- no justice for victims of Chechen killings
Ten years after the killing of scores of civilians in a suburb of the Chechen capital Grozny, the relatives of those murdered are still denied justice by the Russian authorities.
2010-02-05
Ban Ki-moon 'misses opportunity' on Gaza accountability
The UN Secretary-General has "missed an opportunity" by failing to make an assessment of the credibility of Israeli and Palestinian investigations into violations during the Gaza conflict.
2010-02-05
Madagascar: Killings must be investigated and perpetrators brought to justice
The Madagascar authorities must urgently launch impartial investigations into dozens of killings carried out by security forces during more than a year of anti-government protests and bring those responsible to justice, Amnesty International said in a report released today
2010-02-04
Amnesty urges UN to condemn Nicaragua's abortion ban
Amnesty urges UN to condemn Nicaragua's abortion ban
2010-02-04
Papua New Guinea: Investigation into police conduct in Porgera must be impartial
Amnesty International today questioned the impartiality of a proposed police investigation into alleged forced evictions near the Porgera gold mine following media reports that the Police Commissioner dismissed allegations of police misconduct
2010-02-04
Madagascar killings must be investigated and perpetrators brought to justice
Dozens were killed by security forces during more than a year of anti-government protests, sparked by the closure of the Viva television station in December 2008.
2010-02-04
UN urged to condemn Nicaragua's abortion ban
The United Nations should urge Nicaragua to repeal its ban on abortion following a human rights' review of the country on 8 February, Amnesty International said today.
2010-02-04
Ukraine releases Belarusian opposition activist
Igor Koktysh had been held in a pre-trial detention centre since June 2007, when Belarus requested his extradition. He was considered to be a prisoner of conscience.
2010-02-04
U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Case against Former Somali Minister of Defense One Month from Today
Major human rights organizations file amici curiae brief along with individual torture survivors and their families, religious groups, and torture survivor support organizations. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether former foreign government officials who committed human rights abuses while in office are entitled to immunity in U.S courts.
2010-02-03
Iran - Amnesty International and Other NGOs to Hold Silent Vigil for Iran at Ralph J. Bunche Park
Amnesty International USA along with co-sponsors, United4Iran, Student World Assembly, International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran and Where's My Vote, NY, are holding a silent vigil for Iranian non-violent protestors at Ralph J. Bunche park, across the street from the United Nations Headquarters on Thursday, February 11 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
2010-02-03
Toxic waste victims desperate for justice
Those affected by the 2006 disaster in Côte d'Ivoire, have told of their anxious wait to see if they will get any of the $45 million compensation owed to them.
2010-02-03
Sudanese President could face genocide charges after ICC reverses ruling
Amnesty International has reiterated its call for the Sudanese authorities to arrest Omar al Bashir, who is already charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes over his role in the Darfur conflict.
2010-02-03
Nine at risk of execution over Iran protests
Amnesty International says it fears the authorities are planning to execute some or all of the nine before 11 February, the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
2010-02-02
Belarusian conscientious objector jailed
Ivan Mikhailau had refused military service because bearing arms contradicts his religious beliefs.
2010-02-02
Police violence and illegal evictions near Papua New Guinean gold mine must be investigated
Police in Papua New Guinea burnt down homes and threatened people with guns while illegally evicting them from land next to one of the country's biggest gold mines.
2010-02-02
Yemeni journalist held incommunicado 'appears before prosecutor'
Muhammad al-Maqalih is thought to have been detained for his comments on the government's conduct in the ongoing conflict in the northern region of Sa'da.
2010-02-02
Latest Israeli response to Gaza investigations totally inadequate
Israel’s latest response to the UN on its investigations into alleged violations of international law by its forces in Gaza a year ago is totally inadequate, Amnesty International said today.
2010-02-02
Sri Lanka: Amnesty International Urges Sri Lanka to End Post-Election Clampdown on Dissent
Amnesty International today called on the Sri Lankan government to end its crackdown on journalists, political activists and human rights defenders following last week?s presidential election.
2010-02-01
Haiti: Haiti's human rights challenge
Two weeks after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, its people are confronted with a human rights crisis.
2010-01-29
Malaysia: Amnesty International Says Malaysian Opposition Leader Anwar Faces 'Show Trial'
Amnesty International has urged the Malaysian authorities to drop politically motivated criminal charges of sodomy against Anwar Ibrahim, the country?s opposition leader, after he today lost an appeal for access to the government?s evidence against him.
2010-01-29
Latest Reports
Mexico: Standing up for justice and dignity: Human rights defenders in Mexico
Mexico is a dangerous place for human rights defenders. They face threats, harassment and intimidation, spurious criminal charges and wrongful prosecution. Some activists have even been killed in relation to their human rights work. Threats, attacks and killings of human rights defenders are rarely investigated effectively by either federal or state authorities. Impunity in cases of abuses against human rights defenders fosters a climate of intimidation, fear and insecurity. This report documents cases of abuses against human rights defenders and ends with recommendations to the state and federal authorities.
2010-01-21
Somalia: International military and policing assistance should be reviewed
2010-01-21
USA: Still failing human rights in the name of global "war"
As detentions in the US Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay enter their ninth year, and the 22 January 2010 deadline for the detention facility?s closure approaches only to be missed, the administration has registered "wins" in two recent court decisions on the detentions. This paper looks at the two decisions and places them in the context of the USA?s failure to end the Guantánamo detentions. It argues that the missed deadline is a symptom of the failure of the US government to properly confront the detentions as an international human rights issue.
2010-01-20
USA: Blocked at Every Turn: The Absence of Effective Remedy for Counter-Terrorism Abuses
Amnesty International has been calling on the US government to ensure that the USA's counter-terrorism laws, policies and practices, including bringing to justice in fair trials those accused of involvement in the September 11, 2001 attacks, comply with international law and standards.
2009-12-16
USA: US Must Reform Afghanistan Detention Policy as New Facility Opens
The Obama administration should revise its detention policies in Afghanistan to make them consistent with international law, Amnesty International, Human Rights First, and Human Rights Watch have said.
2009-12-16
Mexico: New reports of human rights violations by the military
Amnesty International is receiving increasing allegations of serious human rights violations, such as enforced disappearance, extrajudicial executions and other unlawful killings, torture and other ill-treatment, and arbitrary detention, being committed by members of the Mexican military. The cases documented in this report show that both civilian and military authorities frequently fail to investigate these reports in a prompt, impartial and effective manner. Amnesty International hopes this report and its recommendations will help the Mexican government address this pattern of serious human rights violations swiftly and effectively.
2009-12-08
Solomon Islands. End Impunity Through Universal Jurisdiction (No Safe Haven Series No. 6)
2009-12-07
Iran: Election contested, repression compounded
2009-12-07
Cuba: The US embargo against Cuba: Its impact on economic and social rights
For nearly half a century, the USA has unilaterally imposed an economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba. This document reiterates previous Amnesty International recommendations calling for the lifting of the US embargo. The document highlights the detrimental impact of the US embargo on the efforts by UN agencies and programmes supporting the Cuban government in the progressive realization of economic and social rights. In this report, Amnesty International focuses on the right to health by highlighting how the trade and financial sanctions affect the provision of health care in Cuba.
2009-12-07
Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: Hadidiya and Humsa Hamlets (Letter writing marathon case sheet)
Palestinian families living in Humsa and Hadidiya hamlets in the Jordan Valley region of the West Bank, part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, face a daily threat of forcible eviction from their homes by the Israeli army. Their movement is restricted and they are denied access to the water and land they need for survival. In this case sheet Amnesty international calls for the demolition and expulsion orders to be rescinded, for discrimination and harassment to end, and for confiscated property to be returned.
2009-12-05
Uzbekistan: Azam Farmonov and Alisher Karamatov (Letter writing marathon case sheet)
Azam Farmonov and Alisher Karamatov are prisoners of conscience, detained on 29 April 2006 as they defended the rights of local farmers who had accused district farming officials of malpractice, extortion and corruption. The two men were allegedly tortured, charged with extortion and subjected to an unfair trial where they were denied adequate legal representation. In this case sheet Amnesty International calls for their immediate and unconditional release and, in the meantime, appropriate medical treatment.
2009-12-05
Greece: Konstantina Kuneva (Letter writing marathon case sheet)
Konstantina Kuneva, a Bulgarian migrant worker and trade union leader, was severely injured in a sulphuric acid attack by unknown men. She lost her sight in one eye and her larynx, oesophagus and stomach were seriously damaged. In this case sheet Amnesty International demands that the investigation into the attack is continued, leading to the perpetrators being brought to justice, and for the protection of human rights defenders and trade union members from similar attacks.
2009-12-05
Viet Nam: Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan (Letter writing marathon case sheet)
Human rights lawyers Nguyen Van Dai, aged 40, and Le Thi Cong Nhan, aged 30, were jailed in May 2007 for "conducting propaganda against the State." Amnesty International considers them prisoners of conscience and is calling for their immediate and unconditional release. In this case sheet Amnesty International calls for their immediate and unconditional release.
2009-12-05
Nicaragua: Nine women's rights defenders (Letter writing marathon case sheet)
Nine women’s rights defenders are facing legal proceedings for their involvement in the case of a nine-year-old girl who obtained a legal abortion in Nicaragua after she was raped and became pregnant. It is feared that they have been targeted for their human rights work, particularly in the area of reproductive health. In this case sheet Amnesty International expresses its concern about the unresolved complaint against these women and urges the Nicaraguan authorities to resolve the case and to ensure that they can carry on their work free from intimidation.
2009-12-05
Colombia: The Peace Community of San José de Apartadó (Letter writing marathon case sheet)
Members of the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó in Colombia have been the focus of suspicion and hostility from all parties to the armed conflict since the Community’s formation in 1997. More than 170 have been killed since then, mostly at the hands of paramilitaries, either acting alone or with the collusion of the security forces. Guerrilla groups have also been responsible for a number of killings. In this case sheet Amnesty International urges the Colombian authorities to investigate human rights abuses against the members of the Community.
2009-12-05
Ethiopia: Birtukan Mideksa (Letter writing marathon case sheet)
Birtukan Mideksa, an opposition party leader, is serving a life sentence in Kaliti Prison in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Amnesty International considers her a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned for peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression and association. In this case sheet Amnesty International expresses its concern about the life sentence re-imposed following her re-arrest and calls for her immediate and unconditional release.
2009-12-05
Nepal: Rita Mahato (Letter writing marathon case sheet)
Human rights defender Rita Mahato has been threatened with death, rape and kidnapping as a result of her work helping women in Nepal who have suffered acts of violence. She is a health adviser at the Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC). The police have failed to provide Rita Mahato with protection or to investigate the threats, and she fears for her life. In this case sheet Amnesty International urges the police to protect human rights defenders.
2009-12-05
The Gender Trap: Women, Violence and Poverty
Most of the people living in poverty in the world are women. Discrimination is a key driver of poverty. In some countries discrimination against women is built into the law. The violence women face helps keep them poor, and it is poor women who are most exposed to violence. Women continue to be most affected by poverty, violence, environmental degradation and diseases. They continue to be targeted in armed conflicts and face restrictions on their freedom and autonomy. Women's voices must be heard. Their contributions must be recognized and encouraged.
2009-11-25
Ethiopia: Free Birtukan Medeksa (Postcard action Addressee 1)
2009-11-10
Ethiopia: Free Birtukan Medeksa (Postcard action Addressee 2)
2009-11-10
Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: Demand Dignity: Troubled waters - Palestinians denied fair access to water
Lack of access to adequate, safe and clean water has been a longstanding problem for Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), principally as a result of discriminatory Israeli policies and practices. Some 180,000-200,000 Palestinians in rural communities in the West Bank have no access to running water. The water shortage has hindered social and economic development for Palestinians in the OPT and has resulted in violations of their right to an adequate standard of living, including the rights to water, food, health, work and adequate housing.
2009-10-27
Out of Reach: The Cost of Maternal Health in Sierra Leone
This report is about maternal mortality as a human rights issue. It focuses on: 1, the urgent need to remove financial barriers to health care and in particular emergency obstetric care; 2, the accountability of the government of Sierra Leone, given its obligations to address maternal health care and to ensure the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of health care services, facilities and goods; and 3, discrimination and other social factors that contribute to undermining women's right tohealth.
2009-10-08
Turkmenistan: Shed light on the disappeared - Postcard
2009-09-23
Spain: End Incommunicado detention in Spain (postcard)
2009-09-15
Spain: Out of the shadows: End incommunicado detention in Spain
Spanish law allows people to be held incommunicado, which means they have no effective access to a lawyer or to a doctor of their choice, and their family is not informed where they are or that they have been detained. It is one of the strictest detention regimes in the European Union. Many detainees held incommunicado say that they were tortured or otherwise ill-treated. Amnesty International is calling for the Spanish authorities to abrogate legislation that allows incommunicado detention and to investigate allegations of torture.
2009-09-15
Spain: Out of the shadows - Time to end incommunicado detention
Amnesty International considers that the incommunicado regime in Spanish law is a violation of Spain’s obligations under international human rights law. No other European Union country maintains a detention regime with such severe restrictions on the rights of detainees. The continuing allegations of torture and other ill-treatment demonstrate the grave consequences detention in this regime may have. Amnesty International calls on parliament to abrogate the existing legislation and to ensure the effective protection of the rights of all persons deprived of their liberty.
2009-09-15
Saudi Arabia: Countering terrorism with repression
Since the 11 September 2001 attacks in the USA, carried out by a group that included Saudi Arabian nationals, and in the wake of bombings and other attacks inside Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Arabian authorities have imposed a range of counter-terrorism measures that have swept aside embryonic legal reforms and left people in Saudi Arabia almost completely devoid of fundamental freedoms and rights. In this document, which includes case studies, Amnesty International is calling on the Saudi Arabian authorities to stop the endemic abuse of human rights.
2009-09-11
Qatar: Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review
Seventh session of the UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council, February 2010
2009-09-01
