Latest News
Election observers must monitor human rights during Sudanese elections
An increase in harassment, arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture or other forms of ill-treatment by security forces is anticipated ahead of April's elections.
2010-03-19
Open letter on death penalty in Taiwan
President Ma Ying-jeou urged to ensure that the country's de facto moratorium on executions remains in place.
2010-03-18
Cuba's 'ladies in white' at risk of beatings and intimidation
Amnesty International urged Cuban President Raúl Castro to ensure the safety of a group of female relatives of prisoners of conscience ahead of a scheduled demonstration today
2010-03-18
Saudi Arabia 'sorcery' death sentence upheld
If the higher courts reject his appeal, former televison presenter 'Ali Hussain Sibat could be executed at any time.
2010-03-18
Fears for Kurdish minority activist detained incommunicado in Syria
It is not known why 'Abed al-Hafith 'Abed al-Rahman is being detained or whether any charges have been brought against him.
2010-03-18
Cuba: Cuba's 'ladies in white' At Risk of Beatings and Intimidation, Says Amnesty International
Amnesty International urged Cuban President Raúl Castro to ensure the safety of a group of female relatives of prisoners of conscience ahead of a scheduled demonstration today.
2010-03-18
Cuba urged to revoke repressive laws and release prisoners of conscience
Amnesty International today called on the Cuban authorities to revoke laws that restrict freedom of expression, assembly and association and to release all dissidents unfairly detained by the authorities
2010-03-17
Control of US special forces in Afghanistan a step toward accountability
New measures introduced by the Commander of US forces and the NATO International Security Assistance Force are in response to resentment spurred by ongoing civilian casualties.
2010-03-17
Vietnam: Amnesty International Urges Vietnam to Unconditionally Release Catholic Priest
A Vietnamese human rights activist and Catholic priest who was temporarily allowed to leave detention on Monday, March 15, should be unconditionally and permanently released, Amnesty International urged today.
2010-03-16
Legal loopholes allow European companies to trade in 'tools of torture'
European companies are participating in the global trade in types of equipment widely used in torture or other ill-treatment, according to evidence presented in a new report by Amnesty International and the Omega Research Foundation.
2010-03-16
Viet Nam: Catholic Priest should be unconditionally released
A Vietnamese human rights activists and Catholic priest who was temporarily allowed to leave detention yesterday should be unconditionally and permanently released, Amnesty International urged today
2010-03-16
Tunisia: Government must end harassment of former political prisoners
Amnesty International called on the Tunisian President to end the daily harassment of former political prisoners as the country celebrates its national independence day on 20 March
2010-03-15
Gambian detainees must be charged or released
2010-03-15
Tunisian government must end harassment of former political prisoners
Amnesty International has called on the Tunisian President to end the daily harassment of former political prisoners ahead of the country's national independence day.
2010-03-15
Egypt must halt execution of man accused of murder
2010-03-12
USA urged to confront shocking maternal mortality rate
Amnesty International today called on US President Barack Obama to tackle soaring rates of maternal mortality and pregnancy-related complications that particularly affect minorities and those living in poverty
2010-03-12
USA: Amnesty International Calls on President Obama to Establish Office of Maternal Health
Amnesty International called on President Obama today to quickly establish an Office of Maternal Health to lead government action to reduce soaring pregnancy-related complications and maternal deaths nationwide. The human rights organization said the government must take immediate steps to stop the loss of two to three women every day and reduce the risk of complications that now affect one-third of all pregnant women ? 1.7 million women a year.
2010-03-12
Gambia: Amnesty International Says Gambia Must Charge or Release Detainees
Amnesty International today calls on the Gambian government to immediately charge or release all former government officials detained during a wave of arrests over the past week.
2010-03-12
Kenya: Investigation into alleged police killings must be impartial
Amnesty International has called for the promised investigation into the alleged killing by Kenyan police of seven men to be impartial, independent and for the results to be made public
2010-03-12
Gambia: Detainees must be charged or released
Amnesty International today calls on the Gambian government to immediately charge or release all former government officials detained during a wave of arrests over the past week
2010-03-12
USA urged to confront shocking maternal mortality rate
Amnesty International called on US President Barack Obama to tackle soaring rates of maternal mortality and pregnancy-related complications that particularly affect those in poverty.
2010-03-12
Attack on Pakistani humanitarian workers 'major setback' to human rights
Insurgent groups in Pakistan must stop targeting humanitarian agencies that are trying to provide assistance to the country's poor, said Amnesty International after six NGO workers were killed in the country's northwest region.
2010-03-12
Palestinian journalists targeted
Amnesty International calls on the Palestinian and Israeli authorities to release all journalists who are being detained for carrying out their legitimate professional activities, amid continuing harassment of media workers in the region.
2010-03-12
Kenyan investigation into alleged police killings must be impartial
Amnesty International has called for the promised investigation into the alleged killing by Kenyan police of seven men to be impartial, independent and for the results to be made public.
2010-03-12
Egyptian man executed amid questions over murder conviction
An Egyptian man, who may have been wrongfully convicted of murder, was hanged in Cairo on Wednesday morning, Amnesty International has learned.
2010-03-12
Italian authorities urged to stop forced evictions of Roma
We always dream that our children will have a house to live in, so they will not be called "gypsies"Elpida, a Macedonian Roma, mother of six, who came to Italy in 1991 with her husband
2010-03-11
Italian authorities urged to stop forced evictions of Roma
Amnesty International has called for a review of a controversial housing plan that has resulted in the forced eviction of hundreds of Roma and paves the way for thousands more.
2010-03-11
USA: Amnesty International Says DOS Country Reports Need to Be More Comprehensive
Human rights organization welcomes expanded reporting on discrimination and press freedom, but says that reports fail to provide a comprehensive assessment of economic,
social, and cultural rights.
2010-03-11
Egypt: Halt execution of man accused of murder
Amnesty International has made an urgent personal appeal to Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak to prevent the execution of a man who is believed to have been wrongly convicted of murder and whose co-accused was executed on Wednesday
2010-03-11
Sri Lanka urged to end witch hunt against the media and NGOs
The Sri Lankan government should end its harassment of journalists and activists and take steps against those making threats, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a joint statement.
2010-03-11
Latest Reports
USA: Daily injustice, immeasurable damage
Each day that passes without accountability, remedy and resolution of detainee cases in line with US human rights and humanitarian law obligations compounds the damage done to the vision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights already wrought by actions taken by the USA in the name of ?countering terrorism? over recent years. An end to the injustice is long overdue. The US administration and Congress must do the right thing now.
2010-03-05
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
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
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
