Actions
The state of Ohio has announced new lethal injection procedures and plans to execute Kenneth Biros on December 8. Five other male prisoners in Ohio are scheduled for execution in the coming months.
Four men who were arrested for an attack on a human rights lawyer and villagers of Ejido Jotola were released on bail and have returned to the village, threatening to kill and rape them. They also intimidated the family of a man who privded a witness statement against them. The safety and lives of all the villagers are at risk.
A court in Bahrain upheld the death penalty against Jassim Abdulmanan, a Bangladeshi national. The execution is now awaiting ratification by the king. Abdulmanan could be executed within weeks.
Zhao Lianhai, father of a boy who became ill from contaminated milk powder in China in 2008 is being held as a prisoner of conscience and is at risk of torture and other ill- treatment for his campaigning for justice for other affected families.
Zarema Gaisanova, a 39-year-old Checan woman, was abducted on October 31. It is believed she was taken by the law enforcement. She has not been seen since.
Youth Azerbaijani activists, Emin Abdullayev and Adnan Hajizade have been sentenced to two and a half years and two years respectively in an unfair trial regarding a satircal video made by Hajizade in June, criticizing the government.
Luis Galdamez, a male journalist freelancing for an independent radio station in Honduras, has been receiving death threats as a result of his broadcasting work and his support of the country's ousted president, Manuel Zelaya.
Not only do the deaths of women tarnish the image of the Mexican city of Juárez, but also the disappearance of soldier Miguel Orlando Muñoz Guzmán demonstrates the flaw in the state of rights and justice in this region of Mexico. Download the action Ensure a full and impartial investigation into the "disappearance" of Miguel Orlando Munoz Guzman in PDF format
Ibrahim Zautdinovich Mankiev, a Russian national, has been detained in Egypt since November 10, when he was allegedly beaten, tied in ropes and handcuffed. He could be forcibly deported from Egypt back to Russia, where he may face arbitrary detention and is at risk of torture.
Brazilian teacher, Rolindo Vera, has been missing since October 30 after he and other indigenous people were evicted from their land. His community fears he may have been abducted and taken to Paraguay. The body of another male teacher was found in a nearby river; Rolindo Vera's life is in grave danger.
Habibollah Latifi and Sherko Moarefi, allegedly both members of Kurdish organizations, have been convicted of "enmity against God" and are at imminent risk of execution. Ehsan Fattahian, a member of a Kurdish opposition group, was executed on 11 November without being given an opportunity to appeal against his death sentence.
A 75 year old woman along with two 24 year old males have had their sentences of flogging and imprisonment reimposed. If the Supreme Court upholds their sentences, they will be imprisoned and at imminent risk of flogging.
City authorities in Rome have forcibly evicted a community of about 400 Roma people. The majority of them are homeless and were living in an abandoned factory nearby.
Igor Koktysh is a 29 year old social activist that could be forcibly returned at anytime from Ukraine, where he is at risk of the death penalty for fabricated charges.
Female human rights defender, Ingrid Vergara has received death threats and her fourteen year old daughter, Cendy has been followed by unknown individuals for Ingrid's work in exposing human rights violations. Both Ingrid's life and her daughter's may be at risk.
The home of Gertrude Hambria, a prominent female trade union activist in Zimbabwe, was attacked by three armed men. While Gertrude was not home, the men threatened her husband.
Twenty- nine year old, Ali Agirdas is at imminent risk of beheading in Saudi Arabia. Agirdas was arrested on 24 February 2007 for smuggling drugs.
John Smith Porras Bernal, a Colombian man whose brother was killed by the army, has since received death threats at his home in Soacha. His life is in danger for helping his mother campaign for justice for her murdered son.
Five Indigenous communities in Itakyry district, eastern Paraguay, are no longer facing imminent eviction from their ancestoral lands. However, the Brazilian farmers who claim they own the land used an aeroplane to spray toxic substances over the community. Now, 200 people seek medical attention from the toxic spray.
Saudi Arabia's Court of Cassation has confirmed that a 22 year old man, Muhammad Basheer al-Ramaly, is sentenced to death by heading, with his body then to be crucified.
Hengameh Shahidi, a female journalist, was released on bail on November 1 after four months deatined without trial in Iran's capital, Tehran.
A paramilitary group has threatened to kill six individuals and members of five organizations in western Colombia. All are in grave danger.
Yong Vui Kong was arrested in June 2007, when he was 19, by officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau. He was charged with trafficking 42.27 grams of heroin, and then sentenced to death.
A 20 year old man, Nouravie Wilfred, held incommunicado without charge by police in Guyana has been release. However, another man, Deonarine Rafick may face an unfair trial after being tortured in order to force him to sign a confession.
Student activist Mohammed Soudani was sentenced in an unfair trial to four months' imprisonment. He is a prisoner of conscience and was detained incommunicado for almost three weeks just outside the Tunisian capital.
Within days, about 900 students from a Christian college in Jakarta could be forcibly evicted from the place where they have been living and studying. Religious minority groups have frequently endured oppression by the Muslim authorities.
Three Iranian journalists, Bahman Ahmadi Amou'i, Kevyan Samimi Behbahani, and Saeed Laylaz, remain detained since the government's crackdown on freedom of expression after the June 12 elections. They are at risk of torture.
The Supreme Court of Belarus rejected the appeal of Andrei Zhuk. Once he receives written notification of the rejection he will have ten days to apply for clemency.
Journalist Hairat Niyas was taken from his home on October 1. His family received a note stating he had been arrested for "endangering state security".
Yoab Syatfle, a political activist in the Indonesian province of West Papua, has received multiple death threats related to his peaceful activities representing Papuan indigenous communities. Amnesty International fears for his safety and life.
Members of a peasant farmers' organization in southern Mexico have been tortured while in custody after being arrested without a warrant.
Two female editors in Sri Lanka have received death threats. The founder of the newspaper they work for received similar threats before being killed in January.
Charged by a military judge with "conveying false nwes" about human rights in Syria, Haytham al-Maleh could face up to 15 years imprisonment if convicted. The 78-year-old man is being held in a prison in Damascus, awaiting a trial that does not comply with international standards.
Yemeni journalist Muhammad al-Maqalih is now believed to be detained at a prison run by the Ministry of Defense, though the authorities have continued to refuse to give any information about him.
Community activist, Juan Almonte Herrera, of the Dominican Republic was abducted on September 28. Relatives suggest he may be dead.
Safar Angooti was due to be executed on Oct 21, for a crime commited when he was 17. He has received a one month stay of execution.
Seven me, members of Iran's Ahwazi minority, are at risk of imminent execution in Ahvaz city.
Mohammad Pour Abdollah, who was arrested in February in Tehran, is now on trial for his involvement with an Iranian student organization. He is at risk of torture and other ill treatment while he is in detention.
Kobra Babaei, an Iranian woman, is at risk of being stoned to death after her husband was hanged on 5 October for "sodomy." In 2002, the Head of the Judiciary in Iran instructed judges to impose a moratorium on stonings; however, this has not been implemented.
British national, Akmal Shaikh, who is believed to be mentally ill, has been sentenced to death in China for drug smuggling. His appeal was rejected, despite the fact that he is mentally ill, he is sentenced to death on 29 October 2009.
Villagers in Santo Domingo Ixcatlan, Oaxaca state have been attacked repeatedly by a group of armed men for the inhabitants' opposition to the sale of community lands. The armed group has chased away the police officers that had been sent to protect the villagers.
Juan Juan Almeida has been refused permission to leave Cuba and has faced harassment by security forces after he criticized the authorities. There are strong suspicions that the restrictions on his movement are a punishment for exercising his freedom of expression, and Amnesty International fears he will be continually harassed.
Chinese pro-democracy activist Zhou Yongjun is about to face trial in China after an arbitrary arrest in Hong Kong. China has not been able to demonstrate that he is being held for a recognizable criminal offense. If convicted, he could potentially be jailed for life.
The Diaguita Indigenous group of northwestern Argentina has faced attempts of forced eviction by a local landowner. On October 12, the landowner and two other men attacked the group, leaving one man dead and four others wounded.
The UN Human Rights Committee registered Vasily Yuzepchuk's case on 12 October, and called on the Belarusian government not to execute him until the Committee has consdiered his case. The Supreme Court sent a repsonse saying that Yuzepchuk's appeal had been rejected. He now has ten days to apply for clemency.
Akram Mahdavi, a 35-year old Iranian woman, was to be put to death on 11 October but has received a stay of execution. However, she still faces the death penalty and has not been given the right to seek pardon or commutation of her sentence.
At least 115 families were forcibly evicted on Oct. 9-10. All are now homeless and one has been hospitalized after police violence.
Mehdi Karroubi, a 72 year old male cleric is facing criminal charges in relation for his reporting of allegations that detainees were mistreated.
Male environmentalist Jesus Sanchez de la Barquera has been shot and wounded outside his home in Mexico State, near the Mexican capital, Mexico City.
Since 2006, at least 14 media workers have been killed in Sri Lanka, with no one held accountable for these murders. Call on the Sri Lankan government to ensure Dileesha Abeysundera’s safety and to investigate the intimidation attempted against her and other Sri Lankan journalists and media workers. Download the action Protect Sri Lankan Journalist in PDF format
Migrants in the city of Saltillo continue to be repeatedly threatened by local residents, who accuse them of being murderers. Their presence has been blamed on the Belén Migrants' Shelter, whose staff is also at risk.
Dr. Mohammad Maleki, a 76-year old male Iranian scholar and former Chancellor of Tehran University has been incommunicado in Teheran's Evin prison for 40 days. He is suffering from prostrate cancer and other illnesses, and Amnesty International fears that his life is in danger.
Mohammed Mohammed Hassan Odaini remains detained in Guantanamo despite being cleared for release over 2 years ago. Odaini was detained in March 2002 along with several other Yemeni nationals, and sent to the detention camp at the US Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In June 2005 he was deemed suitable for release from Guantanamo, yet he continues to be unjustly detained. He has not been interrogated for nearly two years and the reason for his continued detention is unclear.
Ebrima B. Manneh was arrested in July 2006 at the offices of the newspaper Daily Observer by plainclothes officers, thought to have been from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). He has been held in incommunicado detention without charge or trial for over two years. Please call on Gambian authorities to release Ebrima Manneh, a prisoner of conscience.
The Supreme Court of Afghanistan has upheld around 100 death sentences issued by lower courts. The sentences require the approval of President Karzai before executions can be carried out. Amnesty International fears that sudden executions may take place in secrecy as happened in October 2007.
