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Breaking news and updates on human rights in the U.S. and around the world

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Russian policemen arrest Lev Ponomarev, political opposition leader during an unauthorized rally "Day of Anger" in central Moscow, on August 12, 2010. Opposition supporters demand the resignation of Moscow's mayor Yuri Luzhkov. AFP PHOTO / ANDREY SMIRNOV (Photo credit should read ANDREY SMIRNOV/AFP/Getty Images)

Press Release

Prominent human rights defender jailed for a Facebook post in Russia

The Russian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release 77-year-old human rights activist, Lev Ponomarev, who was sentenced today to 25…

December 5, 2018

LAMPEDUSA, ITALY - MAY 24: Refugees and migrants are seen swimming and yelling for assistance from crew members from the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) 'Phoenix' vessel after a wooden boat bound for Italy carrying more than 500 people capsized on May 24, 2017 off Lampedusa, Italy. Numbers of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous central Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy has risen since the same time last year with more than 43,000 people recorded so far in 2017. In an attempt to slow the flow of migrants Italy recently signed a deal with Libya, Chad and Niger outlining a plan to increase border controls and add new reception centers in the African nations, which are key transit points for migrants heading to Italy. MOAS is a Malta based NGO dedicated to providing professional search-and-rescue assistance to refugees and migrants in distress at sea. Since the start of the year MOAS have rescued and assisted 3572 people and are currently patrolling and running rescue operations in international waters off the coast of Libya. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Press Release

Greece: Smuggling charges against humanitarian workers who saved refugees must be dropped

Responding to the release on bail of volunteers and staff who provided life-saving assistance to refugees, Kondylia Gougou, Amnesty International’s…

December 4, 2018

Press Release

Seven Families Released from Dilley Detention Center

This statement has been updated to reflect that seven families have been released from the South Texas Family Residential Center, rather…

December 3, 2018

Press Release

Argentina: Authorities must guarantee the right to public protest during the G20 Summit

The Argentine authorities must respect and guarantee the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly during the G20 meetings…

November 30, 2018

Press Release

Amnesty and Sofar Sounds partner for Write for Rights concert and letter writing event

On Saturday, December 8, human rights organization Amnesty International USA in partnership with live music events startup Sofar Sounds will…

November 30, 2018

Ciham has been in detention in Eritrea since she was 15 years old after being arrested attempting to cross from Eritrea into Sudan

Press Release

Eritrea: Visiting US envoy must demand action on deplorable record of arbitrary detentions

US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, should demand the release of all prisoners arbitrarily detained solely…

November 30, 2018

Nawal Benaissa, 36 yeards-old, is a mother of 4 who joined Hirak early on and became one of its main female leading voices. She took part to several protests with her husband and children and has been very active on social media. Her Facebook profile gained more than 80 000 followers, before authorities asked her to shut down during one of her detention in custody. She was arrested and held in custody for few hours four times between June and September 2017. This last time she was sued and on mid-February 2018, she was sentenced to 10 months suspended sentence and a fine of 500 hundred dirhams for inciting to commit an offence (by speech, cries or threats made in the places where public meetings, either through posters exposed to the public or by any means fulfilling the condition, advertising, including electronically, on paper and by audio-visual channel, if the provocation has not been followed by effect. Article 299 of the penal code). Her lawyer has appealed the sentence, the Court of Appeal has yet to rule. Benaissa responded to the court's decision on her Facebook page by expressing her continued support for the Rif protests. "I am proud to take part in the protests in the region and I denounce the imprisonment of Hirak activists. I demand their immediate release," she wrote. Few weeks ago, she moved from the northern city of Al Hoceima to another Moroccan city in order to flee harassment from authorities.

Press Release

Amnesty International launches world’s biggest human rights campaign

Women human rights defenders around the world are facing unprecedented levels of abuse, intimidation and violence, said Amnesty International as…

November 28, 2018

Press Release

Mexico: Amnesty International urges president-elect to take action for human rights during his first 100 days

Amnesty International launched a campaign today urging President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador to take concrete measures during the first 100…

November 28, 2018

Press Release

Israel: ‘Rogue’ NSO Group must have licence revoked over controversial surveillance software

Amnesty International is taking legal advice in order to revoke the export licence of Israel-based NSO Group, after it was…

November 28, 2018

Press Release

Haiti: Authorities must avoid excessive use of force during protests

In response to the violence in Haiti following the Petrocaribe protests, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International, said:

November 27, 2018

Yellow and white graphic with the Amnesty international logo on the bottom left and the word

Press Release

US government endangers asylum seekers with unlawful policies

Unlawful US border policies are leaving thousands of asylum seekers stranded in Mexico, where they are facing threats of deportation…

November 26, 2018

Press Release

Syria: Thousands of digital activists to track how US-led air strikes destroyed Raqqa

Thousands of digital activists around the world will take part in an innovative new crowdsourcing data project Amnesty International is…

November 20, 2018