• Press Release

Workshop for media featuring Nazanin Boniadi and the Middle East Institute will examine COVID-19 impact on the Middle East and North Africa

April 7, 2020

A handout picture provided by the Consomed company for medical products on March 26, 2020, shows a Tunisian woman flashing the victory sign as she works on the production of medical masks in the company's factory in the central city of Kairouan.
A handout picture provided by the Consomed company for medical products on March 26, 2020, shows a Tunisian woman flashing the victory sign as she works on the production of medical masks in the company's factory in the central city of Kairouan. - The factory, which has become the main supplier of protective medical apparel and equipment in Tunisia, is able to continue the production after 150 workers agreed to continue their tasks under confinement, in a country which has confirmed 173 cases of novel coronavirus since March, including 5 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. (Photo by - / CONSOMED / AFP) (Photo by -/CONSOMED/AFP via Getty Images)
As part of a series of workshops exploring human rights concerns related to the COVID-19 response, Amnesty International USA will be holding a workshop titled “The impact of COVID-19 on the Middle East and North Africa”. The workshop will cover how COVID-19 has disrupted the lives of millions of people living throughout the Middle East and North Africa and discuss ways the impact can be mitigated, ways that the public is coming together during the pandemic, as well as recommendations of how governments can respond.

These are extraordinary times, but it’s critical to stress that respect for human rights is vitally important now,  more than ever. The COVID-19 response offers an opportunity to demonstrate our shared humanity.

WHAT: The impact of COVID-19 on the Middle East and North Africa

WHO: Philippe Nassif, advocacy director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International USA

Randa Slim, Director of the conflict resolution program at the Middle East Institute

Nazanin Boniadi, British-Iranian actor, activist for Amnesty International and a board member at the Center for Human Rights in Iran

WHEN: Thursday, April 16, 1-1:45PM EST/10:00AM PST

HOW: Please RSVP to Mariya Parodi, at [email protected] for the call-in information

Those interested in receiving regular updates and briefing documents from Amnesty experts can also email [email protected] to be included on the COVID-19 distribution list. Further dates for workshops, as well as speakers, will be announced shortly. This workshop will have a Q & A. 

More information:

Migrant workers in Qatar illegally expelled during COVID-19 pandemic (news, April 15, 2020)

Migrant domestic workers in Lebanon must be protected during COVID-19 pandemic (news, April 14, 2020)

Prisoners killed in Iran by security forces during COVID-19 pandemic protests (news, April 9, 2020)

Authorities in Tunisia should reduce number of detainees during COVID-19 crisis (news, April 2, 2020)

Prisoners in Syria should be released to prevent spread of COVID-19 (news, March 31, 2020)

Imprisoned journalists, human rights defenders, and others in Turkey at risk of COVID-19 must be urgently released (news, March 30, 2020)

Qatari migrant workers in labor camps at grave risk amid COVID-19 crisis (news, March 20, 2020)

Prisoner pardons in Iran welcome, but hundreds more who should be free remain jailed (news, March 18, 2020)

To learn more about COVID-19 and human rights, visit: https://www.amnestyusa.org/distant-but-together-responding-to-covid-19/