Americas

Reporting on human rights concerns in the Americas region during 2019 and covering 24 countries with a regional overview. “As we enter a new decade, we cannot afford for the governments of the Americas to keep repeating the mistakes of the past. Instead of restricting people’s hard-fought rights, they must build upon them and work towards creating a region where everyone can live in freedom and safety.” Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International 


Africa

This report documents the state of human rights in the countries sub-Saharan Africa during 2019. It is composed of a regional overview and 34 country entries, subdivided by key human rights themes. Africa faces numerous human rights challenges. Protecting civilians in armed conflict, freeing human rights defenders and activists from repression, opening up political space for dialogue, tackling discrimination and violence against women and minorities, and safeguarding vulnerable people’s economic, social and cultural rights are just some of them. As the deadline closed in for regional political commitments to “Silencing the Guns” by 2020, the goal of ridding Africa of conflict is still a long way off.


Asia Pacific

Covering 24 countries across the Asia Pacific with a regional overview of human rights during 2019. Across Southeast Asia, repressive governments entrenched themselves further, silenced their opponents, muzzled the media, and shrank civic space. It was a year of repression, but also of resistance. The Chinese government clamped down with renewed force on the freedoms promised to the people of Hong Kong. The bright flames of peaceful protests were also sparked across India, where millions came out on to the streets against a new law that discriminates against Muslims. 


Eastern Europe & Central Asia

This report documents the state of human rights in Eastern Europe and central Asia during 2019. It is composed of a regional overview and 12 country entries. In 2019, threats to the international system of human rights protection worsened. Safeguards were eroded as those who saw themselves as traditional champions of human rights in the region, including international and regional institutions and national governments, were increasingly compromised.


Middle East and North Africa

This report documents the state of human rights in the Middle East and North Africa during 2019. It is composed of a regional overview and 19 country entries, subdivided by key human rights themes. Mass protests shook the region and authorities responded with excessive – sometimes lethal – force and arbitrary detentions.


Western Europe

This report documents the state of human rights in Western Europe during 2019. It is composed of a regional overview and 35 country entries, subdivided by key human rights themes. In the heart of Europe, some states actively sought to erode the independence of the judiciary to avoid state accountability. The European Union continued to outsource border and migration control. Grave human rights risks ensued: tens of thousands of people remained exposed to conflict, violence, torture and an uncertain future in destitute conditions. Those opposing these border and migration control policies frequently faced smear campaigns, harassment, and even administrative and criminal penalties.