REPRESSION IS NOT PROTECTION

ENTRY 3 

14 July 2020

TAKE ACTION AGAINST REPRESSION IN THE AMERICAS   

Historically, thegovernments of the Americas have used repression to control and silence the population instead of focusing on meeting their needs. Since the onset of COVID-19, these acts of repression have not only continued, but have also transformed into new forms of repression, with the excuse that they are measures to stop the pandemic.

Thesemeasures mainly affect people in vulnerable situations, such as people living in poverty, the homeless and migrants 

Raiseyour voice against repression in the Americas: participate in the #NothingWillStopUs festival from July 1-22. 

Howto participate 

1.USE ART   

Upload a creativepiece that represents how you imagine a continent without repression using #RepressionIsNotProtection on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and tag us @amnistiamericas.    

Submityour ART piece to our #RepressionIsNotProtection contest and you could be one of the 5 winners 

 Remember: publish your art, tag us and register at the link to be able to compete. Follow all the steps 

2.SIGN THE PETITION  

Art isn’tyour thing Sign the petition asking the States of the Americas to implement regional initiatives for a continent without repression.   

ENTRY 2 

Repression as a Recipe Against COVID-19 in the Americas

FEATURED COUNTRY: EL SALVADOR

22 May 2020

In some countries, we have noticed that the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened issues that already existed. In El Salvador, coronavirus has made visible a style of government that might seem innovative in its forms, but in reality, it goes back to the repressive and abusive tactics that the country has seen so many times in the past.

Over 2,000 people have been detained for breaking quarantine. Up to 20 April, 194 legal appeals had been filed questioning the legality of these detentions and more than 1,500 complaints have been filed for violations of people’s rights in the country. If the government’s goal is the well-being of the people in El Salvador, repression is not the way to go. On the contrary, protecting people from COVID-19 comes from ensuring people’s rights to health, food and housing. 

TAKE ACTION TO ASK THE PRESIDENT TO STOP THE REPRESSION AND PROTECT PEOPLE IN EL SALVADOR 

Send a letter to President Nayib Bukele. Download the letter and upload it to your social networks tagging @nayibbukele and using the hashtag #RepressionIsNotProtection 

RAISE YOUR VOICE

ENTRY 1 

Repression as a Recipe Against COVID-19 in the Americas

18 May 2020

Amnesty International’s Crisis Testing Laboratory verified nearly 60 incidents in the region over seven weeks that point to governments in the Americas using unnecessarily repressive measures as part of their responses to the COVID – 19 pandemic. Find out more in our first chapter in the repression research series.  

REPESSION IS NOT PROTECTION AMID COVID-19 SERIES