Lebanon
Justice Systems
Reinstate Contract; Amend Labor Law (Beirut, October 30, 2020) – Lebanon’s State Shura Council, the country’s top administrative court, delivered a sharp blow to migrant domestic worker rights by suspending the implementation of a new standard unified contract, Amnesty International and Human...
October 30, 2020
Armenia
Armed Conflict
Amnesty International has verified the use of banned cluster bombs by Armenia for the first time in the current Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, following an attack on the city of Barda in Azerbaijan. Yesterday (28 October 2020), at approximately 1.30pm local time, one or several Smerch rockets were...
October 29, 2020
Asia and the Pacific
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
The Indian government must immediately halt its intensifying suppression of dissent, said Amnesty International, following a series of raids by counter-terrorism forces on the homes and premises of civil society groups, human rights defenders and journalists in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) region on...
October 29, 2020
Americas
Climate change
My name is Jani Silva and I’m a campesina, or small-scale farmer, from Colombia. I’m 57 years old and I work in the Perla Amazónica Farming Reserve Area in the southern region of Putumayo. Ever since I was little, I’ve always followed my convictions and always defended what I believe in. This is...
October 29, 2020
Belarus
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Amnesty International has informed the Belarusian authorities that the organization has collected about 191,000 signatures from supporters calling for an end to the crackdown on peaceful protests and accountability for police abuses. The petition was launched ahead of Belarus’s 9 August...
October 28, 2020
Belarus
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
In response to the latest police violence in Belarus and the arrest of hundreds of people in peaceful protests on 25 October and at the start of today’s national strike, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Acting Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia said: “In response to the...
October 26, 2020
Saudi Arabia
Human Rights Defenders and Activists
With women’s empowerment topping the agenda at next week’s B20 Summit, hosted by Saudi Arabia, Amnesty International is reminding business leaders that many of the country’s bravest women’s rights activists are languishing in prison for daring to demand reforms. Loujain al Hathloul, Nassima...
October 23, 2020
Americas
Human Rights Defenders and Activists
Given the lack of publicity around this morning’s pre-trial hearing against David Castillo, the only person accused of masterminding the murder of the Lenca leader and environmental defender Berta Cáceres, Amnesty International reminds the Honduran authorities of their obligation to comply with due...
October 22, 2020
Russian Federation
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Ahead of the parole hearing of human rights activist Yan Sidorov, Amnesty International called on Russian authorities to end a gross injustice by immediately and unconditionally releasing him. Yan Sidorov is a prisoner of conscience who was arrested and detained simply for trying to hold a peaceful...
October 21, 2020
Lebanon
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
One year on from the start of mass protests in Lebanon, the authorities have not only failed to address people’s legitimate demands for their social and economic rights, but have also increasingly resorted to repressing the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, said Amnesty...
October 16, 2020
Thailand
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Responding to news that the Thai authorities have ordered a ban on gatherings of five or more people in Bangkok and on sharing information that “could create fear”, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns, Ming Yu Hah, said: “This vague, drastic order will lead to more people...
October 15, 2020
Middle East and North Africa
Armed Conflict
An innovative website documenting the impact on civilians of the US-led Coalition’s military operation in Raqqa, Syria, against the armed group calling itself Islamic State (IS) is now available in Arabic, ahead of the third anniversary of the end of the offensive on 17 October 2017. The...
October 14, 2020