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  • News
  • Europe and Central Asia
  • Technology and Human Rights

EU companies selling surveillance tools to China’s human rights abusers

European tech companies risk fuelling widespread human rights abuses by selling digital surveillance technology to China’s public security agencies, a new Amnesty International investigation reveals. The findings are published ahead of a crucial meeting in Brussels on 22 September where the European Parliament and EU member states will decide whether to strengthen lax surveillance export rules. Amnesty International found that three companies based in France, Sweden and the Netherlands sold digital surveillance systems, such as facial recognition technology and network cameras, to key players of the Chinese mass surveillance apparatus.

Date:
21 September 2020
  • News
  • Censorship and Freedom of Expression

Why are Amnesty International monitors not able to observe the Assange hearing?

Earlier this month, the street outside the Old Bailey criminal court in London, where Julian Assange’s extradition hearing has been taking place, was transformed into a carnival. Inside the Old Bailey, the courtroom has turned into a circus. There have been multiple technical difficulties, a COVID-19 scare which temporarily halted proceedings and numerous procedural irregularities including the decision by the presiding judge to withdraw permission for Amnesty International’s fair trial observer to have access to the courtroom.

Date:
21 September 2020
  • News
  • Americas
  • Detention

Americas: Authorities convert state-run quarantines into form of repression

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, authorities in Venezuela, El Salvador and Paraguay have held tens of thousands of people in inadequate state-run quarantine centres without sufficient safeguards against human rights violations, in what could amount to ill-treatment and risk the detentions becoming arbitrary, Amnesty International said in a new report published today. When protection becomes repression: Mandatory quarantines under COVID-19 in the Americas documents how the authorities in three countries have disproportionately held migrants, refugees, people returning to their countries of origin, and low-income communities in state-run quarantines, often in insanitary and sometimes inhumane conditions without adequate food, water and medical care, which may amount to ill-treatment.

Date:
21 September 2020
  • News
  • Belarus
  • Discrimination

Belarus: UN Human Rights Council must take strong action on escalating human rights crisis in the country

In response to the escalating human rights crisis in Belarus, Amnesty International will address the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on 18 September and demand that it takes strong and decisive action to investigate the ongoing repression of post-election protests in the country and hold perpetrators of mass violations to account. Amnesty International will also use the Urgent Debate on Belarus, which the Council agreed to hold this week, to address Belarus’ consistent failure over the years to fully cooperate with the Council, including with the Special Rapporteur on Belarus, a mandate created by the Council.

Date:
17 September 2020
  • News

Witness from Amnesty International: Episode 3 - The Road

Amnesty International has launched a brand new podcast series ‘Witness from Amnesty International’. The series introduces listeners to the organization’s Research and Crisis Response teams – whose investigations take them to some of the most dangerous and volatile places on earth. TANYA: August 25th, 2017. Tirana Hassan - Director of Amnesty’s crisis response programme - picks up a breaking news story on Al Jazeera… TIRANA: I remember distinctly sitting on my couch in France - beautiful summer in the mountains - and looking at these people streaming across the river Naf, which separates Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Date:
16 September 2020
  • News
  • Americas
  • Unlawful Detention

Venezuela: Hard-hitting UN report backs claims of crimes against humanity and identifies possible perpetrators

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela, created by the UN Human Rights Council in September 2019, presented its conclusions in its first report to the Council today during its 45th session. Responding to the findings, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, said:   “Amnesty International condemned the probable commission of crimes against humanity in Venezuela in May 2019.

Date:
16 September 2020
  • News
  • Europe and Central Asia
  • Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Slovakia: Draconian restrictions on abortion would endanger the lives of women and girls

Lawmakers in Slovakia must reject a draconian law that would impose new barriers to abortion and endanger the health and wellbeing of women and girls, said Amnesty International, ahead of the start of a parliamentary plenary session that will debate on a new abortion bill. If passed, the law would introduce additional barriers to women and girls seeking abortion, doubling unnecessary waiting periods, imposing new medical authorization requirements for abortion on health grounds and forcing them to state their reasons for seeking care.

Date:
16 September 2020
  • News
  • Mozambique
  • Killings and Disappearances

Mozambique: Video showing killing of naked woman further proof of human rights violations by state armed forces

The authorities in Mozambique must immediately launch an independent and impartial investigation into the extrajudicial killing of a defenceless naked woman in Mocímboa da Praia in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, Amnesty International said today, after verifying video footage of the attack which was shared on social media. “This horrendous video is yet another gruesome example of the gross human rights violations and merciless killings taking place in Cabo Delgado by the Mozambican security forces,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa.

Date:
15 September 2020
  • News
  • Kenya
  • Human Rights Defenders and Activists

Kenya: Arrest of Amnesty International Kenya’s Chairperson, Renee Ngamau, is an attack on human rights defenders

Following last night’s arrest of Amnesty International Kenya’s Chairperson and advocate, Renee Ngamau, and today’s no show by the police in court, Amnesty International Kenya’s Executive Director Irungu Houghton said: “Amnesty International condemns the arbitrary arrest of our Kenya Chairperson Renee Ngamau. We believe she was targeted simply for as acting as human rights defender to protect public land.

Date:
15 September 2020
  • News
  • Jordan
  • Discrimination

Jordan: Stop forcible transfer of Syrian refugees to a no-man’s land in the desert

Jordanian authorities have on August 10 forcibly transferred at least 16 Syrian refugees, including eight children aged between four and 14, to an informal camp in a no man’s land located in the desert between Syria and Jordan, said Amnesty International today. The informal Rukban camp is located in an isolated and inhospitable border area known as “the berm”. Its 10,000 residents lack access to sufficient and affordable food, clean water, medical care and sanitation.

Date:
15 September 2020
  • News
  • Algeria
  • Detention

Algeria: Appeal court issues outrageous two-year prison sentence against journalist Khaled Drareni

Today, an appeal court in Algiers sentenced journalist Khaled Drareni to a two-year prison sentence over his coverage of the Hirak protest movement. Two activists, Samir Benlarbi and Slimane Hamitouche, were each sentenced to a year in prison, eight months of which were suspended, in the same sham trial. The two were released after spending their time in jail. A first instance court had sentenced Khaled Drareni, on 10 August, to three years in prison.

Date:
15 September 2020
  • News
  • Singapore
  • Death Penalty

Singapore: Halt imminent execution of man convicted of drug-related offence

The Singaporean authorities must immediately halt the imminent execution of a man who has been sentenced to death under the country’s draconian drug control law, Amnesty International said today. The family of Syed Suhail bin Syed Zin, 44 year-old, was informed that his execution has been set for Friday 18 September and has been asked to make funeral arrangements. Syed Suhail was arrested in August 2011 and subsequently convicted of possession for the purpose of trafficking of 38.

Date:
15 September 2020
  • News
  • Niger
  • Unlawful Detention

Niger: human rights defenders still unjustly detained for more than six months

On 15 September 2020 it will be six months since three human rights defenders were jailed in Niger simply for participating in peaceful protests calling for an investigation into allegations of the misuse of funds by the Ministry of Defence. CIVICUS, Amnesty International, Oxfam, Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Tournons la Page International (TLP) and Front Line Defenders call for the immediate and unconditional release of Moudi Moussa, Halidou Mounkaila and Maikoul Zodi.

Date:
15 September 2020
  • News
  • Asia and The Pacific
  • Refugees

Bangladesh: Rohingya refugees must participate in decisions affecting their lives

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh must be given the right to participate in decisions affecting their lives and speak for themselves, Amnesty International said today in a new briefing. The briefing, “Let us speak for our rights”, outlines how exclusion from decision-making is impacting the human rights of Rohingya refugees – from freedom of expression, assembly and movement to access to healthcare and education.

Date:
15 September 2020
  • News
  • Climate Change

Civil society calls on the Human Rights Council to recognize the right to a #HealthyEnvironment4All

Amnesty International joins more than 850 civil society organizations, indigenous peoples’ groups, social movements and local communities in calling on the United Nations Human Rights Council to recognize the universal human right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The open letter comes ahead of the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva from September 14 to October 6. It argues that people must be protected from the deadly impacts of environmental degradation and climate change.

Date:
14 September 2020
  • News
  • Rwanda
  • Unfair Trials

Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina must be guaranteed a fair trial

As the Rwandan National Public Prosecution Authority examines the case file of Paul Rusesabagina, a political opponent best known internationally as the manager of a hotel in Kigali where over 1200 people sought refuge during the genocide, Amnesty International calls on the Rwandan authorities to guarantee his right to a fair trial. The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) carried out investigations into Rusesabagina on allegations including terrorism, arson, kidnap and murder allegedly committed in Nyaruguru district in June 2018 and Nyamagabe district in December 2018.

Date:
14 September 2020