Russian Federation
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Reacting to the news that a Russian court has sentenced activist Mikhail Iosilevich to one year and eight months in a penal colony on fabricated charges of collaborating with so called ‘undesirable’ organization, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia,...
May 27, 2022
Middle East and North Africa
Human Rights Defenders and Activists
The Moroccan authorities must urgently investigate allegations that police and security forces brutally assaulted five Sahrawi women activists, Amnesty International said today. The organization has investigated the circumstances around the attacks, which took place during five separate incidents...
May 27, 2022
Middle East and North Africa
Demonstrations
On 15 and 16 April 2022, the Moroccan authorities beat and injured at least five women, who have participated in peaceful protests and showed support for prominent Sahrawi activist, Sultana Khaya, who has been under a de facto house arrest since November 2020 for her activism in favour of Western...
May 27, 2022
Americas
Prisoners of Conscience
The trials of Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Castillo Pérez, prisoners of conscience, are set to start on 30 May and 31 May, respectively, in Cuba. Otero Alcántara and Castillo Pérez have been in pre-trial detention for nearly a year, after being detained for criticizing the Cuban...
May 27, 2022
Middle East and North Africa
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
On 29 May, the appeal session for four Yemeni journalists sentenced to death, namely, Akram al-Walidi, Abdelkhaleq Amran, Hareth Hamid, and Tawfiq al-Mansouri, will take place before the Huthi-run Specialized Criminal Appeals Division in Sana’a, the Yemeni capital. Since their arrest in 2015, the...
May 27, 2022
South Sudan
Armed Conflict
South Sudan: Renewal of UN arms embargo positive step to help curb conflict-related sexual violence Following the United Nations Security Council’s decision to renew the arms embargo on South Sudan for another year, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, Deprose Muchena...
May 26, 2022
Americas
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
Charges Violate Freedom of Expression, Association The Cuban government should immediately and unconditionally release Maykel Castillo Pérez and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, artists who are set to stand trial starting on May 30, 2022, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today....
May 26, 2022
Europe and Central Asia
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
As Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, spoke in Congress today about the use of Pegasus spyware by Spain’s intelligence services (the CNI), to spy on political figures, Amnesty International have called on authorities to urgently review the regulations to limit covert surveillance of...
May 26, 2022
Hong Kong
AV materials available on 4 June, the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown Events in cities including London, San Francisco and Seoul Activists will demand justice for those killed in Beijing on 4 June 1989 and protest against the crackdown on Hong Kong’s annual vigil Hong Kong’s suppressed...
May 26, 2022
Asia and the Pacific
Sexual Violence
PRESS RELEASE Nepal must urgently remove the restrictive statute of limitations on cases of rape and other sexual violence through amendment as it continues to be a barrier for survivors in access to justice, said Amnesty International today while expressing solidarity with the ongoing protests...
May 26, 2022
Middle East and North Africa
Censorship and Freedom of Expression
On 24 April 2022, the Egyptian authorities released journalist Mohamed Salah who had been arbitrarily detained for 29 months without trial or formal charge solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights.
May 25, 2022
Death Penalty
Global figures Amnesty International recorded 579 executions in 18 countries in 2021, an increase of 20% from the 483 recorded in 2020. This figure represents the second lowest number of executions recorded by Amnesty International since at least 2010. Most known...
May 24, 2022