Today, on 25 July, International Afro-Latina, Afro-Caribbean and Diaspora Women’s Day, Amnesty International is highlighting nine defenders and collectives who have devoted their lives to ending inequality and violence, advocating a dignified life for all people. These are just a few examples of the thousands of Afro-Latina and Caribbean women who are leading and participating…
Reacting to the signing of a communiqué by more than 30 countries in Costa Rica today calling for international law including prohibitions and regulations in relation to the development and use of autonomous weapons systems, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said: “The development of autonomy in weapons is accelerating, and the growing application of…
Authorities across the Americas must avoid resorting to repressive and overreaching measures that unduly restrict human rights in the name of “protecting” people from COVID-19, Amnesty International said today, after its Crisis Evidence Lab and regional experts verified almost 60 incidents in the region over the past seven weeks that point to governments using arbitrary,…
Amnesty International has documented grave violations of human rights in 2019 in 24 countries across the Americas. Examples of the major human rights events analyzed include: BOLIVIAAfter Evo Morales’ resignation amidst a social-political crisis in November, interim president Jeanine Áñez issued a decree granting impunity to Armed Forces, under which security forces repressed protests, causing deaths, dozens of injuries and allegations of excessive use of force. At…
Reacting to the police response to protests in Puerto Rico triggered by allegations of corruption and the publication of a private chat with discriminatory comments by Governor Ricardo Roselló Nevares, members of his cabinet, and contractors, which resulted in the governor’s resignation, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, said: “We have received reports that…
Driving around San Juan, the sight of blue tarpaulins is almost inescapable. Nailed over people’s roofs, the tarps continue to provide the only shelter for tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans one year after Hurricane Maria tore through the island, causing extensive damage to homes, hospitals and schools. It is shocking that so many people…
As we mark the first anniversary of Hurricane Maria, the experience of Puerto Ricans shows that the biggest threat to humanity is not climate change itself – but politicians who ignore it and refuse to keep us safe. Exactly a year ago, on Sept. 20, 2017, one of the most violent storms ever to hit…
Amnesty International’s new Secretary General, Kumi Naidoo, will visit Puerto Rico to draw attention to pressing human rights concerns and show solidarity with human rights activists and survivors on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria on 20 September. “A year after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, President Trump has shown his contempt for the people…
Amnesty International has corroborated satellite imagery showing that stockpiles of $22 million worth of potentially vitally needed water were left on tarmac Amnesty International Secretary General Kumi Naidoo to visit Puerto Rico on the first anniversary of Hurricane Maria Amnesty International is demanding that the Puerto Rican and US federal authorities initiate an independent investigation…
Puerto Rico’s lawmakers have a historic opportunity to end discrimination against the island’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people with a pair of bills due for debate this week, Amnesty International said today. “The approval of these two laws would be a big step for justice and equality for an important sector of…
The fifth Summit of the Americas has failed to recognize that human rights must be placed at the centre of efforts to confront the many fundamental challenges facing the region. Governments from every country in the Americas, except for Cuba, took part in the four-yearly meeting held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, between…
An Amnesty International delegation has arrived in Trinidad and Tobago to take part in the Summit of the Americas. At the four-yearly meeting 34 heads of state and government will discuss some of the key challenges facing the Americas region. The summit – the fifth such regional encounter bringing together governments from every country in…