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Press Release

Countries are failing to protect rights of health workers at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic

The cost of curing: Health workers’ rights in the Americas during COVID-19 and beyond documents how those on the forefront of…

May 19, 2020

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - MARCH 28: A Brazilian Army soldier from the 1st Nuclear, Radiological, Biological and Chemical Defense Battalion (1 BTL DQBRN) performs disinfection operations at BRT (Bus Rapid Transportation) Stations at Barra da Tijuca neighborhood due to the coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic on March 28, 2020 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread to many countries across the world, claiming over 20,000 lives and infecting hundreds of thousands more. (Photo by Andre Coelho/Getty Images)

Press Release

Response to President Bolsonaro’s comments around COVID-19: health and life are basic human rights

In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and President Jair Bolsonaro's statement on national television last Tuesday night, Amnesty International said: …

March 25, 2020

Press Release

Generation Z Ranks Climate Change Highest as Vital Issue of our Time in Amnesty International Survey

Climate change leads as one of the most important issues facing the world, according to a major new survey of…

December 9, 2019

People attend a memorial Mass to mark the one-year death anniversary of slain councilwoman Marielle Franco, at the Candelaria Catholic Church in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, March 14, 2019. Authorities arrested two former police officers Tuesday in the killing of Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes, a brazen assassination that shocked Brazilians and sparked protests in several countries. (Photo by Fabio Vieira/FotoRua/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Press Release

18 Months On, Brazilian Authorities Must Not Let Marielle Franco Killing Remain Unsolved

Six months after authorities in Rio de Janeiro arrested two men accused of killing Marielle Franco and her driver, Anderson…

September 11, 2019

Credit: Micah Farfour, Remote Sensing Expert on Amnesty's Crisis Team.

Press Release

Brazilian Government’s Failures are Fueling Wildfires Across the Amazon

Responding to the news of the wildfires that have been raging in the Amazon rainforest for several weeks, Kumi Naidoo,…

August 22, 2019

HAMBURG, GERMANY - MARCH 01: Teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg demonstrates with high school students against global warming at a Fridays for Future demonstration on March 01, 2019 in Hamburg, Germany. Fridays for Future is an international movement of students who, instead of attending their classes, take part in demonstrations demanding for action against climate change. The series of demonstrations began when Thunberg staged such a protest outside the Swedish parliament building. (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images)

Press Release

Climate activists Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for Future movement honored with top Amnesty International award

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for Future movement of school-children have been honored with Amnesty International’s Ambassador…

June 7, 2019

Press Release

Brazil: Risk of bloodshed in the Amazon unless government protects Indigenous peoples from illegal land seizures and logging

There is an imminent risk of violent clashes in Brazil’s Amazon region unless the government protects Indigenous peoples’ traditional lands…

May 7, 2019

Press Release

Amnesty and Sofar Sounds partner for Write for Rights concert and letter writing event

On Saturday, December 8, human rights organization Amnesty International USA in partnership with live music events startup Sofar Sounds will…

November 30, 2018

Nawal Benaissa, 36 yeards-old, is a mother of 4 who joined Hirak early on and became one of its main female leading voices. She took part to several protests with her husband and children and has been very active on social media. Her Facebook profile gained more than 80 000 followers, before authorities asked her to shut down during one of her detention in custody. She was arrested and held in custody for few hours four times between June and September 2017. This last time she was sued and on mid-February 2018, she was sentenced to 10 months suspended sentence and a fine of 500 hundred dirhams for inciting to commit an offence (by speech, cries or threats made in the places where public meetings, either through posters exposed to the public or by any means fulfilling the condition, advertising, including electronically, on paper and by audio-visual channel, if the provocation has not been followed by effect. Article 299 of the penal code). Her lawyer has appealed the sentence, the Court of Appeal has yet to rule. Benaissa responded to the court's decision on her Facebook page by expressing her continued support for the Rif protests. "I am proud to take part in the protests in the region and I denounce the imprisonment of Hirak activists. I demand their immediate release," she wrote. Few weeks ago, she moved from the northern city of Al Hoceima to another Moroccan city in order to flee harassment from authorities.

Press Release

Amnesty International launches world’s biggest human rights campaign

Women human rights defenders around the world are facing unprecedented levels of abuse, intimidation and violence, said Amnesty International as…

November 28, 2018

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - OCTOBER 28: Jair Bolsonaro, far-right lawmaker and presidential candidate of the Social Liberal Party (PSL), arrives to cast his vote on October 28, 2018 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Ricardo Moraes-Pool/Getty Images)

Press Release

Brazil: Toxic speech must not become government policy

Reacting to the election of Jair Bolsonaro and Hamilton Mourão as president and vice president of Brazil, Amnesty International said…

October 28, 2018

A protester shows a local newspaper during a demonstration against the murder of Brazilian councilwoman and activist Marielle Franco in front of Rio's Municipal Chamber, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 20, 2018. Brazilians mourned for the Rio de Janeiro councilwoman and outspoken critic of police brutality who was shot in the city center in an assassination-style killing on March 14. / AFP PHOTO / Mauro Pimentel (Photo credit should read MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/Getty Images)

Press Release

Brazil: Failure to identify Marielle Franco’s killers after six months is unacceptable

The Brazilian authorities’ failure to identify all those responsible for the killing of human rights defender Marielle Franco, six months after she…

September 14, 2018

(From L) Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu, Brazil's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcos Galvao and Indias External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj pose for a picture during the BRICS Ministerial Meeting held at OR Tambo International Building on June 4, 2018 in Pretoria. - South Africa, which currently chairs the Brics association, hosts member states' foreign ministers in preparation for the full heads of state summit between July 25 and 27. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) / The erroneous mention appearing in the metadata of this photo has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Sushma Swaraj] instead of [Sushma Swarajon]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention from all your online services and delete it from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

Press Release

BRICS: Nations Must Put Human Rights First

BRICS nations must put human rights at the forefront of their discussions, said Amnesty International India and South Africa in…

July 25, 2018