Below you’ll find breaking news as well as reports, updates on our campaigns, and victories.
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Press Release
President Trump’s Proposed Budget Threatens Human Rights
In response to President Trump’s proposed federal budget, Amnesty International USA’s national director of advocacy and government affairs, Joanne Lin, released the following statement:
March 11, 2019
Press Release
Yemen: Ta’iz authorities must tackle child rape and abuse under militia rule
An investigation by Amnesty International has revealed that children as young as eight years old have been raped in the Yemeni city of Ta’iz. The suspected perpetrators, including members of militias backed by the Saudi Arabia-led Coalition, are yet to be held to account. The families of four boys told Amnesty International that their sons had been sexually assaulted in a series of incidents over the past eight months. In two of the cases, families alleged that those responsible were Islahi-aligned militiamen supported by the Saudi Arabia-led Coalition. “The heartbreaking testimonies of these young survivors and their families expose how the…
March 11, 2019
Press Release
Brazil: After a year of impunity, authorities must bring Marielle Franco’s killers to justice
One year on from the killing of the human rights defender and Rio de Janeiro city councillor Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes, Brazilian authorities are still failing to provide their families and society with adequate answers, and their inability to identify those responsible and bring them to justice continues to put other human rights defenders at risk.
March 10, 2019
Update
Amnesty International USA Statement for House Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing on Family Separation
Amnesty International USA statement for House Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing February 7, 2019 February 6, 2019 Rep. Diana DeGette Chair, House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subommittee Rep. Brett Guthrie Ranking Member, House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Re: Oversight Hearing on Family Separation Policy Dear Chairwoman DeGette, Ranking Member Guthrie, and Members of the Committee: On behalf of Amnesty International1 and our more than two million members and supporters in the United States, we hereby submit this statement for the record. AI is an international human rights organization with national and regional offices in more…
March 8, 2019
Press Release
Syria: Women must play active role in shaping the country’s future
Syrian women must have an official and active role in shaping the country’s future Amnesty International said today, as it launched a new campaign highlighting the gender-based violations women have experienced during the conflict and the failure to include them in discussions and decision-making about the future.
March 7, 2019
Press Release
Indonesia: Arrested after singing a song critical of military, ludicrous charges against pro-democracy activist must be dropped
Responding to the charges brought against pro-democracy activist and human rights defender Robertus Robet, who was detained in the night of 7 March for criticizing the Indonesian Military (TNI)
March 7, 2019
Press Release
Egypt: Forcibly disappeared transgender woman at risk of sexual violence and torture
Fears are growing for the safety and well being of Malak al-Kashef, a transgender woman seized during a police raid from her home in Giza in the early hours of 6 March and who has not been heard from since, Amnesty International said.
March 7, 2019
Press Release
Amnesty Response to Reports of Surveillance on Journalists and Immigration Advocates on the US-Mexico Border
According to reports, the United States and Mexican governments are tracking and investigating journalists and immigration advocates believed to have supported or documented the situations of asylum-seekers and migrants at the US-Mexico border. Leaked documents reveal a list allegedly produced by the International Liaison Unit (ILU), which coordinates intelligence between Mexico and the United States. The list includes US citizens, organizers mostly based in the US and Latin America, and journalists who covered the recent caravans of migrants and asylum-seekers from Latin America.
March 7, 2019
Press Release
Nicaragua: Respect for human rights is key to resolving crisis
In the context of the 40th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, has said: “The human rights situation in Nicaragua continues to deteriorate badly. Despite the apparent calm, there are constant allegations of arbitrary detention and torture of people deprived of their liberty. The civil society organizations whose legal registration was canceled by the government are still unable to work freely in the country and the harassment of journalists and human rights defenders has not stopped either.”
March 7, 2019
Press Release
Trump Administration Makes Shameful Decision to Shroud Civilian Casualties in Secrecy
Reacting to news that the Trump administration has revoked a part of an Obama executive order requiring reporting on civilian casualties, Daphne Eviatar, Amnesty International USA's Director of Security with Human Rights stated: “This is a shameful decision that will shroud this administration’s actions in even more secrecy with little accountability for its victims. “The public deserves to know how many civilians are killed by U.S. actions. This is an unconscionable decision and in complete disregard of fundamental human rights. “It is incomprehensible that this vital work will be left only to human rights organizations such as ours.” Background In 2016, Amnesty International USA spoke out on the Obama-era policy…
March 6, 2019
Update
Statement for the Record on March 6th Hearing “The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen”
The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen_ Addressing Current Political and Humanitarian Challenges The human rights situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate amidst continued crackdowns on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, the arbitrary arrest and detention of human rights activists, the institutionalised inequality of women, and the ongoing conflict in the country. The United States directly assist the Saudi Arabia-UAE led coalition’s campaign that has led to one of the most severe contemporary humanitarian crises of our time. The U.S. has in the past been receptive to reports on rights abuses, ending the sale of cluster munitions to Saudi Arabia…
March 6, 2019
Update
Amnesty International Statement on Access to Asylum at the U.S. Mexico Border for House Homeland Security Hearing on “The Way Forward on Border Security”
For PDF version, click here: 2019.03.06 Statement for House Homeland Security Hearing on Border Security (for record submission) March 5, 2019 Rep. Bennie G. Thompson Rep. Mike Rogers Chair Ranking Member House Homeland Security Committee House Homeland Security Committee RE: Amnesty International Statement for March 6 Hearing on “The Way Forward on Border Security” Dear Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Rogers, and Members of the Committee: On behalf of Amnesty International and our more than two million members and supporters in the United States, we hereby submit this statement for the record. Amnesty International is an…
March 5, 2019