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Ahead of the UN Security Council’s emergency closed meeting on Myanmar today, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director of Advocacy Sherine Tadros said: 

February 2, 2021

Update

February 2, 2021 President Joseph Biden The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden: We are a diverse group of non-governmental organizations working at both the local and national levels, and on issues including immigrants’ rights, racial justice, and combatting anti-Muslim discrimination. We write to urge you to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and to end indefinite military detention. Among a broad range of human rights violations perpetrated against predominantly Muslim communities, Guantánamo–designed specifically to evade legal constraints, and where Bush administration officials incubated torture –is the iconic example of the post-9/11 abandonment…

February 2, 2021

Press Release

The Department of Defense announced last week that the Convening Authority of the Guantánamo Military Commissions will charge three Guantanamo detainees for alleged involvement in bombings in Indonesia in 2002 and 2003. They are Encep Nurjaman, Mohammed Nazir Bin Lep, and Mohammed Farik Bin Amin. Daphne Eviatar, the director of the Security With Human Rights program at Amnesty International USA, released the following statement: “The military commissions at Guantánamo Bay are a human rights calamity and a complete failure. For almost two decades, the United States has denied justice to the dozens of men the country has kept detained at…

January 25, 2021

Press Release

In response to the events of last week and in anticipation of more gatherings by white supremacists ahead of the inauguration, Amnesty International USA has sent a letter to 3,500 United States mayors and governors calling on them to protect people from armed groups and to denounce white supremacy.

January 12, 2021

Update

The Board of Amnesty International USA has written to the Trump administration  and to the incoming Biden administration to urge the United States to prioritize political and diplomatic efforts to address the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia following the conflict in the country's Tigray region.   December 9, 2020 The Honorable Michael Pompeo Secretary of State U.S. State Department 2201 C Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230 Dear Secretary of State Pompeo, On behalf of the 10 million members, supporters and activists of Amnesty International around the world, we write to you to urge you to prioritize addressing the…

December 18, 2020

Update

Amnesty International has documented an alarming escalation in attacks and abductions in several states in north west and north central Nigeria since January 2020. The causes behind the violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt are numerous and complicated, however addressing the lack of good governance and a security force that continues to enjoy total impunity, even after decades of documented human rights abuses, must be priorities for Nigeria and the global community.   Women and children at a camp for internally displaced persons in Borno State North East Nigeria, May 2018   Statement from Amnesty International USA for Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission…

December 18, 2020

Press Release

Responding to authorization today from the United States Senate to sell several advanced military capabilities that are worth $23.37 billion and export over $7.2s billion in defense articles to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Philippe Nassif, the advocacy director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International USA said: “Today’s vote could be the first act in a domino effect which ends in human tragedy as this country provides capabilities which risk being used to injure and kill thousands of Yemenis and Libyans in their homes, their schools, and their hospitals. “Today’s sale could result in United States…

December 9, 2020

Update

Ethiopia’s internal turmoil reached new heights as the Federal government of Prime Minister Abiy Mohammed launched a full-scale military offensive against the TPLF led regional government of the state of Tigray. Both sides have accused each other of atrocities and Amnesty confirmed a  massacre  where possibly as many as 500 people in Tigray were slaughtered by forces loyal to the TPLF. On November 30, the Ethiopian government announced it had captured Mekelle, the capital of Tigray and that fighting has ended. With communications to the region still cut, and allegations of human rights abuses coming from both sides verifying information,…

December 2, 2020

Update

  The Honorable Christopher Miller Acting Secretary Department of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1000   RE:Amnesty International USA calls for halt to domestic deployments of military forces in response to election-related protests   Dear Acting Secretary Miller: On behalf of Amnesty International USA and our members and supporters, we write urging you to refrain from deploying military forces or personnel in response to any protests related to the recent U.S.presidential election that may occur in Washington, D.C. and other cities over the coming weeks. Following the death of George Floyd in May and the protests that ensued in…

November 17, 2020

Press Release

Civilians must be allowed safe passage out of Lashkar Gah following three days of intense fighting between Afghan government and Taliban forces that has blocked all exit routes from the city and forced at least 35,000 people to flee their homes, said Amnesty International. The heavy fighting, in which Afghan forces supported by United States airstrikes are defending the Helmand Province capital from a Taliban assault, has taken out power across the entire city as well as telephone lines and internet access. With nowhere to go, some of the tens of thousands displaced are reported by local media to have…

October 14, 2020

Update

AIUSA Statement on The Impact of Eroding Human Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa on Democratic Practices 093020  Human Rights are essential for accountability, transparency and respect for the rule of law, even as they are also dependent on them. Adherence to these principles contribute to stability and are arguably core to establishing and sustaining democratic practice.  Any discussion of advancing one must include advancing the other.   Statement from Amnesty International USA for Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organization’s Hearing on Democratic Backsliding in Sub-Saharan Africa September 30, 2020 Adotei Akwei and Alagie Jammeh Representative Karen…

September 30, 2020

Update

  August 24, 2020 Dear Representative: On behalf of Amnesty International USA, I am writing to share our top foreign policy and human rights policy recommendations. The list of issues that follows is not meant to be exhaustive but should be high priorities for the next HFAC Chair and Ranking Member’s agenda. Amnesty International’s experts stand ready to provide briefings on any issues outlined below Please do not hesitate to contact me at 202/281-0017 or [email protected]. Sincerely,   Joanne Lin National Director Advocacy and Government Affairs Amnesty International USA 202/509-8151 Email: [email protected] Twitter:@joannelindc       1. Protect Persecuted Populations…

September 8, 2020