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Press Release
DRC: Authorities must not fan the flames of unrest with violence
The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) must show restraint in their handling of protests to ensure that they do not inflame tensions in the country, and conduct thorough, prompt, impartial and transparent investigations into killings and violence that took place at opposition rallies in Kinshasa yesterday, Amnesty International said today. The government has said 17 people, including three police officers, were killed at rallies held to demand that the electoral commission announce the date of the next presidential election, while the opposition parties put the death toll at more than 50 protesters. Credible civil society reports mention…
September 21, 2016
Press Release
Saudi Arms Deal Must Be Halted After Failed Senate Vote
A resolution to block the latest arms sale to Saudi Arabia by the Obama administration failed in the Senate today.
September 21, 2016
Press Release
Syria: Horrific attack on UN aid convoy is a flagrant violation of international law
Last night’s attack on a UN/Syrian Arab Red Crescent aid convoy, intended for 78,000 people in Aleppo, is a flagrant violation of the most fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, Amnesty International said.
September 20, 2016
Press Release
Nigeria: Special police squad get rich torturing detainees and demanding bribes in exchange for freedom
A Nigerian police unit set up to combat violent crime has instead been systematically torturing detainees in its custody as a means of extracting confessions and lucrative bribes, Amnesty International said in a report published today.
September 20, 2016
Report
Nigeria: You have signed your death warrant
A Nigerian police unit set up to combat violent crime has instead been systematically torturing detainees in its custody as a means of extracting confessions and lucrative bribes, Amnesty International said in a report published today.
September 20, 2016
Press Release
Greece: Statement from Amnesty research staff at site of refugee camp fire
An Amnesty International research team has arrived at the Moria refugees camp on Lesvos following yesterday’s fire that necessitated the evacuation of thousands of asylum-seekers.
September 20, 2016
Press Release
Yemen: Evidence indicates US-made bomb was used in attack on MSF hospital
Yemen: Evidence indicates US-made bomb was used in attack on MSF hospital Contact: Nidya Sarria, [email protected] States – including the USA and UK – must immediately stop supplying weapons that could be used in the Yemen conflict, Amnesty International said, as it confirmed that a US-made bomb was used in the air strike on a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital on 15 August which killed 11 people and injured 19 others. According to independent weapons experts consulted by the organization who assessed photographs of a bomb fin taken by a journalist at the site, a US-made precision-guided Paveway-series aerial bomb…
September 19, 2016
Press Release
Amnesty International USA Calls for Concrete Action on Refugee Crisis
In response to today’s adoption of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants at the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants, Amnesty International USA interim executive director Margaret Huang issued the following statement: “The United Nations adopted a weak resolution today that doesn’t address the magnitude of the global refugee crisis and only kicks the can down the road. The motivation behind calling this summit is commendable, but good intentions aren’t enough. There is an urgent need to help refugees find safety and security. Many countries, including the United States, can and should do more by increasing the number…
September 19, 2016
Press Release
Egypt: Asset freeze is a shameless ploy to silence human rights activism
The Zeinhom Criminal Court’s decision today to freeze the personal and organizational bank accounts of a group of leading and award-winning human rights lawyers and campaigners over politically motivated accusations that they are using foreign funds for illegal purposes is a reprehensible blow to Egypt’s human rights movement, Amnesty International said today. These individuals may subsequently face prosecution and prison terms of up to life, equivalent to 25 years in Egypt.
September 17, 2016
Press Release
Leaving Edward Snowden in limbo will be a stain on President Obama’s legacy
U.S. President Barack Obama should place himself on the right side of history by pardoning whistleblower Edward Snowden, who faces the possibility of decades in prison for speaking out to defend human rights, said Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Human Rights Watch and a host of other organizations and individuals as they launched a global petition today.
September 14, 2016
Press Release
Syria-Jordan border: 75,000 refugees trapped in desert no man’s land in dire conditions
Video footage and satellite images showing makeshift grave sites and burial mounds offer a rare glimpse inside a desert no man’s land between Jordan and Syria where tens of thousands of refugees who have been virtually cut off from humanitarian aid for two months are stranded, said Amnesty International.
September 14, 2016
Update
AIUSA’s Formal Recommendations to Department of Justice for the Baltimore City Police Department Consent Decree Process
A few weeks ago, the Department of Justice released findings from a “pattern and practice” review of the Baltimore Police Department. Amnesty International USA welcomed these findings as an important step towards transparency and accountability.
September 13, 2016