Below you’ll find breaking news as well as reports, updates on our campaigns, and victories.
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Press Release
Azerbaijan: Release of 10 prisoners of conscience is a glimmer of hope for those still behind bars
Azerbaijan’s embattled civil society received a rare glimmer of hope today as President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree ordering the release of 148 prisoners, including 10 prisoners of conscience, said Amnesty International.
March 17, 2016
Update
3,714,141 Thank Yous!
Amnesty supporters across the world wrote an astonishing 3.7 million letters, messages, emails, tweets and so much more as part of Write for Rights 2015, the global letter-writing marathon.
March 17, 2016
Update
Let’s celebrate Ireland’s people for demanding what’s right for women
St Patrick’s Day is when we celebrate all that is great about Ireland – we can now add the Irish public’s support for wider access to abortion.
March 17, 2016
Press Release
Release of Qatari poet “long overdue good news”
The release last night of Mohammed al-‘Ajami, also known as Ibn al-Dheeb, is a welcome development that ends a needless four year ordeal for the Qatari poet.
March 16, 2016
Update
Nowruz Action to Bring Comfort to Prisoners of Conscience in Iran
For the past eight years, activists have been sending messages of solidarity and support to prisoners of conscience in Iran and their families around Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, which marks the beginning of Spring. Sadly, scores of people in Iran---labor activists, journalists, social media users, artists, women’s rights activists and human rights defenders—will not be able to celebrate this important holiday.
March 16, 2016
Press Release
South Africa: Supreme Court ruling shows there can be no impunity for alleged war criminals
“The Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling today upholds the rule of law and reinforces the country’s progressive laws aimed at ending impunity for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is a stinging rebuke to the government for its failure to abide by its domestic and international obligations to arrest President Bashir and surrender him to the International Criminal Court,” said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for Africa.
March 15, 2016
Press Release
Amnesty International USA Statement on the Passing of Hilary Putnam
Amnesty International USA was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the Hilary Putnam, a longtime supporter of the organization. Born in 1926, he dedicated his life to working toward the advancement of dignity and the betterment of humanity. A renowned author, philosopher, teacher and advocate, Putnam was a prolific force for progress in our world.
March 15, 2016
Update
Deadly Force Knows No Borders
On March 15th, the International Day against Police Brutality will again remind the world of the lives lost and communities changed forever due to the unlawful use of deadly force by police. Last year, we released our “Deadly Force” report, highlighting the increasing number of individuals killed by police in the United States. One of the most disturbing findings of the report, noted that all 50 states and Washington, D.C. fail to comply with international law and standards on the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers, and with more than 16,000 police departments across the country, the lack…
March 15, 2016
Update
The ‘Arab Spring’: Five Years On
The Middle East and North Africa was engulfed in an unprecedented outburst of popular protests and demand for reform. It began in Tunisia and spread within weeks to Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and Syria.
March 15, 2016
Press Release
Lawyers for Indigenous Leader Jailed for Over 40 Years Request Clemency
Lawyers for Leonard Peltier, an Anishinabe-Lakota Native American and leading member of the American Indian Movement (AIM) who has been imprisoned for over 40 years despite serious concerns about the fairness of proceedings leading to his conviction, have written a letter to the Department of Justice asking that he be provided clemency.
March 14, 2016
Press Release
Bahrain: Human rights activist who tore up photo imprisoned
Bahraini authorities must immediately release human rights activist Zainab Al-Khawaja, who was arrested and taken into custody today along with her baby son Hadi, Amnesty International said.
March 14, 2016
Press Release
Turkey: Amnesty International condemns bombing in Ankara’s Kızılay
Just after 6.30pm yesterday evening an explosion hit Kızılay, a public transport hub in central Ankara. According to the authorities, as of this morning, 37 people had been killed and over 100 people were injured.
March 14, 2016