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LAMPEDUSA, ITALY - MAY 24: Refugees and migrants are seen swimming and yelling for assistance from crew members from the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) 'Phoenix' vessel after a wooden boat bound for Italy carrying more than 500 people capsized on May 24, 2017 off Lampedusa, Italy. Numbers of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous central Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy has risen since the same time last year with more than 43,000 people recorded so far in 2017. In an attempt to slow the flow of migrants Italy recently signed a deal with Libya, Chad and Niger outlining a plan to increase border controls and add new reception centers in the African nations, which are key transit points for migrants heading to Italy. MOAS is a Malta based NGO dedicated to providing professional search-and-rescue assistance to refugees and migrants in distress at sea. Since the start of the year MOAS have rescued and assisted 3572 people and are currently patrolling and running rescue operations in international waters off the coast of Libya. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Press Release

Italy ready to consign refugees and migrants to horrific abuse in Libyan detention centres

Responding to news that the Italian parliament has voted in favour of deploying warships in Libyan waters to support the Libyan coastguard in the interception and return of refugees and migrants to Libya, Amnesty International’s Deputy Europe Director Gauri Van Gulik said:

August 2, 2017

LAMPEDUSA, ITALY - MAY 24: Refugees and migrants are seen swimming and yelling for assistance from crew members from the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) 'Phoenix' vessel after a wooden boat bound for Italy carrying more than 500 people capsized on May 24, 2017 off Lampedusa, Italy. Numbers of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous central Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy has risen since the same time last year with more than 43,000 people recorded so far in 2017. In an attempt to slow the flow of migrants Italy recently signed a deal with Libya, Chad and Niger outlining a plan to increase border controls and add new reception centers in the African nations, which are key transit points for migrants heading to Italy. MOAS is a Malta based NGO dedicated to providing professional search-and-rescue assistance to refugees and migrants in distress at sea. Since the start of the year MOAS have rescued and assisted 3572 people and are currently patrolling and running rescue operations in international waters off the coast of Libya. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Press Release

Deploying Italian warships to police Libyan waters will expose refugees to horrific abuse

Proposals to send warships to police Libyan territorial waters are a shameful attempt by the Italian authorities to circumvent their duty to rescue refugees and migrants at sea and to offer protection to those who need it, said Amnesty International, ahead of a vote in the Italian parliament tomorrow.

July 31, 2017

Press Release

Supreme Court Decision on Refugee Ban Leaves Families in Fear and Uncertainty

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to partially stay a Hawaii court’s ruling on the refugee ban, Naureen Shah, Amnesty International USA senior director of campaigns, released the following statement:

July 19, 2017

Amnesty International USA activists speak out against a ban and a wall against people
AIUSA Executive Director Margaret and AI Secretary General Salil Shetty delivered a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, outlining numerous personal stories of people who are affected by the Muslim ban, asking DHS to release full information about how the ban has been implemented, and demanding that DHS help roll back the ban. As a part of the protests outside, we projected “No Ban, No Wall” on the building along with photos of refugees in Lebanon and Kenya provided by Magnum Photography.

Press Release

Amnesty International USA: Travel Ban Ruling Short-Term Relief

A federal judge in Hawaii has enjoined the Trump administration from including grandparents and other family members in the travel ban, as well as refugees with formal commitments from refugee organizations in the United States to resettle here. Naureen Shah, Amnesty International USA senior director of campaigns, released the following statement:

July 14, 2017

AIUSA Executive Director Margaret and AI Secretary General Salil Shetty delivered a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, outlining numerous personal stories of people who are affected by the Muslim ban, asking DHS to release full information about how the ban has been implemented, and demanding that DHS help roll back the ban. As a part of the protests outside, we projected “No Ban, No Wall” on the building along with photos of refugees in Lebanon and Kenya provided by Magnum Photography.

Press Release

U.S. Hits Refugee Cap Set by Executive Order, Underscoring Cruelty of Muslim and Refugee Ban

Today, after resettling 50,000 refugees this year, the United States hit the cap in refugee admissions set by President Trump’s March 6 executive order. This is the lowest number of refugee admissions ever set by the executive branch. Naureen Shah, senior director of campaigns at Amnesty International USA, released the following statement.

July 12, 2017

LAMPEDUSA, ITALY - MAY 24: Refugees and migrants are seen swimming and yelling for assistance from crew members from the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) 'Phoenix' vessel after a wooden boat bound for Italy carrying more than 500 people capsized on May 24, 2017 off Lampedusa, Italy. Numbers of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous central Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy has risen since the same time last year with more than 43,000 people recorded so far in 2017. In an attempt to slow the flow of migrants Italy recently signed a deal with Libya, Chad and Niger outlining a plan to increase border controls and add new reception centers in the African nations, which are key transit points for migrants heading to Italy. MOAS is a Malta based NGO dedicated to providing professional search-and-rescue assistance to refugees and migrants in distress at sea. Since the start of the year MOAS have rescued and assisted 3572 people and are currently patrolling and running rescue operations in international waters off the coast of Libya. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Sheet of paper Report

A perfect storm: The failure of European policies in the Central Mediterranean

The soaring death toll in the central Mediterranean and the horrific abuses faced by thousands of refugees and migrants in Libyan detention centers are clearly linked to failing EU policies, said Amnesty International in a report published today.

July 5, 2017

Press Release

Amnesty International USA Takes to the Skies to Tell Holiday Crowds to Welcome Refugees

Planes flying along the waterfronts of New York City and Los Angeles on July 4 urged holiday crowds to call on their members of Congress to support refugees via Amnesty International USA.

July 5, 2017

Press Release

Amnesty International USA: Refugee Ban Could Have Devastating Effect

CONTACT: [email protected] NEW YORK – The State Department today said that the Trump administration may not recognize refugee resettlement agencies as having “bona fide relationship” for purposes of its refugee ban implementation. The decision by the administration means tens of thousands of refugees from countries all over the world who were in the process of being resettled in the United States may not be able to come this fiscal year. Amnesty International USA’s senior director of campaigns Naureen Shah issued the following statement: “This policy is effectively a ban on many refugees and will have devastating effects for people in…

June 29, 2017

No Ban No Wall protest at Grand Central Terminal

Press Release

Congress Must Step in and Stop Muslim Ban

Following the Supreme Court’s announcement that it will hear arguments on President Trump’s discriminatory Muslim ban and allow the order to take effect in the meantime, Margaret Huang, Amnesty International USA executive director, released the following statement:

June 26, 2017

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Press Release

New York State Senate Passes Resolution Supporting Refugees

The New York State Senate passed a resolution today proclaiming support for the resettlement of refugees and urging other states to support similar efforts nationwide. The resolution also calls on Governor Cuomo to formally proclaim New York’s recognition of World Refugee Day on June 20.

June 20, 2017

SANLIURFA, TURKEY - OCTOBER 19: (TURKEY OUT) A Kurdish refugee mother and son from the Syrian town of Kobani walk beside their tent in a camp in the southeastern town of Suruc on the Turkish-Syrian border on October 19, 2014 in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Kurdish fighters in Syrian city of Kobani have pushed back Islamic State militants in a number of locations as U.S. air strikes on ISIS positions continue in and around the city. In the past month more than 200,000 people from Kobani have fled into Turkey. (Photo by Gokhan Sahin/Getty Images)

Press Release

‘Give a Home’: Massive global concert series will show solidarity with refugees

A thousand musicians will perform in people’s homes in more than 200 cities globally for a first-of-its-kind day of concerts to unite people in welcoming refugees, Amnesty International and Sofar Sounds announced today, marking World Refugee Day. 

June 19, 2017

Press Release

New York State Assembly Passes Resolution Supporting Refugees

The New York State Assembly passed a resolution today proclaiming support for the resettlement of refugees and urging other states to support similar efforts nationwide. The resolution also calls on Governor Cuomo to formally proclaim New York’s recognition of World Refugee Day on June 20.

June 15, 2017