Below you’ll find breaking news as well as reports, updates on our campaigns, and victories.
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Update
Protests in Turkey: Three Steps You Can Take Now to Halt Police Repression!
Images of Turkish police employing shockingly excessive measures against peaceful demonstrators. Take action now to help protect their rights!
May 31, 2013
Update
7 Recommendations to President Obama on Guantanamo, Torture & Drones
While there were encouraging signs in President Obama’s speech on national security, the continuing absence of international human rights law from the US government’s counterterrorism framework remains a grave cause for concern.
May 31, 2013
Update
Update in the Struggle to #SaveBeatriz!
On Wednesday, the Salvadoran Supreme Court of Justice issued a shameful decision in the case of Beatriz. Please take action on her behalf.
May 31, 2013
Report
Annual Report: Viet Nam 2013
Socialist Republic of Viet Nam Head of state Truong Tan Sang Head of government Nguyen Tan Dung Repression of government critics and activists worsened, with severe restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly. At least 25 peaceful dissidents, including bloggers and songwriters, were sentenced to long prison terms in 14 trials that failed to meet international standards. Members of ethnic and religious groups faced human rights violations. At least 86 people were sentenced to death, with more than 500 on death row. Background A political crisis arose over alleged mishandling of the economy, with high inflation and debt levels,…
May 30, 2013
Press Release
Amnesty International App for Protecting Activists Nominated for Global Impact Award
Amnesty International is one of 10 finalists competing for four $765,000 development grants from Google and the Global Impact Award for its design of a Panic Button app which will help protect human rights activists in danger. The public can vote for its favorite nominee on the Global Impact Challenge site. The winners will be announced on June 3.
May 30, 2013
Press Release
Amnesty International Condemns “Cruel, Callous” Ruling by El Salvador Court in Abortion Case
In response to the court ruling in El Salvador denying an abortion to a pregnant woman named Beatriz whose health is failing, Amnesty International USA issued the following comments from Michelle Ringuette, chief of campaigns and programs:
May 30, 2013
Press Release
Amnesty International Unveils Campaign to Repeal the AUMF, Calls for Independent Investigations of Alleged Extrajudicial Executions
Today, Amnesty International unveiled a new campaign that calls on President Obama and Congress to drop the "global battlefield" legal theory explored in the upcoming documentary Dirty Wars.
May 30, 2013
Report
Annual Report: Yemen 2013
Republic of Yemen Head of state Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi (replaced Ali Abdullah Saleh) Head of government Mohammed Salim Basindwa The human rights situation improved during the transition that followed the 2011 uprising which ousted former President Saleh from power. However, there was an ongoing lack of information about the fate of those arrested or disappeared during 2011. Impunity for human rights violations committed during President Saleh's government was entrenched by a new immunity law, and most killings of protesters and other human rights violations committed in 2011 and 2012 were not investigated. Justice was also denied to victims of…
May 30, 2013
Report
Annual Report: Zimbabwe 2013
Republic of Zimbabwe Head of state and government Robert Mugabe Mistrust between members of the Government of National Unity (GNU) continued to delay crucial reforms agreed under the 2008 Global Political Agreement between President Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and the two Movement for Democratic Change parties (MDC-T and MDC-N). Talk of an election in the second half of the year caused panic in rural areas affected by the 2008 election-related, state-sponsored violence. Police continued to suppress free expression, association and assembly throughout the year, through arbitrary arrest, unlawful detentions and politically motivated prosecutions. Background The GNU failed to finalize a new…
May 30, 2013
Report
Annual Report: United States of America 2013
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Head of state and government Barack H. Obama Forty-three men were executed during the year, and concerns about cruel prison conditions continued. Scores of detainees remained in indefinite military detention at Guantánamo. Pre-trial proceedings continued in six cases in which the administration was intending to seek the death penalty following trials by military commission. Use of lethal force in the counter-terrorism context continued to raise serious concerns, as did continuing reports of the use of excessive force in domestic law enforcement. Counter-terror and security Detentions at Guantánamo At the end of 2012, nearly three years after…
May 29, 2013
Press Release
Media Conference Friday, May 31 on Arms Trade Treaty and Why Obama Must Be Among the First Signers
As the Arms Trade Treaty opens for signature on June 3rd, Amnesty International USA, Arms Control Association, Oxfam America, and the Simson Center will host a press breakfast on Friday, May 31st at 9 a.m. at Old Ebbitt Grill to discuss why the United States must be one of the first signatories.
May 29, 2013
Report
Annual Report: United Kingdom 2013
UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND Head of state Queen Elizabeth II Head of government David Cameron Criminal investigations were announced in two alleged rendition cases. As a result of these new criminal investigations the Detainee Inquiry was closed early. Draft legislation was published which would allow the government to rely on secret evidence across the civil justice system in national security cases. A moratorium on the transfer of detainees to Afghan authorities was maintained. Torture and other ill-treatment On 12 January, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and the Director of Public Prosecutions announced that, following an investigation,…
May 29, 2013