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Press Release

The UK government must press Malaysia’s Prime Minister on freedom of assembly in his visit this week, Amnesty International said today, after peaceful protesters in Kuala Lumpur were met with police violence and 1,667 arrests at the weekend.

July 11, 2011

Update

Today, South Sudan becomes the world’s newest country. Back in January 2011, the people of South Sudan voted in a referendum mandated by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and decided to secede from Sudan. Sadly, South Sudan’s very first birthday is being overshadowed by ongoing conflict in many border areas, fueled by arms shipment from countries such as China, Russia and the USA to volatile regions of Sudan such as Southern Kordofan. For instance, analysis by Amnesty International has linked Russian-made aircraft to indiscriminate airstrikes in the past month that led to civilian deaths and injuries in the regional capital Kadugli…

July 9, 2011

Update

The Bangladeshi government must enforce the orders from the Supreme Court to prevent extrajudicial punishments of women caused by fatwas.

July 8, 2011

Update

The Obama administration’s decision to refer Somali national Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame’s case to be heard in federal court is to be welcomed. But why did it take so long to reach this decision?

July 8, 2011

Update

Violence related to Pakistan's "War on Terror" rages on, exacerbated by "shoot at sight" orders and the internal displacement of millions.

July 8, 2011

Report

On June 25, 2010 thousands of people – among them lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) men and women, members of their families, activists and other supporters marched through the center of Istanbul in the greatest show of solidarity for the rights of LGBT people ever seen in Turkey to date. Supporters marched in defiance of Turkey's laws which are interpreted or utilised in a discriminatory manner by judges and prosecutors, denying the equal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. Currently, no provision exists within Turkey’s constitution or domestic law framework proscribing discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation…

July 8, 2011

Press Release

Sam Zarifi, Asia-Pacific director for Amnesty International issued the following statement in response to news that Pakistan authorities ordered 1,000 extra troops into Karachi with instructions to "shoot on sight" armed men involved in the recent sectarian violence.

July 8, 2011

Press Release

United Nations member states must act to control arms shipments to volatile regions like Sudan's Southern Kordofan, Amnesty International said today, ahead of next week's talks on a global Arms Trade Treaty.

July 8, 2011

Report

Head of state and government: Mohamed Nasheed Death penalty: abolitionist in practice Population: 0.3 million Life expectancy: 72.3 years Under-5 mortality (m/f): 31/26 per 1,000 Adult literacy: 98.4 per cent The political divide between the President and the opposition-dominated parliament reached crisis proportions in June, and at least four members of parliament were detained in July. After intense negotiations, parliament approved the establishment of a permanent Supreme Court in August. The International Commission of Jurists visited the Maldives in September to assess how the judicial system should be reformed. Background The government claimed that the opposition was using their majority…

July 7, 2011

Report

Head of state: King Norodom Sihamoni Head of government: Hun Sen Death penalty: abolitionist for all crimes Population: 15.1 million Life expectancy: 62.2 years Under-5 mortality (m/f): 92/85 per 1,000 Adult literacy: 77 per cent Forced evictions, land grabs and land disputes remained among the most serious human rights issues. Protests by affected families and communities increased. Activists and human rights defenders protecting the right to adequate housing faced legal action and imprisonment on spurious charges. The judiciary and the courts continued to lack independence and were used to stifle freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly; journalists, trade unionists…

July 7, 2011

Report

Head of state and government: Benigno S. Aquino III (replaced Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in June) Death penalty: abolitionist for all crimes Population: 93.6 million Life expectancy: 72.3 years Under-5 mortality (m/f): 32/21 per 1,000 Adult literacy: 93.6 per cent More than 200 cases of enforced disappearances recorded in the last decade remained unresolved, as did at least 305 cases of extrajudicial execution (with some estimates ranging as high as 1,200). Almost no perpetrators of these crimes have been brought to justice. Private armed groups continued to operate throughout the country, despite government commitments to disband and disarm them. Despite its 2010…

July 7, 2011

Report

Head of state: Choummaly Sayasone Head of government: Thongsing Thammavong (replaced Bouasone Bouphavanh in December) Death penalty: abolitionist in practice Population: 6.4 million Life expectancy: 65.9 years Under-5 mortality (m/f): 68/61 per 1,000 Adult literacy: 72.7 per cent Lao authorities denied independent monitors unfettered access to more than 4,500 Lao Hmong asylum-seekers and refugees, who had been forcibly returned from Thailand in 2009 and placed in resettlement sites. Restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly continued. Prisoners of conscience and political prisoners remained imprisoned. At least four people were sentenced to death for drug trafficking, despite a de facto…

July 7, 2011