Below you’ll find breaking news as well as reports, updates on our campaigns, and victories.
If you are a member of the press, please reach out to [email protected]
Press Release
Beleaguered Town of Izium at Breaking Point After Constant Attack from Russian Forces – New Testimony
Civilians in Izium in Kharkiv Region in eastern Ukraine are on the brink of a humanitarian disaster as Russian forces relentlessly bombard the town, new testimony gathered by Amnesty International has revealed.
March 16, 2022
Press Release
US Support for International Investigation Into War Crimes Important First Step Toward Justice for Victims
This morning, Vice President Harris spoke at a press conference in Warsaw, Poland, where she discussed U.S. support for NATO and backed calls for an international investigation into war crimes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Responding to her remarks, Daniel Balson, Europe and Central Asia Advocacy Director at Amnesty International USA, said: “Vice President Harris’ support for an international investigation into Russia’s violations of international humanitarian law in Ukraine is a clarion call for political leaders in the U.S. and abroad to stand on the side of human rights.
March 10, 2022
Press Release
Humanitarian corridors for Ukrainian civilians fleeing Russian attacks must provide safety – new testimonies
Civilians whose homes have been destroyed and others fearing for their lives forced to flee Russian bombardment must be granted access to safe humanitarian corridors, Amnesty International said today.
March 10, 2022
Press Release
Kremlin’s Ruthless Crackdown Stifles Independent Journalism and Anti-War Movement
The Russian authorities have unleashed an unprecedented, nationwide crackdown on independent journalism, anti-war protests and dissenting voices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Amnesty International said today.
March 10, 2022
Press Release
Russian ‘dumb bomb’ air strike killed civilians in Chernihiv – new investigation and testimony
A Russian air strike that reportedly killed 47 civilians in the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv may constitute a war crime, Amnesty International said today following an investigation into the attack.
March 9, 2022
Press Release
Prisoners of War in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Must Be Protected From Public Curiosity Under Geneva Convention
Prisoners of war in the Russian invasion of Ukraine must have their rights respected under the Third Geneva Convention, Amnesty International said today.
March 7, 2022
Press Release
Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine is an act of aggression and human rights catastrophe
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a manifest violation of the United Nations Charter and an act of aggression that is a crime under international law, said Amnesty International as it called for all those involved in this crime to be held accountable for those violations. Their personal, individual, and collective liability should be invoked for that, and for all the many crimes that have characterized their invasion of Ukraine thus far.
March 1, 2022
Press Release
Cluster munitions kill child and two other civilians taking shelter at a preschool in Ukraine
A preschool in north-eastern Ukraine was hit on the morning of February 25 with widely-banned cluster munitions while civilians took shelter inside, killing three of them, including a child, and wounding another child, Amnesty International said today. The attack appears to have been carried out by Russian forces, which were operating nearby, and which have a shameful record of using cluster munitions in populated areas.
February 27, 2022
Press Release
Russian Military Commits Indiscriminate Attacks During the Invasion of Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been marked by indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and strikes on protected objects such as hospitals, Amnesty International said today, after documenting three incidents that it believes to have killed at least six civilians and injured at least 12 more. Indiscriminate attacks violate international humanitarian law (the laws of war) and can constitute war crimes.
February 25, 2022
Press Release
Human Rights Must Be Protected in Ukraine as Risk of Further Conflict with Russia Escalates
Responding to news that President Vladimir Putin has ordered “peacekeeping operations” to the so called “Donetsk People’s Republic” and “Luhansk People’s Republic” in eastern Ukraine, Daniel Balson, Europe and Central Asia Advocacy Director at Amnesty International USA said: “It is abundantly clear the human costs of a full-blown conflict will be devastating to the people of Ukraine. U.S. officials have already recognized this, and Amnesty International has repeatedly stressed the real and immediate threat that an escalation of violence entails for civilians in Ukraine.
February 23, 2022
Update
Amnesty International USA urges the State Department to protect human rights in Ukraine as the risk of further conflict with Russia grows
On February 16, 2022, Amnesty International USA sent a letter to Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman urging the U.S. Department of State to take action in defense of human rights in Ukraine. As Russian troops mount on Ukraine's borders, Amnesty International has warned that a further escalation of violence risks severe consequences for human rights in Ukraine and across the broader region. Previous Russian military interventions, including in Georgia, Syria, and Crimea, have often resulted in severe violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes. Given the risk to human rights posed by another escalation of violence, Amnesty's letter…
February 16, 2022
Report
Tigrayan Forces Murder, Rape and Pillage in Attacks on Civilians in Amhara Towns in Ethiopia
Fighters affiliated with the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) deliberately killed dozens of people, gang-raped dozens of women and girls – some as young as 14 – and looted private and public property in two areas of northern Ethiopia’s Amhara region, Amnesty International said in a new report released today.
February 15, 2022