After another year of defending human rights around the world, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, shares her reflection on 2023: I never expected the state of human rights to lead me to reference the 1980s sci-fi film Back to the Future. Yet here we are. A world spiralling through time, hurtling backwards past the 1948 promise of universal human rights, even as it spins ever faster forwards into a future overtaken by Big Tech and unregulated generative artificial intelligence (AI). Read more about the current state of human rights around the world “Authoritarian” pract ..read more

The Iraqi authorities’ passing of a law that penalizes same-sex relations with up to 15 years in prison is yet another blow to the LGBTI community in the country, said Amnesty International today. Responding to the news the organization’s Iraq Researcher, Razaw Salihy said: “LGBTI individuals in Iraq endure relentless intimidation and violence at the hands of armed actors who operate with absolute impunity hounding, maiming and killing people based on their real or perceived sexual orientation openly. “The latest amendments are an assault on human rights and represent an alarming escalation i ..read more

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE Two young Thai activists were today indicted on ‘groundless’ royal defamation and computer crime charges, Amnesty International has said. Niraphorn “Bie” Onnkhaow, an Amnesty International Digital Rights Champion who recently engaged with the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, and Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, a prominent protest leader featured in Amnesty International’s 2021 Write for Rights campaign, were today indicted under the charges of lèse-majesté and violating Thailand’s Computer Crimes Act. “Today’s indictment shows that Thai authorities a ..read more

Amnesty International Australia is appalled with the lack of care and respect shown by NSW Police when investigating the deaths of First Nations cousins, Jacinta Rose ‘Cindy’ Smith and Mona Lisa Smith in 1987, after an inquest found that their deaths were not adequately investigated by detectives at the time due to racial bias. In 2022, a NSW parliamentary inquiry found that Coroners should be granted greater power to ensure recommendations made during an inquest were implemented. Amnesty International supports the finding of this inquiry and calls upon the Minns government to legislate this r ..read more

Over the past decade, governments and the media worldwide have maintained an alarming anti-refugee narrative, nourished by misconceptions and scare tactics. This narrative often portrays refugees as threats to national security, drains on resources, and even as potential terrorists. Such rhetoric not only promotes discrimination and xenophobia but also makes people forget about the struggle of millions fleeing conflict, persecution, and poverty. The impact of this narrative is deep, as it directly affects refugees trying to rebuild their lives in safety. By perpetuating myths and stereotypes ..read more

An alarming spike in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians across the occupied West Bank in recent days highlights the urgent need to dismantle illegal settlements, end Israel’s occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and its longstanding system of apartheid, said Amnesty International. Between 12 and 16 April hundreds of Israeli settlers went on a deadly rampage launching violent raids on Palestinian villages in the West Bank including in al-Mughayyir, Duma, Deir Dibwan, Beitin and Aqraba. In these attacks, in which settlers set fire to homes, trees and vehicles ..read more

Amnesty International Australia has made a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs regarding the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 (the Bill), recommending that the Australian Government abandon the Bill. A number of the elements of the Bill risk putting Australia in breach of its international obligations, including: the criminalisation of non-cooperation with removal, punishable with up to 5 years’ imprisonment with a mandatory sentence of 12 months; the ability of the Minister to arbitrarily reverse a person’s protection find ..read more

On the 26th of March, the Government rushed to introduce the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024, a cruel bill likened to Donald Trump’s 2017 ‘Muslim ban’ policy. A number of the elements of the Bill risk putting Australia in breach of its international obligations, including; the criminalisation of non-cooperation with removal, punishable with up to 5 years’ imprisonment with a mandatory sentence of 12 months; the ability of the Minister to arbitrarily reverse a person’s protection finding; and the broad prohibition on any type of visa applications from almost all natio ..read more

Israel’s announcement that it has approved the opening of two humanitarian routes into the occupied Gaza Strip, including the temporary re-opening of Erez crossing in northern Gaza and Ashdod port, is a welcome move but is insufficient to tackle the scale of the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, said Amnesty International today. “Opening additional routes to facilitate delivery of aid into Gaza is something that humanitarian organizations and human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly been calling for, for months. But while opening routes for humanitarian aid ..read more

This weekend marks six months since the most recent escalation of violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, after Hamas and other armed groups carried out attacks on 7 October killing over 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages. In retaliation the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) have carried out illegal attacks, indiscriminately and deliberately targeting civilians, hospitals and homes. Thousands of air and ground strikes have been launched on the Gaza strip, with over 32,000 Palestinians killed and more than 74,000 injured so far. Israel has also furthered its blockade ..read more