Amnesty International Australia
Defending Human Rights
When Amnesty International released a report documenting the mass hanging of thousands of prisoners in Syria’s Saydnaya Prison, the Syrian government was put on the back foot. President Bashar al-Assad himself responded, calling our report “childish” and “fake news”. He even laughed as he said he didn’t know what went on in Saydnaya as he …
Continue reading “The human rights violators’ playbook: responding to an Amnesty report”
The image of a dozen children playing behind a tall metal fence, surrounded by armed guards, says it all – in one of the world’s most dangerous barrios, even playtime happens under security lockdown. The newly built park is located in the Rivera Hernández neighbourhood of San Pedro Sula, Honduras. It’s one of the deadliest …
Continue reading “Trump’s border wall will lock refugees in a life of violence and fear”
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull must use his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to clarify that the Australian Government opposes the construction of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Prime Minister Netanyahu has arrived in Sydney, after meeting US President Donald Trump last week. So far this year Israel has authorised more than 6,200 new …
In a brave move in support of the #changethedate movement, in August 2016 the Fremantle Council voted to cancel Australia Day fireworks usually held on 26 January in sensitivity to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Instead, along with a group of traditional owners they organised One Day in Fremantle, an alternative, inclusive festival on …
[Amnesty International’s written statement to the 34th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, 27 February-24 March 2017] One year after the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government took office, the deterioration in the human rights situation in Myanmar requires immediate and urgent action from the United Nations Human Rights Council (the Council). In …
Amnesty International has received information that the King of Malaysia has commuted the death sentence imposed on Nigerian national Osariakhi Ernest Obayangbon (aka Michael Phillips). Obayangbon, who was sentenced to the mandatory death sentence for murder in 2000, was scheduled to be executed in the early hours of 14 March 2014. Amnesty was notified just …
Continue reading “Good news: Death sentence of mentally ill prisoner commuted in Malaysia”
Australia’s leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies will today demand a new relationship with government as they deliver the historic Redfern Statement direct to the Prime Minister at Parliament House. In the lead-up to today’s 9th Closing the Gap Report to Parliament, the leaders will call on the Prime Minister to support the …
In the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, you demanded that all Australians be allowed to have their love recognised, or if you didn’t, it takes 2 minutes! To inspire your joint activism this month (because what’s more romantic than that, right?), we’ve rounded up a list of seven inspirational couples working together to champion human rights. …
Continue reading “7 inspirational human rights power couples”
Responding to news that Loghman Sawari, an Iranian refugee who fled Papua New Guinea to escape the cruel and inhumane treatment of refugees, has been remanded in custody, Amnesty International said: “Loghman Sawari has suffered enough,” said Kate Schuetze, Amnesty International’s Pacific Researcher. “Amnesty International holds grave concerns for his physical and mental well-being and …
Continue reading “PNG: Drop charges against Iranian refugee Loghman Sawari”
A historic court ruling has blocked the Kenyan government’s unilateral decision to shut the world’s largest refugee camp. In his ruling, Justice JM Mativo said the government’s orders to shut down Dadaab were discriminatory and amounted to collective. He also described the orders as excessive, arbitrary and disproportionate. The High Court ruling came in response …
Continue reading “Historic ruling blocks closure of Dadaab refugee camp”
