Author Archives: Angie Davis

Responding to reports that the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to announce that Myanmar’s military has committed genocide and crimes against humanity during its violent campaign against the Rohingya minority, Erwin van der Borght, Amnesty International’s Interim Regional Director, said:  “Nearly five years after 740,000 people were driven from their homes at gunpoint in 2017, Rohingya families and survivors …

Continue reading “Myanmar: Momentum for justice as US to label Rohingya crackdown genocide “

After 18 months of talks, a  leaked document proposing a deal between the United States, the European Union, South Africa and India that claims to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines for developing countries reveals some positive steps. But advocates say more is needed to address the inequity resulting in only 4% of people in low -income countries having had …

Continue reading “Leaked proposal on WTO COVID-19 monopolies a small step but more needed for equitable global access to vaccines and treatments, say advocates”

In response to reports that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori have been released from detention in Iran and are about to leave the country, Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s CEO, said: “This is fantastic news, but it hasn’t come a moment too soon.     “Nazanin and Anoosheh should never have been detained in the first place …

Continue reading “UK: The release Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori hasn’t come a moment too soon”

Channel One TV news editor Marina Ovsyannikova is reportedly facing a criminal investigation ‘Her defiant protest shines a light where the Russian authorities have attempted to impose total darkness’ – Marie Struthers Responding to the arrest of Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at the Russian state-controlled Channel One TV who interrupted a live news broadcast yesterday …

Continue reading “Russia: Journalist who protested during live TV news bulletin committed no crime”

The mass execution of 81 individuals, Saudi and non-Saudi citizens, on Saturday signals an appalling escalation in Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty, Amnesty International said today, bringing the country’s tally of executions to 92 so far in 2022 alone. The Ministry of Interior on Saturday announced the execution of 81 people, all of whom had been convicted …

Continue reading “Saudi Arabia: Mass execution of 81 men shows urgent need to abolish the death penalty”

Responding to a UK Supreme Court decision refusing to grant Julian Assange permission to appeal against the previous High Court ruling permitting his extradition, Amnesty International’s Deputy Research Director for Europe Julia Hall, said:  “Today’s decision is a blow to Julian Assange and to justice. The Supreme Court has missed an opportunity to clarify the …

Continue reading “UK: Supreme Court’s refusal to grant Assange right to appeal is “a blow to justice””

In response to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet announcing an agreement with the Chinese government for a visit to China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in May, Amnesty International’s Crisis Response Director Joanne Mariner said: “Access to Xinjiang for human rights monitors is an absolutely vital step towards accountability for human rights …

Continue reading “China: UN visit to Xinjiang must be unhindered to be credible”

A submission by Amnesty International Australia on the Tasmanian Government’s Discussion Paper to Reform Tasmania’s Youth Justice System has expressed serious concerns about the overrepresentation of First Nations youth in detention and the urgent need to raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14.  Amnesty also expressed concerns regarding Youth and Education Minister …

Continue reading “Tasmania should focus on diversion and rehabilitation not new youth prisons”