Iraq: Mosul civilians endangered by warring parties’ weapons choice

The expected battle involving Iraqi and US-led coalition forces against the Islamic State (ISIS) in west Mosul’s Old City poses a considerable threat to civilians and civilian objects, international humanitarian and human rights organisations say. All warring parties should cease using explosive weapons with wide area effects and inherently indiscriminate weapons in densely populated west …

Syrian refugees trapped in desert on Moroccan border with Algeria in dire need of assistance

Moroccan authorities are flouting their international obligations to give protection to refugees by entrapping a group of 25 Syrian refugees in a desert area on the border between Morocco and Algeria and denying them access to asylum and urgent humanitarian assistance. The group of Syrians, including 10 children, have been stuck for the past two …

Australia must ban Israeli settlement products to help end violations against Palestinians

The Australian Government and the international community must ban the import of all goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements and put an end to the multimillion dollar profits that have fuelled mass human rights violations against Palestinians. To mark the 50th anniversary of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza …

Saudi Arabia detains rights activist who defied women’s driving ban

Responding to news about the re-arrest of Saudi Arabian women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul at King Fahad International Airport in Dammam in Saudi Arabia on 4 June, Samah Hadid Director of Campaigns for Amnesty International in the Middle–East said: “The Saudi Arabian authorities’ continuous harassment of Loujain al-Hathloul is absurd and unjustifiable. It appears she …

Singapore: Restrictions to LGBT gathering another attempt to suppress activism

Singapore authorities must immediately revoke a new requirement that requires that entrances to a peaceful assembly are barricaded, and that people will be subjected to identity checks in order to enter. This restriction is another attempt by authorities to restrict and suppress peaceful activism in Singapore. On 30 May, organisers of Pink Dot – an …

Protection for gay men in Chechnya: Sydney action marks start of global demand

  Amnesty International has gathered more than half a million signatures worldwide on petitions calling for an end to the appalling persecution of men perceived to be gay in the Russian republic of Chechnya. In a global day of action on 2 June, Amnesty International activists handed in petitions to Russian embassies around the world. As …

USA: Trump’s expected decision to leave the global climate deal could result in a human rights catastrophe of epic proportions

In response to reports that President Donald Trump is expected to pull the USA from the Paris Agreement on climate change, Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA said: “Let there be no doubt, President Trump’s expected decision to withdraw the USA from the global climate deal is an assault on a range of …

Egypt’s NGO law threatens to annihilate human rights groups

A new law signed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, imposing unprecedentedly harsh restrictions on NGOs, could be a death sentence for human rights groups in the country. “This is a catastrophic blow for human rights groups working in Egypt. The severity of the restrictions imposed by this law threatens to annihilate NGOs in the …

France: Unchecked clampdown on protests under guise of fighting terrorism

Powers designed to combat terrorism have been repeatedly misused to curb peaceful protest, our new report has found. A right not a threat: Disproportionate restrictions on demonstrations under the State of Emergency in France reveals that hundreds of unjustified measures restricting freedom of movement and the right to peaceful assembly have been issued under the …