Amnesty International Australia
Defending Human Rights
The killing of six employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in northern Afghanistan is a horrific crime, Amnesty International said. “By targeting the ICRC, who devote their lives to helping people in desperate need, the perpetrators have demonstrated a horrific contempt for human life,” said Biraj Patnaik, Amnesty International’s South Asia …
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Saydnaya Prison is where the Syrian state quietly slaughters its own people. Every week, between 20 and 100 people are taken from their cells, to be hanged, in the middle of the night. As many as 13,000 people have been killed in Saydnaya since 2011, in the utmost secrecy. Many other people at Saydnaya have been …
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A chilling new report by Amnesty International exposes the Syrian government’s calculated campaign of extrajudicial executions by mass hangings at Saydnaya Prison. Read the report Between 2011 and 2015, every week and often twice a week, groups of up to 50 people were taken out of their prison cells and hanged to death. In five …
Since taking over at the White House, US President Donald Trump has wasted little time putting into action his poisonous campaign rhetoric. In his first couple of weeks in office, he pushed through a series of repressive executive orders that threaten the human rights of millions of people in the US and abroad. Here are seven …
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As our nation’s politicians head back to Canberra Amnesty International is calling for immediate action to solve the horrific mess that is Australia’s offshore detention regime. “Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten must stop gambling with 2,200 people’s lives. Now is the time to put people before politics and come up with …
Continue reading “Immediate solution to offshore chaos must be found as parliament resumes”
We, as a coalition of organisations and community groups from around Australia, are writing to express our concern regarding the humanitarian crisis that Australia has created. Successive Australian governments have managed and funded offshore detention camps on Manus Island and Nauru. The people detained there are clearly Australia’s responsibility. This situation has reached crisis point, …
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Responding to comments from the Philippines’ Senate on Amnesty International’s latest report, “If you are poor, you are killed”: Extrajudicial executions in the Philippines’ “War on Drugs”, Champa Patel, Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific said: “Amnesty International continues to call on the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights to re-open its enquiry on …
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Loghman Sawari, the 21 year-old Iranian refugee who fled Manus Island to escape Australia’s cruel detention regime, has been forcibly returned to Papua New Guinea. Graham Thom, Refugee Coordinator at Amnesty International said: “Upon arrival, this young man must be immediately provided with medical care and trauma services. He must not be arrested, mistreated or …
At 8 am on 3 February 1967, Australia held its last execution. Ronald Ryan was led to the gallows and hung to death at Pentridge Prison, Melbourne. He was charged with killing a prison guard during an escape attempt. The emotion and anger over the execution contributed to Australia become an abolitionist county 18 years …
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Urgent action is needed by the Victorian Government as youth justice reaches a tipping point following months of tension mounting from children detained in adult and youth justice detention. Amnesty International is calling on the Victorian Government to respond to the disturbing report on the ABC’s 7.30 program. “Revelations that a 16-year-old boy has a …
Continue reading “Urgent change needed as youth justice reaches tipping point in Victoria”
