Guantanamo-style abuse of child prisoners shows current detention system has failed

Chilling footage showing detained Indigenous children being tear gassed and a child being hooded and strapped to a restraint chair in Australia’s Northern Territory must serve as a wakeup call for the government on the need to urgently change its policies on juvenile detention. The organization is calling on Australia’s authorities to immediately ratify the …

100 organisations call for Royal Commission to be independent, broad

Today over 100 organisations, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak representative bodies and Amnesty International, have released an Open Statement welcoming Prime Minister Turnbull’s Royal Commission into the horrific abuse of children in the Northern Territory, but calling for it to be conducted independently from the NT Government and for a broader inquiry into …

Indonesia: Executions will put Jokowi on the wrong side of history

Amnesty International has received credible reports that at least 14 people could be executed this week, who consist of four Indonesian and ten foreign nationals, including a Pakistani, an Indian, a Zimbabwean, a Senegalese, a South African, and five Nigerians. “President Widodo’s era was supposed to represent a new start for human rights in Indonesia. …

Royal Commission welcome, but PM Turnbull must act now to prevent further abuse of children

Prime Minister Turnbull’s announcement of a Royal Commission into the conditions in Northern Territory youth detention is welcome, following last night’s shocking Four Corners program depicting the torture and abuse of incarcerated children. In setting the terms of reference the Prime Minister should consult with Indigenous and youth organisations in the Northern Territory. However, Mr …

Yemen: Peace talks must prioritize getting aid to desperate civilians

Restrictions on the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to civilians in Yemen are exacerbating the country’s humanitarian crisis and endangering lives. All parties to the conflict must allow full and unfettered access to organizations providing crucial supplies. A delegation from the organization visited Huthi-controlled parts of Yemen in May 2016 and spoke to 11 local and …

Amnesty International Thailand Chair and other activists face jail for exposing torture

The Thai authorities must immediately drop the criminal investigation against three of the country’s most prominent human rights activists, including the chair of Amnesty International Thailand, who could be charged tomorrow for documenting and publishing a report about torture by Thai security forces. Somchai Homla-or, Anchana Heemmina, and Porpen Khongkaconkiet, who was appointed Chair of …

Australian Government must end systemic abuse of children in youth detention

The abuses carried out against children shown in last night’s Four Corners program are a shocking violation of both the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention against Torture. The Australian Government must immediately launch an investigation into the NT youth detention system, and take action to prevent the abuse of …

Saudi Arabia’s execution toll reaches 100

According to the Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior announced that an execution was carried out in Riyadh today bringing the total number of executions carried out so far in 2016 to 100. In response to this news, Philip Luther Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme said: “With its …

UN: National self-interest must not scupper initiative to end refugee crisis

With just under a week to go, a group of unlikely bedfellows including Australia, China, Egypt, India, Russia, Pakistan and the UK, among others, risk bulldozing through the only worldwide effort under way to provide concrete action to deal with the global refugee crisis affecting 20 million people. By the end of July, United Nations …

Turkey: Monitors must be allowed to access detainees amid torture allegations

Amnesty International has gathered credible evidence that detainees in Turkey are being subjected to beatings and torture, including rape, in official and unofficial detention centres in the country. The organization is calling for independent monitors to be given immediate access to detainees in all facilities in the wake of the coup attempt, which include police …