Protesters across sub-Saharan Africa have braved bullets and beatings to defend their rights in the face of continuing conflict and state repression, Amnesty International said today as it published its annual review of human rights in the region. The organization highlighted the bravery and defiance of people who took to the streets to demand change, …
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Indonesia: Investigate murder of transgender woman burned alive
Responding to the murder of a transgender woman in North Jakarta, Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid said: “This despicable murder must be investigated urgently. It would not be the first time that LGBTI people in Indonesia have been violently targeted simply for who they are. “Without prompt action from the authorities to cast light on this horrifying …
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Senate Select Committee a waste of time unless it has human rights framework
Responding to the announcement Labor has an agreement with the Government to establish a cross-party Senate Select Committee into the Government’s response to COVID-19, Amnesty International Australia campaigner Joel Clark said: “We welcome the Senate Select Committee, but it will be an exercise in wasted time unless a human rights framework is included in its …
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Bangladesh: COVID-19 response flaws put older Rohingya refugees in imminent danger
Older Rohingya refugees in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh are being left behind in the humanitarian response to COVID-19, which could have devastating consequences given the high risks older people everywhere face from this deadly pandemic, Amnesty International said today. Bangladesh, together with the UN and other humanitarian partners, has made efforts to reduce the risk of COVID-19 …
Amnesty backs calls from doctors to release refugees immediately
Amnesty International Australia is calling on the Australian government to heed the urgent advice of thousands of medical professionals and release detainees held in so-called alternative places of detention (APODs). “The people being held in places like the Mantra hotel in Preston Victoria, were brought to Australia because they needed urgent medical help. To leave …
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Digital surveillance to fight COVID-19 can only be justified if it respects human rights
With governments across the world rapidly expanding the use of digital surveillance in an attempt to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Amnesty International and other leading NGOs have set out strict conditions that must be met to safeguard human rights and prevent surveillance overreach. More than 100 civil society groups joined Amnesty in signing the statement, including …
COVID-19: Prisoners of conscience from Papua must be urgently released
Amnesty Indonesia and Amnesty Australia welcome the decision of Indonesian authorities to release 30,000 prisoners to minimise the risk of infection with COVID-19. Overcrowding and unsanitary facilities have been posing a health threat to Indonesia’s prison population of more than 250.000 prisoners. While the move is welcomed, it must be extended to all prisoners of …
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Measures designed to protect push Indigenous people further to the margins
In response to state and territory governments issuing on-the-spot fines for breaking social distancing and quarantine rules, Amnesty International Australia Indigenous Rights Lead, Lidia Thorpe, said: “Governments are so committed to appearing as though they’re doing the right thing, it is completely blind to the fact that they are making things harder for some of …
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Syria: Vulnerable prisoners should be released to prevent spread of COVID-19
The Syrian authorities must cooperate fully with UN agencies and humanitarian organizations to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country’s prisons, detention centres and military hospitals, Amnesty International has warned. Prisoners and detainees, including tens of thousands of people arbitrarily detained or forcibly disappeared, are at risk of contracting the disease as they are held in …
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Pacific Islands face COVID-19 emergency: regional leaders must step up
In response to media reports and Opposition calls for the Australian government to assist Pacific nations with their response to the COVID-19 crisis, Amnesty International Australia Campaigner, Joel Clark, said: “These countries require international emergency and development assistance to respond effectively to the pandemic in line with human rights law and standards. Pacific countries have …
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