Thousands of civilians trapped in Raqqa, northern Syria, are coming under fire from all sides as the battle for control of the city enters its final stage, Amnesty International said following an in-depth investigation on the ground. In a report released today, the organisation documents how hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured since …
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Palestine: Dangerous escalation in attacks on press freedom
The Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and their rivals, the de-facto Hamas administration in Gaza, have both tightened the noose on freedom of expression, Amnesty International said. In recent months, both authorities have launched a repressive clampdown on dissent that has seen journalists from opposition media outlets interrogated and detained in a bid to …
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Marriage Equality: Media disruption signals youth vote is vital
In support of the planned self-disruption this evening of youth media sites Vice, Broadsheet, Junkee, The Feed and Pedestrian TV to signal to young Australians to check the electoral roll in preparation for the marriage equality postal plebiscite, Amnesty International Australia Campaigns Manager Michael Hayworth said: “We are proud supporters of this innovative, collaborative initiative …
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USA: Florida about to resume executions
Amnesty International has issued a briefing on recent developments relating to the death penalty in Florida, ahead of a planned resumption of executions in the state on Thursday 24 August – 18 months after the last one. “Death in Florida” outlines the state’s divided response to the January 2016 US Supreme Court decision that Florida’s …
The attacks in Catalonia are deliberate civilian attacks which could constitute a crime against humanity
Madrid / Barcelona: At least 13 people died and more than 100 were injured on 17 August, when a van deliberately ploughed into crowds of people in Las Ramblas in Barcelona, one of the town’s main tourist areas. According to official sources, several hours later, in the early hours of 18 August, another attack took …
Pauline Hanson burqa stunt ‘revolting act of intolerance’
In reaction to Senator Pauline Hanson’s wearing of a burqa on the floor of the Senate yesterday, in a call for the garment to be banned in Australia, Amnesty International Australia’s Campaigns Manager Michael Hayworth said: “Senator Hanson’s burqa stunt is a revolting act of intolerance. Women of all faiths and backgrounds should be free …
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Hong Kong: “Vindictive” jail terms for pro-democracy leaders
The Hong Kong authorities’ relentless pursuit of jail terms for three leaders of the pro-democracy movement is a vindictive attack on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, Amnesty International said. On Thursday, Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal handed Joshua Wong, Alex Chow and Nathan Law between six and eight months in prison for their roles …
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International community must avert growing crisis as number of South Sudanese refugees reaches a million
The international community must deliver and improve on existing financial commitments to help Uganda support the refugees it is hosting, following a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announcement that one million South Sudanese refugees are now in the country. Driven by the ongoing violence in South Sudan, refugees have been entering Uganda in …
Philippines: 32 killed in a day as Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ hits new levels of barbarity
After Philippine police killed 32 people in what is believed to be the highest death toll in a single day in President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs”, Amnesty International’s Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, James Gomez, said: “These shocking deaths are a reminder that President Duterte’s lawless ‘war on drugs’ continues unabated …
Indonesia: At least 60 killed as police shootings of drug suspects skyrocket
The number of police killings of suspected drug dealers has skyrocketed in Indonesia this year, an alarming rise which signals that authorities could be looking to emulate the murderous “war on drugs” in neighbouring Philippines, Amnesty International said. At least 60 suspected drug dealers have been killed by police – some of whom have been …
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