United Nations: Haley’s hostility towards human rights organisations a sad moment for United States

In response to a letter sent by the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley to human rights groups, accusing them of blocking reform at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:

“Following the USA’s showy departure from the Human Rights Council, Nikki Haley’s letter is another sign that the Trump administration prefers confrontation to compromise.

“This letter expresses open hostility towards human rights organisations with different opinions to the United States. As civil society, our job is to hold those in power to account, and refusing to engage with anyone who disagrees with it will leave the Trump administration in a very lonely place.

“Blaming human rights groups for the USA’s regrettable decision ignores the tireless campaigning done by Amnesty International and others to reform the Human Rights Council, including calling for higher membership standards. Glossing over the facts will not help the USA’s standing on the international stage.

“We share many of the concerns the US has highlighted about the Human Rights Council. However, the reforms proposed by the Trump administration would have presented the very states whose membership the US opposes with an opportunity to undermine the Council.

“Going forward, with the commemoration of 70 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly on our minds, Amnesty International will continue to seek better solutions to challenges in the Council, working together and constructively to strengthen the enjoyment of human rights around the world.”

Read more:

Amnesty International’s response to US Ambassador Nikki Haley (Letter, 21 June 2018)

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr51/8650/2018/en/

Yemen: Millions of civilians at risk due to restricted life-saving supplies

  • The Saudi Arabia-led coalition has continued to impose restrictions on the entry of essential goods into conflict-ravaged Yemen
  • Huthi de facto authorities have excessively delayed the delivery of humanitarian assistance in famine-threatened areas and are said to have asked for bribes
  • The coalition’s tightened restrictions could constitute a war crime

Millions of lives are at risk in war-torn Yemen because the entry of essential goods such as food, fuel and medical supplies is being restricted by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition and their distribution then delayed by the country’s Huthi de facto authorities, Amnesty International warned in a new report released today.

The report, Stranglehold, documents how the coalition has imposed excessive restrictions on the entry of essential goods and aid, while the Huthi authorities have obstructed aid movement within the country.

These obstacles – compounded by a deadly Saudi-led military assault on the vital port city of Hodeidah – have exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in Yemen and violate international law.

“The Saudi Arabia-led coalition’s unlawful restrictions on imports, coupled with the Huthis’ harmful interference with aid distribution, are preventing life-saving supplies from reaching Yemenis who desperately need them,” said Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International’s Middle East Research Director.

“These constraints are having increasingly grave consequences for civilians, millions of whom are on the brink of famine and in need of humanitarian assistance.

“This man-made humanitarian crisis cannot be ignored any longer. The world must stop looking the other way while life in Yemen is slowly suffocated.”

“This man-made humanitarian crisis cannot be ignored any longer. The world must stop looking the other way while life in Yemen is slowly suffocated” – Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International’s Middle East Research Director

Since 2015, the coalition has repeatedly tightened its naval blockade on the Huthi-controlled ports of Saleef and Hodeidah. Its restrictions on commercial imports impede Yemenis’ access to food.

The restrictions and delays on fuel and medical supplies have also contributed to the collapse of the country’s health-care system.

Coming after Huthi missiles were fired at the Saudi capital Riyadh, the manner and timing of the tightened restrictions suggest this could amount to collective punishment of Yemen’s civilian population, which would constitute a war crime.

In a further escalation last week, Yemeni forces backed by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition launched an offensive on Hodeidah. Cutting off this crucial supply line would further exacerbate what is already the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Port access restricted by Saudi Arabia-led coalition

Saudi Arabia started to inspect vessels and delay or restrict access to Yemen’s Red Sea ports in 2015, claiming it was enforcing an arms embargo set by UN Security Council Resolution 2216. As a result, in 2015 the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) was established to clear commercial vessels destined for Yemen’s Red Sea ports while ensuring compliance with the arms embargo.

However, the coalition maintained its inspections of ships even after UNVIM had cleared them to proceed to port, subjecting them to excessive delays. Vessels travelling to Yemen’s Red Sea ports had to wait for coalition clearance for an average of 120 hours in March 2018 and 74 hours in April 2018.

On 15 March 2018, the UN Security Council called on member states to inspect vessels already cleared by UNVIM “in an efficient and timely manner”. The coalition has continued to ignore this call and to misuse the inspection regime, preventing the delivery of essential goods and humanitarian aid.

Such delays have exacerbated a crippling fuel shortage, which has reduced access to food, clean water and sanitation and contributed to the spread of preventable diseases. According to five medical staff interviewed, the lack of fuel has also made it harder to run hospitals, which need it to run generators that provide electricity.

“These excessive inspections are having a catastrophic effect on Yemen. By delaying vital supplies such as fuel and medicine getting into the country, the Saudi-led coalition is abusing its powers to cruelly inflict additional hardship on the most vulnerable civilians in Yemen,” said Lynn Maalouf. “Blockades that cause substantial, disproportionate harm to civilians are prohibited under international law.”

Huthi de facto authorities creating obstacles to aid within Yemen

Amnesty International spoke to 11 aid workers who hold senior-level positions in NGOs that have been operating in Yemen since the start of the conflict. They have consistently described a range of practices by Huthi de facto authorities that have hampered the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

Aid workers described how excessive and arbitrary bureaucratic procedures have led to restrictions on the movement of humanitarian staff and aid. In one incident, an aid official described how, once supplies reached the country, it took the organisation two months to move the supplies out of Sana’a: “The most difficult part was getting the aid out of the warehouse once it was in Yemen,” said the official.

According to aid workers interviewed, Huthi de facto authorities are also attempting to control the delivery of aid and to influence who receives it, and in which areas.

One aid official told Amnesty International they were “often told by Huthi forces to hand over the aid and that they would distribute it”. Several aid workers described incidents in which government workers had demanded bribes from humanitarian groups in order for them to approve projects or movements of staff.

Under international humanitarian law, all parties have an obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded delivery of impartial humanitarian assistance for civilians in need. And they must ensure the freedom of movement of authorised humanitarian personnel to carry out their work.

“The Huthi forces’ repeated, excessive, arbitrary interference with the delivery and distribution of aid is causing untold damage to civilians whose lives are being ruined as a result,” said Lynn Maalouf.

“The Huthi authorities must end the obstructions that hamper the delivery of aid and the implementation of humanitarian projects, while also taking effective measures to stamp out extortion.”

Saudi Arabia’s allies must take a stand

Amnesty International is calling on the UN Security Council to ensure that all parties to the conflict in Yemen allow prompt and unhindered humanitarian access to UN agencies and humanitarian organisations to deliver food, fuel, medicines and medical supplies to civilians in need across Yemen.

It should impose targeted sanctions against those responsible for obstructing humanitarian assistance and for committing other violations of international humanitarian law.

“The Saudi Arabia-led coalition must end delays on commercial imports of essential goods destined for Yemen’s Red Sea ports and allow the reopening of Sana’a airport to commercial flights. States providing the coalition support, in particular the USA, United Kingdom and France, should pressure them to do so,” said Lynn Maalouf.

Background

Between December 2017 and June 2018, Amnesty International conducted interviews with 12 aid workers, as well as with six doctors, three other medical staff and five local community activists located in Sana’a, Hodeidah and Ta’iz. All those interviewed spoke to Amnesty International under condition of strict confidentiality due to their concern that their public identification could expose them and their families to serious risk or undermine their ability to carry out their work without further constraints.

Turkey: Court defies logic as Amnesty Turkey Chair kept in jail

In response to the continued detention of human rights defender, Taner Kılıç, after the latest hearing against him, Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General said:

“The heart-breaking decision to keep our colleague in jail is yet another travesty of justice.

“After more than a year away from his family, and without a shred of credible evidence presented to substantiate the absurd charges made against him, his cruel and protracted incarceration defies all logic.

“Earlier this month, any fig-leaf of legitimacy for the prosecutor’s case was stripped away with the submission of the long-delayed police report. By failing to find any evidence that Taner ever had the ByLock messaging app on his phone, the report removed the central accusation against him. A second police report submitted to the court this morning, confirmed that there was no trace of Bylock on Taner’s phone.

“This should have led to his immediate and unconditional release. But rather than celebrate their long-awaited happy reunion, his wife and daughters had to endure Taner being led away, back to the overcrowded cell where he has spent more than a year of his life.

“Taner’s situation is emblematic of what is happening in Turkey today. Many of human rights defenders are either languishing in jail or living in constant fear of arrest. We will continue to fight tirelessly on behalf of Taner, the Istanbul 10 and all those unjustly jailed under Turkey’s ongoing crackdown.”

The next hearing is scheduled for 7 November.

Background

This morning a second police report was submitted to the court. This additional report had been requested by the court to clarify why there had been no finding about the presence of the ByLock messaging application on Taner’s phone. This second report confirmed the findings of the first report and that of four independent forensic analyses, which found no trace of ByLock on the phone.

Iran: Outspoken lawyer arrested after protesting the execution of her client

Responding to the arrest of Zeynab Taheri, the lawyer of Mohammad Salas, the 51-year-old Sufi bus driver who was executed on Monday morning after a grossly unfair trial, Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said:

“It’s telling that Zeynab Taheri’s arrest followed her public announcement that she intended to publish key evidence pointing to Mohammad Salas’ innocence. Her arrest exposes yet again the Iranian authorities’ relentless persecution of lawyers who speak out against torture and unfair trials.

“Her arrest exposes yet again the Iranian authorities’ relentless persecution of lawyers who speak out against torture and unfair trials.”

“Zeynab Taheri has been a vocal advocate for Mohammad Salas by publicly calling out the unfairness of his trial, including the dismissal of key evidence indicating his innocence.

“Zeynab Taheri must be immediately and unconditionally released. Instead of arresting her for her work as a lawyer, the Iranian authorities should be addressing the widely held concerns regarding the unconscionable execution of Mohammad Salas after a grossly unfair trial.”

Background

Zeynab Taheri was arrested yesterday morning on trumped-up charges including “spreading propaganda against the system”, “publishing lies” and “disturbing public opinion”.

There are reports indicating that she has been taken to Shahr-e Rey prison (also known as Gharchak), in Varamin, near Tehran, where several hundred women convicted of violent offences are held in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions.

Zeynab Taheri is also defending Iranian-Swedish academic Ahmadreza Djalali, who has been sentenced to death and is at risk of execution.

The Iranian authorities have a long track record of persecuting lawyers who represent individuals imprisoned for politically motivated reasons, including prisoners of conscience.

US Executive Order inflicts further harm on children

US President Trump signed an executive order today mandating for children to stay with their parents in detention while their asylum claims are processed. This executive order seeks to modify the Flores Agreement, which states that children should not be held in detention for more than 20 days.

Denise Bell, refugee and migrant rights researcher at Amnesty International USA, issued this statement:

“Over the last few weeks, we have seen an outcry from people around the world denouncing the cruel and unnecessary separation of more than 2,000 babies and children from their parents. In response, the Trump administration has now found another way to punish parents and children for seeking protection. Detaining families is not the solution to ending family separation.

“Make no mistake—this executive order is a betrayal of families fleeing violence and persecution. Mothers, fathers, and children must not be held behind bars for prolonged periods for seeking safety. Not only does imprisoning children go against our country’s shared values of dignity and equality, but it is also unlawful and threatens to permanently stain the U.S. human rights record.

“People who are running for their lives have the right to seek protection. The United States cannot continue to treat vulnerable families fleeing horrific violence and persecution like criminals. We must do everything we can to ensure protection for people who have lost everything. It is time to end family detention once and for all.”

Bangladesh: International community assistance urgently needed for Rohingya refugees

Amnesty International welcomes Australia’s announcement today of an additional $18.4 million in humanitarian assistance to Rohingya people in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar District. Given National Director Claire Mallinson’s recent visit to women and children in the camp, Amnesty expressly welcomed the focus of this assistance being the provision of food and services for women and children.

However, Amnesty calls on the international community to urgently step up international assistance for the more than 900,000 refugees, as they face severe monsoon weather.

More than 200,000 Rohingya refugees are at risk of landslides and floods during the current monsoon season, according to the United Nations. Over the past five weeks, more than 28,000 people have been affected as 133 landslides have damaged more than 3,000 shelters.

“The Rohingya refugees languishing in the overcrowded and threadbare camps in Cox’s Bazar are in urgent need of international assistance. A mere one-fifth of the United Nations appeal has been committed so far. The world cannot stand by while Bangladesh is left to shoulder the responsibility alone,” said Biraj Patnaik, Amnesty International’s South Asia Director.

Camp conditions

The assistance is needed to provide for the Rohingya’s most basic needs in the camps, including access to adequate housing. Almost all of the shelters are currently composed of flimsy bamboo and tarpaulin, many of them perched precariously on mud hills. The Bangladesh government has imposed restrictions on building more permanent structures within the refugee camps.

In anticipation of the extreme weather, these settlements have merely been reinforced with further layers of bamboo and tarpaulin. While humanitarian workers have mounted operations to repair damaged settlements, the camps stretch over such an expanse that they cannot reach everyone. In almost all of the camps, there are no durable settlements, leaving them vulnerable to further weather events.

The camps are also extremely congested. The area where most of the Rohingya refugees have taken shelter is large enough to count as Bangladesh’s fourth largest city, with nearly a million people, including the local host community.

At its most dense, the camps have 95,000 people per square kilometre – surpassing the population density of any city in the world. And the camp population consists of 80% women and children.

The United Nations’ refugee agency has warned that “given the scope of the refugee population, the sheer size of the settlements and the challenging terrain, we fear that the extreme weather will cause further damage, destruction and potential loss of life.”

To avert further disaster, the refugees will have to be relocated to less congested areas on flat land – something that will also mitigate security and medical risks.

Long-term needs

While many Rohingya refugees have expressed a desire to return to their homes in northern Rakhine State, the prospect of them being able to do so under dignified, safe and voluntary conditions in the near future remains remote. Until they can return to Myanmar without the risk of serious human rights violations, the refugee response will have to shift from one that has been near-exclusively focused on a humanitarian crisis response to one that meets the refugees’ needs for protection, including safe and sustainable living conditions.

With the camp population segregated from the local host community, there are limited education opportunities for the children, who make up more than half the refugee population. Since being driven out of their villages by the Myanmar military’s crimes against humanity, they have already lost a full school year and are not able to attend formal schools in Bangladesh.

Another concern is the right to work and the opportunity to become self-sustaining.  Their ability to find work is limited by restrictions on freedom of movement within Bangladesh, with refugees required to remain within designated areas.

To be able to mount an effective and sustainable response to the refugee situation in Cox’s Bazar, the children need to have access to education and the adult population needs to be have the right to freedom of movement and the right to work.

“This is not a crisis that is going to disappear any time soon. We need to confront the fact that the Rohingya may have to remain in Bangladesh for years to come. The international community has a duty to support these victims of the most horrific human rights violations accordingly, and not wait until further disasters visit them before taking action,” said Biraj Patnaik.

Iran: Imminent execution of Kurdish man must be halted

Ramin Hossein Panahi is a 22-year-old man from Iran’s Kurdish minority who was sentenced to death in January for “taking up arms against the state” after a grossly unfair trial and amid serious torture allegations.

“Ramin Hossein Panahi’s case has been a breathtaking miscarriage of justice from start to finish.”

“Ramin Hossein Panahi’s case has been a breathtaking miscarriage of justice from start to finish. After appearing at his trial reportedly bearing torture marks on his body he was convicted in less than an hour,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“During the investigation period he was denied access to both his lawyer and his family, as well as to any details of the evidence against him. In a complete mockery of the judicial process, intelligence officials also repeatedly pressured him to make a televised ‘confession’ in exchange for the quashing of his death sentence. His refusal to submit to this pressure has seen him languishing in solitary confinement.

“We urge the Iranian authorities not to compound this shocking catalogue of human rights violations by proceeding with what is the ultimate and irreversible denial of human rights. Ramin Hossein Panahi’s death sentence must be quashed now before it’s too late.”

“We urge the Iranian authorities not to compound this shocking catalogue of human rights violations by proceeding with what is the ultimate and irreversible denial of human rights. Ramin Hossein Panahi’s death sentence must be quashed now before it’s too late.”

The Iranian community in Australia has been advocating tirelessly to raise attention on Ramin Hossein Panahi’s case.

Background

Ramin Hossein Panahi was sentenced to death in January 2018 for “taking up arms against the state” (baqi). His conviction was based upon his membership of the armed Kurdish opposition group Komala, but no evidence linking him to activities involving intentional killing – the required threshold under international law for imposing the death penalty – was presented at his trial.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception regardless of the nature of the crime, the characteristics of the offender, or the method used by the state to kill the prisoner. The death penalty is a violation of the right to life and the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.

Central Coast High Schools Open Writing Competition

Amnesty International Central Coast Group is calling on Central Coast high school students to enter the inaugural Open Writing Competition. This year’s theme is Human Rights in an Age of Climate Change.

Students are to explore the significance of this relationship through Open Writing, which can be in the form of a song, poem, essay, short story, play, reflective diary, report or article with a limit of 500 words.

Prizes will be awarded in the open writing category, and for the stand out idea or creative response in each category.

Open to all high school age Central Coast students, with over $3000 worth of prizes to be won. To register and find out more please email amnesty.centralcoast@gmail.com.

All entries are to be submitted by midnight, July 1 and can be sent to amnesty.centralcoast@gmail.com, in word document format.

This competition was inspired to continue the legacy of Dr Beryl Collier and Harry Boyle and their commitment to engage young people on the Central Coast in social and environmental justice.

Convenor of the Central Coast group, Ms Hale Adasal, said: “This inaugural competition hopes to inspire and engage our local Central Coast high school students to learn how climate change will directly impact their generation, to inspire them into action and work with local organisations to build resilient communities into the future.”

Best of luck!

Amnesty Central Coast Local Group

Australia’s role on UN Human Rights Council now more important than ever

Following the United States’ announcement it will leave the United Nations Human Rights Council, Emma Bull, Advocacy Manager at Amnesty International Australia, said:

“Australia’s role on the UN Human Rights Council is now more important than ever. We should work towards having the US rejoin the Human Rights Council, but Australia also must now step up and fill the leadership gap, especially on human rights abuses in our region.

“Australia has an opportunity to show stronger leadership with countries on our doorstep, such as contributing to increased humanitarian assistance to the 900,000 Rohingya people in Cox’s Bazar, and by supporting the upcoming Human Rights Council resolution around accountability for crimes against humanity in Myanmar.

“Protecting universal freedoms and fairness is vital in this global climate, and Australia must use its Council seat to champion rights in our region and around the world.”

Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:

“Once again, President Trump is showing his complete disregard for the fundamental rights and freedoms the US claims to uphold. While the Human Rights Council is by no means perfect, and its membership is frequently under scrutiny, it remains an important force for accountability and justice.

“The US should urgently reverse this decision, which places it squarely on the wrong side of history. It is wilfully choosing to undermine the human rights of all people everywhere, and their struggles for justice.”

Why human rights matter at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Human rights have taken a significant nose-dive in Russia in recent years, making it impossible to ignore the rampant human rights violations happening in the host country of the 21st FIFA World Cup.

As prestigious global sporting events go, it doesn’t get much bigger than the World Cup. Starting from June 14, an audience of billions will watch 32 national teams compete across 11 cities in Russia for the chance to lift the trophy in Moscow.

This is the first time in history that the World Cup’s organisers, FIFA, has awarded Russia the right to host one of the world’s most watched sporting events.

But human rights have taken a significant nose-dive in Russia in recent years, making it impossible to ignore the rampant human rights violations happening in the host country of the 21st FIFA World Cup.

By awarding Russia the right to host the World Cup without conducting any meaningful human rights due diligence, FIFA scored a major own-goal which it has been trying to recover from since. To understand why, we should look at the human rights violations and abuses President Putin’s government will be trying to ‘sportswash’ with its hosting of the World Cup.

Attacking defenders

While the human rights situation in Russia is too big to address in detail here, one of the major concerns that Amnesty International have consistently highlighted is the constant harassment, intimidation, physical attacks and arbitrary arrests of people trying to defend human rights.

Environmental human rights defender Andrei Rudomakha was brutally assaulted in 2017 by unknown assailants for documenting illegal construction work on the Black Sea coast, and his attackers still walk free. Igor Nagavkin has spent more than a year and a half in pre-trial detention on trumped-up charges for his work defending prisoners’ rights and combatting torture and corruption. And Oyub Titiev has been detained for almost six months on fabricated charges because of his work helping victims of human rights violations in Chechnya.

Their stories are not an anomaly, but part of a wider and consistent pattern of crackdowns on any kind of protest or dissent. As Amnesty International’s latest report details, the right to freedom of assembly has been restricted even further in Russia, with the World Cup being used as a justification in certain instances.

In fact, since Russia was named World Cup hosts in late 2010, there has been a marked decline in the safety of human rights defenders in the country, with NGO offices and personnel coming under physical attack and facing a raft of new restrictions on their activities.

And we’ve yet to mention the ongoing use of torture; the serious human rights violations continuing in the North Caucasus; the anti-LGBTI “propaganda law” which is used to persecute and stigmatize LGBTI individuals; the witch-hunt of gay men in Chechnya; the decriminalization of domestic violence; the targeting of journalists; and Russia’s continued use of its veto to block UN Security Council action on Syria.

Igor Nagavkin, Andrey Rudomakha and Oyub Titiev. © Private
Igor Nagavkin, Andrey Rudomakha and Oyub Titiev © Private

FIFA have made human rights their business

While it’s clear that the Russian authorities are doing everything in their power to turn the country into a human rights black-hole, the question remains what FIFA itself is doing to not only challenge the host nation on this, but to improve its own human rights record.

For many years, the organization largely denied that it was in any way responsible for the rights of people affected by its events – workers building stadiums and infrastructure, protesters outside the grounds and people living in areas cleared to make way for new projects.

After several corruption scandals and Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reports documenting severe labour abuses and dangerous conditions for migrant workers constructing stadiums and infrastructure for both the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 World Cups, the sporting body finally started to change its tune.

In 2016 FIFA added a human rights clause to its statutes stating that: “FIFA is committed to respecting all internationally recognized human rights and shall strive to promote the protection of these rights” and new President Gianni Infantino insisted that FIFA “…must use its influence to address [these] human rights risks as determinedly as it does to pursue its commercial interests.”

An independent human rights Advisory Board was established and in 2017 the organisation adopted a robust Human Rights Policy, making it one of the few sporting bodies to do so. FIFA has also joined a multi-stakeholder coalition committed to establishing an independent Centre for Sport and Human Rights.

“FIFA is committed to respecting all internationally recognized human rights and shall strive to promote the protection of these rights.”

– FIFA statement

Turning the beautiful game ugly

Given the Russian State’s past form during the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, when there were almost daily arrests and beatings of protestors, there is every chance that the World Cup will provide a backdrop for a renewed wave of oppression.

During those games the International Olympic Committee (IOC) effectively turned a blind eye to the crackdowns on freedom of association and assembly, including the repeated incidents of beating, interrogation and harassment of protesters and extensive surveillance of journalists.

To avoid the same mistakes, two weeks before the start of Russia 2018 FIFA launched a complaints mechanism for human rights defenders and media representatives to report rights violations and committed to supporting human rights defenders and freedom of the press in relation to FIFA’s activities.

Establishing a framework to addressing the human rights risks associated with the event is an important step. But it is just the first step. FIFA’s human rights records will be judged by the action it takes. FIFA’s Advisory Board notes progress has been made in addressing cases raised by human rights groups but stresses that “…this engaged approach should be the default in all future cases involving threats to human rights defenders connected to FIFA’s operations.”

While FIFA has been playing catch-up to tackle the major human rights challenges a World Cup in Russia inevitably presents, the Russian authorities have not hesitated at committing human rights violations under a global spotlight. This means FIFA will have their work cut out for them.

President Infantino has promised the Russia World Cup will be “a football party”, he will need to be ready to use all his influence to make sure President Putin’s contempt for human rights doesn’t ruin the fun.

Take action for Russia’s human rights defenders and find out more about how we protect people at risk around the world.