Recent Reports
Nigeria: Provisions of the ‘Prevention of Terrorism Bill 2008’ are incompatible with Nigeria’s human rights obligationsAmnesty International is concerned that certain provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill do not comply with Nigeria’s international and regional human rights obligations, and is urging the Nigerian government to undertake not to pass the Bill into law without further detailed review and amendment. AFR 44/006/2010
27 May 2010
Challenging Repression: Human Rights Defenders in the Middle East and North Africa
Amnesty International is publishing this report in order to draw attention to and express its support for the courageous defiance of repression human rights defenders in the Middle East and North Africa, and to encourage them in their work to protect and promote human rights. Using numerous case examples, it examines how the rights crucial to human rights defenders that are guaranteed under international human rights treaties and in most Constitutions and national laws are denied or restricted by other legislation, including emergency and anti-terrorism legislation.
MDE 01/001/2009
11 March 2009
Thailand: Torture in the southern counter-insurgency
On 4 January 2004, insurgents raided an army depot in the southern Thailand province of Narathiwat, stealing hundreds of guns and killing four soldiers. The attack signalled a return to violence in the historically restive southern-most provinces of Thailand, where violence has simmered intermittently for a century. This report focuses on the use of torture and other ill-treatment by government security forces between March 2007 and May 2008 in the four predominantly Muslim southern Thai provinces affected by the insurgency: Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Songkhla.
ASA 39/001/2009
13 January 2009
'Less Than Lethal'? - The Use of Stun Weapons in US Law Enforcement
This report describes Amnesty International's ongoing concerns regarding fatalities following police conducted energy device (CED) use, based on information on reported deaths from June 2001 to 31 August 2008. One of Amnesty International's concerns is that many US law enforcement agencies deploy CEDs as a relatively low-level force option, a use which is inconsistent with international standards which require police to use force only as a last resort, in proportion to the threat posed and in a manner designed to minimize pain or injury. In many instances, police actions appear to have violated the international prohibition against torture or other ill-treatment.
Based on the concerns raised in this report, Amnesty International believes that governments and law enforcement agencies should either suspend using CEDs pending further studies or set a very high threshold for their use, with rigorous training and accountability systems.
AMR 51/010/2008
16 December 2008
Don't Turn Your Back on Girls: Sexual Violence Against Girls in Haiti
Sexual violence against girls in Haiti is pervasive and widespread. The authorities have taken steps in recent years to address violence against women and girls. However, despite such initiatives, the Haitian government is a long way from fulfilling its obligations to protect girls. The public security situation in Haiti has been the focus of much international concern and Amnesty International recognizes the serious and long-standing difficulties facing the Haitian authorities. However, there can be no security if a large section of the population is prevented from participating fully in their community by the threat or consequences of violence.
This report focuses on sexual violence in the family and community – the places where most violence against women and girls take place. At its heart are the experiences of girls who spoke to Amnesty International, describing the consequences of rape for their health, their place in society, and their futures.
AMR 36/004/2008
27 November 2008
Zimbabwe - Time for Accountability
The power-sharing agreement reached by Zimbabwe's three main political parties in September 2008 has created a rare moment of opportunity for Zimbabwean authorities to tackle the long-standing legacy of impunity for human rights violations and build a culture of accountability. Amnesty International is issuing this report at this time to draw attention to the importance of addressing the long-standing problem of impunity for human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
Amnesty International is appealing to the government of Zimbabwe to institute a series of measures to break the culture of impunity which has persisted since 2000, and which was a major factor in the wave of politically motivated human rights violations after elections on 29 March 2008.
AFR 46/028/2008
31 October 2008
'Leave Us In Peace!' - Targeting Civilians in Colombia's Internal Armed Conflict
This report is the culmination of in situ research in Colombia between 2006 and
2008. Amnesty International delegates visited a number of regions, including the
departments of Chocó, Arauca, Antioquia, Guaviare, Meta, Cesar and Putumayo.
Colombia’s internal armed conflict has pitted the security forces and paramilitaries
against guerrilla groups for more than 40 years. It has been marked by extraordinary
levels of human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law (IHL),
with civilians by far the principal victims.
Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed. Thousands more have been subjected
to enforced disappearance by the security forces or paramilitaries, or abducted by
guerrilla groups. Hostage-taking, above all by guerrilla groups, and torture by the security forces, paramilitaries and guerrilla forces, are among the tactics of terror
used in the conflict. The conflict has also been marked by the use of child soldiers
and by widespread sexual violence against girls and women. The effect of such
abuses has been to create one of the world’s greatest crises of displaced people;
between 3 and 4 million Colombians are thought to have fled their homes to escape
the violence. These crimes bear witness to the disregard shown by all parties to the
conflict for international human rights and humanitarian law.
Many of the survivors who spoke to Amnesty International had a clear message to
the human rights abusers, whoever they are: “leave us in peace!” This report documents the human rights violations they have experienced. The report ends with detailed recommendations to all parties to the conflict and to the international community calling for the guarantees set out in international human rights and humanitarian law to be made a reality for the people of Colombia. Amnesty International’s recommendations echo and support the demands and aspirations of the many human rights defenders, community activists and trade unionists who continue to strive for justice often at great personal cost.
AMR 23/023/2008
28 October 2008
Shattered Peace In Mindanao: The Human Cost Of Conflict In The Philippines
Data gathered by Amnesty International in August 2008 in a fact-finding mission to various locations in Mindanao, together with information received from local contacts,the media and the Philippine Human Rights Commission, indicate that the renewal of violence between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been, and continues to be, accompanied by human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law by both sides. While the armed conflict in the Philippines’ south is not new, the number of civilians directly affected by this most recent escalation of hostilities has increased dramatically, with no clear end in sight.
If impunity for perpetrators of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law from both parties to the conflict continues, with a lack of avenues for redress for the victims and the threat of more MILF attacks in the wake of the failure of the peace talks, Mindanao may find itself approaching a human rights crisis.
ASA 35/008/2008
28 October 2008
Nigeria: "Waiting for the Hangman"
More than 720 men and 11 women are under sentence of death in Nigeria’s prisons. They have one thing in common, beyond not knowing when they will be put to death. They are poor. From their first contact with the police, through the trial process, to seeking pardon, those with the fewest resources are at a serious disadvantage. Amnesty International and the Nigerian NGO Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) are calling on the Nigerian authorities to declare a moratorium on executions, in line with the recommendations of its own experts.
AFR 44/020/2008
21 October 2008
Affront to Justice: Death Penalty in Saudi Arabia
Amnesty International has been documenting the Saudi Arabian authorities’ extensive use of the death penalty for over a quarter of a century. This report is the latest evaluation, made in light of the legal, judicial and human rights changes that have been introduced in recent years in the country. The report details cases of death row prisoners on whose behalf Amnesty International has campaigned. It also includes testimonies of former detainees, some of whom have been under sentence of death.
MDE 23/027/2008
14 October 2008
DRC: North Kivu – No end to war on women and children
This report is based on eyewitness testimony collected in the province of North Kivu during 2008. It examines alleged human rights abuses committed before and after the signature of Act of Engagement in January 2008, an agreement singed by the armed groups to immediately end abuses against civilians. The report focuses primarily on sexual violence and the recruitment and use of children by parties to the conflict.
AFR 62/005/2008
29 September 2008
Blood at the Crossroads: Making the case for a global Arms Trade Treaty
The world is reaching a crossroads in deciding how to control the arms trade. Governments must act now to create effective and robust regulation. This report shows through illustrative cases how that trade contributes to serious violations of human rights in different parts of the world. In particular, it seeks to help demonstrate why the establishment of a global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is an urgent necessity and how an ATT could work to save lives, preserve livelihoods and enhance respect for human rights.
ACT 30/011/2008
17 September 2008
Women’s struggle for safety and justice: violence in the family in Mexico
The Mexican authorities, at different levels, have been active in recent years in raising public awareness about violence against women. There has also been progress in introducing legislation and setting up a number of institutions to meet the needs of victims of violence in the family. However, Amnesty International’s research has shown that although there have been improvements in the legal framework in most states, these are often not adequately enforced. Violence against women in the home is one of the forms of gender violence where this is most apparent.
This report focuses on cases of violence against women in the family. One of the underlying causes of the failure to address violence against women in the family is the widespread belief that it is a private matter. Violence against women in the family is a human rights violation. The state has an obligation to ensure that women’s human rights are respected, which includes preventing and punishing domestic violence. The failure to recognize this responsibility at all levels of government remains a major obstacle to the development of effective policies to address violence in the family.
Amnesty International believes that Mexico has made some important advances in recent years in defending women’s right to freedom from violence. However, there remains an urgent need to bridge the gap between the law and its implementation and to evaluate the impact of measures in order to ensure that effective strategies are developed to address violence against women. this report wends with recommendations to the authorities at all levels on the measures which they should take to fulfil their obligations under international law and to ensure that the protections promised by the law are made a reality in practice for women and their families throughout Mexico.
AMR 41/021/2008
1 August 2008
People's Republic of China: The Olympics countdown – broken promises
With the Olympics less than two weeks away, it is time to assess progress made by the Chinese authorities to improve human rights in line with their own commitments made in 2001. This report provides a final summary and updates developments in these four key areas which are: the continuing use of the death penalty; abusive forms of administrative detention; the arbitrary detention, imprisonment, ill-treatment and harassment of human rights defenders, including journalists and lawyers; and the censorship of the internet.
ASA 17/089/2008
28 July 2008
Denying the undeniable, enforced disappearances in Pakistan
In 2006 the Supreme Court took up regular hearings of petitions filed on behalf of Pakistan's 'disappeared'. However, in November 2007, Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency and deposed the majority of judges. Since the elections in February 2008, not much has improved for the “disappeared” or their families. The coalition members have failed to agree on when and how to bring back the deposed justices. Amnesty International calls on the new government to act now to end this grave human rights violation.
ASA 33/018/2008
23 July 2008
"The law is there, let's use it" Ending domestic violence in Venezuela
The introduction in 2007 of the Organic law on the right of women to a life free of violence has helped strengthen women’s access to their human rights in Venezuela. However, there has been a gap between what the law has promised and its implementation in practice. This report focuses on the 2007 law. Although the law covers many different aspects and manifestations of violence against women, this report concentrates on the specific issue of violence against women in the family.
AMR 53/001/2008
16 July 2008
State of denial: Europe’s role in rendition and secret detention
This report looks at certain practices of the CIA and other US agencies in Europe and in their dealings with European nationals, sometimes in co-operation with European national intelligence and other agencies, in the context of the “war on terror”. Focusing on the disturbing picture that has emerged in the two years since Amnesty International published "Partners in crime: Europe’s role in US renditions", it highlights seven aspects of Europe’s role in the US programme of renditions and secret detention.
EUR 01/003/2008
24 June 2008
People’s Republic of China - Tibet Autonomous Region: Access Denied
Since the outbreak of violence in March in the Tibet Autonomous Region(TAR) and the Tibetan-populated areas of neighbouring provinces, the arearemains off limits to foreign tourists, most journalists, and otherindependent observers. Based on official public statements over 1000individuals remain in detention without reported charges or trials followingon-going protests since the unrest began. According to credible reportsfrom Tibetan organizations and the media, protesters have suffered tortureor other ill-treatment in detention or have been injured or died fromexcessive use of force by security forces. Many detainees have been deniedaccess to family members or lawyers. While official Chinese reportscontinue to list one Tibetan ‘insurgent’ killed and holds ‘rioters’responsible for 21 deaths, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights andDemocracy (TCHRD) estimates close to 120 dead from excessive use offorce in crackdowns on protesters, while the Tibetan Government in Exileputs the number at more that 200.
The sealing off of Tibetan-populated areas of Western China by theauthorities makes it impossible for Amnesty International to confirm thedetails of reported human rights violations. Nor can the organizationreconcile the contradictions between the limited information provided byofficial accounts and information from non-governmental organizations(NGOs) and the media. This situation makes it imperative that the Chineseauthorities open the area up to independent observers.
ASA 17/085/2008
18 June 2008
Zimbabwe - A trail of violence after the ballot
Amnesty International has documented unlawful killings, torture and other illtreatment,
including beatings, as well as harassment and intimidation of mainly
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters and human rights defenders in
Zimbabwe following elections on 29 March 2008. By the end of May dozens of people
had been killed and over 1600 people1 had been treated for injuries sustained from
politically related violence. Human rights groups in Zimbabwe have been unable to
document all the cases of violence as their movements have been severely restricted
and some of them have fallen victim to the on-going violence.
The report gives a sample of cases to illustrate the pattern of human rights violations
and abuses in Zimbabwe during the period leading to the presidential election run-off
on 27 June 2008. It is based on telephone interviews, conducted from 29 March to
27 May 2008, with victims of human rights abuses, eyewitnesses and human rights
defenders in Zimbabwe, as well as alerts and documents produced by local human
rights organisations. It builds on earlier research conducted by Amnesty International
delegates inside the country.
The report ends with specific recommendations to the government of Zimbabwe and
the international community which Amnesty International believes, if implemented
fully, will contribute significantly in addressing the organisation’s human rights
concerns. Among other recommendations, Amnesty International is urging member
states of the African Union (AU), Southern African Development Community (SADC),
the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and others to include
human rights specialists in their delegations of election observers to be deployed
during the presidential election run-off. Observations by human rights specialists
would contribute significantly to the reduction of human rights violations and abuses
during the election period and would help develop a durable strategy of dealing with
human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
AFR 46/014/2008
5 June 2008
Crimes against humanity in eastern Myanmar
In the past nine months, Myanmar has witnessed three pivotal moments in the country's turbulent recent history: the brutal crackdown following mass demonstrations in September 2007; a constitutional referendum in which both the substantive content and procedural aspects have been deeply flawed; and a humanitarian and human rights disaster in the wake of Cyclone Nargis.
At the same time, another human rights emergency is going on in eastern Myanmar. For two and a half years, a military offensive by the Myanmar army, known as the tatmadaw, has been waged against ethnic Karen civilians in Kayin (Karen) State and Bago (Pegu) Division, involving a widespread and systematic violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. These violations constitute crimes against humanity.
Amnesty International has documented how these violations of international human rights and humanitarian law have been preceded or accompanied by consistent threats and warnings by the tatmadaw that they would take place, and by statements by Myanmar government officials. The organization is thus concerned that the violations are the result of official State Peace and Development Council (SPDC, the Myanmar government) and tatmadaw policy. Moreover, the tatmadaw apparently enjoys impunity for violations committed against Karen civilians. The prevailing impunity for such crimes, with a lack of avenues for redress for victims, has contributed to Myanmar’s ongoing human rights crisis.
ASA 16/011/2008
5 June 2008
Picking up the pieces – Women’s experience of urban violence in Brazil
This report provides a glimpse of what life is like for women in many parts of Brazil today. In socially excluded communities women live out their lives against a backdrop of constant criminal and police violence. The report focuses on the largely untold stories of women struggling to live their lives, to bring up their children and to fight for justice amid police and criminal violence. It highlights some of the patterns of human rights violations against women in particular.
AMR 19/019/2008
17 April 2008
UNITED STATES of AMERICA - In whose best interests? Omar Khadr, child ‘enemy combatant’ facing military commission
In this report, Amnesty International examines the circumstances of Khadr capture in a firefight with US forces in Afghanistan in July 2002, his allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, first in the US base at Bagram and then at Guantanamo, and the military commission trial he is now facing. The organization considers that the procedures of the commissions - tribunals lacking independence from the branch of government that has authorized human rights violations and tailored to be able to turn a blind eye to such abuse -do not meet fair trial standards and should be abandoned.
AMR 51/028/2008
16 April 2008
Death sentences and executions in 2007
This document details the countries and territories that carried out executions, and the countries and territories that imposed death sentences, in 2007. During 2007, at least 1,252 people were executed in 24 countries. At least 3,347 people were sentenced to death in 51 countries. These were only minimum figures; the true figures were certainly higher. In 2007, 88 per cent of all known executions took place in five countries: China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the USA.
ACT 50/001/2008
15 April 2008
The Olympics countdown – crackdown on activists threatens Olympics legacy
Time is running out for the Chinese authorities to steer a new course prior to the Olympics based on respect for fundamental human rights – in particular rights to freedom of expression, movement and liberty and security of the person, which apply as much to those who may disagree with government policy as those who agree. It is crucial that the international community, including those with a stake in the Olympics, such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and world leaders who will attend the Games, take a stronger stance with the Chinese authorities to bring an end to such abuses.
ASA 17/050/2008
2 April 2008
Jamaica: “Let them kill each other”: Public security in Jamaica’s inner cities
Jamaica has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world. The Jamaican Constabulary Force is responsible for one of the highest rates of killings by police in the Americas. In this report Amnesty International calls on the Jamaican authorities to show the political will needed to cut homicide rates in the inner-cities and address the root causes of the violence; to introduce human rights-based policing; to reduce killings by police; and to reform the justice system to improve access to justice.
AMR 38/001/2008
1 April 2008