“From polls to protests, the message to Congress is clear: Step in and stop this Muslim ban now,” Amnesty International says
(NEW YORK, NY) – As Americans learn more about President Trump’s Muslim ban, they increasingly reject it, multiple polls show. Amnesty International USA said today that Congress should listen to growing public opposition to the Muslim ban and pass legislation to block it.
Closing the EU’s southern sea borders would put thousands of refugees and migrants setting sail from Libya at risk of detention and appalling human rights abuses, Amnesty International warned as European leaders meet in Malta tomorrow to secure an EU-Libya migration plan. The plan was first proposed late last month by the European Commission to ‘manage migration’ on the Central Mediterranean route.
The EU naval operations Sophia and Triton would in practice delegate search and rescue of refugees and migrants by sharing information about the location of the migrant and refugee boats to the Libyan Coast Guard, facilitating their interception and return to Libya.
In an Open Letter to Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Amnesty International’s Canadian and US Sections, representing close to 2 million people in the two countries, have today called on the Canadian government immediately and urgently to rescind designation of the United States as a “safe third country” for the purposes of refugee determination.
The designation, pursuant to an agreement reached between the two countries in 2002, took effect in December 2004. Its effect is to deny access to the Canadian refugee determination system for most refugee claimants who pass through the United States before continuing to Canada. They are instead required to make their claims for protection in the United States. The designation of the United States as a “safe third country” had been overturned by a Federal Court judge in 2007, but that was reversed on procedural grounds by the Federal Court of Appeal in 2008.
Released 00:01 GMT 04 October 2016
Wealthy countries have shown a complete absence of leadership and responsibility, leaving just 10 countries, which account for less than 2.5% of world GDP, to take in 56% of the world’s refugees, said Amnesty International in a comprehensive assessment of the global refugee crisis published today.
The report ‘Tackling the global refugee crisis: From shirking to sharing responsibility’, documents the precarious situation faced by many of the world’s 21 million refugees. While many in Greece, Iraq, on the island of Nauru, or at the border of Syria and Jordan are in dire need of a home, others in Kenya and Pakistan are facing growing harassment from governments.
The report sets out a fair and practical solution to the crisis based on a system that uses relevant, objective criteria to show the fair share every state in the world should take in in order to find a home for 10% of the world’s refugees every year.
In response to the news that the 16-year prison sentence against prominent human rights defender Narges Mohammadi, who is critically ill, has been upheld on appeal, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director, Philip Luther, said:
“This verdict is yet another cruel and devastating blow to human rights in Iran, which demonstrates the authorities’ utter contempt for justice. Narges Mohammadi is a prominent advocate of human rights and a prisoner of conscience. She should be lauded for her courage not locked in a prison cell for 16 years.
“By insisting that this harsh and appalling sentence is imposed for her peaceful human rights work, the authorities have laid bare their intent to silence human rights defenders at all costs.
The abject failure of a United Nations summit to tackle the deepening global refugee crisis is a missed opportunity that will affect millions of the world’s most vulnerable people unless leaders find alternative solutions to help them reach safety, Amnesty International said ahead of two high-profile refugee summits next week.
UN member states are set to adopt an ineffective refugee deal on 19 September. On 20 September, US President Barack Obama will appeal to leaders to make specific commitments that will help end the suffering of refugees across the world – a call that has so far been wilfully ignored.
“Faced with the worst refugee crisis in 70 years, world leaders have shown a shocking disregard for the human rights of people who have been forced to leave their homes due to conflict or persecution,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
“We already know the UN summit is doomed to abject failure, while the Obama summit looks unlikely to pick up the pieces.”
US President Donald Trump has issued another Executive Order that still bans people from six Muslim majority countries from travelling to the US, and reinstates the suspension of the USA’s refugee resettlement program. This new Executive Order is the same hate and fear as his first executive order with new packaging.
Join us for a short solidarity action and photo on March 16th – the day the new order takes effect – to send the message that we won’t stand for these divisive and discriminatory actions by President Trump.
Meeting point: Stairs at York and Sussex.
Please email amorgan-welden@amnesty.ca with any questions or accessibility concerns.
We share our world, and we share responsibility for making it the kind of place in which we want to live. This includes responsibility for protecting each other’s human rights and freedom.
Right now, record numbers of people worldwide have been forced to flee their homes. But instead of protecting refugees; out of fear and prejudice, many of the wealthiest nations are slamming their doors shut and leaving a handful of countries to cope alone. Effective protection for refugees requires international cooperation.
Each country must take responsibility to uphold international obligations and provide asylum and protection to refugees. At an individual level the solution to the global refugee crisis starts with each and every one of us making one simple, personal commitment to help – simply by saying: “I welcome refugees”.
Come by the Amnesty table and show your support!
Canada is viewed as a global leader with respect to refugee protection. It has signed the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees other human rights instruments which protect refugees. Canada was the first country to set out guidelines for considering the refugee claims of women, and has taken an active role globally in the resettlement of refugees through both government and private sponsorship programs. However, Canada like many other countries, also creates barriers for people seeking safety and security.
Join the global movement for human rights.
