News releases

The Zambian authorities must immediately drop all criminal charges against six activists who took part in peaceful protests that questioned exorbitant levels of government spending, Amnesty International said ahead of their trial on 25 June.

“The Zambian authorities must quash these charges which are clearly being used to silence any voice that dares to criticize the government or expose wrongdoing,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for Southern Africa.

“These activists are being put in the dock solely for exercising their right to peaceful assembly. They have committed no crime, they have only demanded accountability from their leaders.”

The activists, including musician Fumba Chama who is known as Pilato, Lewis Mwape, Laura Miti, Sean Enock Tembo, Bornwell Mwewa and Mika Mwambazi have pleaded not guilty to charges of disobeying a lawful order after marching on parliament last September against what they said was the corrupt procurement of 42 fire trucks for US$42 million.

Algerian prosecutors should drop all charges against six activists facing prison sentences on charges stemming from their support of an embattled human rights lawyer, Amnesty International said today. The First Instance Tribunal in the central Algerian city of Ghardaia is expected to issue a verdict in their trial tomorrow.

Fethi Ghares, a candidate in the 2019 presidential election for Socialist Democratic Movement (MDS) party; MDS member Hamid Ferhi; Abdelkader Kherba, Kaddour Chouicha and Ahmed Nanseri, all members of the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LADDH); and Nadir Dabouz, the nephew of human rights lawyer Salah Dabouz, are being tried on charges of incitement to a gathering of an unarmed nature, insulting a public official, and refusal to abide by a law. Prosecutors have asked the judge to sentence the six defendants to one year in prison and fine them 100,000 Algerian dinars (853 US dollars).

Member states need to reform asylum system at European Council meeting Current system is tearing families apart and sowing discord amongst EU partners Internal lack of solidarity pushing a dangerous agenda to dump refugees and asylum-seekers on countries outside Europe

There is an urgent need for a new asylum system that is fair, efficient and compassionate said Amnesty International ahead of a mini-Summit of European leaders this Sunday and the European Council meeting next week.

EU heads of state and government are expected to use the events to discuss measures to strengthen further control of the EU external borders and the reform of the Dublin Regulation.

“Instead of concentrating on striking an agreement on Dublin reform, some EU leaders have come up with a last-minute pitch of having docking platforms for refugees and asylum-seekers – a notion as irresponsible as it is dangerous,” said Iverna McGowan, Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office.

The European Court of Human Rights has found that Romania and Lithuania violated the human rights of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri and Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn, also known as Abu Zubaydah, with their complicity in the ill-treatment of the pair while they were held in US secret detention facilities in the two countries. 

The judgments are a key milestone in holding European governments accountable for their involvement in illegal CIA activities in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks.

“The US could not have operated the rendition and secret detention programme without its European allies. Today’s landmark rulings break the conspiracy of silence that has surrounded the presence of these secret sites in Lithuania and Romania, and publicly underlines European governments’ widespread complicity,” said Julia Hall, Amnesty International’s expert on counter-terrorism and human rights.

“The rulings are an important milestone of accountability for victims of these flagrantly illegal practices.”

The release of long-time Malaysian opposition leader and Amnesty International prisoner of conscience Anwar Ibrahim is a landmark moment for human rights in the country, the organization said today. 

Anwar, who has twice been imprisoned on politically motivated “sodomy” and corruption charges, received a royal pardon following last week’s election win for the Pakatan Harapan coalition led by Mahathir Mohamad. Amnesty International has campaigned on Anwar’s case for 20 years. 

“Anwar should never have been jailed in the first place, and his long overdue release is an important step towards the restoration of justice and human rights in Malaysia after so many years of political persecution by previous governments,” said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General. 

Responding to the Algerian authorities’ decision to close the offices of two prominent women’s rights organizations, FARD (Femmes Algériennes Revendiquant leurs Droits) and AFEPEC (Association Féministe pour l'Épanouissement de la Personne et l'Exercice de la Citoyenneté), Amnesty International’s North Africa Campaigns Director, Najia Bounaim, said:

“The targeting of these women’s groups is a shameless attack on the right to freedom of association and participation. This is just another example of the disturbing recent clampdown on civil society organisations by the Algerian authorities that must stop now.

“Both organizations must be allowed to resume operations immediately and without fear of reprisal. Such tactics are reminiscent of a by-gone era and are contrary to Algeria’s obligations under international law.

  For several hours yesterday, Nicaraguan police officers prevented communities from participating in a peaceful march against the construction of the Interoceanic Grand Canal in Nicaragua.   The march, organised by the National Council in Defence of our Land, Lake and Sovereignty, was the 91st protest against the project which will affect thousands of people. The renowned human rights defender Bianca Jagger also participated in the massive demonstration.   The police temporarily stopped the protestors from arriving in buses to the starting point for the march taking place in La Fonseca, approximately 300km from the Nicaraguan capital.   “Once again, the Nicaraguan police have violated people’s right to peaceful protest. These kinds of actions are, quite simply, acts of intimidation designed to suppress any expression of disagreement with the policies of Daniel Ortega’s government,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.