Public statements

Ottawa, ON – Amnesty International welcomes Canada’s decision to request formal negotiations on Syria under the Convention against Torture. 

“Holding the Syrian government accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture is a critical step to end a culture of impunity that has plagued the country for years and provides a glimpse of justice for Syrian victims,” said Amnesty International (Canada) Secretary General Ketty Nivyabandi. 

Amnesty International previously called on Canada to pursue formal negotiations against Syria through the International Court of Justice (ICJ). While the International Court of Justice does not have jurisdiction to try individuals accused of war crimes or crimes against humanity, it can hold states responsible for failing to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. 

On 16 October, Samuel Paty, a 47-year-old teacher, was murdered in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Paris region). An 18- year old holding refugee status in France beheaded the teacher allegedly because he had shown his students some cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed.

On 29 October, three people were killed in a church in Nice. The main suspect is a 21-year old Tunisian national. The authorities have arrested another person who is suspected of being an accomplice. Amnesty International condemns the murders in the strongest possible terms. All our thoughts are with the families of the victims.

French authorities have legal obligations to carry out a prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigation into the murders. Anyone suspected of being responsible should be brought to justice and judged following a fair trial. Regrettably, following the murders, the French Minister of Interior Gérald Darmanin, made announcements that raise concerns regarding the authorities’ willingness to comply with the country’s international human rights obligations.

Millions of people in the Americas live in countries that will likely enter their deadliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in coming weeks. Doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, cleaners in hospitals and nursing homes, medical transportation and security staff, who are working to support those affected by COVID-19, are putting their health and safety at risk. These people, while providing a herculean effort, must not be considered “superhuman”. During this pandemic, it is crucial to respect their human rights. Every person working on the frontline in health services deserves the protection of their rights to health and safety at work, freedom from harassment and discrimination, and their rights to speak up without being silenced.

As negotiations come to a close at the UN Climate Summit in Madrid (COP 25 – the meeting of States that are party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), Chiara Liguori, Amnesty International Policy Adviser on Climate Crisis said:

“From Mozambique to Philippines, people have lost their lives, their homes and their livelihoods to disasters caused or exacerbated by the climate crisis, despite their countries’ minimal contributions to it. Meanwhile, wealthy industrialized countries that have benefitted economically for over a century from growing emissions - while suffering far less from its ill-effects - are content to be global freeloaders, with the costs being borne by developing countries.

“It is not too late for industrialised countries to do the decent thing and contribute their fair share to upholding the rights to life, to food and other human rights of people most affected by climate impacts.  They must agree to the establishment of an effective and fair international finance mechanism to provide new and additional funding to affected people in developing countries.

Responding to the announcement by the Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights that 47 major fossil fuel and carbon-polluting companies could be held accountable for violating the rights of its citizens for the damage caused by climate change, Ashfaq Khalfan, Amnesty International’s Director of Law and Policy said:

“The Philippines Human Rights Commission has today created a beacon of hope for the victims of the climate crisis.  This is the first time ever that a human rights body has said that fossil fuel corporations can be been found legally responsible for human rights harms linked to climate change. 

“While the Commission’s decision has no immediate penalties for the companies in question, their landmark announcement creates a major legal precedent. It opens the door for further litigation, and even criminal investigations, that could see fossil fuel companies and other major polluters either forced to pay damages, or their officials sent to jail for harms linked to climate change. The decision also affirms that fossil fuel companies have to respect human rights and invest in clean energy.

Responding to the news that Abdul Samad Amiri, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission’s acting director in Ghor province, was kidnapped and killed by the Taliban, Amnesty International’s South Asia Campaigner, Samira Hamidi, said:

“This brutal act is a war crime. Even as the Taliban claims to be pursuing peace, it continues to kill people in the most gruesome way. Abdul Samad Amiri devoted his life to standing up for the rights of others, those who have no one else to speak for them. Our thoughts are with Abdul Samad’s family and his brave colleagues at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.

“This tragedy underscores the grave dangers that human rights defenders in Afghanistan face. Threatened by all sides in a conflict that continues to claim civilian lives daily, they are left defenceless. The Afghan government and the international community must provide them with the protection they desperately need and not abandon them.”

Background

Responding to the news of the wildfires that have been raging in the Amazon rainforest for several weeks, Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General of Amnesty International said:

“The responsibility to stop the wildfires that have been raging in the Amazon rainforest for several weeks now lies squarely with President Bolsonaro and his government. They must change their disastrous policy of opening up the rainforest for destruction, which is what has paved the way for this current crisis.

“Earlier this year Amnesty International documented illegal land invasions and arson attacks near Indigenous territories in the Amazon, including Rondônia state where many of the fires are raging.