“Sainam should not be facing any charges or punishment, yet these proceedings could result in years of his freedom stolen, simply for taking part in a satirical fashion show during a peaceful protest when he was under 18 years old. The multiple criminal charges against Sainam yet again highlight how Thai authorities are robbing many children of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

“The Thai authorities must drop the charges against Sainam immediately and unconditionally, along with over a hundred young people who are facing separate criminal charges for their involvement in peaceful protests.”

Amnesty International’s report, ‘We Are Reclaiming Our Future’, published in February 2023, documented how authorities failed to guarantee the safety of many children during protests and cases in which violent arrests and unlawful detention put child protesters’ physical and mental integrity at risk.

“Children and young people in Thailand continue to risk severe repercussions for voicing their views. This includes the 286 children who recently faced criminal charges, official intimidation and surveillance by the authorities, as well as unnecessary and excessive use of force by the police when protesting.

“As a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Thailand must ensure that children are free to express themselves through peaceful protests in a safe and enabling environment.”

Background:  

On 29 October 2020, pro-democracy protesters gathered around Bangkok’s Silom Road to call for political reforms. As part of the demonstration, protestors held the ‘People’s Runway’, a mock fashion show aimed to present a satirical take on the role of the monarchy in Thailand. Noppasin ‘Sainam’ Treelayapewat was one of the models who walked the runway in a black crop-top.

Sainam faces various charges for taking part in the satirical runway, including lèse-majesté under Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code. Under this law, anyone convicted of defaming, insulting or threatening the king, queen, heir-apparent or regent may be given a jail term from three to 15 years. The other charges Sainam is facing includes the violation of the now-defunct Emergency Decree, Communicable Diseases Act, Public Assembly Act, and the Advertisement by Using Sound Amplifiers Control Act.

On 12 September 2022, the Bangkok Criminal Court convicted 23-year-old activist Jatuphon ‘Niw’ Saeung, who took part in the same fashion show, sentencing her to two years imprisonment for ‘insulting the monarchy’. If the Court also finds Sainam guilty, he will be the second person convicted for taking part in this parody fashion show.

Between 1 January 2020 and 11 July 2023, local rights group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reported at least 286 children, including Sainam, have faced criminal charges for their involvement in peaceful protests. At least 20 of them have been charged under the lèse-majesté law.

Amnesty International urges Thai authorities to uphold their duty under international law to respect, protect and promote the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression by dropping charges under this provision against anyone peacefully exercising their rights, including in protest.

The post Thailand: Drop ‘insulting the monarchy’ charge against child protester involved in mock fashion show appeared first on Amnesty International.

The signing of the ‘Patriotic Bill’ into an Act by the President is a grave attack on the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association

Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International’s Deputy Research Director for Southern Africa

“The signing of the ‘Patriotic Bill’ into an Act by the President is a grave attack on the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

“The enactment of the Bill is stronger evidence that the Zimbabwean authorities are bent on further shrinking  civic space and silencing dissent.

“We call on President Mnangagwa to reverse his decision and immediately ensure the repeal of the law to demonstrate the commitment of his government to human rights. His government must fully and effectively respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights of everyone to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.

We call on President Mnangagwa to reverse his decision and immediately ensure the repeal of the law to demonstrate the commitment of his government to human rights

Khanyo Farisè

“The Act fails to meet the requirements of legality, proportionality, and necessity. The penalties provided by the Act include loss of citizenship, denial of the right to vote and the death penalty. Imposing these penalties on people simply for peacefully exercising their human rights is patently unconstitutional and incompatible with Zimbabwe’s international human rights obligations.”

Background

The Criminal Law Codification and Reform Amendment Act, 2022, contains overly broad provisions as it criminalizes participating in meetings where sanctions and military interventions are considered or planning to subvert, upset, overthrow and overtake a constitutionally elected government.

The Act was first published as a Bill in the Government Gazette on 23 December 2022. The Bill was passed by the lower house of the National Assembly on 31 May 2023 and sailed through Senate on 7 May 2023. It was signed by the President on 14 July 2023.

The post Zimbabwe: President’s signing of ‘Patriotic Bill’ a brutal assault on civic space appeared first on Amnesty International.

“The adoption of this abominable transphobic legislation shows an utter disregard for the human rights of transgender people in the Russian society.”

The adoption of this abominable transphobic legislation shows an utter disregard for the human rights of transgender people in the Russian society

Natalia Zviagina, Amnesty International’s Russia Director

The proposed amendments not only prevent people from changing gender markers in official documents but also include provisions that prohibit them from adopting children, and nullify marriages where one partner has changed their gender marker.

“A ban on gender affirmative interventions, including hormone replacement therapy, will inflict unbearable suffering on thousands of Russian citizens, deprive them of access to essential healthcare services, and put their mental health at grave risk. This law effectively discriminate against transgender persons and make them second class citizens.”

“The Russian authorities should reconsider immediately this harmful legislation which will damage the Russian society for generations and take steps to protect the human rights of all individuals, regardless of their gender identity.”

Background

On July 14, the State Duma, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, adopted a package of amendments to the Family Code and several federal laws aimed at imposing a ban on legal gender recognition and gender-affirmative interventions. Those who have undergone gender affirmative surgery abroad will not be able to obtain legal gender recognition in Russia.

These amendments include a ban on gender affirming interventions such as gender affirming surgery and hormone therapy, with surgeries aimed at treating “congenital anomalies (malformations), genetic and endocrine diseases associated with impaired formation of the genital organs in children” being the only exceptions. These remaining surgical options will require approval from state medical commissions before a change in gender markers can be made in official documents.

Individuals who have undergone gender-affirmation will be prohibited from adopting children or serving as legal guardians, and their marriages will be automatically annulled.

The amendments will not apply retroactively to those who had obtained legal gender recognition before they came into force.

The post Russia: Adoption of transphobic legislation a horrendous blow to human rights appeared first on Amnesty International.

Death penalty violates the right to life. It is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment

Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa

“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 execute the prisoner. It is the premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state in the name of justice. It violates the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.

“While Amnesty International acknowledges the pain and anguish felt by Tapiwa’s family following the death of Tapiwa Makore, the death penalty is never the appropriate response and must never be used in any circumstances anywhere in the world. In opposing the death penalty, Amnesty International in no way seeks to minimize or condone the crimes for which those sentenced to death were convicted. Anyone found guilty of a crime after a fair trial that meets international standards should be held accountable without resort to the death penalty.

Zimbabwean authorities must abolish the death penalty for all crimes

Khanyo Farisè

“There is no credible evidence that the death penalty has a greater deterrent effect on crime than prison terms. Amnesty International is urging the authorities in Zimbabwe to commute all death sentences to prison terms. Also, we call on the Zimbabwean authorities to establish an official moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty for all crimes.”

Background

On 12 July 2023, Tafadzwa Shamba and Tapiwa Makore Senior were sentenced to death following a trial at the Harare High Court over the murder of Tapiwa Makore.

Tapiwa, who was murdered on 17 September 2020, was found disfigured and dismembered, sparking widespread outrage.

The post Zimbabwe: Commute death sentence to prison terms in Tapiwa Makore murder case appeared first on Amnesty International.

“China’s claims over Taiwan and the great power-posturing between the USA, Russia and China have an undeniable influence on the nature and extent of Taiwan’s human rights protections. Any use of military force by China to bring Taiwan under its control would present a real threat to human rights. Even before an actual armed conflict breaks out, rising tensions can already have serious impacts. Threatening military postures only lead to people living in fear and uncertainty, with vulnerable groups like older people and children especially affected,” Callamard said.

In 1971, the UN General Assembly recognized the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations (UN). Since then, Taiwan has been increasingly excluded from international organizations and UN entities due to pressure from Beijing.  Nonetheless, successive Taiwanese governments have sought to abide by and implement international human rights obligations by endowing international human rights treaties with domestic legal status.

“Amnesty International warmly recognizes the unique path to human rights protection for the people in Taiwan established by Taiwanese authorities and civil society in response to the international political, military and legal environment,” Callamard said. 

Taiwan also boasts one of the most vibrant civil societies in the region. Human rights organizations and activists have done impressive work to ensure that rights protection remains central to public and political debates.

“Taiwan has made tremendous strides on LGBTI rights in recent years. The 2019 decision to legalize same-sex marriage was a historic moment and an example to the region. The extension of this right last year to almost all foreign nationals living in Taiwan was also hugely positive. That positive direction of travel for human rights in Taiwan must be continued and strengthened through further concrete measures addressing existing loopholes and gaps, and by expanding human rights understanding and education,” Callamard said.

There is still much work to do on various human rights issues in Taiwan, including with regard to violence against women; the right to peaceful assembly; labour rights, including the right to strike; migrant rights; and prison conditions. Taiwan’s retention of the death penalty is another issue that must be addressed.

Taiwan also provides refuge for Hongkongers and others in the region. Regrettably, due to national security and political concerns, refugee protections are lacking.

“The failure to agree on a refugee protection framework exposes asylum seekers to risk of refoulement and other rights restrictions. This can be easily corrected by adopting a protection mechanism required for all nationals seeking refuge in Taiwan,” Callamard said.

“Taiwan can play a leading role in the region on human rights issues but needs to show resolve and continue to cement progress in key areas, such as migrant and refugee rights and the death penalty. It also needs to take steps to ensure full protection of the rights enshrined in the Convention Against Torture and other core human rights conventions in the UN, and implement a National Human Rights Action Plan.”

Background

Amnesty International has been working on Taiwan for almost as long as the organization has been established, including by campaigning on behalf of the many prisoners of conscience held by the Taiwan Nationalist (Kuomintang, or KMT) government from its founding in 1949 until the end of martial law in 1987. The first Amnesty group in Taiwan was established shortly after, in 1989, and Amnesty International Taiwan was formally registered as a national NGO in 1994.

During the five days of this latest visit, the Amnesty delegation held meetings with representatives of the Executive Yuan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Development Counsel, National Human Rights Commission and both major political parties (the Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP, and the KMT). In parallel, and to inform those meetings, the delegation also met with representatives of civil society organizations, community activists and victims of human rights violations and abuses.

The post Taiwan can play a leading regional role on human rights but sustained commitment needed, says Amnesty’s Secretary General following visit appeared first on Amnesty International.

The United Nations Basic Principles on the use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials includes Principle 9, which states: “Law enforcement officials shall not use firearms against persons except in self-defence or defence of others against the imminent threat of death or serious injury […] intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.” 

On 7 July 2023, in a statement the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) stated that they are “deeply concerned by the continuing practice of racial profiling combined with the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials, in particular the police, against members of minority groups, particularly people of African and Arab descent, which frequently results in disproportionately recurrent killings with near impunity”.

In response the French authorities reiterated its claim that “Any accusation of racism or systemic discrimination by law enforcement officers in France is unfounded.” https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/politique-etrangere-de-la-france/la-france-et-les-nations-unies/evenements-et-actualites-lies-aux-nations-unies/article/declaration-du-comite-pour-l-elimination-de-la-discrimination-raciale-08-07-23

Amnesty International France are part of a coalition of human rights groups that brought a class action lawsuit in 2021 against the French state’s inaction over ethnic profiling and systemic racial discrimination. The case is ongoing. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2021/07/france-class-action-lawsuit-against-ethnic-profiling-filed-over-systemic-racial-discrimination/ 

The post France: Nahel shooting highlights need for overhaul of police firearms rules and an end to systemic racism in law enforcement   appeared first on Amnesty International.

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The Government of Sri Lanka must ensure access to adequate nutrition for all pregnant and breastfeeding women amid the ongoing economic crisis in the country, Amnesty International said today in a new research briefing.

The briefing, ‘Foregoing Meals to Make-Do’, examines the impact of the economic crisis on access to nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding women, with a particular focus on women living below the poverty line in Colombo. Falling incomes, loss of livelihoods and inflation have reduced women’s purchasing power while government-funded programs aimed at increasing maternal nutrition have also been affected by the crisis.

“Due to the severity of the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, health and nutrition have taken a back seat. The situation has taken a grave toll on the health and well-being of pregnant and breastfeeding women. These individuals have also been disproportionately impacted by the crisis, which has seen poverty rates double in the space of a year due to the crisis,” said Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia.

..The economic crisis in Sri Lanka… has taken a grave toll on the health and well-being of pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia

Amnesty International interviewed 45 people for this briefing, including healthcare workers, members of civil society, and pregnant and breastfeeding women from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds, all of whom live in informal settlements and tenement blocks in Colombo.

‘We somehow try to forgo a meal’

The women Amnesty International spoke to raised concerns about the unaffordability of food, the inconsistent supply of ‘Thriposha’ food supplements, and the inability to redeem food vouchers offered through government programs.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women said they aimed to “fill their stomach” rather than consume recommended daily amounts of variety of nutrients due to the high cost of food. In order to have three meals a day, many opted to limit portion sizes, while some reduced their number of daily meals to two. One breastfeeding woman told Amnesty International: “We eat breakfast and dinner and try to skip lunch… We eat a biscuit for lunch with a cup of tea.”

We eat breakfast and dinner and try to skip lunch…
We eat a biscuit for lunch with a cup of tea.

A breastfeeding woman

In almost all households Amnesty International spoke to, consumption of meat, vegetables, fruit and milk had drastically reduced. Such deprivation increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies, which can affect the development of the foetus. Families that previously consumed meat or fish on a weekly basis now consume them just once a month or only when money is available. Another breastfeeding woman said: “We can’t afford milk-inducing food. You see fish is expensive. So, we buy what we can afford for the money we have.”

Most pregnant and breastfeeding women Amnesty International spoke to said that they were unemployed and their husbands did not have a regular income amid the economic crisis.

In February 2023, pregnant and breastfeeding told Amnesty International that government food vouchers, which are usually offered to pregnant and breastfeeding women, could not be redeemed due to a lack of state funds.

Amnesty International wrote to the Ministry of Women, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Public Administration to raise these concerns, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

‘We have to see patients suffering’

Sri Lanka’s public health system has also been affected by shortages of medicine and equipment. Health workers providing maternal care told Amnesty International that they had to stop, delay or postpone non-essential surgeries and procedures. One doctor, who said they have to ration drugs for emergency cases because future supplies are uncertain, told Amnesty: “We have to see patients suffering and we cannot do anything.”

Amnesty found that health workers reused equipment or told patients to purchase medicine or equipment from private pharmacies because state-run hospitals had run out. Meanwhile, medicines in private pharmacies remain unaffordable to most due to price hikes and the devaluation of the Sri Lankan Rupee.

We have to see patients suffering
and we cannot do anything.

A doctor

Sri Lanka has ratified several international accords requiring it to ensure that pregnant and breastfeeding women have access to adequate healthcare and food, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

The Government of Sri Lanka must urgently meet its international human rights obligations, including by ensuring access to adequate, affordable and good quality nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Dinushika Dissanayake

“Prolonged food insecurity and inadequate nutrition can lead to serious long-term consequences for mothers and their children if left unaddressed. The Government of Sri Lanka must urgently meet its international human rights obligations, including by ensuring access to adequate, affordable and good quality nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The international community must also play a role in supporting the government to ensure pregnant and breastfeeding women are able to access adequate food and nutrition,” said Dinushika Dissanayake.

The post Sri Lanka: Government must ensure access to adequate nutrition for all pregnant and breastfeeding women appeared first on Amnesty International.

The leaders in attendance must urgently address the most pressing human rights issues facing both continents today, including human rights defenders and civil society space; the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and to peaceful protest; the human rights of refugees and migrants; violence and discrimination against women and girls; and the defense of human rights gains and the international human rights system. Any outcomes and commitments from the summit must publicly outline strategic and concrete steps to ensure that human rights remain at the heart of EU-LAC relations and are mainstreamed throughout all areas of relations, from trade to digital and climate change, up to the highest level. 

The leaders in the region must work with their European counterparts to find solutions and uphold human rights and justice for all.

Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International

“This is a critical time for Latin America and the Caribbean, with its multiple and complex human rights challenges. Millions have been forced to flee human rights crises and environmental disasters in their home countries in search of international protection. The region is the most dangerous place in the world for human rights defenders. Yet, instead of trying to solve these problems, many states have chosen to repress protests and militarize their borders and security policies. This summit provides an opportunity for meaningful change. The leaders in the region must work with their European counterparts to find solutions and uphold human rights and justice for all,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International.

“We hope that EU leaders will use this summit to raise concerns about human rights with their counterparts in Latin America and the Caribbean. But they also need to look inwards and tackle rights violations at home, including violence against people seeking safety at EU borders and increasing limitations on independent organisations working for civil rights. This summit offers EU leaders a chance to recommit to rights, and we hope that they will grab it,” said Eve Geddie, Advocacy Director at Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office.

At a time of sustained, worldwide pushback on human rights and a widening crackdown on those who defend them, Amnesty International calls on Latin American & Caribbean and EU states to jointly champion universal human rights in both regions and across the globe.

The post Europe/Americas: EU-CELAC summit must prioritize human rights appeared first on Amnesty International.

“The Vietnamese authorities are yet again misusing the criminal justice system to suppress dissent. Arrested for giving interviews to foreign media, Truong Van Dung should have never been put in prison in the first place. The Vietnamese authorities must drop these trumped-up charges and immediately and unconditionally release Dung.  

“The hearing on Dung’s appeal occurs amid an ongoing crackdown on people who hold diverse or critical views towards the government and against independent civil society organizations in Viet Nam. Many others have been locked away in prisons under shocking conditions, without adequate food or medication, simply for exercising their right to freedom of expression.  

“The unfair charges and inhumane prison conditions shows the Vietnamese authorities’ willingness to systematically silence dissent in direct violation of international human rights law. Its ratification of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (CAT), along with their seat on the UN Human Rights Council, appears to be no more than empty gestures.”  

Background  

On 21 May 2022, activist Truong Van Dung was arrested under Article 88 of the 1999 Criminal Code on “propaganda against the government” charges. He was sentenced to 6 years in prison on 28 March 2023, accused of giving interviews to foreign media and possessing copies of two “illegally printed books” authored by imprisoned journalist Pham Doan Trang and former prison activist Pham Thanh Nghien, respectively.   

Dung has protested against corruption and human rights violations in Viet Nam since at least 2010. He has actively spoken and advocated for other unfairly imprisoned activists, fought for transparency and anti-corruption, and promoted land rights and environmental issues.  

During the first instance hearing, Dung accused the police of beating him in the course of the investigation. Thus far, the authorities appear not to have investigated his allegations of ill-treatment.  

Torture and other ill-treatment is prohibited under international law, including under CAT and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which Viet Nam has ratified.  

The post Viet Nam: Drop charges and immediately release activist sentenced to six years in prison appeared first on Amnesty International.

“This reported lack of cooperation by the Israeli authorities with the Spanish criminal investigation is symptomatic of the impunity surrounding the misuse of spyware and cyber-surveillance technology. The Israeli authorities simply not even engaging with Spain’s highest criminal court shows the complete inadequacy of supposed avenues for redress related to violations by the spyware industry.

This case also exposes the flawed, laissez-faire approach to the international regulation of cyber surveillance systems.

Donncha Ó Cearbhaill, Amnesty International

“This case also exposes the flawed, laissez-faire approach to the international regulation of cyber surveillance systems. States, including the EU, should not allow companies to freely export these potentially harmful technologies around the world and then shirk all responsibility when they are dangerously and illegally misused.

“It’s a simple fact that highly invasive spyware poses a real danger to the privacy and security of everyone. It has become the weapon of choice for governments seeking to silence journalists, attack activists and crush dissent, placing countless lives at risk. It must be outlawed now.”

Background

The Guardian reported Tuesday that a Spanish judge investigating the Israeli company NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware hacking of phones belonging to senior Spanish government officials including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and other ministers, had provisionally closed his investigation due to a “complete” lack of cooperation from Israel.

Unlawful targeted surveillance violates the right to privacy and can lead to violations of numerous other human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. 

In a significant first step to address the spyware crisis in March, President Biden signed an Executive Order restricting the US government’s use of commercial spyware technology. 

The US and governments around the world must go further and impose a ban on highly invasive spyware, that is software with functionality that cannot be limited and the use of which cannot be independently audited.

The post Spain: ‘Lack of cooperation’ from Israel on Pegasus spyware firm highlights impunity appeared first on Amnesty International.

I have no other business; I have spent all my life in tourism… I opened this place because I wanted to transfer skills to my community, to the young ones and it works.

Barry*

Barry fought back the tears as he explained to Amnesty International what had happened to his dream of a future, not just for himself but for the coming generations. Tourism is a major source of income for Gambia, but tourism to experience the natural beauty of the Gambian coast requires the beaches and fabulous landscape to be protected. All of that is now under threat.

In 2006, Sanyang started to develop its potential for tourism. Some members of the local community invested in lodges and restaurants to host tourists who wanted to enjoy the spectacular beaches, unspoiled nature and the local fresh fish cuisine. Many, like Barry, saw this activity as an opportunity to invest in their community, providing training for young people, giving them an opportunity to make a decent living and discouraging them from making dangerous journeys to Europe in search of a better life. A thriving tourism industry promised to help end irregular migration that was depriving communities of their youth and therefore their future. Barry bought into that dream.

In the 1990s, Barry decided to give up his job in a five-star hotel in Banjul and come back home to Sanyang to set up his own business. Since then, he has trained many young people from the community, investing in them, giving them opportunities and jobs. In 2018, his dream was shattered.

I do not regret coming here but if I could have foreseen the factory, I would not be here… Now there are less chances for tourism to survive and the less chances for the youth to have opportunities in the community.”

Barry*

Nessim Fishing and Fish Processing Co., Ltd (Nessim) set up shop just 100m from his restaurant – according to the community, there was not enough consultation and information about what the impact on them might be and promised job opportunities from the factory for local people proved an illusion. The impact for Barry has been devastating. The tourism idyll was turned into a financial and ecological nightmare – awful smells, smoke and dead fish on the shore.

There are three fishmeal and fish oil factories in Gambia. These factories transform pelagic fish into fish oil or a powder called fishmeal which is then used to feed farm animals and other fish, like salmon, in the aquaculture industry, usually in Europe, Asia and America. It takes about 4.5kg of fish to make 1kg of fishmeal. Fish oil is also used in food supplement capsules. Nessim, a Mauritanian-owned company, was the last of the three factories to be opened in Gambia. 

The impact on Sanyang and its people has been profound in a number of ways and the unsustainable level of fishing required to feed these factories is having a devastating impact on the area and the community, which risks becoming irreversible. Barry is not the only one that feels a sense of helplessness and frustration. All the lodges and restaurant owners that Amnesty International talked to shared similar stories, including their collective realization that the Gambian authorities are not doing enough to protect them or remedy this situation.

For Barry, like others in the tourism industry, overfishing by the factory and foreign trawlers has led to a shortage of fish, leading to a rise in the cost of fish, putting at risk the economic viability of his business. But the consequences go far beyond that. For Barry the factory is tearing his dream of a vibrant community apart little by little.

Fast and effective government action to address the problems facing Barry and others in the tourism industry is vital to stop irreversible harm to the people, their environment and their futures. Yet so far that action has been lacking.

*A pseudonym has been used to protect the interviewee’s security and privacy.

Listening to the voices of Sanyang and the stories of suffering from members of the community, it is hard to understand why the Gambian authorities are failing to act to defend the human rights of the people affected by the fishmeal factory and foreign trawlers. Clearly, the voices of those championing the benefits of profits are louder and stronger – but the profits are not reaching the people paying the price for mass exploitation of Gambia’s coastal waters.

No matter who shouts loudest, the Gambian authorities have responsibilities that they must fulfil – including ensuring the rights of the population to food, work, health and a safe environment.

The Gambian government has a duty to protect these rights and pass legislation requiring companies to conduct human rights due diligence in their operations and supply chains and ensure proper monitoring of Gambia’s waters. It also has an obligation to ensure transparency and allow easy public access to information about fishmeal factories and foreign trawlers and investigate the possible detrimental impact of their operations.

The Nessim fishmeal factory must be transparent about its activities, regularly consult with the community and follow the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, including by putting in place an ongoing and proactive human rights due diligence process to identify, prevent, mitigate and address the factory’s impact on human rights. Given the potential high economic and environmental impact of its activities, it must phase out the use of fish that according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization are already overexploited, such as sardinella and bonga fish.

Companies in the supply chain of fishmeal factories also have a role to play. They need to conduct supply chain due diligence and publicly disclose their due diligence policies and practices, in accordance with international standards, and take action, in cooperation with other relevant actors, to mitigate or remediate any harm caused.

Responsibilities for the situation also lie further afield. The international community, including countries that have signed fishing agreements with Gambia, need to regulate the aquaculture industry to limit the use of fishmeal and fish oil made from already overexploited species and increase transparency regarding their supply chain. They cannot carry on closing their eyes and ears because the sights and smells of Sanyang are far from them – out of sight must not mean out of mind.

Join Amnesty International members and supporters in their campaign to protect Gambia’s coastal waters, marine resources and communities. Act now by emailing the President of Gambia, Adama Barrow, to demand that he ensures the implementation of Amnesty International’s recommendations.  

VOICES of sanyang: #SaveGambianSeas #ProtectGambianCommunities

The members of the communities affected by the overexploitation of the seas through the activities of Nessim Fishmeal Factory and foreign industrial trawlers are sharing their stories with us. These firsthand stories are meant to let you know more about why we’re standing with Sanyang to save Gambian seas and protect Gambian communities rights.

Read MORE and act now.

PUBLISHED ON WORLD OCEAN DAY – 8 JUNE

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PUBLISHED ON 11 JULY

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.@BarrowPresident, you have a duty to #ProtectGambianCommunities against human rights abuses by all actors, including fishing companies. You can act now to mitigate the adverse socio-economic and environmental impact of overfishing on #Gambia coast.

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The post Voices from Sanyang: Barry, the lodge owner appeared first on Amnesty International.

In a new report, Anti-Corruption Fight in Peril: Crackdown on Anti-Corruption Human Rights Defenders in West and Central Africa, the organisation reveals how anti-corruption activists in 19 West and Central African countries risk arrest, harassment, detention, hefty fines and even death for speaking out against corruption. Others are targeted with court cases and criminal prosecutions in attacks on their right to freedom of expression. 

“The repression faced by anti-corruption human rights defenders in West and Central Africa is shocking. These individuals play a critical role in fighting corruption and thus defending human rights. Yet they routinely endure attacks, intimidation, harassment, and persecution for exposing the truth.    

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“Governments in the region must live up to their international human rights obligations to respect, protect, promote, and fulfil the rights of those who take a stand against corruption and defend human rights. They must address the pervasive culture of impunity that continues to fuel endemic corruption, contributes to further violations of human rights, and denies victims access to justice and effective remedies.”  

Anti-corruption activists subject to repression and abuse 

“Corruption is a human rights issue. It interferes with the effective enjoyment of individual and collective rights guaranteed under international and regional human rights treaties. It hinders the ability of law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors and lawyers to carry out their duties impartially. Corruption leads to ill-treatment, torture, or deaths in custody. It deprives economically and socially vulnerable groups of income. It undermines states’ ability to meet their human rights obligations,” said Agnès Callamard. 

Yet those who shed light on these abuses are routinely subjected to repression, intimidation and harassment by authorities across West and Central Africa. This includes the use of defamation and “fake news” laws, disproportionate fines, arbitrary arrests, and threats and physical violence to silence activists and journalists exposing corrupt practices. 

In Niger, journalist and blogger Samira Sabou was convicted in January 2022 of “defamation by electronic communication” under the country’s cybercriminal law, and sentenced to one month in prison and a US$100 fine. The prosecution stemmed from her decision to republish a May 2021 article from the Geneva-based Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), which alleged that a drug shipment seized by the Nigerien anti-trafficking agency was reacquired by drug traffickers and leaked back into the market.   

In a separate case dating from June 2020, Sabou was accused of defamation following a complaint filed by Sani Mahamadou Issoufou, Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energies, and son of Niger’s former president Mahamadou Issoufou. The complaint was filed after a Facebook user mentioned Issoufou’s name in a comment in response to a Facebook post Sabou had published about alleged corruption in the purchase of arms. Although Sabou did not mention the former president’s son by name, she was arrested and immediately transferred to Niamey prison. 

“I was summoned to court as a witness. Once at the courthouse, I was no longer treated as a witness. I was asked to tell them who are behind some of the pseudonyms that appear on my Facebook account, and I told them that I don’t know. When they realized that I could not provide that information, the prosecutor told me that he was sending me to prison while he finished his investigation. I was four months pregnant; I was not a danger to society, and I had never been imprisoned. [Yet] I spent 48 days in prison,” she told Amnesty International in February 2023. 

In Togo, journalist Ferdinand Ayité was arrested on 10 December 2021 after accusing two members of the Togolese government of corruption on his YouTube channel “L’autre journal”. On 15 March 2023, Ayité was sentenced with another colleague to three years in prison and a fine of XOF 3 million (US$5,000) for “contempt of authorities” and “propagation of falsehoods”. The journalists appealed the decision but were forced to flee the country for their safety. 

In Cameroon, Martinez Zogo, a journalist and head of the privately-owned radio station Amplitude FM, was abducted by unidentified men on 17 January 2023. His mutilated body was found in a wasteland in the suburbs of Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital, on 22 January 2023. Zogo had been investigating and reporting on the alleged embezzlement of hundreds of billions of CFA francs by political and business figures close to the government. 

Better laws needed to protect anti-corruption human rights defenders 

There are few laws protecting anti-corruption human rights defenders (HRDs), and biased judicial institutions and a culture of impunity allow corrupt practices to go unpunished. In addition, authorities in many countries have adopted repressive laws to restrict human rights and have weaponized existing laws to silence critical voices, including whistleblowers, who play a crucial role in reporting wrongdoing. 

Amnesty International is calling on states to enact and strengthen laws that would protect anti-corruption human rights defenders (HRDs) from retaliation and that would create an environment where they can safely investigate and report on corruption and its human rights implications.  Currently, only Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Niger have adopted laws on protecting HRDs, and only Ghana has specific legislation protecting whistleblowers.  

Ten countries in the region have adopted access to information laws, which allow citizens to obtain information held by public bodies and hold powerful individuals and entities to account. However, high fees imposed by information holders and misconceptions that these laws are solely for journalists remain a challenge 

Amnesty International is also calling on all states to adopt laws and policies and implement practices to robustly protect against corruption and prosecute those responsible for it.  

Corruption is a scourge — it has a destructive effect on fundamental human rights across West and Central Africa. Instead of prosecuting those who expose corruption, authorities should protect the rights of anti-corruption HRDs and ensuring that civil society and the press can speak truth to power for the enjoyment of all human rights in the region. 

Agnès Callamard

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