Climate change

© Biel Calderon

Australia

After tireless advocacy by students from the Pacific supported by thousands of Amnesty activists, Australia became one of 132 countries to co-sponsor Vanuatu’s initiative to take climate change to the International Court of Justice. Other Amnesty sections and other civil society organizations also worked tirelessly to secure governmental commitment to this crucial initiative. This is landmark moment in the fight for climate justice as it means the court will give a legal opinion on the obligations of governments to protect the human rights of present and future generations against the effects of climate change.

back to top

LGBTI rights

Iran

Iranian activist Zahra Sedighi-Hamadani was sentenced to death in 2022 for supporting LGBTI rights. Amnesty supporters called on Iranian authorities to release her, and she was finally freed after serving more than a year behind bars.

© Private

Taiwan

In a major step forward for LGTBI rights, Taiwan announced moves to allow same-sex marriages between Taiwanese people and foreign nationals whose countries of origin are yet to permit same-sex marriage. In another key move, the Taiwan government has permitted joint adoption for married same-sex couples. Amnesty International Taiwan has been working closely with local groups to campaign and secure wider LGBTI rights.

© Amnesty International Taiwan

Australia

Queensland passed new laws in June that remove barriers to updating birth certificates. The newly passed laws mean transgender, non-binary and gender diverse people will no longer be forced to undergo invasive “sex reassignment surgery” before being able to correct their gender identity documents. This is incredible news for Amnesty Australia’s Queensland LGBTQIA+ network who are working closely in partnership with other local organizations in the fight for LGBTI rights.

South Korea

So Seong-wook and his partner Kim Yong-min held a wedding ceremony in 2019 and live together as a married couple. However, their relationship is not recognized under South Korean law, and they’ve been unable to enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples, including access to healthcare.

© Amnesty International Korea

After launching a campaign with the support of Amnesty, So and his partner Kim became the first same-sex couple to be able to register a “dependent” under the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), only for it to be cancelled eight months later. In February, South Korea’ High Court ordered the NHIS to resume healthcare access for a partner in a same-sex relationship – the first step towards recognising the rights of a couple in a same-sex relationship.

back to top

Technology

© Amnesty International

Global

In March, Amnesty International’s Security Lab exposed a sophisticated hacking campaign by a mercenary spyware company targeting Google’s Android operating system as well as iPhones. The findings were shared with Google’s Threat Analysis Group, which focuses on countering government-backed cyber-attacks, and Apple. Google along with other affected vendors, including Samsung, were able to release security updates protecting billions of Android, Chrome and Linux users from the exploit techniques used in this attack, while Apple also followed up with a security patch.

South Korea

After nine years of court proceedings, South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled that Google must disclose whether it provided personal information such as the email addresses of Korean human rights activists, including Amnesty International Korea, to US intelligence agencies. The ruling holds multinational corporations like Google accountable for the privacy rights of its users.

USA

The spyware crisis is causing major implications for the future of human rights, and Amnesty International has been calling for an immediate global ban on invasive spyware. March saw a significant win for the human rights movement, as US President Biden signed an Executive Order restricting the U.S. government’s use of commercial spyware technology. Three days later 11 governments issued a statement committing to joint action to counter the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware.

back to top

Finding freedom

© Private

USA

Majid Khan, Ahmed Rahim Rabbani, Abdul Rahim Rabbani, Ghassan al-Sharbi and Said Bakush were released from the Guantanamo Bay detention center between February and April, after enduring years of arbitrary detention.

Former detainee Mansoor Adayfi, released to Serbia in 2016, was able to take his first trip abroad in 21 years to speak on a panel in Norway in June after Amnesty International helped him secure a passport from the Yemeni government.

“I would like to thank Amnesty International for all the work they have done on behalf of former Guantanamo detainees and on behalf of humanity, because Amnesty International is one of the most important fronts that is fighting against torture, fighting against oppression, against injustice around the world,” said Mansoor. “The first time I heard about Amnesty International was in Guantanamo, the lawyers brought us reports and letters. When you know that there is someone there for you, fighting for you, calling for your release, it helps you to feel like you are human. It gives you hope.”

When you know that there is someone there for you, fighting for you, calling for your release, it helps you to feel like you are human. It gives you hope.

Mansoor Adayfi, former Guantanamo detainee

Iran

Following a grossly unfair trial, protesters Arshia Takdastan, Mehdi Mohammadifard and Javad Rouhi were sentenced to death, because they dared speak out about 22-year-old Mahsa Amini who died in custody. Amnesty International moved quickly, issuing an urgent action calling for the death sentence to be overturned. In May 2023, the Supreme Court quashed their convictions and overturned their death sentences. Later that month, Arshia’s lawyer posted publicly on Twitter that he had been released from prison on bail.

Austria

Kamran Ghaderi and Massud Mossaheb, two Austrian-Iranian citizens arbitrarily detained in Evin prison, were unconditionally released on 2 June, and finally able to return home to their families in Vienna. They had both been convicted after unfair trials based on forced “confessions” obtained by torture and other ill-treatment.

“Not only did you help to make public the injustice that was done to me; you also gave me courage by letting me know how many compassionate and good people there are in this world,” said Massud. “Please continue to stand up for others!”

Angola

Tanaice Neutro, an Angolan activist who uses his music to protest, was arrested in January 2022. After he had been unjustly imprisoned for one year, Amnesty rallied support, raised awareness and started campaigning on his behalf. Our supporters’ efforts were rewarded with his release in June.

Amnesty International

“What impresses me most is knowing that to be supportive and show solidarity, you don’t need to know the person, their story is enough,” said Teresa, Tanaice’s wife. “You didn’t know my husband in person and yet you are supporting him.”

Tanaice said: “I still can’t believe that the world’s largest human rights organization decided to take up my case. I am grateful for all the support Amnesty has given me and my family.”

Venezuela

Carlos Debiais, a Venezuelan photographer unfairly detained since 12 November 2021, was finally released from prison on 6 June 2023, following a campaign from Amnesty International and its supporters. Venezuela’s prison authorities had refused to comply with a release warrant issued in April 2022, extending his arbitrarily detention by an additional 14 months. Although he has been released, he must still report to the court every 60 days.

“Thank you on behalf of myself and my family for the incredible work you did making my case known … Fortunately, I am now free.

Carlos Debiais, Venezuelan photographer

“Thank you on behalf of myself and my family for the incredible work you did making my case known and for helping me in the complicated situation I was put in. Fortunately, I am now free,” said Carlos. “Thank you to the entire Amnesty family.”

Bangladesh

Bangladeshi journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams was arrested in the early hours of 29 March  after publishing a story about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. His whereabouts were unknown for over 10 hours, after which the police confirmed he was in custody and had been charged under the draconian Digital Security Act.

Amnesty International rallied support, issuing an urgent action demanding his release. On 3 April, Shams was granted bail and released from prison – a ground-breaking move, as most prisoners are subject to a lengthy pre-trial detention. Amnesty International has been campaigning against the Digital Security Act, publishing research about the way it has been weaponized by the authorities. The organization will continue to campaign for the charges against Shams to be dropped.

Pakistan

Following an unlawful raid on her house, Mahal Baloch from Pakistan was detained together with her young children and other family members in February. After her family was released, Mahal remained held without charge until her release on bail in May. The policed alleged Mahal was part of an armed separatist group, who had previously carried out suicide bombings, and that she had provided a confession. During her detention Mahal was the target of a smear campaign and forced by the authorities to appear in TV interviews.

© Private

Amnesty International moved quickly, issuing an urgent action for Mahal. She was granted bail three months after her arrest.

Côte d’Ivoire

Twenty-six people peacefully showing their support for the former president’s political party, were sentenced in March to two years in prison for “disturbing public order”. Amnesty International publicly reacted to the detentions and called on authorities to ensure fair judicial proceedings for the protestors – the campaign caused a ripple effect across Côte d’Ivoire’s traditional and social media. On 22 March, the activists were given a four-month suspended sentence and released.

EU

Amnesty International advocates for more European Union (EU) support for human rights defenders worldwide as part of the block’s external relations. This year the EU is providing an additional €30 million to the EU Human Rights Defenders Mechanism which plays an important role in assisting at risk human rights defenders and their family members. In parallel, Amnesty also advocates to ensure that EU Delegations and EU member states’ embassies worldwide provide support to human rights defenders and their families through trial observation, prison visits, public statements and diplomatic engagement with non-EU countries.

© Amnesty International / Jarek Godlewski

Trial observation played an important role in achieving impact for many human right defenders, including Taner Kılıç, Amnesty Türkiye’s Honorary Chair, and Idil Eser, Amnesty Türkiye’s ex-director, whose baseless and politically motivated convictions were finally quashed in June, following a global campaign from Amnesty.

Türkiye

In May, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Türkiye had violated the rights to a fair trial and to freedom of association of Amnesty International Türkiye and its then-chair, Taner Kılıç, by imposing an administrative fine on the organisation in 2008.

back to top

Holding authorities to account

Australia and New Zealand

On 16 March, FIFA confirmed that Visit Saudi would not sponsor the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand – a huge win for all activists, and current and former players who have spoken out for human rights.

Prior to the announcement, Amnesty supporters called on New Zealand’s Sports Minister Grant Robertson to speak out on Saudi Arabia’s appalling human rights record, urge true reform and pressure FIFA to do the same. This decision proves human rights do matter in sport.

Chile

On 24 February, a court in Chile reopened the investigation into human rights violations against Moisés Órdenes, who was attacked by a group of Carabineros officers while peacefully demonstrating in October 2019. Last December, a public prosecutor had closed the investigation into seven of the 13 officers charged with the attack, but Moises’ family and lawyers felt the investigation had been far from exhaustive. Thanks to calls from Amnesty International, those seven officers will now face investigation once again.

Global

At Amnesty International, the pursuit of international justice for crimes committed in conflict is an organizational priority. In recent months, members of the Crisis Response Programme, together with regional office colleagues and the international justice team, have provided evidence and assistance to international investigative mechanisms documenting and building case files for war crimes and crimes against humanity following our reports in a variety of countries, including Myanmar, Syria and Ukraine.

Ukraine

Our evidence contributed to the Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine published on 15 March, the findings of which echoed our report, ‘Like A Prison Convoy’: Russia’s unlawful Transfer and Abuse of Civilians in Ukraine During ‘Filtration’.

Slovakia

© Tanya Springer

In April, the European Commission referred Slovakia to the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) for continuing to fail to effectively tackle segregated education of Roma students contrary to the Race Directive. This is the first time that the Commission has made a referral decision against any country for breaching the Directive which guarantees equality and non-discrimination irrespective of race or ethnic origin across a range of socio-economic goods and services.

Amnesty International, along with the European Roma Rights Centre, has researched and campaigned on the issue of segregated education in the country for a number of years, and this is a big win for the organisation.

Argentina

After taking a wrong turn in 2020, teenager Blas Correas, from Cordoba, Argentina, was shot dead by police. Amnesty International has been supporting Blas’ family for the past three years to ensure justice is served. Following the trial earlier this year, two police officers were sentenced to life imprisonment. The rest will serve a four-year sentence, while two were acquitted. The court ruled that this was a case of institutional violence and repeated Amnesty’s calls for security forces to carry out training for staff.

© Amnesty International Argentina | Nicolás Bertea

back to top

Refugee and migrants rights

Peru / Venezuela

In a huge win for the rights of Venezuelan migrants in Peru, the Peruvian Congress passed a law cancelling the unjust fines accrued by Venezuelans who had overstayed their visas in the country. This means Venezuelans in need of international protection who wish to remain in Peru can access migratory regularization schemes and enjoy better protection of their rights. Peru is home to the second biggest population of Venezuelans abroad and the highest number of formal asylum seekers from Venezuela.

© Amnesty International/Sergio Ortiz

Amnesty International has advocated strongly on their behalf, publishing two reports highlighting the lack of protection for Venezuelans in Peru, particularly survivors of gender-based violence, and issuing an urgent action for the protection of Venezuelan children.

Australia

Following years of campaigning, the Australian government will finally allow 19,000 people who have lived in limbo for as long as 10 years , to become permanent residents and reunite with their families. This will enable them to see their families, study, travel and participate fully in Australian life.

© AIA/Pablo Barnes

“This reform is long overdue and will change the lives of people who have been living for years on temporary protection,” said Zaki Haidari, Amnesty International Australia’s Refugee Rights Campaigner. “Many people like myself who sought refuge in Australia have been living here for as many as 10 years and have suffered unnecessarily from successive Australian governments’ cruel temporary protection policies. As a human rights organization, Amnesty is relieved to see the happiness this brings.”

Canada

Following pressure from Amnesty International, Quebec, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Saskatchewan joined British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Manitoba on the list of Canadian provinces that have ended their contracts with the federal government to detain migrants in provincial jails.

The decisions taken by these four provinces are encouraging steps towards putting an end to a harmful system. Rather than detaining migrants for administrative reasons, Amnesty is calling for the Canada Border Services Agency to rely on local, rights-respecting, community-based alternatives to detention.

back to top

Women’s rights

Switzerland

In a historic victory for human rights, Switzerland’s National Council amended existing legislation to recognize that “sex against the will of another person” is rape.

© Philippe Lionnet

The amendment marks the end to the outdated definition of rape that required the use of physical force, threat or coercion, and considered only women as victims. The law now recognizes that all sex without consent is rape. In close collaboration with activists and gender rights campaigners, Amnesty International  worked tirelessly to support this legislative change. It’s a crucial win for all survivors of sexual violence in Switzerland and an important step along the road to combating widespread sexual violence in Switzerland and improving access to justice for survivors.

Iran

Amnesty’s research, campaigning and advocacy work continues to have a positive impact on the lives of women rights activists imprisoned in Iran. In February, Yasaman Aryani and Monireh Arabshahi were released from prison after serving four years of their 16-year sentence. They had been arbitrarily imprisoned in 2019 for speaking out against Iran’s discriminatory forced veiling laws.

© christophemeireis.com

Amnesty International launched an urgent action for Yasaman and Monireh’s immediate release, and her story was also part of Amnesty’s  2019 Write for Rights campaign.

Benin

After giving birth, four women were detained in a hospital ward in Benin because they were unable to pay their hospital fees. Amnesty International wrote to authorities, calling for their immediate release and highlighting the State’s obligation to protect the right to health and freedom of these women. Three days later, the four women were released from the hospital.

Europe

On 1 June, after years of negotiations and advocacy by Amnesty International, other civil society partners and activists, the EU Council approved the EU’s accession to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). This represents a historic moment in addressing gender-based violence across the EU.

back to top

The post Six months of human rights successes appeared first on Amnesty International.

Throughout 2022, Amnesty’s ongoing campaigning, media and advocacy work contributed to positive outcomes for people all over the world whose human rights were being violated. Individuals unjustly detained were freed from prison. Human rights abusers were held accountable. Vital legislation and resolutions were passed by governments at national and international level. Progress towards the global abolition of the death penalty continued. And important advances were made both for the rights of women and LGBTI people.

Here’s a round-up of human rights wins in 2022. 

Individuals freed from unjust imprisonment 

Amnesty’s ongoing work for individuals helped secure the release of people across the world, delivered justice for families, and held abusers accountable. 

In January, university lecturer Professor Faizullah Jalal was released after being arbitrarily arrested and detained by the Taliban. 

Hejaaz Hizbullah, a Sri Lankan lawyer and Amnesty prisoner of conscience, was granted bail in February after almost two years of pre-trial detention under Sri Lanka’s draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Two other detainees held under the PTA, Ahnaf  Mohamed Imran and Divaniya Mukunthan, were also released on bail in August and September respectively. 

In Honduras, the “Guapinol eight”, a group of water rights defenders and prisoners of conscience, were unconditionally released in February, after spending more than two years in prison for their human rights work.

The following month, in neighbouring Guatemala, Indigenous Mayan environmentalist and prisoner of conscience Bernardo Caal Xol was released early after being jailed on bogus charges related to his activism. More than half a million actions were taken on his behalf during Amnesty’s 2021 Write for Rights campaign. 

© Amnesty International

Elsewhere, Magai Matiop Ngong — for whom more than 700,000 actions were taken during Write for Rights 2019 — was released from prison in South Sudan in March, having been sentenced to death at the age of 15 in 2017.  

August saw the release of schoolteacher Hriday Chandra Mondal, who was detained for discussing the difference between science and religion in his classes. All charges against him were subsequently dropped. 

In May, 18-year-old Palestinian Amal Nakhleh, who suffers from a chronic autoimmune disorder, was released from Israeli administrative detention following 16 months of campaigning by Amnesty and others.

In July, a Russian court acquitted Yulia Tsvetkova of “production and dissemination of pornographic materials” over her body-positive drawings of vaginas that were published online. 

Following an Urgent Action by Amnesty, Maldivian activist Rusthum Mujuthaba, who was being held on blasphemy charges in relation to a social media post, was released from prison in August. 

Palestinian national Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari was released from prison in Saudi Arabia in October after spending more than three years in arbitrary detention along with his son, Dr. Hani al-Khudari. Both men were handed down prison sentences based on trumped-up charges. Dr. Hani al-Khudari remains in prison despite the expiry of his sentence in February and Amnesty continues to campaign for his release. 

Six Palestinian men who reported that they had been tortured in Palestinian Authority prisons were released on bail within two weeks of Amnesty’s intervention in November.    

Thanks to the support of Amnesty Argentina, a Ukrainian family was able to escape the war and settle in the country in November. A short film documenting their story is available here. 

In Yemen, journalist Younis Abdelsalam was released in December after being arbitrarily detained for over a year for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression. 

Justice for families, abusers held accountable 

In Malawi, justice was served in April when a court convicted 12 men over the 2018 killing of MacDonald Masambuka, a person with albinism. 

© Goldman Environmental Prize

In June, partial justice was finally delivered for the 2016 murder of environmental and Indigenous rights activist Berta Cáceres, as David Castillo was sentenced to prison for co-authoring her killing. Amnesty continues its campaign to bring others suspected of responsibility for Berta’s murder to justice. 

After pressure from the US authorities, and following a visit by President Biden to Israel, the Israeli Defense Ministry agreed in October to pay compensation to the family of Palestinian-American Omar As’ad, who died after Israeli soldiers ill-treated him at a checkpoint in January. 

In November, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation informed the Israeli government that it would conduct an investigation into the May killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by an Israeli soldier.   

In December, a Lebanese judge indicted five State Security members on charges of torture in the case of Syrian refugee Bashar Abdel Saud, who died in custody in August. 

Continued progress towards the global abolition of the death penalty 

Amnesty’s campaign for the global abolition of the death penalty saw further success in 2022, as a string of countries abolished or took significant steps towards abolishing the punishment.  

The abolition of the death penalty for all crimes came into force in Kazakhstan in January. Papua New Guinea followed suit in April, repealing the punishment 30 years on from its reintroduction. 

©AFP via Getty Images

Via social media, Zambia’s President announced in May that the country would begin the process of abandoning the death penalty and, in June, Malaysia’s government initiated the process of removing the mandatory death sentence for 11 offences. 

In September, a new law which removed death penalty provisions from the penal code in Equatorial Guinea came into effect.

Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa that have not yet abolished the death penalty for all crimes, including Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, continued to carry out no executions. 

Landmark national legislation and international agreements 

At both national and international level, Amnesty’s work was vital in helping secure the passage of essential legislation and resolutions, as well as ensuring that companies were held accountable for their human rights responsibilities. 

National 

There were important wins on Refugee and Migrants’ Rights in the U.S. For example, in March, the Department of Homeland Security announced the designation of Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The move offers protection from deportation to Afghans without visa status and in the U.S. before March 15, 2022, allaying immediate fears of a return to a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Amnesty USA is Campaigning for a bill that would provide a path to citizenship for Afghans seeking safety, the Afghan Adjustment Act. 

In a win for the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of expression in May, the Supreme Court of India suspended the 152-year-old sedition law. 

The government of Sierra Leone drafted a new mental health bill in June that is more aligned with international human rights standards than the outdated and discriminatory ‘Lunacy Act’ of 1902. This was a central call in Amnesty’s May 2021 report focusing on the issue. 

In Niger, the country’s parliament adopted amendments to the cybercrime law in June that lifted prison sentences for libel and insults. The law had been routinely used to target and arbitrarily detain human rights defenders, activists and journalists. 

In the US, legislation on gun violence long campaigned for by Amnesty USA and partners was adopted, with the passage of the Safer Communities Act in June. The legislation provides an additional $250 million for community violence interruption (CVI) programmes. 

Amnesty saw impact from our work on children in conflict zones in Niger, including increased UN monitoring of the situation. In July, the UN Secretary-General called on his Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict to “promote enhanced monitoring capacity in the Central Sahel region”, which would cover the tri-border region of Niger, which was one of the main recommendations of our September 2021 report. 

Throughout the year, Amnesty also saw some businesses take their human rights obligations more seriously.

Following Amnesty’s request, the authorities of Sierra Leone asked the Meya mining company operating in Kono district to respond to our concerns about the negative impact of its activities on local people. The company replied that it was engaged in various actions to improve the safety of populations and access to drinking water for communities.  

Amnesty’s investigation into the aviation fuel supply chain linked to war crimes in Myanmar played a role in several companies announcing their withdrawal from jet fuel sales to the country, where shipments risk being used by the Myanmar military to carry out deadly air strikes. The companies included Puma Energy, which announced its exit less than two weeks after being presented with Amnesty’s findings. Thai Oil and Norwegian shipping agent Wilhelmsen also confirmed they would pull back from the supply chain, with more expected to follow. 

International 

Following Amnesty’s report, in March, UN Special Rapporteur (SR) Michael Lynk said that Israel is practising apartheid, followed by UN SR Balakrishnan Rajagopal in July, joining a growing chorus of expert assessments.   

In April, the European Union reached political agreement on the Digital Services Act (DSA), a landmark regulatory framework that will, among other things, require Big Tech platforms to assess and manage systemic risks posed by their services, such as advocacy of hatred and the spread of disinformation. 

Important progress was made on environmental justice, with the passage of a resolution at the UN General Assembly in July recognizing the right to a healthy environment. The news followed a similar resolution passed by the UN Human Rights Council at the end of 2021. 

In July, ten European countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden rejected the Israeli Defense Ministry designation of seven Palestinian civil society organizations as “terrorist” and “illegitimate”. The US government expressed its concern when the Israeli military raided the offices of the organizations in August, and UN experts condemned the Israeli attacks on Palestinian civil society in October. 

At its 51st session, the UN Human Rights Council released a special resolution on Afghanistan in September. Amnesty suggested the inclusion of a call for the UN Special Rapporteur to prepare a thematic report on the situation of women and girls. Several countries supported the idea, and it was included in the final resolution.  

In October, the UN Human Rights Council renewed the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela — a key independent international mechanism actively investigating and regularly reporting on past and ongoing international crimes and other human rights violations — until September 2024. And, in November, the Human Rights Council passed a landmark resolution to establish a new fact-finding mission to investigate alleged human rights violations in Iran related to the ongoing nationwide protests that began on 16 September 2022. 

The mandate of the OHCHR’s Sri Lanka Accountability Project was extended for a further two-year period in October. The project has a mandate to collect and preserve evidence for future accountability processes — a key aspect of ensuring pressure remains on the Sri Lankan government to remedy and stop both historical and current human rights violations. 

Victories for women’s rights 

The year saw a number of victories for women’s rights, with Amnesty at the forefront. 

©AFP via Getty Images

In the latest progress on sexual and reproductive rights in Latin America, Colombia decriminalized abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy in February. The news followed the legalization of abortion in Argentina in 2020 and the decriminalization of abortion in Mexico 2021. 

In May, the lower chamber of Spain’s parliament passed a bill containing important measures to prevent and prosecute rape. Finland’s parliament passed similar measures in June, adopting reforms that make lack of consent key to defining rape. Finland also passed reforms in October that eased the strictest abortion laws in the Nordic region. 

September saw the acquittal of Miranda Ruiz, a doctor who had been unjustly prosecuted in Argentina for having guaranteed a legal abortion.   

Notable wins for LGBTI rights 

Amnesty contributed to some notable wins for LGBTI rights throughout 2022. 

In an important affirmation of transgender individuals’ rights to dignity, happiness and family life, South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled that having children of minor age should not immediately be the reason to refuse to recognize the legal gender of transgender persons. 

In July, same-sex marriage became legal in Switzerland, after almost two-thirds of the population voted in favour of it in a referendum. Slovenia followed suit in October, legalizing same-sex marriage after a constitutional court ruling.  

A ban on the award-winning film Joyland, which features a transgender person as a central character, was reversed in Pakistan in November.  

The post Human Rights wins in 2022  appeared first on Amnesty International.

Writing a letter, sending a tweet, signing a petition. Surely you can’t change the world with something so simple? Yes, you can! 

Since Write for Rights started in 2001, millions of people, just like you, have changed the lives of those whose human rights had been stripped from them. Taking just a little bit of time to send a tweet or write a letter has made the world of difference to the people we have supported through the campaign. In the past year alone, we’ve seen positive developments for several people recently featured in the campaign. 

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER FREE  

Bernardo Caal Xol, a Guatemalan teacher and environmental activist, worked tirelessly to defend communities affected by hydroelectric projects on the Cahabón river, in northern Guatemala. In November 2018, he was sentenced to more than seven years in prison on bogus charges aimed at preventing his human rights work. During Write for Rights 2021 more than half a million actions were taken for Bernardo and in March 2022 he was released. In a video message to Amnesty International activists, he said: 

“I, Bernardo Caal Xol, a member of the Maya Q’eqchi’ people of Guatemala, am grateful to each and every one of you. You have given me hope for the justice, liberty and equality that must prevail in every people and nation.” 

© Anny Matzir

FATHER OF THREE REUNITED WITH FAMILY 

On 30 June 2021, Burundian human rights defender Germain Rukuki was released from prison four years into a 32-year sentence. He had been found guilty of a number of sham charges relating to his human rights work. He was jailed before getting a chance to hold his youngest child, born just weeks after he was arrested in July 2017. His family were forced to flee the country for fear of reprisals. Initially unable to leave Burundi following his release, Germain was finally reunited with his family in Belgium in February 2022. Supporters from around the world took more than 436,000 actions calling for Germain’s release. He told Amnesty International: 

“Write for Rights really does have a positive impact. Their support has made me, Germain Rukuki, come out of prison even more committed to defending human rights.” 

© Private

FREED FROM DEATH ROW  

Magai Matiop Ngong was a 15-year-old schoolboy in South Sudan when he was sentenced to death on 14 November 2017 for murder. Magai recounted how he told the judge the death was an accident and that he was only a child; despite this, Magai faced trial for capital murder without any access to a lawyer. More than 700,000 actions were taken for Magai during Write for Rights 2019, and in March 2022 the High Court agreed that given his age at the time of the conviction, he should be released. Magai is now safely out of the country and determined more than ever to help people like him. Of the people who campaigned on his behalf, he said:  

“They are life-saving individuals…They made it possible for me to be here today…I’m quite sure that my life is not the only one they have saved. They have saved the lives of people all around the world”

© Amnesty International

YOU TOO CAN CHANGE THE WORLD AND HERE’S HOW 

Write for Rights 2022 is nearly here! This year, we’re teaming up with Amnesty’s global Protect the Protest campaign. Throughout history, protest has been a powerful tool for change. But governments around the world are cracking down on protests and restricting people’s rights. Write for Rights 2022 will feature 13 people who have paid a great price for speaking truth to power. 

If you have any doubts that your words can make a difference, Jani Silva, an environmental activist from Colombia can assure you they do. Jani’s fearless opposition to environmental contamination and human rights violations has had frightening consequences. She’s been followed, intimidated, and threatened with death. Following the 2020 Write for Rights campaign, Jani said: 

“I am so very grateful for the letters. From the bottom of my heart, this campaign has kept me alive. It’s what has stopped them from killing me, because they know that you are there.” 

The post Write for Rights – the life-changing power of words appeared first on Amnesty International.

January

A Polish court dismissed an appeal against the acquittal of three women who had been accused of ‘offending religious beliefs’ for distributing posters of the Virgin Mary with an LGBTI rainbow halo. More than 276,000 actions were taken on their behalf by Amnesty supporters.

©Attila Husejnow/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The abolition of the death penalty for all crimes in Kazakhstan came into force — a significant win for Amnesty’s campaign for the global abolition of the punishment. Kazakhstan, which became the 109^th fully abolitionist country, also went on to become a state party to a key international treaty on abolition in March.

The US Department of Defense published the findings of an independent RAND Corporation investigation it commissioned into the Pentagon’s civilian casualty reporting practices. The investigation was prompted, in part, by Amnesty’s reporting on civilian casualties caused by US & Coalition forces in Raqqa, Syria in 2017; our multimedia investigation War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality is cited multiple times in RAND’s report.

Ghana’s Parliament rejected a bill that would have further criminalized LGBTI people, introduced prison sentences for anyone expressing support or “sympathy” toward LGBTI people, and encouraged conversion therapy and gender “realignment” for children. Opposition to the bill came from groups including Amnesty International, who criticized it before the Parliament.

In Afghanistan, Professor Faizullah Jalal, who had been arbitrarily arrested and detained by the Taliban, was freed following campaigning by Amnesty International and others. His daughter said that his release would not have been possible without Amnesty’s intervention.  

February

After nearly 30 years of advocacy and campaigning by Amnesty International Slovenia, the country’s President finally issued a public apology to the thousands of people from other former Yugoslav republics whose residency permits were revoked after Slovenia declared independence in 1992. The so-called “erasure” left some 26,000 people without residency and economic and social rights, depriving them of health and social benefits.

The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court overturned a law criminalizing “imitation of the opposite sex,” legislation that Amnesty International had previously criticized in its Annual Report.

Following a long-term campaign by Amnesty International and other civil society organizations, Colombia decriminalized abortion during the first 24 weeks of a pregnancy. This achievement further boosted the momentum behind the movement for sexual and reproductive rights across Latin America, following the legalization of abortion in Argentina in 2020 and the decriminalization of abortion in Mexico 2021.

In Honduras, the “Guapinol eight”, water rights defenders and prisoners of conscience, were unconditionally released after two and a half years. Amnesty International carried out media, advocacy and campaigning work for more than a year to highlight their wrongful detention.

© guapinolresiste.org

Dipti Rani Das, a 17-year-old girl from Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, was released after spending more than 16 months in detention for a Facebook post. Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action on her behalf and provided relief support for her legal expenses.

March

The UNHRC renewed the mandate of the Human Rights Commission on South Sudan, which is currently the only independent mechanism capable of collecting evidence for future accountability. Amnesty International actively advocated for its renewal through joint public letters to UNHRC member states, bilateral meetings with UNHRC member states and section engagement at capital level.

Two individuals recently featured in Amnesty International’s annual Write for Rights Campaign were released from prison. Bernardo Caal Xol, an Indigenous Mayan environmentalist and prisoner of conscience in Guatemala, was freed early after being wrongfully imprisoned for his activism. And, in South Sudan, Magai Matiop Ngong, who was a 15-year-old school student when sentenced to death in 2017, was released after the High Court ruled he was a child at the time of his alleged crime.

April

In 2018, Amnesty International launched a campaign on behalf of Tayebe Abassi, a then 18-year-old girl whose family faced being deported to Afghanistan from Norway, where they had lived since 2012. In April, Tayebe’s mother finally received a residency permit, giving her the right to stay with her children in Norway. Tayebe shared the following message to thank Amnesty International for its support:   

“I wanted to ask you if that’s possible I could send my thankful message to Amnesty International and everyone who supported me and my family during our struggle. Looking back in time makes me feel strong and powerful, I found all of those support cards that I got from different Amnesty members around the world ” – Tayebe

In Libya, Mansour Atti, a journalist, blogger and head of the Red Crescent Committee and of the Civil Society Commission, was released ten months after his enforced disappearance. Amnesty International issued an urgent action, public statement and press release on his case and encouraged members and supporters to sign petitions, send letters and post on social media to call for his immediate and unconditional release.

In another win for the long-running campaign by Amnesty International and others for the global abolition of the death penalty, Papua New Guinea became the latest country to abandon the punishment, 30 years after its reintroduction in 1991.

Following months of advocacy and campaigning by Amnesty International and other civil society organizations, the European Union reached political agreement on the Digital Services Act (DSA). This landmark regulatory framework will, among other things, require Big Tech platforms to assess and manage systemic risks posed by their services, such as advocacy of hatred and the spread of disinformation.

In response to research by Amnesty International and partners, Mali’s authorities launched an investigation into an ‘anti-terrorist operation’ in the city of Moura, carried out by Mali’s armed forces and mercenaries from the Wagner group, that left at least 203 people dead. Based on eyewitness testimonies, Amnesty International’s joint-research had concluded that dozens of civilians were killed during the operation and that many people were unlawfully killed.

May

In a success for the women’s movement in Spain and for Amnesty International activists, who long campaigned for it, the lower chamber of Spain’s parliament passed a bill containing important measures to prevent, protect and prosecute rape. The law puts consent at the centre of the discussion around sexual violence, including rape.

©Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images

The UN Security Council (UNSC) renewed the arms embargo on the territory of South Sudan for another year. Amnesty International contributed to this result through research and targeted advocacy, including bilateral meetings with UNSC members during an advocacy mission to New York in April and section engagement at capital level.

A day after the launch of Amnesty International’s annual death penalty report, Zambia’s President announced that the country would begin the process of abolishing the death penalty.

In Guinea, a judicial investigation was launched against former political and police leaders for violations of the right to life, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and torture following the country’s constitutional crisis in 2020. Amnesty International has called repeatedly for an end to the impunity for these violations, publishing a report and multiple other outputs condemning the unlawful killings of dozens of demonstrators and the arbitrary detention of dozens of political activists and civil society representatives.

In a positive step for the right to freedom of expression in India, the country’s Supreme Court suspended the 152-year-old sedition law.

June

In a move long advocated by Amnesty International, States, civil society, and international organizations gathered in Geneva to finalize the text of a political declaration aimed at strengthening the protection of civilians arising from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It is expected that states will sign onto the political declaration at a diplomatic event later this year.

Amnesty International’s ongoing campaign on the death penalty saw further success, with an announcement by Malaysia’s government that it would begin the process of abolishing the mandatory death sentence that currently exists for 11 offences.

The post Human rights victories to celebrate in 2022 appeared first on Amnesty International.

January

Global: Amnesty International’s ground-breaking report on how health workers around the world had been exposed, silenced and attacked during the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in Ibrahim Badawi, a doctor, and Ahmad al-Daydoumy, a dentist, being released from detention in Egypt in January and March this year. They were just two of the many health workers arbitrarily detained in 2020 in Egypt, on vague and overly broad charges of “spreading false news” and “terrorism”, which Amnesty highlighted in its research.  

February

AFP via Getty Images

Sri Lanka: Following the outbreak of Covid-19 in Sri Lanka, a number of people from the Muslim community were forcibly cremated on the instructions of the authorities and against the wishes of the deceased’s families. Amnesty International called for Sri Lanka’s authorities to respect the right of religious minorities to carry out the final rites of their relatives in accordance with their own traditions unless restrictions were needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Amnesty also engaged with Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) states to impress upon the Sri Lankan government to change this discriminatory policy, and placed op-eds in Pakistan and Bangladesh ahead of a key session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. As a result, Sri Lankan authorities decided to end the practice of forced cremations for victims of Covid-19 in February.

March

Bahrain: Amnesty International helped to secure several prisoner releases in Bahrain this year, including four children who had been tried as adults. In March, a Bahraini court suspended a six-month prison sentence against the four and placed them in a rehabilitation programme instead – one week after Amnesty issued an urgent action. In April, there was more good news with the release of prisoner of conscience, Mohammed Hassan Jawad, who had been serving a 15-year prison sentence for his peaceful participation in the 2011 uprising. Amnesty International has been campaigning for his release for a decade. In another breakthrough, on 11 March, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Bahrain’s human rights situation and its treatment of human rights defenders, followed by another in September on Emirati prisoner of conscience Ahmed Mansoor – which echoed Amnesty’s recommendations.  

©Getty Images/Alessandro Di Ciommo/NurPhoto

Japan: In March, a Japanese court ruled that the government’s failure to recognize same-sex marriage was unconstitutional – the country’s first-ever judicial ruling on marriage equality. The decision was a ground-breaking step for same-sex couples in their pursuit of equal rights and could set an important precedent for similar cases filed by other same-sex couples in Japan. This followed campaign calls and petitions from Amnesty International and others.

Cesare Davolio / Amnesty International

Iraq: The Iraqi parliament passed the Yezidi Survivors Law which provides a framework for reparations for many survivors of ISIS atrocities in northern Iraq, including women and girls who were subjected to sexual violence and child survivors who were abducted before the age of 18. This was a key recommendation in a report published last year by Amnesty International on the physical and mental health crisis endured by Yezidi children separated from their families. The report was also referenced by Angelina Jolie in a speech to the UN Security Council regarding sexual violence in conflict. Additional bylaws were passed in September.

Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images

Global: In March, October and November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced it would open formal investigations into the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Philippine government’s deadly ‘war on drugs’ and crimes against humanity in Venezuela. Amnesty International has been documenting crimes against humanity in all these countries for several years, its research was cited dozens of times in the Prosecutor’s filing.

AFP via Getty Images

Madagascar: After months of refusing to acknowledge Covid-19, the Malagasy government finally dropped its policy of refusing to order Covid-19 vaccines following pressure from Amnesty and others – giving more people a chance to access life-saving vaccines.

Amnesty International

South Africa: In March, police revived an investigation into the 2017 murders of best friends Popi Qwabe and Bongeka Phungula, after receiving a petition signed by more than 341,000 Amnesty International supporters worldwide demanding that their killers be brought to justice. The police have now completed their investigation and handed over the case to the country’s National Prosecuting Authority. After years of distress and anger over irregularities and delays in the original police investigation, Popi and Bongeka’s friends and families finally have reason to believe that justice for their loved ones is on the horizon. “I feel optimistic,” said Popi’s sister Thembelihle. “I feel like finally, something is about to change.”

April

Global: Amnesty International released its flagship annual report, The State of the World’s Human Rights. This latest edition covered the human rights situation in 149 countries and was translated into a record 38 languages. It also included specific advocacy calls on a range of human rights issues.

May

AFP via Getty Images

Global: Amnesty International won a prestigious Webby Award for its microsite on the abuse of tear gas by police forces around the world. The site was originally launched in mid-2020, and is frequently updated with new content and evidence of abuses. The material is also still being cited in ongoing advocacy, including in recent US Congressional debates around regulating or banning police use of tear gas.

June

Alexandra Bertels

Burundi: NGO worker and human rights defender Germain Rukuki was released from prison after spending more than four years behind bars for standing up for human rights. Initially sentenced to 32 years in prison on baseless charges, Germain was jailed before getting a chance to hold his youngest child, born just weeks after he was detained in July 2017. After more than 400,000 actions calling for his release, Germain is looking to be reunited with his family, who fled the country for fear of reprisals.

Amnesty International

China: Amnesty International published an extensive report detailing how the draconian repression faced by Muslims in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region amounts to crimes against humanity. The report garnered significant global media coverage, and was followed up with a campaign calling for the closure of the internment camps. To date, the ‘Free Xinjiang Detainees’ petition has been signed by more than 323,000 people around the world and Amnesty International’s national teams in 10 countries have held petition handover events.

Pakistan: Amnesty International successfully campaigned for the acquittal and release of  Shafqat and Shagufta Emmanuel, a Christian couple, who spent seven years on death row on blasphemy charges. 

Eliana Rodgers

USA: Decode Surveillance NYC saw more than 7,000 Amnesty International supporters from 144 countries map 15,000 surveillance cameras across New York City which can be used by the NYPD to track people using facial recognition software. The results of the innovative project helped campaigners push local legislators for a ban on the use of the discriminatory technology.

Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Nepal: After the launch of Amnesty International’s report, “Struggling to breathe”: The second wave of Covid-19 in Nepal, which was followed by sustained campaigning and advocacy initiatives, the Japanese government donated 1.6 million vaccines to Nepal, Bhutan donated 230,000 and the UK donated 130,000 doses.

Nigeria: The Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) granted an order to prohibit Nigerian authorities from prosecuting anyone using Twitter in the country. This victory for freedom of expression came after Amnesty International helped Nigerian NGO, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), to bring a case against the Nigerian authorities over their threat to prosecute anyone using Twitter after they implemented a blanket ban on the social platform in June.

July

The National Immigrant Justice Center

Nicaragua: After more than two years locked up in an immigration detention facility in California where she was abused and denied access to adequate medical care, Maura Martínez, a transgender woman originally from Nicaragua, was finally freed in July.  Martínez had spent half her life in the United States where she sought safety after experiencing relentless gender-based violence while living in Mexico. However, after a legal incident, US authorities detained and threatened to deport her. Thanks to a global campaign by Amnesty International and partner organizations, she is now free and able to live in the USA while she awaits the adjudication of her asylum claim.

Amnesty International / Camila Villota B.

Honduras: On 5 July 2021, a court in Honduras convicted David Castillo, the former manager of the company Desarrollos Energéticos and the person in charge of the Agua Zarca hydroelectric project, of participating in the 2016 murder of the human rights defender Berta Cáceres. Amnesty International has campaigned for justice for Berta for years and continues to demand that all those responsible for ordering or carrying out her murder face justice.

Denmark: In early 2021, the Danish government proposed a draft law to parliament granting police the power to issue a “security-creating assembly ban” if a group of people exhibited “insecurity-inciting behaviour”. Amnesty Denmark and partners successfully prevented the Danish government from passing the law, which would have put undue restrictions on the right to protest. They won the Civic Pride Award 2021 for their campaigning. Another award winner was Amnesty Hungary, which campaigned against the abusive and stigmatising LexNGO law, as part of the Civilisacion coalition. Over 3 years, the coalition fought LexNGO, taking the case to the European Court of Justice, which eventually led to the repeal of the law.

Sierra Leone: After years of sustained campaigning from Amnesty International and others, the parliament voted to abolish the death penalty in Sierra Leone for all crimes. The Act, approved by parliament in July, was being finalised before President Julius Maada Bio can sign it into law. The process of commuting all outstanding death sentences has already begun. As of 30 June 2021, 21 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa had abolished the death penalty for all crimes.

Amnesty International

Latin America: Amnesty International celebrated the achievements of its five-year human rights education programme, It’s My Body!, which set out to educate young people in Argentina, Chile and Peru about sexual and reproductive rights, enabling them to make positive changes in their community. Hundreds of young people were trained to provide support to others and the impact has been incredible. In Argentina, one young person successfully reformed a school curriculum to include comprehensive sexuality education, while in Peru, young people who took part in the project trained parents and teachers across the country.

USA: After the previous US federal administration carried out 13 executions in six months, on 1 July 2021, the US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the establishment of a moratorium on executions pending the review of policies and procedure by the Department of Justice. Amnesty International has been one of the organizations campaigning for this outcome and will continue to work until this temporary measure is turned into permanent abolition of the US federal death penalty [and all death sentences are commuted.

August

AFP via Getty Images

Afghanistan: Following the collapse of the Afghanistan government after the Taliban seized power in mid-August 2021, Amnesty International researchers continue to investigate atrocities committed by the group and were able to verify two massacres of Hazara people in the provinces of Ghazni and Daykundi by Taliban fighters. These reports were among the first evidence that the Taliban continued to persecute marginalized communities in Afghanistan as they took control of the country. Amnesty International also published powerful testimony from girls who were excluded from school, amidst ongoing Taliban threats and violence.

September

Guinea: After months of campaigning from Amnesty International and its supporters, pro-democracy activist Omar Sylla was unconditionally released on 6 September, the day after the military led a coup against President Alpha Conde. Following his release, dozens of political activists were also released and charges were dropped by the judiciary.

Tunisia: Research by Amnesty International helped to end the practice of arbitrary travel bans imposed on many Tunisians following President Kais Saied’s seizure of exceptional powers. After Amnesty published a story on the situation, the president issued a statement on 17 September ordering the border police “not to impose any travel ban on people unless through a judicial order”.

Hindustan Times via Getty Images

Global: Following years of advocacy, pressure and engagement from Amnesty International, the Human Rights Council recognized the Right to a Safe Clean Healthy and Sustainable Environment and created a Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change – an emphatic statement leading up to COP26 about the link between human rights and the environmental crisis.  

Central African Republic: Two men suspected of crimes against humanity Mahamat Said Abdel Kani and Eugene Barret Ngaikosset were finally arrested, with Ngaikosset placed in custody by the Special Criminal Court (SCC). It was the first time the SCC publicly named a suspect and it came after Amnesty International called for the SCC to address its lack of transparency. Amnesty International has been advocating for justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in CAR for a number of years and our work – together with others – contributed to these two individuals being arrested.

October

Forbidden Stories

Global: The European Parliament’s Daphne Caruana Prize for Journalism was awarded to the Pegasus Project, which saw Amnesty partner with major media organizations to expose the vast scale of violations perpetrated through secretive cyber surveillance. The revelations made global headlines and led to spyware company NSO Group being blacklisted by the USA, as well as triggering investigations in multiple countries, and calls for the surveillance industry to be properly regulated.

Moldova: The parliament of Moldova ratified the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention and Suppression of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), opening the door to better protection and support to survivors of domestic violence and violence against women. According to the Moldovan government, the country has already adapted more than 20 legislative acts to meet the requirements of the convention. To date, the only other country in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to ratify the convention, in addition to Moldova, is Georgia. Amnesty has been actively promoting women’s rights and the fight against domestic violence for years.

Kosovo: Following an intervention from Amnesty International, Austrian-based Kelkos Energy withdrew its baseless defamation lawsuits against environmental activists Shpresa Loshaj and Adriatik Gacaferi, who had publicly raised concerns about the environmental impact of hydropower projects. Austrian-based Kelkos Energy was using these lawsuits to intimidate and silence Shpresa and Adriatik from speaking out about the possible environmental damage caused by the company’s exploitation of Kosovo’s natural resources.

©ODTU LGBTI+

Turkey: A court acquitted 18 students and an academic who had been prosecuted for taking part in a peaceful campus-based Pride parade in Ankara in May 2019, which was met with police using pepper spray, plastic bullets and tear gas. Their acquittal after a protracted legal battle was a victory for justice. The case of the METU students was part of Amnesty International’s flagship Write for Rights campaign in 2020. More than 445,000 people from 43 countries demanded their acquittal.

Global: Following pressure from Amnesty’s international and partner organisations, the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General announced plans to mainstream children’s rights within the UN system. The announcement followed a successful UN side-event organised jointly by Amnesty International and its partners, featuring an address by Amnesty’s Secretary General, Agnes Callamard.

November

Guinea Bissau and Niger: Guinea Bissau and Niger declared they would allow individuals and NGOS to submit complaints to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, bringing the number of countries to sign the declaration to eight. Amnesty’s advocacy campaign was pivotal, thanks to its educational video, social media campaign and sustained engagements with African Union actors and civil society groups.

The post 33 human rights wins to celebrate this year appeared first on Amnesty International.

In October 2001, a small group of Amnesty members met in Warsaw, Poland to plan activities for Human Rights Day on 10 December. Little did they know that 20 years later their ‘simple plan’ would change the lives of innumerable people around the world.

In 2001, activists in Poland wrote letters to authorities for 24 hours straight and every letter aimed to end a human rights injustice – and with those 2,326 letters, Write for Rights was born!

Karen Veldkamp

In 2002, the campaign went global, with activists from 18 other countries joining those in Poland. By 2005, the campaign got even bigger, with 37 countries taking part. Starting at midday on 10 December in Japan and Malaysia, crossing to Mongolia and Nepal, then onto countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East and ending in the Americas. At the culmination of the 24-hours, over 80,000 letters had been written.

From small seeds, mighty trees grow and what started as a group of friends taking part in a 24-hour ‘letter writing marathon’, has now become the biggest human rights campaign in the world. By 2019, the 24 hours had become two weeks of activities, with over 100 countries taking part and 6.6 million letters, emails, SMS’ and Twitter actions collected. From music concerts in Burkina Faso, to theatre shows in Morocco, speakers’ tours in Norway, art exhibitions in Brazil and over 700 schools in Poland, Write for Rights has grown and morphed into something truly amazing.

©Private

As the campaign has grown in numbers, so too have the successes. The impact of Write for Rights has been life changing for those featured. In 2019, student activist and poet, 24-year-old Paing Phyo Min, was arrested after performing satirical poetry criticizing the military in Myanmar. The charges against him included “incitement”; the authorities claiming that the poetry performance would encourage military officers to abandon their duties. Paing Phyo Min was sentenced to six-years behind bars. Over 300,000 letters and cards, signatures and Tweets were collected on behalf of Paing Phyo Min. A few months after the campaign, in April 2021, Paing Phyo was released from prison.

© Alexandra Bertels

On 30 June 2021, Burundian human rights defender Germain Rukuki was released after serving more than four years in prison. He should never have been imprisoned in the first place – Germain was arrested, prosecuted and convicted simply for his human rights work.

During Write for Rights, supporters from around the world took more than 436,000 actions calling for Germain’s freedom. Germain’s wife Emelyne Mupfasoni shared her thanks with all those who acted, “From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you all to have mobilized and made it possible for Germain to soon reunite with us…”

Amnesty International

Eighteen students and one member of faculty were on trial for more than two years for organising a Pride event at the Middle Eastern Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey, in 2019. Over 445,000 actions were taken on behalf of the METU Pride defendants, who faced up to three years in prison if found guilty. Melike Balkan and Özgür Gür, two of the 19 defendants, wholeheartedly joined the campaign, taking part in many activities. While the Covid-19 pandemic prevented travel, they joined over 20 online meetings with Amnesty members and students across the world. On 8 October 2021 they were acquitted of almost all charges. Melike and Özgür have gone on to form their own NGO, advocating, campaigning and defending the rights of young LGBTI+ people and students in Turkey.

Melike and Özgür aren’t the only people featured in Write for Rights to take an active role in campaigning.

Miikka Pirinen / Amnesty Finland

During Write for Rights 2014, hundreds of thousands of people around the world called for the release of Moses Akatugba. In 2005, Moses was just 16 years old when he was accused of stealing three mobile phones, tortured by the police into ‘confessing’ and sentenced to death.

In June 2015, after over 800,000 messages were directed to the Governor of Nigeria’s Delta State, Moses was pardoned. When Moses finally left prison, he expressed his huge gratitude to all those who had written on his behalf, stating: “I want to assure them that this great effort they have shown to me will not be in vain, by the special grace of God I will live up to their expectation. I promise to be a human rights activist – to fight for others.”

I want to assure them [Amnesty supporters] that this great effort they have shown to me will not be in vain… I will live up to their expectation

Moses Akatugba

And fight he did.

In December 2019, Moses travelled to the European Parliament in Brussels to take part in Write for Rights actions for fifteen-year-old Magai Matiop Ngong from South Sudan, who featured in the campaign that year. Like Moses, Magai had been sentenced to death when only a child. Moses used his unique experience to campaign on behalf of Magai. Following more than 700,000 letters, tweets, postcards and messages, the Court of Appeal in South Sudan repealed the death sentence imposed on Magai, noting that he was a child at the time of the crime.

From Moses to Melike and Özgür, these inspiring people represent just a handful of those who have been released over the past 20 years, thanks to your incredible work. Nothing compares to the power of people and Amnesty International’s campaign shows how writing a letter, sending a tweet or signing a petition really can change a person’s life.

The post Write for Rights: Celebrating 20 years of change appeared first on Amnesty International.

Know Your Rights and Claim Them explains how the concept of children’s rights came into being, features how-to guides, as well as a number of inspiring stories from young activists at the forefront of human rights change.

On International Day of the Girl 2021, Khairiyah from Thailand, Janna from Palestine, and Oluwatomisin from Nigeria, share their incredible stories of activism, proving that change is possible when we stand up to injustice.

“I want the next generations to have the right to grow up in the same nature I grew up in”

Khairiyah Rahmanyah, 19, was born to a fishing family in southern Thailand. An area rich in biodiversity, her community depends on the sea for food and livelihoods. In 2020, when she was seventeen, Khairiyah launched a campaign against the Thai government’s plan to develop a natural gas pipeline between Thailand and Malaysia.

©Private

“I was born 19 years ago into a fishing family in the Southern coast of Thailand, in a village called Chana. My life – and the lives of everyone in Chana – revolves around the ocean. Fishing is the main source of livelihood for most of the community, with catches exported across Asia to countries like China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan.

In Chana, fishing is a family business. On the weekends, the local children will go out onto the water to help fish with their parents. I have many great memories of weekends at sea with my father. As well as providing us with an income, the sea is a rich source of food. The waters around my village are also home to endangered marine species, such as sea turtles and rare pink dolphins.

Everything changed in Chana when they started developing industrial areas around the village in 2019The government planned to install a natural gas pipeline between Thailand and Malaysia, which requires construction deep under water. The boat they used to start this work was around 30 metres long. It prevented fishermen from doing their jobs and children from playing in the sea.

The structures they were building would have a huge impact on local people’s lives and on biodiversity. When the construction began, my childhood disappeared. Chana is sustainable – I can see the sea life, the whole area was green, but when this work began, I saw this difference, and it felt difficult to adjust to. What the government is trying to do is destroying our lives.

In 2020, when I was seventeen, I launched a campaign against the Thai government’s plan to develop Chana into an industrial estate. I spent many hours picketing and travelled 1,000 kilometres to Government House in Bangkok to deliver a letter to the prime minister, begging him to stop the development.

As a result, the infrastructure project has been put on hold. There is a new consultation and research is being done, this time with the participation of the community.

As a young person, if you want to see change, you have to fight for it. It’s the only way we can enjoy our basic human rights”

Khairiyah Rahmanyah

I live with the sea, eat from the sea and grew up with the sea. There is a tie between us – a strong one. I grew up seeing my parents protecting Chana and I want to grow into adulthood in a place filled with environmental wealth just like we have now. I want the next generations to have the right to grow up in the same nature I grew up in. As a young person, if you want to see change, you have to fight for it. It’s the only way we can enjoy our basic human rights and it’s up to adults to support us and provide guidance.  

Words cannot explain how I feel to be part of this book – I am really proud of myself, but more for the fact I can represent the stories of the people in my community. There are a lot of people who have fought with me – I am not doing this on my own, I am representing my community.”

“Why would I stay silent if I want to change the reality of what we’re living through”

Janna Jihad, 15, grew up in the small Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh. In 2009, when Janna was three, her community began weekly demonstrations, but they were met with violence. When she was five, Janna’s uncle and her friend were killed by the Israeli military. Age seven, she decided to act. She used her mother’s phone to record the struggles she was facing on a daily basis and became a human rights reporter. By the time she was a teenager, her live videos were watched by hundreds of thousands of people. In 2018, she became the youngest Palestinian press card-carrying journalist in the world, at the age of 12.

Tanya Habjouqa/NOOR

“Growing up in my country is super hard. I’ve lived my whole life under the occupation, hearing its sounds, like tear gas canisters being fired through the air. I’ve been afraid of being killed, arrested, injured. I’ve never been able to play with my friends peacefully. We are not living a normal life.

I first became a journalist when I was 7 – when I saw there was not enough coverage of what we’re living through. I saw my cousin and my uncle killed. My mother injured. I realised that not enough people know these feelings that we feel. I realised I had to do something, so I started taking my mum’s phone and making videos. Sharing the stories of Palestinian children is my biggest achievement and having a platform to share my daily life and struggles is something I am very proud of. Having a supportive family has helped me advocate for Palestinian rights. I am being raised by a single mum and having witnessed how strong she was living in a patriarchal society, inspired me.

I grew up in an activist family. We started our weekly demonstrations in 2009. The Israeli soldiers used to try and suppress us. We’d be marching, then the forces would come and interrogate you and arrest you. Being raised in an activist family – hearing the stories of my grandma or grandpa, listening to my uncles talk about getting arrested, learning about the resistance — inspired me to not stay silent. Staying silent in such situations is impossible. Why would I stay silent if I want to change the reality of what we’re living through and what we’re still going through?

When I talk to my friends who are my age – we have so much energy. We’re done with the injustices in
the world.

Janna Jihad

The occupation affects every aspect of our lives that you can imagine. I cannot go to school without passing an Israeli checkpoint. We have been colonized under a system that violates our very basic and fundamental rights. This is why it is important for children to know what their rights are, so they can speak up when those rights are violated. Standing up for our rights can be one of the most effective ways of resisting this occupation. Reading books about your rights can be extremely educational and informative. It can be a pathway for children to learn about their rights. They can also learn about other people’s rights – and stand up for them too.

Resistance can come in millions of ways and I believe the youth are the ones who are going to make a change. Our generation are so done with all of this. When I talk to my friends who are my age – we have so much energy. We’re done with the injustices in the world. I believe we are the generation of change, but we need to know how to demand them. I hope we can get together and put an end to racism, apartheid and settlements. Us uniting is something that is very important. It is the only way to make a change in this world!

My hope is for a liberated Palestine – a country where there are no checkpoints, no raids, no bombs, no fear. To live in my house, in a place where I am safe. I just want a normal, peaceful life where I see justice and equality for everyone, where everyone lives in peace and harmony.”

“Human rights are the most important thing you can have”

At 12-years-old, Oluwatomisin (Tomisin) Jasmin Ogunnubi developed an award-winning mobile app called ‘My Locator’. The safety tracking app is designed with children in mind and features an alert button that links to the Lagos State emergency services number. The teenager was inspired to develop the app following years of kidnappings and child abductions in Nigeria, including the notorious attack in 2014 in which 279 schoolgirls were captured in Chibok by Boko Haram. Tomisin, now 18, has also created an initiative, Girl Bridge, to provide mentorship to girls.

Private

“I was lucky to grow up in a privileged home compared to other children. I was given protection and other human rights. I didn’t realise things were amiss until I got older, then a different reality began to hit me. It became clear that people are facing corruption, poverty, gender inequality. Child labour was another huge thing. Seeing the realities people had to face made me want to find solutions. I developed these skills in coding and computer science and wanted to use my skills to make something good happen.

“I was scared when the Chibok girls – at a boarding school, similar to mine – were abducted and taken. I was 11 or 12 at the time. It could have happened to me. It was a fearful time. The app was meant to be an experiment – could I do something to target insecurity in my community? So, if someone is in an emergency situation they can click on a button and it can send information to designated contacts. The app has now amassed over 1,000 downloads. One of the reasons for the recognition was that you don’t see girls my age in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). But it’s not something that is just for boys.

“Using what I have to add value is what I’ve learnt from my parents. Technically that would be at the heart of activism – being of value to people. In addition, my mum is a gender specialist and a human rights advocate and that pushed me to think more about these topics and issues.

Knowing your rights is very powerful. You can rise up as an activist and demand that your community is not mistreated. You can improve lives”

Oluwatomisin Jasmin Ogunnubi

“Human rights are the most important thing you can have. You can come into a situation where your rights are being threatened and knowing your rights can prevent this. Once you’re informed about what you’re entitled to – it can help you prevent abuse or mistreatment. It can give you power against people who want to undermine you. For example, if many people knew education was a right, they would demand it from the government. It makes you want to push for it. Not being given that education is not normal. Knowing your rights is very powerful. You can rise up as an activist and demand that your community is not mistreated. You can improve lives.

“People who read “Know Your Rights and Claim Them” can take hints from these stories so they can claim their rights and make better situations for themselves. The book addresses people from all different spheres of life and empowers an entire community of young people.

“I am passionate about bridging the gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). Girls when given the resources can make huge strides. We don’t have to marginalise people based on who they are. I hope for a future where fewer people are discriminated against, largely because they know their rights and they can use it to their advantage.”

Know Your Rights and Claim Them is available in the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. It is available online and from all good bookshops. Amnesty International’s online human rights education course is available now on the Human Rights Academy. More language editions will be out next year.

The post Three young female activists reveal how they’re claiming their rights appeared first on Amnesty International.

Standing Representative for International Members (2021 – 2023)

Botswana

Dumi (they, them, their) is a proudly Pan African and unequivocally non-binary queer feminist working on eliminating the barriers between grassroots experiences and global policymaking. Dumi is the Founder of Success Capital Organisation; a youth-led, managed and serving organization working on strengthening and safeguarding LGBTIQ+ youth agency and autonomy in human rights and sustainable development whilst challenging power, privilege and patriarchy. Dumi serves on the IREX-USAID Global Youth Advisory Council, World Youth Forum for Democracy Board & appointed an African Youth Charter Hustler by the AU Youth Envoy.

The past weekend was the cumulation of an intriguing, engaging and lovely journey in learning about Amnesty International. I am reminded of my first Global Assembly experience in 2019 – amidst a myriad of experiences, both good and bad as an activist, personally and many other ways. One of the most memorable of highlights is in contributing towards Amnesty’s strategy online beforehand and in person in Johannesburg. The #NextStrategy webinar series was quite exhilarating; learning and engaging with the Secretary General at the time and other brilliant activists.

I see this point as my peak in youth activism – having worked 7+ years at a grassroots level. Access to such spaces for someone like me: a queer, bi-polar, non-binary, migrant feminist, have only been possible through programmes such as CIVICUS World Alliance’s Goalkeeper Youth Action Accelerator. Also, the sheer hunger for more and better in scaling scope and occupying space. So when I found myself standing in front of the Global Assembly, impassioned and having listened to a lot of conversations around policy, governance representation and global challenges (more importantly, I had navigated my way into the youth collective’s engagement – a community that inspired and further motivated), I thought to myself; how lucky I am to be in this space – better later than never.

One thing I noticed, is how many had been inducted and assimilated within the movement when young. How I would have longed for an opportunity to learn and engage in human rights work when younger. However, like Wangari Maathai once said; ‘human rights are not things that are put on the table for people to enjoy. These are things you fight for and then you protect.’ Being exposed to human rights issues and work would have helped me recognise much earlier that what happened to me was not normal. That structural and variant forms of violence should not have been normalized even in the misogynistic and sexist Afrikaans boarding school I attended in post-apartheid South Africa.

This past weekend only affirmed this, as discussions on policy issues and on anti-racism unfolded. It was a one-of-a-kind learning journey of what democracy should look like. As an international member representative; I can now comfortably assimilate and feel ‘safe’ to be and become within this movement. The few staff members I have had touch points with prior to assuming this role have been amazing. From side chats on the margins of regional convenings, through the Covid-19 pandemic in strengthening the strategy, consulting on youth issues and in orientating me and my fellow member representatives.

Amnesty International has taught me that you can remain divergent whilst being part of a wider collective. That existing beyond binaries and wealth-based framing of worthiness need not be a hinderance in being a part of a bigger picture. That social justice need not be so lonely and based on benefits for particular individuals. The phased engagements allowed me to assimilate, meet more members and better understand what it is to be a part of the movement. The many questions I have are yet to be answered and I am certainly looking forward to unpacking these bigger issues, guided by a feminist leadership approach to which our movement committed.

From co-moderating the International Justice webinar for international members, to learning about efforts in different Sections and appreciating the governance structure; I am in awe. There are a few things other international NGOs and movements can learn from Amnesty. Having seen two Global Assemblies, with one that had a great talk from former South African Constitutional Court Deputy Chief Justice Moseneke; I am in joy to have grown a little.

The privilege of connecting and learning from others must never be underestimated. Its reach in transforming how and what kind of change happens can never be documented in a monitoring and evaluation review. It is in this spirit that I reflect on the Global Assembly weekend and my journey with Amnesty; that there can be many others who can benefit from the power that is Amnesty within your reach or influence in whatever capacity you hold. That other survivors, people of colour and disenfranchised folks can take up the human rights mantle in their own right. That they may express themselves without retribution and still be a part of a bigger movement that is consistently adapting to the times through continuous learning, unlearning and re-learning. This is the kind of Amnesty I want to continue to be a part of; one that lives and advocates what it truly means to be born of dignity through solidarity and action for those who don’t have the power.

The post Reflecting on Amnesty International’s Global Assembly 2021 appeared first on Amnesty International.

January

Arif Zaman

1. In January, the Bangladeshi government announced it would offer schooling and training to Rohingya refugee children. The decision came two and a half years after the Rohingya were forced to flee to Bangladesh after a campaign of ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. It represented a major win for Amnesty International and other human rights organizations, who had been campaigning for education for the nearly half a million Rohingya children in Bangladesh’s refugee camps.

2. As a person with mental disabilities, Vadim Nesterov, from Kazakhstan, was deprived of legal capacity when he turned 18, in 2011. Unable to make decisions about his life or exercise his rights, there was little hope of him ever being employed or being able to get married. Following a report from Amnesty International, which featured his case,along with a strategic intervention from the Association of Psychoanalysts of Kazakhstan, Vadim’s legal rights were finally reinstated in January, representing an incredible win for people with disabilities in Kazakhstan.

February

3. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a long-awaited report listing more than 100 companies with links to the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The list includes several digital tourism companies including Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Expedia and Booking.com, which Amnesty International’s research has found are driving tourism to settlements and contributing to their existence and expansion.
4. In a landmark ruling in a case in which Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists jointly intervened, Canada’s Supreme Court decided that a human rights lawsuit against a Vancouver-based mining company could be heard in Canada, and not Eritrea where the abuses allegedly occurred, thus opening the path for new grounds for civil liability.

March

5. The International Criminal Court decided to open an investigation into crimes under international law by all parties to the conflict in Afghanistan. The Appeals Chamber reversed an April 2019 Pre-Trial Chamber decision, which Amnesty had strongly criticised, not to proceed with the investigation.

   

   AFP via Getty Images

6. Spain announced a bill to define rape as sex without consent, in line with international human rights standards. The legal change followed some high-profile gang rape cases in which the justice system failed victims. The bill includes other measures to prevent and respond to sexual violence and is pending before Parliament. Amnesty has been campaigning in several European countries to define rape as sex without consent, including through the Let’s Talk About Yes campaign.
7. Iranian spiritual teacher Mohammad Ali Taheri was reunited with his family in Canada, after being arrested in May 2011 in Iran and sentenced to death for establishing the spiritual group Erfan-e Halgheh. His detention sparked outcry and global appeals by Amnesty International, which culminated in his death sentence and conviction being quashed. He was eventually released in 2019, and later fled the country for Canada, where he wrote a Facebook post thanking Amnesty members for their tireless campaigning.
8. In Uganda, the Constitutional Court nullified parts of the Public Order Management Act, which for many years gave police excessive powers to prohibit public gatherings and protests. It was a glimmer of hope for the country’s embattled political opposition and human rights defenders.
   
   

April

9. Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang was reunited with his family after spending four and a half years in prison. He was targeted for his work exposing corruption and human rights violations. Amnesty had campaigned for his release since he was first detained.
10. For the first time, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) began publishing quarterly reports addressing allegations of civilian casualties from US air strikes in Somalia, including three incidents covered in Amnesty International investigations. Following the release of the first report in April, several members of the US Congress began hearings to hold the Pentagon/AFRICOM accountable. The reports come after we campaigned for increased transparency from AFRICOM, and published a ground-breaking report, The Hidden US War in Somalia, which helped to prompt the US’s first-ever admission of civilian casualties in Somalia. AFRICOM has thus far admitted 13 civilian casualties in Somalia. AFRICOM has also established an online reporting portal that allows relatives and victims of US military actions in Somalia to directly report allegations of civilian casualties.
11. Saudi Arabian authorities announced plans to stop using the death penalty against people who were under 18 at the time of the crime. The death penalty will be replaced with a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison. However, juveniles sentenced under the frequently misused counter-terror law can still be executed. Amnesty International continues to call on Saudi Arabia to totally abolish the death penalty in all circumstances.
12. Amnesty International’s call on Mexican authoritiesto halt the dangerous and discriminatory detention of migrants in detention centres contributed to the release of most migrants and asylum seekers from the country’s 65 immigration detention centres.
    

13. Sierra Leone’s government overturned the ban preventing pregnant girls from attending school and sitting exams, following calls and successful litigation by Amnesty International and partner organisations. The ban had been in place for nearly five years, depriving many young women of their right to an education.

May

14. The arms embargo on South Sudan was unanimously renewed by the UN Security Council in May 2020, following intense advocacy and a month-long campaign by Amnesty International. Amnesty’s exhaustive and stand-alone research on arms embargo violations was credited by Security Council delegations as decisive for the positive vote.
15. In early May, a French court acquitted a farmer who was prosecuted simply for helping asylum seekers in need. In 2017, Cédric Herrou was convicted for “facilitating the irregular circulation, stay and entry of refugees and migrants” at the French-Italian border. Herrou’s case was emblematic of how acts of solidarity have been criminalized across Europe.

    

    MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH/AFP/Getty Images

16. In Bahrain, human rights activist Nabeel Rajab was released from prison on a non-custodial sentence, following years of campaigning from Amnesty International and other human rights organizations. According to one of his lawyers, Mohamed Al Jishi, Nabeel will be outside prison for the remaining three years of his initial sentence.

June

17. Following campaigning and advocacy from Amnesty International and partners, two Croatian police officers were criminally charged for beating a migrant from Afghanistan who was stopped close to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

July

18. After years of campaigning by Amnesty International, a federal court in Canada ruled that sending refugee claimants back to the United States under the Safe Third Country Agreement was unconstitutional.

    

    Amnesty International

19. South Sudan teenager Magai Matiop Ngong, who we campaigned for as part of Write for Rights had his death sentence quashed and was removed from death row on 29 July. Moved by his plight, people around the world wrote an incredible 765,000 messages of support. Magai’s case generated debate on the use of the death penalty against children in South Sudan – a rare and hugely positive development.
20. Hours after we published our report on illegal deforestation and the land seizures in the supply chain of the world’s largest meat producer JBS, Brazil’s federal public prosecutor in Rondônia state announced her office would investigate our findings. A week later, the company’s former independent auditor confirmed it had challenged JBS for falsely claiming its Amazon operations are deforestation-free. Later, top European investment house Nordea Asset Management removed JBS from its portfolio, attributing its decision to exposés about JBS’s indirect supply chain. And in October, JBS pledged to monitor its entire supply chain by 2025, including the problematic “indirect supplier” farms linked to illegal deforestation.

    

    Getty Images

21. Our tracker of police violence in the USA during #BlackLivesMatter protests helped make human rights violations committed across the country visible and was incorporated into video documentaries by the New York Times, Washington Post, and CNBC. Amnesty investigators also briefed Congress and testified to the Oregon State Legislature to assist the latter in rewriting their laws about the use of tear gas.

    I have been touched by the solidarity and the support I received from all corners of the globe

    Samira Sabou, journalist and president of Niger Bloggers Association

22. Journalist and President of Niger bloggers association, Samira Sabou, was released from prison, following calls from Amnesty International. Upon her release, Samira said: “I don’t forget about Amnesty International who highlighted the incoherence related to my arrest. I have been touched by the solidarity and the support I received from all corners of the globe.”

August

23. A high-ranking officer in Chile’s Carabineros police force, identified by his codename G-3, was arrested and charged two months after Amnesty International published evidence suggesting that he was responsible for blinding the student Gustavo Gatica in last year’s demonstrations that were marred by the unlawful use of force by the police.
24. In Russia, Jehovah’s Witness and prisoner of conscience Gennadiy Shpakovsky, who had been prosecuted solely for exercising his right to freedom of religion, had his sentence commuted and was released from prison, thanks to campaigning efforts by Amnesty International.
25. Venezuelan authorities released 110 prisoners, including the prisoner of conscience and union leader Rubén González, 61, who had been detained since November 2019.

    

    Getty Images

26. In a bid to help protect migrant workers from labour exploitation, Qatar abolished requirements for migrant workers to get permission from their employer in order to change jobs and announced the introduction of a new non-discriminatory minimum wage. The 2022 World Cup is due to take place in Qatar and Amnesty has been campaigning to improve migrant workers’ rights for years. While these reforms are welcomed, they must be swiftly and fully implemented.

September

27. Somalia’s attorney general said the government was going to establish an office for a new prosecutor to deal with crimes against journalists. The announcement came after Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed “Farmajo” publicly committed to reforming the outdated 1962 Penal Code that is often used to unjustly prosecute journalists. The breakthrough came after our February report “We Live In Perpetual Fear” documenting violations of the right to freedom of expression in Somalia, our direct advocacy with authorities and increased pressure from local media advocacy groups.

    

    Adam Ferguson

28. In response to Amnesty’s July report on Yezidi child survivors of so-called Islamic State (IS) captivity, the Kurdistan Regional Government publicly endorsed one of our main recommendations that children should benefit from any reparations scheme, as they are currently not included in the Iraqi parliament’s draft reparations law for Yezidi survivors of IS crimes.

October

29. Following the publication of our report with Amnesty International UK on how the UK government abandoned older people to die in care homes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK’s Care Quality Commission announced an urgent investigation into the blanket use of “Do not attempt resuscitation” orders in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the social care minister said government will launch a pilot project to test some relatives, so as to allow more meaningful visits to care home residents.

    We could not have done it without the help of Amnesty International

    Union representative from Malaysia

30. Five Malaysian activists, charged for holding a peaceful gathering in support of hospital cleaners, were granted a discharge not amounting to acquittal (meaning they could be charged again but it is unlikely). Their case was featured in our Exposed, Silenced, Attacked report and, thanks to our work, the activists are no longer being prosecuted. A union representative said, “We could not have done it without the help of Amnesty International.”
31. The UN Human Rights Council extended the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela for another two years, enhancing the prospects for international justice, shortly after the Mission backed Amnesty International’s findings that the Maduro government has likely committed crimes against humanity. 

32. Thanks to relentless campaigning from Amnesty supporters, a number of individuals unjustly detained were released, including Narges Mohammadi from Iran and Alaa Shaaban Hamida, from Egypt. In South Sudan, activist Kanybil Noon was released after 117 days in detention without charge. He was in poor health having been denied access to medical services.  Upon release, Kanybil said: “I’m so grateful for your efforts. Send my gratitude to the entire staff. I’m so grateful for your service.”

    

    Amnesty International

33. Following a report from Amnesty International focusing on South Africa’s broken education system, President Ramaphosa announced plans to replace the remaining 143 mud schools and improve the 3,103 schools without adequate sanitation.This could be a huge step forward for disadvantaged children across the country

November

34. The European Ombudsman’s Office said it would open an inquiry into the possible failure of the European Commission to ensure that Croatian authorities respected fundamental rights while conducting EU-funded border operations against migrants and refugees. The announcement came after Amnesty International and other organizations documented violations, including beatings and other forms of torture of migrants and asylum-seekers by Croatian police, whose salaries may have been paid for by EU funds.
35. The Solomon Islands Minister for Environment upheld a block on a bauxite mine concession that threatened local communities on Wagina Island – the focus of an investigation we did in late 2019. It was a hard-won victory for Wagina Island residents who rely on their island and waters around the proposed mining site for their livelihoods.

    

36. Argentina’s President, Alberto Fernández, fulfilled his campaign promise to send a historic bill to Congress to legalize abortion, which followed years of campaigning by women’s rights advocates including Amnesty International.
37. After Mexico became the 11^th country to ratify the Escazú Agreement, the regional treaty for protection of the environment and environmental defenders will now come into effect, following intensive campaigning by Amnesty and partners in several Latin-American countries.

    

    Amnesty International Denmark

38. In Denmark, the government agreed to amend the Criminal Code to recognise finally that sex without consent is rape. This followed years of campaigning by women’s rights and survivors’ groups, and Amnesty’s Let’s Talk About Yes 
39. After much lobbying by Amnesty International, including meetings with the president and vice president, the Costa Rican government created a special humanitarian migration status for people from Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela who had been denied refugee status, allowing them to work legally and avoid the negative consequences that irregular migration status can have on their human rights.
40. The Japanese beer company Kirin announced the suspension of payments to the Myanmar military company MEHL while Korean garment company Pan-Pacific decided to end its business relationship with the same company – both prompted by Amnesty’s 2020 report Military Ltd. which provided links between international businesses and the Myanmar military.

December

41. Amnesty reached more than 10 million supporters globally in 2020. It’s an incredible achievement and Amnesty would like to thank each and every one of you for taking action and making a difference.

The post 41 human rights wins to celebrate right now appeared first on Amnesty International.

The Mujeres Amazonicas, or Amazonian Women, have been protesting for many years against the pillaging of their lands by oil, mining and logging companies. They are supported by Amnesty International, which according to Patricia Gualinga, an environmental activist who acts as one of their spokespeople, has over the years helped bring the women’s campaign to the world’s attention.

“Destroying the Amazon is the destruction of the world,” Gualinga (pictured above, and below) told Amnesty International in March. “If they don’t realize that, we are lost.”

Exploitation of Sarayaku land

Between 2002 and 2003, Argentine oil company CGC forcibly entered the Sarayaku territory. It installed military and private security guards, opened roads and cut down the forest, destroying trees and plants which were of great environmental, sacred and cultural value to the Indigenous community. As part of their drilling operations, the company also buried 1,400 kilos of pentolite explosives in Sarayaku territory – putting the lives of the Sarayaku people at risk and forcing them off some of their ancestral lands.

“They buried 50 explosives by night, and the people that did it knew that it was extremely dangerous,” says Gualinga. “I had no other choice than to become a defender of human rights because petrol and oil companies violated the rights of my village and my people.”

In 2012, Amnesty International aided the Sarayaku people in taking the Ecuadorian state to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for authorizing CGC to drill oil and install explosives on their ancestral land without their free, prior and informed consent, and for failing to repair the damage done and to protect them from future abuses.

In a landmark victory, they won their case. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled against the State of Ecuador for violating the right to physical integrity and  seriously endangering the right to life of members of the Sarayaku community.

The Court also established the Ecuadorian government’s responsibility for the violation of the rights to consultation, community ownership and cultural identity of the people of Sarayaku.

But in spite of this major victory, some eight years on the authorities have not complied with the court ruling. The explosives remain buried on Sarayaku territory and Patricia continues to face death threats and attacks.

Gualinga says: “The explosives are here, and this is a symbol of what could happen to other communities if we don’t keep fighting. We have to keep pushing for all that the court sentenced. Because we know that international corporations will continue to try to ignore us, and we can’t let them.”

Power in numbers

Gualinga believes the women’s protest movement gives Indigenous women more safety in numbers. “In 2018 they threatened to kill us,” she explains of her aggressors, whom the Ecuadorian authorities have failed to identify and bring to justice, “and some of my fellow female leaders had their houses burned down. It wasn’t a threat to my village, it was a direct threat to me.”

“Women are by definition more at risk than men. Women can be threatened sexually, physically – for men it is a different story. We women unite because we have to, because we know that together we have more power and protection on multiple levels.

“By coming together we protect ourselves. And that’s why Mujeres Amazonicas exists: So we’re not alone. So we’re not so vulnerable.”

On 13 November 2019, the people of Sarayaku presented a complaint before Ecuador’s Constitutional Court to demand that authorities comply with the 2012 ruling of the Inter-American Court. And in March 2020, the Mujeres Amazónicas marched en-masse through the streets of their country’s capital, Quito, to present a petition to the Ecuadorian government calling for more protection.

On 19 June 2020, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court admitted the complaint, but a ruling might take years. Since March 2020, the Sarayaku community has also been badly hit by floods and, more recently, by the spread of COVID-19 among its inhabitants – adding to the challenges faced by this remote rainforest community.

“We’re not just fighting to stop the threats to my life, the threat to my home, the threat to my community,” says Gualinga. “We’re fighting to protect your children, who have just as much right to clean air as we do. We are fighting for your oxygen, for the future of your planet. We’re fighting for your wellbeing.”

Amnesty International has supported the Mujeres Amazonicas for many years and is calling on the Ecuadorian authorities to guarantee the effective protection of human rights defenders like Patricia, to ensure they can safely raise their voices and continue with their human rights work without fear of reprisals.

Gualinga says Amnesty International’s work to support the protest movement has been incredibly important, because it has brought the faces of the women fighting to defend nature and human rights into the limelight. “We’ve inspired other communities,” she says, “and allowed marginalized women to raise their voices and forced oil companies out of the country.”

“All of this at the cost of much risk, time and energy. It’s worth it. Because the planet still exists; because nature is fighting alongside us. I want the world to know that the Amazon is rich in biodiversity, rich in culture, rich in life itself.”

The post Indigenous women demand more protection in decades-long fight for Amazon homelands appeared first on Amnesty International.

1. Share something hopeful and positive

It can be difficult to deal with all the news right now. Why not share something positive, like a video of people showing solidarity during this pandemic or a good news story that you found online?

You can also help limit the spread of misinformation online by only sharing advice from experts and reliable sources, like the World Health Organisation. This will help stop people around you from panicking.   

2. Educate yourself

Use your time wisely – there are loads of educational materials on human rights that you can study. We have a whole Human Rights Academy dedicated to exactly that. Join it.

On our Academy, you can:

• Take an introduction course on the core concepts of human rights.
• Turn yourself into an agent of change with our new online course on the UDHR.
• Learn how to protect yourself online and promote digital security.
• Come face-to-face with human rights activists in this course on Freedom of Expression.
• Learn what a human rights defender is, and become one yourself.

Find all of our free courses here.

3. Get involved on Amnesty.org and sign a petition

Human rights abuses are still happening around the world. Use this time to take action and have your say. 

Help us demand freedom for detained protesters in Iran. 

Defend India’s rights to participate in peaceful protests. 

Empower the Rohingya refugee children with education.

 4. Learn from our YouTube tutorials

We have tried to digest some serious human rights issues into easily viewable videos. Teach yourself how to spot fake news or protest peacefully.

5. Help others with technology and social media

If you are good at using technology and social media, you can help those who may not be. Guide people through using messaging apps and social media. Call them to show them remotely how to look for help, find reliable sources and advice online. Help them find communities and people online they can talk to. 

6. Show solidarity and care for others

At times like this, there are so many ways you can help those around you. For instance:

• Follow health workers’ advice and social distancing guidelines if you’ve been advised to do so. It helps protect people most vulnerable in your communities and eases the burden on carers and hospitals.
• Provide emotional support for people via phone calls or messages. This can be an extremely lonely time for many. Call people and provide them with support.
• Help limit the spread of misinformation and create awareness about basic dos and don’ts by promoting advice from experts and reliable sources.
• Share scarce resources, be considerate when shopping and offer help to people who are less able to access protective necessary goods that are in high demand.

And remember, whatever you do: Stay safe.

The post 6 things to do while at home during COVID-19 pandemic appeared first on Amnesty International.

© Amnesty International

But from the rubble of stark division we are seeing movements unite. Spearheaded by diverse and powerful women, the fight for climate justice is picking up speed. Could the climate crisis serve to unite us? Will it be the turning point in global solidarity, urging us to act, connect our struggles, and finally triumph over the systemic inequalities that divide us?

This International Women’s Day, together with Greenpeace International, we asked five women activists what climate justice means to them and how we can all harness the power of diversity to ensure a just and sustainable future for everyone.

Sostine Namanya – Gender and food security specialist, Uganda. 

© Peyton Fulford

“The events I witnessed as a young African girl growing up among rural Ugandan communities greatly set me on the path of activism. Not only did I witness my own mother, aunties and other women in the village grappling with the practical challenges of climate injustice, but I too became a victim at a very young age. It was as if there was some law written somewhere that only women and girls were mandated to fetch water, wash everything at home, cook, serve the food and then look for more food. On several occasions I witnessed women being beaten by their husbands for reasons ranging from delaying to prepare meals, not boiling water for bathing or returning late from markets or water wells. It was then that the urge started developing in me that something had to be done about the situation, though at that time I couldn’t figure out exactly what. So joining civil society action and activism against social and economic injustices before I even completed tertiary education seemed a natural trend for me”

“Climate justice to me means a world where climate change is approached not in a generalized way but from how it affects different categories of people based for example on their sex, location in the world, nature of employment, income status, etc. It’s when women—especially in the Global South who labour daily to sustain their families—have their voices heard in climate debates and conversations.”

Amasai Jeke – Trans feminist and LGBTQI rights campaigner, Fiji. 

© Peyton Fulford

“As a young feminist and someone who believes in climate and ecological justice, it’s all about building trustworthy relations, threading common strategies, and amplifying the lived realities of people on the frontline of climate change. These people include those in the Global South, people of color, indigenous and rural communities, women, LGBTQI, children, people with disabilities, and youth who are making the change in the world.

“It’s also all about having solidarity as the foundation of how we work, and organize working together, to end climate inequalities. The climate crisis offers a lens to understand intersecting forms of inherent injustices on this planet. This is why it’s important to have gender equality—which is more than just equality between men and women—and human rights at the centre of how we work to achieve climate justice. It’s also important that marginalized communities are not side-lined or traded off as bargaining chips, but included in decision making and elevated in public debate.

“I have learned from the LGBTQI movement, women’s feminist movement that speaking truth to power is the strongest thing one can ever do and the rest will fall into place.”

Astrid Puentes – Environmental lawyer, Colombia-Mexico.

© Peyton Fulford

“Local and indigenous communities should be at the center of conversations around climate justice, and have a key role to play in seeking solutions. Their voices must be heard, including those from the youth and women, and the solutions they propose should be considered and implemented.

“All, and especially those of us in privileged situations have a responsibility to acknowledge societal inequalities, recognize that they happen everywhere, and actually do something about them. We must stop taking action in an effort to be politically correct, and start transforming communities and environments to be truly inclusive.”

“Getting outside of our comfort zones is one key step that we all should take. If we’re still comfortable, then we can be doing more. I’m not necessarily talking about sacrifice, actually the opposite. The first step toward building a truly just world is becoming truly uncomfortable with inequalities and discrimination”.

Marcelle Partouche – Welfare community worker and artist, Canada. 

© Peyton Fulford

“I think we can all be humble in this battle, there is no need for entitlement. We must understand that this is a learning opportunity for us all to do things differently. We can start by learning to listen to one another and honoring the practices that have been respecting the land and the environment. We can try to tackle small changes – eating less beef, not indulging in over consumption of any kind, recycle and inform ourselves about renewable energies. All of that will impact our mindsets, behaviors, and we can simply try to share instead of wasting.

“I think the core values have to shift towards a better distribution of resources, in every sense of the term. Scarcity is a parasite when it has infiltrated our minds – it makes us greedy and selfish. But really we should be mindful of all species, elements and beings around us, and act accordingly: with an abundance of kindness, care and humanity.” 

Joyce Tan – Lawyer and climate activist, The Philippines.

© Peyton Fulford

“I am a lawyer from the Philippines, a country that always tops the list of those most vulnerable to climate change and disasters. There, we have no climate deniers because people have had to live with the early impacts of climate change and see family and friends lose lives, homes, and their community’s social fabric to increasingly dangerous typhoons and prolonged droughts.

“I knew that confronting climate change would need massive transformations of deeply entrenched and interlinked systems, and I wanted to find ways that used data and evidence—the language the pundits speak—to push for these difficult changes.

“Increasingly, we see proof of how misinformed our decisions have been—in the wildfires, in massive flooding, in communities being flattened in an instant, in rapid extinctions. We now know that the margin to act is getting smaller and smaller, yet our leaders are still taking too long to respond. The world is burning, and we cannot ignore the problem and punt it for future generations to solve.”

The post Five women activists tell us what climate justice means to them appeared first on Amnesty International.