Kategorie: Humans

Authorities in Bangladesh must immediately rescind the decision to arbitrarily deregister the NGO Odhikar and allow the leading human rights group in the country to function without fear of reprisals, Amnesty International said today.

In a letter issued by the NGO Affairs Bureau of Bangladesh on 5 June 2022, the renewal of Odhikar’s registration was cancelled. The authorities stated that Odhikar’s publication of “misleading information” on enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions in the country severely tarnished the reputation of the state globally. The organization had filed a writ petition in May 2019 seeking explanation from the Bureau as it withheld Odhikar’s renewal application for eight years since 14 September 2014.

“Odhikar’s documentation of human right violations have been critical in holding perpetrators to account in Bangladesh. It is absurd that the authorities withheld the registration of the rights group for eight years and then cancelled it because of the global ire they faced for a poor human rights record. The reprisals against Odhikar are an egregious and shameless act to silence and intimidate human rights defenders in Bangladesh,” said Saad Hammadi, South Asia Campaigner at Amnesty International.

The reprisals against Odhikar are an egregious and shameless act to silence and intimidate human rights defenders in Bangladesh

Saad Hammadi, South Asia Campaigner at Amnesty International.

The suspension and involuntary dissolution of an organization are among the severest restrictions on the right to freedom of association, protected under Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Bangladesh is a party. Given the severity of the measure, it may only be used when there is a clear and imminent threat to national security or public order, and it must be strictly necessary and proportionate to the legitimate aim pursued and used only when less restrictive means would be insufficient. The decision to suspend or dissolve an association should only be made by an impartial and independent court, and not by administrative bodies.

“The revocation of Odhikar’s registration also shows the authority’s disregard for rule of law as the matter of renewal is currently pending review at the High Court, which in 2019 ruled upon the NGO Affairs Bureau to explain the non-renewal of Odhikar’s registration. We have also learnt about disconcerting inquiries from the Bureau seeking sensitive details about families of individuals subjected to enforced disappearance and extrajudicial execution on a sub-judice matter as this is one of the core areas of Odhikar’s work,” said Saad Hammadi.

This is not the first time the government has attempted to obstruct the work of Odhikar. In 2014, Odhikar’s secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and director Nasir Uddin Elan were detained for 62 days and 25 days, respectively, on allegations of producing “fabricated reports” after they documented the violent dispersal of protests at the hands of government forces during May 2013, which left several people dead. The latest actions against Odhikar raises fears of further retribution against members of the organization and the larger civil society in the country.

“Odhikar’s deregistration is a clear demonstration of the government’s anger about the credibility the human rights organization enjoys internationally. Reporting on human rights violation is not anti-government or anti-state. Their decision to deregister Odhikar is akin to shooting the messenger. The government must respond to the allegations of human rights violations through credible independent investigations and refrain from punishing human rights defenders and civil society organizations,” said Saad Hammadi.

Reporting on human rights violation is not anti-government or anti-state

Saad Hammadi

The post Bangladesh: Deregistration of NGO Odhikar detrimental to human rights work appeared first on Amnesty International.

The Ugandan authorities must release the six politicians and activists arrested solely for protesting the high cost of living and respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, Amnesty International said today ahead of their bail hearing tomorrow. 

The arrest and continued detention of these activists amounts to intimidation and harassment. This is a clear attempt by the Ugandan authorities to suppress freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly

Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's Director for East and Southern Africa

Police arrested the six women on 30 May 2022 at Mulago roundabout in Kampala while they held placards protesting inflation, high prices of essential goods and the continued detention of Kizza Besigye, the leader of the political pressure group People’s Front for Transition.

“The arrest and continued detention of these activists amounts to intimidation and harassment. This is a clear attempt by the Ugandan authorities to suppress freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa.

“These six activists must be immediately released. Instead of criminalizing public criticism of inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, the Ugandan authorities should take steps to mitigate the impact of rising food costs on those who can least afford it.”

The six women include MP Anna Adeke, Deputy Mayor of Kampala Doreen Nyanjura and four women activists, Wokuri Mudanda, Susan Nanyojo, Mariam Kizito and Alice Amony. They were charged with inciting violence and unlawful assembly and remanded at Luzira Prison in Kampala.

The protests were sparked by rising inflation, which grew from 2.7% in January 2022 to 6.3% in May 2022 and increased the cost of essential consumer goods. Food inflation disproportionately impacts people living in poverty, who spend a greater percentage of their income on food. While inflation is currently a global problem, governments have an obligation to ensure the right to sufficient and adequate access to food, including through international assistance. The arrested politicians and activists had criticized the Ugandan government’s response to rising food costs.

Clampdown on dissent

Ugandan police arrested Kizza Besigye at Arua Park in Kampala on 23 May, where he was addressing people in one of a series of protests about the economic situation.

On 12 May, the police had placed him under a “preventive arrest” which the Ugandan authorities use to pre-emptively prevent an offence.

On 25 May, Besigye was charged with incitement to violence in Buganda Road Court and granted a UGX 30,000,000 (about USD 8,100) cash bail. He objected to this on the grounds that it was excessive and instructed his lawyers to apply for a review of the bail conditions. On 6 June, the High Court reduced the cash bail to UGX 3,000,000 (about USD 810).

The Ugandan authorities must stop using preventive detention and criminal charges to deter people from exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The Constitution of Uganda obliges the state to ensure that Ugandans are able to petition the government, exercise their right to freedom of peaceful assembly, and to enjoy decent shelter, health and food security.

By arresting people who are concerned about the high cost of living, the Ugandan authorities risk seeming disconnected from the everyday reality of those living in poverty, including people who cannot afford to put a meal on the table

Deprose Muchena

“By arresting people who are concerned about the high cost of living, the Ugandan authorities risk seeming disconnected from the everyday reality of those living in poverty, including people who cannot afford to put a meal on the table,” said Deprose Muchena.

Background:

Protests continue to be criminalized in Uganda with no legal basis even after the country’s Constitutional Court declared Section 8 of the Public Order Management unconstitutional. It was thought that nullifying parts of the law would limit the power held by the Inspector General of Police to arbitrarily prevent or stop public gatherings and crack down on protests.

The state uses Section 83 of the Penal Code Act to charge people for incitement to violence to deter them from protesting.

The post Uganda: Authorities must stop criminalizing activists for protesting high cost of living appeared first on Amnesty International.

This year RightsCon, the flagship summit on human rights in the digital age, takes place from 6 June to 10 June.

RightsCon brings together human rights experts, tech companies, government representatives and activists to discuss how we can build a rights-respecting digital future.

Amnesty International colleagues are taking part throughout the week (all times CEST):

Monday 6 June  8:30pm – 9:30pm

The digitisation of the welfare state: a systemic threat of human rights

This talk looks at the risks inherent in algorithmic decision-making era of the digital welfare state and the grave consequences this could have for a range of economic and social rights

With Damini Satija Head of Algorithmic Accountability Lab, Deputy Director Amnesty Tech

Tuesday 7 June 2:15pm- 3:15pm

Health Check: Current Trends in Digital Healthcare        

What are the potential benefits and risks related to advances in digital healthcare and how people’s human rights can be protected while harnessing the potential benefits of digitisation?

With Damini Satija Head of Algorithmic Accountability Lab, Deputy Director at Amnesty Tech

Tuesday 7 June 4:45pm – 5:45pm

Cyber mercenaries on the loose! What can we do to stop them?   

What can be done to address the growing industry of companies that develop and sell tools, techniques and services that enable their clients, often governments, to break into networks, computers, phones and internet-connected devices? Cyber mercenaries are motivated by financial gain and too often many of their clients care little about human rights.

With Danna Ingleton, Deputy Program Director at Amnesty Tech

Wednesday 8 June 2:45pm – 3:45pm

Using tech tools to document environmental crimes: activists’ and lawyers’ perspectives   

This session looks at how tech tools can best be used to document evidence of environmental crimes to pave the way for successful civil and criminal liability claims.

With Montse Ferrer, Legal Advisor, Amnesty International

Wednesday 8 June 2:45pm  – 3:45pm

The double face of digital health: Research in Ghana, Kenya and Vietnam

This session focuses on the urgent need to strengthen rights-based governance of digital spaces for health, with youth voices at the centre of design and governance.

With Rajat Khosla, Senior Director Research, Advocacy and Policy at Amnesty International

Wednesday 8 June 9:15pm – 10:15pm

Surveillance and the city: mapping cameras with facial recognition capabilities in New York City     

S.T.O.P. and Amnesty International will discuss New York City’s sprawling network of surveillance cameras with facial recognition technology, using publicly available data from Amnesty’s Decode NYC Surveillance project and S.T.O.P.’s 2021 Surveillance Census.

With Sophie Dyer, Tactical Research Advisor Crisis Evidence Lab and Matt Mahmoudi, AI and Big Data Researcher

Wednesday 8 June 9:15pm – 10:15pm

Just decentralization: fighting for a future of many internets

A discussion with activists & technologists who are engaging around emerging technologies including blockchain, next gen peer-to-peer projects, and beyond. 

With Michael Kleinman, Director Silicon Valley Initiative

Friday 10 June 8:15am – 9:15am

The role of grassroots movements in shaping digital policies

This session will explore the generational potential that grassroots movements, small civic society organizations, and individual activists/human rights defenders have towards strengthening inclusive, democratic, and better digital rights policies that would ensure the internet works for Africa and not against Africa.

With Victor Ndede, Digital Rights and Policy, Amnesty International Kenya

Friday 10 June 11:00am – 12:00pm

Looking for traces of Pegasus on an iPhone with the Mobile Verification Toolkit

During the Pegasus Project, Amnesty International developed a novel forensic research methodology and an accompanying tool (the Mobile Verification Toolkit (MVT)) to look for traces of Pegasus infection or attack on smartphones.  This demo will focus on showing the methodology used by MVT to confirm Pegasus targeting and infection. It will also explain how Amnesty Tech can support civil society partners with such investigations and help connect with MVT users.

With Etienne Maynier, Technologist, Amnesty International’s Security Lab

Friday 10 June 2:00pm-3:00pm

The Pegasus Project: A Global Scandal One Year On

In July 2021, Forbidden Stories along with 17 media outlets around the world and the technical support of Amnesty International exposed a global scandal involving spyware vendor NSO Group and at least 11 client states.  One year on however, what has happened? This panel will journey from the investigation that led to the Project; to the first-hand experience of an activist seeking justice; to how and why we have failed to get state accountability; to the path forward for radical change and an end to these human rights abuses.

With Agnès Callamard, Secretary General, Amnesty International

The post Amnesty Tech events at RightsCon 2022 appeared first on Amnesty International.

Responding to the killing of more than 20 worshippers, including women and children, at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo on Sunday, Osai Ojigho, Amnesty International’s Nigeria Director, said:

“What happened in Owo reveals the impunity enjoyed by gunmen on the rampage across Nigeria. This tragic event should offer a wake-up call for the authorities, who must now do everything they can to ensure the perpetrators of this appalling crime face justice.

“This brutal attack shows a complete disregard for the right to life. Under international human rights law, Nigeria has a duty to protect the right to life of its people — in all circumstances.

“Victims and their families have a right to know the truth about this shooting and to be provided with justice and reparations. Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian judicial authorities to immediately launch a thorough and impartial investigation to identify the perpetrators of this crime, and to prosecute and judge them in fair trials, without recourse to the death penalty.”

Background

On 5 June 2022, gunmen entered the St. Francis Church in southwest Nigeria at around noon as Sunday mass was ending. They shot at worshippers and detonated dynamite, killing at least 20 and critically injuring many others.

Residents told Amnesty International that the attack lasted about 15 minutes, during which time there was no immediate response from security forces. This attack comes almost two months after at least eight people were killed on a train from Abuja to Kaduna.

The post Nigeria: Perpetrators of St. Francis Church shooting must face justice appeared first on Amnesty International.

The building of a sustainable, resilient, and equitable future must include human rights, especially those of millions of people whose rights have been violated, and of historically marginalised communities and population groups, Amnesty International said today in an open letter to the heads of state present at the Ninth Summit of the Americas being held in Los Angeles this week.

“Rather than fighting for a fair recovery from the pandemic in the most unequal continent in the world, many states in the Americas have taken the opposite route, repressing peaceful demonstrations, intimidating human rights defenders and journalists, and jeopardising judicial independence, in a crude attempt to silence dissenting voices,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International.

The Americas remains home to some of the largest cross-border movements of people in the world. With the US government’s initiative to seek a “Migration Pact” for the region during the Summit, Amnesty International wishes to highlight that most of these movements of people are the result of the multiple human rights crises in countries such as Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua and Cuba, or the situation of widespread violence, compounded by natural disasters associated with climate change, in Central America.

Rather than fighting for a fair recovery from the pandemic in the most unequal continent in the world, many states in the Americas have taken the opposite route

Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International

The organisation regrets that, in the face of the urgent need for protection, the authorities of several states are responding with restrictive and often inhumane policies, militarising their borders, detaining migrants and refugees in precarious conditions, and carrying out forced returns without due consideration of their asylum applications or the impossibility of return.

“For millions of people in the Americas, seeking international protection is the only way that they can obtain minimum conditions of dignity and access to fundamental rights such as health, food and safety,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas.

“If the heads of state in the region reach an agreement on a migration pact, it must be a collaborative tool focused on guaranteeing human rights and able to provide effective and long-lasting solutions. States must adopt coordinated measures to protect migrants and refugees in the Americas, taking into account differentiated approaches for specific focus on at-risk groups such as unaccompanied migrant children, women and LGBTI people, among others.”

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Duncan Tucker: duncan.tucker@amnesty.org

The post Summit of the Americas must be a space for agreements to protect millions fleeing human rights violations appeared first on Amnesty International.