Kategorie: Humans

As Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen prepares to visit Myanmar on 7-8 January, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Research Emerlynne Gil called on him to prioritise human rights action over empty gestures: 

“Hun Sen’s rogue diplomacy may do more harm than good by breaking ranks with ASEAN’s response to the Myanmar crisis and sending mixed messages to Myanmar’s coup leader General Min Aung Hlaing, who has been blocked from recent high-level ASEAN meetings in a rare rebuke.” 

“If Hun Sen truly wants to help, he should cancel this trip and lead ASEAN to strong action to address the country’s dire human rights situation rather than indulge in empty gestures that will likely result in little more than a self-congratulatory photo op.” 

“As the incoming chair of ASEAN, Cambodia should help revive the five-point consensus adopted in April last year that called for an immediate end to violence and work to expand it further to protect human rights and ensure accountability for abuses.”  

If Hun Sen truly wants to help, he should cancel this trip and lead ASEAN to strong action to address the country’s dire human rights situation rather than indulge in empty gestures that will likely result in little more than a self-congratulatory photo op.

Emerlynne Gil, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for Research

“The nightmare has continued for the 55 million people of Myanmar. Last month security forces were accused of killing and burning more than 30 civilians, including two staff members of the humanitarian aid organization, Save the Children, in eastern Karenni State.”  

“The international community cannot rely on ASEAN alone when it has repeatedly demonstrated that it is unable to take meaningful action to prevent such atrocities from recurring. The UN Security Council must urgently refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court and impose targeted sanctions and a global arms embargo.” 

Background 

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is set to visit Myanmar on 7-8 January, the first head of state to make an official visit to the country since the military seized power in a coup on 1 February 2020.  

The trip comes as Cambodia takes over as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which rotates each year to one of the bloc’s 10 members. Cambodia was last chair in 2012. 

ASEAN’s five-point consensus, adopted in April 2021, calls for an immediate end to violence, dialogue among all parties, aid access, the appointment of a special envoy from the bloc, and a visit by an ASEAN delegation. However, it fails to mention the need to protect human rights or call for accountability for violations. There has been little progress on the consensus, which was limited in scope even then.  

Since seizing power, Myanmar’s military has killed more than 1,400 people and arrested or detained more than 10,000, many of them peaceful protesters. It has also unfairly tried many of Myanmar’s top civilian leaders who were ousted in the coup and sentenced them to lengthy prison sentences. Former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four years in December in one of many bogus cases against her. 

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Responding to the ongoing protests in Kazakhstan over soaring energy prices, deteriorating living standards and the repression of peaceful protest, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:

“The protests unfolding in Kazakhstan, which have turned violent, are a direct consequence of the authorities’ widespread repression of basic human rights. For years, the government has relentlessly persecuted peaceful dissent, leaving the Kazakhstani people in a state of agitation and despair.

“Instead of threatening to crack down on protesters, the Kazakhstani authorities must resolve the situation peacefully by immediately and unconditionally releasing all those who have been arbitrarily detained and addressing past abuses committed by the state. Protesters accused of internationally recognized crimes for violent actions should be provided with fair trials in accordance with international human rights law.

“Kazakhstan’s commitments under international law and its own constitution enshrine the right to peaceful assembly. The authorities must honour these obligations, protect peaceful protesters and respect free speech. They must also ensure that police do not use unlawful and excessive force. Any police officer or other official responsible for inflicting human rights violations must be held to account.”

Background

On 2 January, protests erupted in the Mangystau Region in south-east Kazakhstan over gas price hikes, before spreading into several other major cities, including the biggest city, Almaty.

The protests gradually turned violent, with reports of protesters damaging police cars, among other offences, and storming the Almaty city administration’s office today. In response, police fired tear gas and stun grenades at the protesters. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in a televised address that he plans “to act as toughly as possible.”

The authorities introduced a state of emergency in the Mangystau Region, Almaty and some other cities on Tuesday and Wednesday. They have reportedly also restricted the internet and social media and warned all media against “violating” Kazakhstan’s unduly restrictive media law.

Police said they have arrested at least 200 protesters and that dozens of officers have been injured. They arbitrarily detained and questioned at least two senior journalists from the RFE/RL’s local Azzattyk radio service.

For years, the authorities have repressed the basic rights of the Kazakhstani people by not only banning peaceful protest but also opposition political parties. Numerous peaceful protest leaders, human rights defenders, bloggers and others have been arrested and imprisoned following unfair trials. In 2011, at least 14 protesters were killed after police cracked down on a demonstration in Zhanaozen. 

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Wealthy states and pharma companies have catastrophically failed to ensure equal access to vaccines, leaving billions of people without life-saving medicines this year, Amnesty International said today as 2021 draws to a close.   

Despite repeated calls from Amnesty International and others such as the World Health Organization to ensure at least 40% of people in low and lower-middle-income countries are vaccinated by the end of 2021, wealthy states and pharmaceutical companies have continued to ignore these pleas.

“Although the world has produced some 11 billion vaccines doses – only seven percent of people in low-income countries have received a single dose. Why is it that poorer countries are being denied access to life-saving medicine while rich countries sit on piles of unused stock?” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

Why is it that poorer countries are being denied access to life-saving medicine while rich countries sit on piles of unused stock?

Agnès Callamard, Secretary General

“The emergence of the Omicron variant should serve as a wake-up call to the wealthy states and pharma companies that failed to address the pandemic at a global level. Failing to vaccinate everyone – no matter where they are from – leaves the entire global population vulnerable to new variants. The only way to break this vicious cycle is by ensuring everyone has access to vaccines.”

This year saw leaders around the world make numerous promises about sharing vaccines, yet time and time again they failed to honour them. In June, the G7 summit pledged to share 1 billion doses by the end of 2021, although reports suggest this target is yet to be met. In September, US President Joe Biden and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen committed to donating an extra 900 million doses to low and lower-middle income countries by September 2022. While this is a welcome move, poorer countries are in need of vaccines right now.  

Pharmaceutical companies have also failed to rise to the challenge. US pharma giant Pfizer has made misleading statements that its “vaccine would be available to every patient, country and community that seeks access”, while it has in fact delivered the large majority of its vaccines to high and upper-middle-income countries. Its rival, Moderna, was only able to develop its vaccine with the support of US government scientists and huge amounts of financial aid, but has also prioritised sales to wealthy countries. Both companies are still delivering less than 1% of their stock to low-income countries

Moderna and Pfizer, along with other vaccine manufacturers, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson, have also, critically, refused to support measures that would temporarily lift intellectual property protections and share vaccine technology with other manufacturers around the world, in order to allow for a ramping up of global production.

All businesses have a responsibility to respect human rights. Above all, this responsibility means that companies should “do no harm”. If they discover that they are the cause of human rights abuses, then they must immediately stop their harmful actions and provide remedy. This is a widely recognized standard of expected conduct as set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. 

But through their decisions, the vaccine makers have ended up causing or contributing to human rights harms suffered by billions of people lacking access to the Covid-19 vaccine.

“Around this time last year, the first vaccine was administered. More than 365 days later, whilst many in wealthier countries have received up to three doses, so many more in poorer countries have received none. We face the dismal reality – magnified by the brutal clarity of the pandemic – that some lives are simply considered more worthy of saving than others. What a truly devastating end to the year,” said Agnès Callamard.

We face the dismal reality – magnified by the brutal clarity of the pandemic – that some lives are simply considered more worthy of saving than others. What a truly devastating end to the year

Agnès Callamard, Secretary General

“We hoped that international pressure would help wealthy states and big pharmaceutical companies to see sense, stop hoarding vaccines and share intellectual property rights, but greed got the better of them. Let’s hope their new year’s resolutions include making good on their promises and making sure everyone has the chance to get vaccinated.

“Many low-income countries are now struggling to deal with a deadly new variant while the majority of their populations haven’t even been vaccinated at all. Unless drastic action is taken now, Covid-19 will continue to wreak havoc for years to come and the key question now is, what will happen if large parts of the world remain unvaccinated? It has never been clearer that no one is safe until everyone is safe.”

Background

Since 22 September 2021, in line with others such as the WHO, Amnesty International has been calling on states and pharmaceutical companies to ensure equal access to Covid-19 vaccines so that at least 40% of people in low and lower-middle-income countries can get vaccinated by the end of 2021 with its campaign, The 100 Day Countdown: 2 billion vaccines now!

Amnesty International will be releasing a briefing early next year with the latest data, detailing how pharmaceutical companies and states have failed to prioritise the needs of low-income countries.

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Responding to the arrests of current and former senior executives and board members of Hong Kong media outlet Stand News for alleged “seditious publication” this morning, Amnesty International’s Deputy Secretary General Kyle Ward said:

“The relentless campaign against press freedom in Hong Kong continues with the stunning early-morning police raid and arrests of senior executives of outspoken media outlet Stand News.”

“Authorities continue to weaponize Hong Kong’s legal system by invoking a colonial-era law of ‘seditious publication’. Also suggesting that articles might be ‘inciting secession’.”

“It is farcical that the government continues to claim that the arrests are in line with the ICCPR when international human rights standards clearly state that freedom of expression, whether in the name of ‘national security’ or otherwise, can only be lawfully restricted in a proportionate and clearly defined manner, instead of criminalizing a politically selected range of non-violent activities. Justifications given by authorities so far have not demonstrated that the threshold for restriction has been met.”

“The arrests, seizing of journalistic materials and freezing of assets have an immediate chilling effect with Stand News announcing that it will cease operations. This is sadly not unexpected and continues the downwards spiral for press freedom in Hong Kong.”

“All the media workers arrested today solely for doing their legitimate journalistic work must be immediately released.

Background

This morning, current and former executives of Stand News were arrested for “seditious publications” under Article 9 and 10 of the Crimes Ordinance, an archaic colonial-era provision last amended in the 1970s. According to media reports, over 200 national security police officers raided the online news outlet and authorities have confirmed that they have frozen over HK$61 million (ca. US$ 7.8 million) in assets.

Stand News has since announced that they have ceased operations.

Those arrested include former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen, current editor-in-chief Patrick Lam, former board member and lawmaker Margaret Ng, former board member Christine Fong, Chow Tat-chi and pop singer and former board member Denise Ho.

Yesterday, executives of the now-defunct Apple Daily also faced the additional charge of “seditious publications”.

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Responding to the news that Moscow City Court has ordered the closure of prominent Russian NGO Human Rights Center Memorial for allegedly violating “foreign agent” legislation and “justifying terrorism and extremism,” Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said: 

“The Russian authorities’ heartless closure of Human Rights Center Memorial, an organization that has assisted thousands of individuals in times of crisis both at home and abroad for 30 years, represents yet another blow to Russia’s civil society movement after years of relentless attacks. 

“Human Rights Center Memorial has been shuttered following spurious accusations that the organization failed to observe the repressive ‘foreign agents’ legislation and that its lawful human rights work justifies ‘terrorism and extremism’. These sham charges serve as little more than a pretext for silencing dissent and blocking people’s ability to come together to defend human rights, and they must be immediately dropped. 

“The authorities’ dismantling of this outstanding human rights organization fits a broader pattern of repression that seeks to outlaw Russia’s civil society networks. The decision to close Human Rights Center Memorial must be overturned immediately.” 

Background 

Founded in 1991, HRC Memorial is one of the most respected human rights organizations in Russia. It has a month to appeal the court’s decision. 

The prosecutors claimed that HRC Memorial repeatedly violated the “foreign agents” law by refusing to label their content as produced by a “foreign agent”.  

They also claimed that HRC Memorial justified “terrorism and extremism” by keeping a list of people detained for political reasons on its website. The list featured individuals imprisoned following unfair, politically-motivated trials.  

On 28 December, the Supreme Court ordered to liquidate its sister organization, International Memorial.

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