China: Government must not detain peaceful protesters as unprecedented demonstrations break out across the country

Responding to widespread protests unprecedented in recent years, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director Hana Young said:

“The tragedy of the Urumqi fire has inspired remarkable bravery across China. Peaceful protesters are holding blank pieces of paper, chanting slogans, and engaging in many forms of creative dissent. It is virtually impossible for people in China to protest peacefully without facing harassment and prosecution. Authorities have shown zero tolerance to opposition especially in the last 10 years under President Xi, but this has not stopped the protests.”

“Instead of penalising the people, the government should listen to their calls. Authorities must let people express their thoughts freely and protest peacefully without fear of retaliation.”

Authorities must let people express their thoughts freely and protest peacefully without fear of retaliation.

Hana Young, Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director

“Unfortunately, China’s playbook is all too predictable. Censorship and surveillance will continue, and we will most likely see police use of force and mass arrests of protesters in the coming hours and days. Long prison sentences against peaceful protesters are also to be expected.”

“People have been incredibly patient with lockdown measures but authorities must not abuse emergency policies. These unprecedented protests show that people are at the end of their tolerance for excessive Covid-19 restrictions.”

“The Chinese government must immediately review its Covid-19 policies to ensure that they are proportionate and time-bound. All quarantine measures that pose threats to personal safety and unnecessarily restrict freedom of movement must be suspended.”

“The government also needs to promptly, effectively and thoroughly investigate the Urumqi fire, to avoid a reoccurrence, bring justice to the victims and their families, and show the people they are responsive to their grievances.”

Background

On Thursday, 24 November, a fire broke out in an apartment building in Urumqi killing at least 10 people according to government sources. Many blamed Covid-19 restrictions for the deaths but local authorities have disputed this claim. This did not stop protests from breaking out in Urumqi, the capital of the western region of Xinjiang. The next morning, the government declared that Covid outbreak is under control and the city will ease lockdowns, following more than 100 days of severe restriction on inhabitants’ movement.

Since 25 November, videos shared on social media show protests breaking out across universities and cities throughout China, including in Beijing, Guangdong, Shanghai and Wuhan. Peaceful protesters commemorated victims of the Urumqi fire and called for the easing of lockdown measures. Many also demanded censorship to end and some called for President Xi to step down.

Amnesty international is not able to independently verify all the online videos now being circulated from multiple cities.

At least one woman was arrested in Urumqi for “spreading rumours” according to official sources. Dozens were arrested on Urumqi Road in Shanghai evening of November 26 according to online sources. Protests are ongoing.

The post China: Government must not detain peaceful protesters as unprecedented demonstrations break out across the country appeared first on Amnesty International.

Afghanistan: Taliban’s cruel return to hardline practices with public floggings must be halted immediately

Responding to the public flogging of three women and 11 men on Wednesday on the orders of a Taliban court on charges of theft and moral crimes in Logar province of Afghanistan, Samira Hamidi, Amnesty International’s South Asia Campaigner, said:

“The public flogging of women and men is a cruel and shocking return to out-and-out hardline practices by the Taliban. It violates the absolute prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment under international law and should not be carried out under any circumstances.

The public flogging of women and men is a cruel and shocking return to out-and-out hardline practices by the Taliban.

Samira Hamidi, Amnesty International’s South Asia Campaigner

“The Taliban continue to ignore widespread criticism as they flagrantly flout basic human rights principles in an alarming slide into what looks like a grim reminder of their rule three decades ago. These outrageous punishments are just another step in the legalization of inhuman practices by the Taliban’s cruel justice system and expose the de-facto authorities’ complete disregard for international human rights law.

“The criminal practice of public flogging and all other forms of corporal punishments must be immediately and unconditionally stopped and a formal justice mechanism with fair trials and access to legal remedies must be put in place. The international community must immediately intensify its efforts to ensure the de-facto authorities in Afghanistan abolish all cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments.”

The Taliban continue to ignore widespread criticism as they flagrantly flout basic human rights principles in an alarming slide into what looks like a grim reminder of their rule three decades ago.

Samira Hamidi

Background:

On Sunday 14 November, the Taliban Supreme leader gave an obligatory order for full implementation of sharia law in Afghanistan.

Since then, the Taliban have carried out several public floggings on women and men accusing them of adultery, theft, same-sex sexual conduct or kidnapping, in different provinces in Afghanistan.

This interpretation of Islamic law includes public executions, public amputations and stoning – which were carried out during the Taliban’s first rule that ended in late 2001.

As the Taliban captured power in August 2021, they promised a more moderate rule in the country including respect to women’s rights.

Amnesty International has documented the Taliban’s continued escalation of human rights violations and abuses since they took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. This includes extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, disappearances, repression of women and girls, and censorship on media and other restrictions of freedom of expression.

The post Afghanistan: Taliban’s cruel return to hardline practices with public floggings must be halted immediately appeared first on Amnesty International.

Iran: Landmark UN fact-finding mission marks long-awaited turning point in tackling systematic impunity

Responding to today’s announcement that the UN Human Rights Council has passed a landmark resolution to establish a fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations in Iran related to the protests that began on 16 September 2022, especially with respect to women and children, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said: 

“This important and long overdue step shows that the cries of people in Iran for justice have finally been heard. We hope the establishment of this fact-finding mission marks a fundamental shift in the international community’s approach to tackling the crisis of systematic impunity that has long fueled crimes under international law and other serious human rights violations in Iran. The resolution not only enhances international scrutiny of the dire situation in Iran, but also puts in place a process to collect, consolidate and preserve crucial evidence for future prosecutions.

This important and long overdue step shows that the cries of people in Iran for justice have finally been heard.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International

“Amnesty International has been working towards the establishment of an international investigative and accountability mechanism on Iran for years. While the fact-finding mission should have come far sooner, today’s vote sends a clear message to the Iranian authorities that they can no longer commit crimes under international law without fear of consequences.

“States must now ensure that the mandate is made operational and sufficiently resourced without delay and call upon the Iranian authorities to cooperate fully with the mission and allow unhindered access to the country. Today’s vote must also serve as a wake-up call for the Iranian authorities to immediately end their all-out militarized attack on demonstrators.”

Background

As the resolution was being negotiated in Geneva, the Iranian authorities continued to reject the findings of UN experts and human rights organizations. In the meantime, at home they persisted in their widespread use of unlawful lethal force and sought the death penalty for protesters. 

The fact-finding mission has a mandate to “collect, consolidate and analyze evidence of such violations and preserve evidence, including in view of cooperation, in any legal proceedings.”

The Iranian authorities’ deadly repression of the ongoing popular uprising in Iran, which erupted after the death in custody of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini on 16 September 2022, is the latest in the cycle of violent attacks waged by the authorities against people expressing their legitimate grievances since December 2017-January 2018.

Amnesty International has consistently documented crimes under international law and other serious human rights violations committed by the Iranian authorities in the context of protests, including unlawful killings following unwarranted use of lethal force, mass arbitrary arrests and detentionsenforced disappearancestorture and other ill-treatment, and the sentencing of individuals to lengthy prison terms or death following grossly unfair trials. The Iranian authorities have ignored repeated calls by the international community to open criminal investigations into such crimes. Instead, they have sought to destroy evidence of their crimes while persecuting survivors and victims’ relatives calling for truth, justice and reparation.

The post Iran: Landmark UN fact-finding mission marks long-awaited turning point in tackling systematic impunity appeared first on Amnesty International.

Ethiopia: Survivors of sexual violence deserve justice and accountability

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the beginning of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Amnesty International is reiterating its call to mediators in the ongoing peace process on Ethiopia to prioritise justice for survivors, including survivors of sexual violence in the two-year conflict.

The African Union must pressure the Ethiopian government to ensure justice for victims and survivors of violations especially sexual violence

Flavia Mwangovya, Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Great Lakes Region.

“The African Union must urgently pressure the Ethiopian government to fully cooperate with both regional and international investigative mechanisms on human rights to ensure justice for victims and survivors of violations — especially sexual violence,” said Flavia Mwangovya, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Great Lakes Region.

“The Ethiopian authorities must urgently allow unfettered access to the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights to enable investigations to take place, and ultimately to ensure those responsible for atrocities in Ethiopia’s two-year conflict face justice.”

On 2 November 2022, Amnesty International launched a campaign which highlights the atrocities committed by all sides to the conflict. It also called on the international community to stand in solidarity with survivors and victims of sexual violence during the conflict.

The Ethiopian authorities must allow unfettered access to the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia and the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights to enable investigations to take place

Flavia Mwangovya

16 Days of Activism

On 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Amnesty International will also hold an exhibition in Nairobi at the Baraza Media Lab, in which a documentary film will highlight the demands for justice by survivors of sexual violence during the conflict in Ethiopia.

The exhibition will also be showcased in London on 28 and 29 November 2022, during the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference.

Background 

On 2 November 2022, the Government of Ethiopia, and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signed a peace agreement. The accord, however, fails to offer a clear roadmap on how to ensure accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and overlooks rampant impunity in the country, which could lead to violations being repeated.

All parties to the armed conflict in Ethiopia, which pits forces aligned with Ethiopia’s federal government, including the Eritrean army, against those affiliated with Tigray’s regional government led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), have committed serious human rights violations and abuses, including extrajudicial executions, summary killings and sexual violence against women and girls. Abuses documented by Amnesty International in the conflict include war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The post Ethiopia: Survivors of sexual violence deserve justice and accountability appeared first on Amnesty International.

South Korea: Supreme Court ruling on legal gender recognition an important step forward for transgender rights

Today’s South Korean Supreme Court decision that having children of minor age should not immediately be the reason to refuse to recognize the legal gender of transgender persons is an important step forward for human rights, Amnesty International said.

“This decision by the Supreme Court opens the door for more recognition of transgender rights, but there is still a long way to go given the high level of discrimination and stigmatization LGBTI people face in South Korean society,” said Jihyun Yoon, Director of Amnesty International Korea.

In coming to this decision – and partially overturning its previous decision from 2011 – the Supreme Court affirmed the rights of transgender individuals to dignity, happiness and family life.

The Court emphasized that transgender individuals have rights to be legally recognized according to their gender identity and have the same rights and obligations under law to have family life. It added that  legal gender recognition doesn’t fundamentally change the responsibilities or positions of the transgender parents, nor the rights of minor children.

There is no law governing legal gender recognition in South Korea, which means that applicants must apply for legal gender recognition through the courts in accordance with the “Guidelines for the Handling of Petition for Legal Sex Change Permit of Transgender People” adopted by the Supreme Court in 2006.

These guidelines include abusive or discriminatory requirements, such as not having children under 19 and being at least 19 years old themselves, as well as being unmarried, diagnosed with “transsexualism” and having undergone hormone therapy and been sterilized.

“This ruling addresses only one of the many discriminatory requirements in the guidelines, but it can be an important step towards the depathologization of legal gender recognition processes in South Korea,” Jihyun Yoon said.

“The government must ensure that legal gender recognition is not contingent on psychiatric diagnosis, medical treatments such as forced sterilization and genital reconstruction surgery, or other abusive or discriminatory requirements such as marital status or not having children. Instead, it must be a quick, accessible and transparent administrative process based on individual self-determination.”

BACKGROUND

This is the first time South Korea’s Supreme Court has handed down a ruling on legal gender recognition in 11 years, following a 2011 decision denying such recognition to an individual with minor children (under 19 years old).

Amnesty International provided a submission to the Supreme Court on international legal standards with regard to the right of legal gender recognition.

According to research commissioned by the National Human Rights Commission of South Korea in 2020, the preconditions required by courts and the related financial, physical and mental burden contributed to the decision of many transgender individuals not to seek legal gender recognition.

The right to legal gender recognition is derived from a number of fundamental rights protected in both domestic and international law including the rights to self-determination, privacy and health.

Without legal gender recognition and other social reforms to eliminate stigma, transgender individuals are more likely to continue to face violence and discrimination and a number of negative social and economic outcomes such as lack of access to employment.

The post South Korea: Supreme Court ruling on legal gender recognition an important step forward for transgender rights appeared first on Amnesty International.