Schlagwort: Amnesty International

On the first anniversary of the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s ruling that trials of civilians by military courts are constitutional, Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, said:

“The Supreme Court’s 2025 decision has fundamentally undermined the right to a fair trial and the right to liberty in Pakistan. Such courts flout virtually every protection guaranteed under international human rights law.

“A civilian before a military court is first subjected to a secret trial without procedural safeguards, conducted by army officials that lack independence and impartiality. If convicted, they are denied the right to appeal, despite orders by the Supreme Court that this protection be guaranteed. Those serving convictions, including 9 May protesters still serving their sentences and activists such as Idris Khattak, are being deprived of the right to have their convictions and sentences independently and impartially reviewed. They are not given access to the court’s reasoned judgements and, in many instances, they have not been provided with any written order at all, as part of a deliberate tactic to prolong their unlawful detention.

Such courts flout virtually every protection guaranteed under international human rights law

Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia

“Amnesty International calls on the Pakistani authorities to end this injustice by banning military trials of civilians and overturning all unlawful civilian convictions by these courts. Authorities must ensure that all those convicted are provided with a meaningful right to appeal to a competent, independent and impartial tribunal.”

Background

On 7 May 2025, the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan overturned a previous Supreme Court ruling from October 2023 that stated that the trial before a military court of civilians involved in the 9 May protest was unconstitutional and struck down sections 2(1)(d), section 59(4)(i) and 59(4)(ii) of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.

While validating military trials of civilians, the Supreme Court stated in its majority decision and detailed judgment that the legislature must pass a law to provide an “independent right of appeal to the High Courts for civilians” convicted by military courts within 45 days of the 7 May 2025 order. Despite this, a year on, Parliament has yet to table or pass any such legislation.

In December 2024, 105 protesters who took part in the 9 May 2023 protests following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan were convicted by military courts for two to 10 years. Nineteen of them were released on grounds of mercy immediately after and an additional five were released in May 2025 after completing their full two-year sentence. Idris Khattak is a human rights activist who was forcibly disappeared in 2019 and convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment after a secret military trial in 2021.

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Amnesty International has designated Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán, ancestral authorities of the 48 cantons of Totonicapán in 2023, as prisoners of conscience. They have been unjustly imprisoned for over a year simply for having made use of their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. 

“Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán should never have been imprisoned. Their arrest and prosecution constitute arbitrary punishment for having participated in peaceful protests and for representing their community. Every day they remain in prison compounds the violation of their human rights”, said Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International.  

Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán should never have been imprisoned. Their arrest and prosecution constitute arbitrary punishment for having participated in peaceful protests and for representing their community. Every day they remain in prison compounds the violation of their human rights.”

Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International. 

Luis and Héctor were arrested on 23 April 2025 and have remained in pre-trial detention since that date. The Public Prosecutor’s Office accuses them of the crimes of terrorism, unlawful association and obstruction of criminal proceedings, for the role they played during the peaceful protests that took place in the country in October 2023. Crimes with penalties totalling more than 30 years in prison.  

At the time of the events, they were serving as community mayors appointed in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Maya K’iche’ people of Totonicapán. They were also president and treasurer, respectively, of the board of directors of the Council of Mayors of the 48 Cantons of Totonicapán, an ancestral and indigenous authority that brings together the K’iche’ communities of this municipality in the west of the country. 

Based on a review of the criminal case, Amnesty International has found multiple irregularities, including unjustified delays that have hindered the process. For example, due to the successive changes of judges in charge, the process has stalled, and the intermediate hearing, initially scheduled for the beginning of July 2025, has not been held. In addition, more than a year has passed without Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán appearing before a judge to review the deprivation of their liberty, and to date, their lawyers have not been able to access all the evidence in the file. These practices are characteristic of the pattern of criminalization against justice workers, human rights defenders, and journalists who have participated in the fight against corruption and impunity.  

Amnesty International condemns the misuse of charges of terrorism and unlawful association to punish the legitimate use of freedom of expression, in violation of international human rights standards, based on a misinterpretation of criminal offences whose ambiguous wording opens the door to this type of arbitrary action.  

Two other people, also ancestral authorities, were arrested for the same reason and placed under house arrest: Basilio Puac, a member of the Board of Directors of the 48 cantons in 2023, accused of the crimes of unlawful association, sedition, obstruction of criminal proceedings and obstruction of justice; and Esteban Toc Tzay, former deputy mayor of the Indigenous Mayor’s Office of Sololá accused of the crimes of unlawful association, terrorism, sedition, obstruction of criminal proceedings and obstruction of justice. 

The organization also warns of the discriminatory nature of the accusations against these four representatives of Indigenous Peoples, which seek to punish their forms of organization and dissuade them from making use of their right to peaceful protest. 

“In a country like Guatemala, whose history has been marked by systematic violence and racism against Indigenous Peoples, the use of serious criminal charges such as terrorism, sedition and unlawful association against representatives of Indigenous Peoples is no coincidence. These unfounded accusations, which criminalize their forms of organization, are one more manifestation of the racial discrimination against them, which remains deeply rooted in the institutions of justice”, Ana Piquer added.  

In a country like Guatemala, whose history has been marked by systematic violence and racism against Indigenous Peoples, the use of serious criminal charges such as terrorism, sedition and unlawful association against representatives of Indigenous Peoples is no coincidence.”

Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International. 

Amnesty International’s designation as a prisoner of conscience is based on a rigorous analysis of the circumstances of detention. This status is granted to those who have been deprived of their liberty solely for expressing their ideas, exercising their rights or for reasons related to their identity – such as their ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation or other characteristics protected by international human rights law – without having resorted to violence or incitement to hatred. The organization calls for the immediate and unconditional release of these individuals. 

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact press@amnesty.org

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Reacting to reports that Azat Miftakhov, a mathematician and anarchist activist, was subjected to torture, including sexualized abuse, in a Russian penal colony, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:

“The authorities must urgently launch an independent and effective investigation into these allegations, hold all those suspected to be responsible to account in fair proceedings, and ensure that Azat Miftakhov is protected from further violence, including torture and other ill-treatment.

“Reports that prison staff and inmates were involved in the attack expose a system where violence and cruelty are deployed, encouraged or tolerated by the prison administration as tools of intimidation and coercion. This is often compounded by sexual violence and sexualized threats, which explicitly target LGBTI prisoners and are used more widely – tactics associated with some of the most repressive practices of the GULAG era.

Reports that prison staff and inmates were involved in the attack expose a system where violence and cruelty are deployed, encouraged or tolerated by the prison administration as tools of intimidation and coercion

Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

“Azat Miftakhov’s case is emblematic of the acute risks faced by prisoners singled out by the administration. In May 2023, his intimate photographs were reportedly distributed by members of the authorities among other inmates, thereby seeking to subject him to the cruelty of the informal prison hierarchy, to the harshest conditions and sexual violence at the hands of other inmates.”

Background

On 5 May 2026, the support group of Azat Miftakhov, a former Moscow State University postgraduate, published a detailed account alleging that he was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, and sexual violence including threats of rape following his transfer to Penal Colony No. 18 “Polar Owl” in Harp, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

On 21 April 2026, one day after his arrival at the colony, Miftakhov was reportedly unlawfully ordered to perform a cleaning task expressly intended to humiliate him. After his refusal, he was allegedly restrained by staff and other inmates, beaten and struck with a wooden hammer on the soles of his bare feet. He was reportedly then stripped naked and threatened with rape and suffocation, while officers and inmates subjected him to repeated physical assaults. According to his testimony, electric shocks were administered to his toes, with the abuse repeated multiple times when he refused to obey.

Azat Miftakhov has previously reported torture following his first detention in 2019 over his alleged involvement in the 2018 arson attempt targeting an office of the ruling party United Russia in Moscow, which caused no damage.  

In September 2025, immediately upon his release, he was re-arrested and charged with “justifying terrorism” over comments he had allegedly made while in detention and was sentenced to a further four years in prison.

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Amnesty International strongly condemns the Zambian government for open-endedly “postponing” RightsCon – the largest global tech and human rights conference, which was due to start today in Lusaka and online – after allegedly being pressured by Chinese diplomats. 

Conference organizers Access Now have confirmed they believe “foreign interference” was behind the last-minute postponement. According to their statement, officials from Zambia’s Ministry of Technology and Science had communicated that they were under pressure from Chinese diplomats over, among others, the participation of Taiwanese civil society, prior to the Zambian authorities’ decision to postpone the event. In its 29 April statement announcing the decision, Zambia’s Ministry of Information and Media claimed the postponement was “necessitated by the need for comprehensive disclosure of critical information relating to key thematic issues proposed for discussion during the summit…to ensure full alignment with Zambia’s national values, policy priorities and broader public interest considerations.” 

“The apparent coercive pressure behind the de-facto cancellation of RightsCon is a clear sign of a growing and dangerous pattern of Chinese authorities abusing their power and influence over other governments to silence dissent and restrict fundamental rights, in particular those of individuals the Chinese state deems as a threat. We strongly condemn these acts, which constitute transnational repression. There must be serious consequences for this kind of state-driven intimidation and political bullying,   

Sarah Brooks, the China Director at Amnesty International. 

RightsCon is a prominent platform for global dialogue on emerging human rights issues in the digital space.  

“The postponement of RightsCon shrinks already limited spaces for global coordination on regulating and governing technology at a time of explosive AI expansion and the deepening entwinement of the tech industry with authoritarian practices and power. This erosion of civic and policy space has real consequences, and it is a loss the world cannot afford,” said Damini Satija, Amnesty Tech Director at Amnesty International. 

Over 5000 people from 150 countries and 750 organizations and institutions, were expected to attend the event in Lusaka, Zambia and online to discuss pressing issues at the intersection of technology and human rights. Last year RightsCon was held in Taipei, Taiwan, and co-hosted by the Taiwanese civil society group Open Culture Foundation. Other members of Taiwanese civil society, including E-Ling Chiu, the director of Amnesty International Taiwan, have attended and made presentations at this and prior iterations of RightsCon. 

Access Now had been engaged in high level coordination with Zambian government officials since 2024 to organize intricate logistics and coordinate the movement of large groups of participants for the summit in Lusaka. Cancelling the event just days before it was due to begin cannot be justified under these circumstances and will drain an immense amount of resources for civil society and Zambian businesses that would have benefited from the conference.  

“We urge all states to step up and support RightsCon by working with Access Now and the global civil society to secure an alternative venue and ensure the conference takes place this year. This is a critical test of political courage. Standing aside is not neutral, it abandons the thousands of civil society actors and the millions of people worldwide whose rights they serve and protect,  

 Damini Satija

Having nearly successfully suppressed domestic civil society and public debate, online and off, within its borders, the Chinese government routinely engages in efforts to silence critics abroad, including targeting overseas students, dissidents and diaspora groups across Asia, Europe and North America. Amnesty International has documented such practices, which we consider clear examples of transnational repression, including in a 2024 report on the intimidation and restrictions on freedoms faced by Chinese and Hong Kong students overseas. China has also long exerted pressure on countries, intergovernmental bodies and companies around the world to exclude Taiwanese voices, both official and civil society, from multilateral fora and global debates and platforms focused on human rights. 

China has also shown itself to be increasingly keen to shape global debates around how existing and emerging technologies should be governed, whether at the UN or in other forums. Meanwhile, numerous credible reports indicate that AI and other technologies have been used within China in connection with serious human rights violations, including against the Uyghur people and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups. As China’s tech and infrastructure investments expand and are exported, so does the risk that these tools may facilitate similar violations elsewhere.  

The Zambian government must now explain its role in this fiasco, given that the postponement was reportedly a result of pressure from Chinese diplomats. This episode raises further concerns about the export of authoritarian practices, particularly the support of one government to constrain or silence voices critical of another.     

“This is censorship and a direct attack on the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. It is yet another deeply worrying sign of a broader slide towards authoritarian practices, a pattern we are increasingly seeing in other parts of the world, 

Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa.

“The Zambian government must now urgently address the credible allegations of foreign interference and fully and transparently explain the full reasons behind the postponement of this event. This last-minute reversal also raises serious concerns about the shrinking civic space in Zambia and calls into question the authorities’ stated commitment to civic participation, human rights and respect for their international obligations.” 

This did not happen in a vacuum. In Zambia, China’s leverage is reinforced through debt and major infrastructure investments including renovations to Mulungushi International Convention Center, which was slated to host RightsCon. This influence also extends into key economic sectors with Chinese companies playing a significant role in copper mining and amplified by Zambia’s roughly US$ 5 billion debt to China.  

Zambia is just three months away from a general election. President Hakainde Hichilema, elected in 2021 on a promise of democratic renewal, has spent recent years enacting cyber laws that have become tools of surveillance and speech repression.  

Amnesty International will continue to closely monitor developments as the country approaches these crucial elections.  

Background

Every two years, RightsCon brings together the human rights community, policymakers, general counsels, government representatives, technologists, academics and journalists from around the world to address urgent challenges at the intersection of human rights and technology. The event in Zambia was to be the first time it was hosted in Sub-Saharan Africa.  

Several China-related themes were on the conference agenda in Lusaka, including Uyghur forced labour in global supply chains, the China-Russia authoritarian nexus, Chinese surveillance, the digital reach of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, cybersecurity “with Chinese characteristics” and the export of authoritarian norms. In addition to Taiwanese civil society, a number of members of diaspora groups, including Hongkongers, Tibetans and Uyghurs as well as mainland Chinese, were expected to attend.  

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