Schlagwort: Amnesty International

As a result of Venezuelan victims’ fight for justice under universal jurisdiction in Argentina, manifested by filing complaints before Argentine courts, and responding to recent reports of an extradition request from Argentine to Spanish authorities, Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International, stated today:

“Crimes against humanity, such as those committed in Venezuela, must stir the conscience of the entire international community and lead to tangible action towards protecting victims against past and future human rights violations and crimes under international law.”

Crimes against humanity, such as those committed in Venezuela, must stir the conscience of the entire international community and lead to tangible action towards protecting victims against past and future human rights violations and crimes under international law.”

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

Avenues for international justice have been opened and are sustained by courageous victims, including the investigation by the Office of the Prosecutor in the International Criminal Court – the first of its kind for a situation in the Americas-, and cases of universal jurisdiction.

Since 2023, we have closely monitored the case filed by the surviving relatives of victims of extrajudicial executions before Argentine courts and supported the jurisdiction of the local courts. News that this case and related criminal investigations are progressing, and an extradition request has been formally filed before Spanish authorities is a welcome step. We call on Spanish authorities to cooperate promptly and fully with this and any potential future requests, in view of contributing to justice and accountability for the crimes committed in Venezuela.

Victims, communities, and their representatives face continued risks in Venezuela. Their safety and rights, including, crucially, their right to truth, justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-repetition, must be a paramount priority for Venezuelan authorities moving forward. Amnesty International calls for the immediate dismantling of the state’s policy of repression, including the unconditional release of all those arbitrarily detained for political reasons, and for the overhaul of the justice system.

“Amnesty International’s research on universal jurisdiction underscores that states worldwide have both the authority and responsibility to act against crimes under international law, lending weight to current efforts for justice in Venezuela.”

Amnesty International’s research on universal jurisdiction underscores that states worldwide have both the authority and responsibility to act against crimes under international law, lending weight to current efforts for justice in Venezuela.”

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

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

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The Russian authorities are denying children their right to quality education by using propaganda-filled textbooks and lectures to indoctrinate children and justify Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, while suppressing free expression, independent thinking and access to information, Amnesty International said today.

A new briefing, “Only Official Sources”: Indoctrination in the Russian Educational System, documents how children across Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine are being subjected to oppressive state ideology via a centrally controlled curriculum. It also details how teachers are instructed to monitor their students online, collect files with information about their opinions and report dissenting views on political and social issues to the authorities.

“Russian schools are being converted from temples of knowledge into factories of compliance. It is the Russian state itself which defines what children must learn about Russia, its neighbours, and the rest of the world. While using schools for political propaganda is not unique to Russia, the intensity and scale of the Kremlin’s efforts to put indoctrination at the centre of the education system are systemic,” said Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

While using schools for political propaganda is not unique to Russia, the intensity and scale of the Kremlin’s efforts to put indoctrination at the centre of the education system are systemic

Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

“Russian textbooks present a single view of history, which justifies any decision taken in Moscow to use force against its neighbours. They portray Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine as an historic necessity and a matter of national survival, while any alternative opinions are vilified as ‘hostile’ or ‘destructive’,”

One worldview, uniform teaching

Since 2023, the Russian Ministry of Education has introduced a single mandatory set of history textbooks and teaching materials which portray Russia akin to a “besieged fortress,” deny or diminish Ukrainian identity and statehood, and present all Soviet and Russian military interventions as necessary or legitimate.

Education cannot meet human rights law and standards when it is designed to deprive children of the opportunity to form their own opinions and learn independent, critical thinking at a formative age. Russia’s approach  violates its  obligations under a number of international human rights treaties including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which requires education to be directed to “the development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms” and to prepare children for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of “understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples.”

Russia’s attempts to groom an obedient, unquestioning student population are reinforced through coercion, monitoring and profiling.

“Russian authorities are introducing so-called ‘profilaktika’ measures that involve not only spreading propaganda but also constant clandestine monitoring of students, both in and out of schools, including online. While it is done ostensibly to prevent ‘extremism’, ‘terrorism’ and ‘destructive ideologies’, in practice these guidelines encourage screening of children’s political, religious and personal views,” said Marie Struthers.

From safeguarding to surveillance

Schools are being encouraged to identify students and staff members whose opinions, online activity and associations express or disloyalty or susceptibility to “destructive” influences – which are so broadly defined that they include peaceful opposition and civil society groups. Among them are the late Aleksei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, the youth protest movement Vesna and the non-existent “International LGBT movement” – an invented legal construct used to criminalize LGBTI activism, – which have all been criminalized solely for speaking up for human rights.

Even exhibiting forms of dissent not formally prohibited in Russia, such as discussing the war in Ukraine’s negative impact on living standards, may be viewed as a red flag that leads to students being labelled “at risk” with their views on the war, “traditional values” and state policy recorded and referred to school administrations, police or security services.

“Russian authorities have shown no limit to the lengths they will go to impose their deeply politicized, ideological narrative on the next generation, and to ensure those who do not comply are detected and disciplined. This violates children’s rights to privacy, freedom of expression and association, and undermines trust within schools and robs children of their individuality,” said Marie Struthers.

“A child’s mind is not the state’s property. Nonetheless, the Russian authorities appear to be treating classrooms as soil to be inspected for the first shoots of civic dissent, so that they can be uprooted before they grow.”

A child’s mind is not the state’s property. Nonetheless, the Russian authorities appear to be treating classrooms as soil to be inspected for the first shoots of civic dissent, so that they can be uprooted before they grow

Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Amnesty International is calling on the Russian authorities to ensure that the school curriculum, textbooks and other educational material do not stifle or prevent free expression and free exchange of views, contain disinformation or undermine respect for human rights. Students and teachers must be given access to a broad range of sources and be able to freely discuss history and current events without fear of reprisal.

Authorities must repeal laws and regulations that punish peaceful expression or exclude dissenting voices from education; immediately stop unlawful monitoring and profiling of children and educators, destroy unlawfully collected data, provide effective remedies and reparation to those affected, and bring those responsible for violations to account.

Amnesty International also calls on the international community to raise these issues with Russian authorities in all forums; support independent civil society’s work combating propaganda and persecution in education; help those facing such persecution, including by providing them visas where necessary; and ensure that development assistance is not used to perpetuate these violations.

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Fatema Uzgan Nusrat on why girls’ education matters

Fatema Uzgun Nusrat runs an online school called The Behdukht Academy for girls in Afghanistan. Today Afghanistan remains the only country in the world that bans secondary education for girls and women. In the Behdukht Academy security is very strict, even students themselves don’t know one another’s names.  But demand is high and the academy is going from strength to strength.

Fatema was interviewed as part of Amnesty’s On The Side of Humanity podcast recently. Here she shares what inspired her to create this school after living through years of Taliban rule as a child.

When the Taliban first took control of my province in Afghanistan in 1998, I was 12-13 years old. Schools were forced to close for girls, which was deeply painful for me as I loved going to school. I suddenly had to wear a burka and was not allowed to go outside without a male chaperone. There were no educational programmes available, and no internet.

At one point, a relative came to our house and warned us that keeping books was not safe, so we burned them—along with family photographs. Out of fear and uncertainty, people even threw away toothbrushes because of rumours that the Taliban only used miswak [a type of wooden twig] and disapproved of toothbrushes. It was an environment of constant fear, where even small things felt dangerous.

I managed to save a few books from my grandfather’s library, and I continued reading them throughout those difficult years.

During the hot summers in Afghanistan, I would wake up early to read while the air was still cool and everyone else was still asleep. I spent much of my day reading, even while helping my mother in the kitchen. Sometimes, my oily hands would leave marks on the pages of my books.

We studied by oil lamp

My favourite book was an adventure story – a heavy hardback with a green cover. I read it seven times. It is still in my house in Afghanistan now, I hope.

My parents encouraged my love of reading and motivated me and my siblings to study, even in those difficult circumstances. Because they themselves could not complete their higher education due to family responsibilities, they made education our priority and worked hard to provide us with books and writing materials.

There was no electricity in our province. In the evenings, we would sit together around an oil lamp and study. My father worked away from home, but my mother was with us every night. When I think of those years, I remember us sitting, reading, and laughing together in a small circle of light in a dark house.

Hope gained and hope crushed

When the Taliban rule ended in 2001, I was a teenager. Life gradually became easier. I completed high school and, in 2006, began studying law at Kabul University. I later worked with several NGOs and received a scholarship to pursue my master’s degree in Istanbul. I had young children, so I was initially hesitant about leaving and relocating abroad, but my husband was very supportive. We saw it as a valuable opportunity for me to gain new skills and bring them back to our country. I believed Afghanistan was moving forward, and there was a real sense of hope and energy in society.

But in the end, none of that future unfolded as we had hoped.

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan again in 2021, I was still completing my master’s degree. It quickly became clear that we could not return. I was in shock. I could not stop thinking about Afghanistan, and memories of my childhood came flooding back. I kept asking myself: “How could this be happening again? Why?” There were no answers.

Founding Behdukht Online Academy

Although it was too dangerous to return to Afghanistan, I constantly thought about the girls who were suddenly banned from school. I reached out to a few families with daughters and offered to share online courses and educational opportunities with them. In 2023, we created a WhatsApp group with five girls and began building a platform to connect them with online learning resources. Later, we named it Behdukht Online Academy.

Word spread quickly. Other volunteer teachers joined, and student requests came from multiple provinces across the country. Today, more than 200 girls are studying with us. We follow the standard Afghan school curriculum that existed before 2021, and I have also introduced new subjects such as computer skills. The courses are mainly self-directed, with Behdukht facilitating access to learning opportunities while students take a leading role in their own education.

Our main concern is keeping our students safe. Persecution remains widespread under the Taliban, and we are committed to protecting their identities. Every new student must be recommended by a trusted contact and complete a form. Only after careful review do we confirm their enrollment.

My students make me so proud

Most of our students live in villages, and their families have very limited financial resources. It is remarkable how much support these families give to their children, even though something as simple as installing Wi-Fi or buying a tablet for online classes can be very difficult. Most importantly, they give their girls the time and space to focus on their education.

However, I am most proud of the students themselves. Their determination to learn is extraordinary. They find creative ways to study despite slow internet and a lack of textbooks.

Many of our students hope to continue their education at universities after graduating from Behdukht Academy, and last semester, four of them were accepted into online universities.

Learning at Behdukht Academy is free. We do not receive salaries and have no formal funding. I am currently seeking grant opportunities that would better support our students by providing them with essential resources -such as devices and internet access – so they can fully engage in their education.

My stories are still waiting for me back home

Because of the time difference between the United States and Afghanistan, I often wake up at 3 am. Yet I do not mind rising early, as it reminds me of my childhood, when I would sit in a quiet house and lose myself in books. Those stories are still there in my hometown, but I do not know when I will see them again. I sometimes wonder whether the traces of cooking oil are still visible on their pages.

My hope is to see Afghan girls return to school and grow up to rebuild our country with dignity and equality. I know that Behdukht Academy is only a small step, but I believe that meaningful change begins with small steps.

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Ethiopian authorities have intensified their crackdown on press freedom in a cynical attempt to silence criticism in the lead-up to the country’s national election on 1 June, Amnesty International said today.

In recent months, Ethiopian authorities have launched a campaign of repression against independent media by arbitrarily arresting, forcibly disappearing and unlawfully surveilling journalists. Other journalists have had their accreditation  revoked, while several media houses have lost their licenses arbitrarily.

“Ethiopian authorities should reverse these increasingly authoritarian tendencies and immediately end this campaign of repression against the media. Ethiopia’s development partners and relevant regional and international human rights bodies must also speak out against the systematic dismantling of the country’s independent media as citizens prepare to vote”, said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa.

Ethiopian authorities should reverse these increasingly authoritarian tendencies and immediately end this campaign of repression against the media.

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

Six media representatives interviewed by Amnesty International, who asked to remain anonymous due to fear of reprisals, reported that their coverage of the upcoming election has been severely affected by ongoing hostility against the media.

They said that journalists frequently self-censor to avoid reprisals by authorities. Two of them noted that their already limited pre-election coverage has been further hampered by a lack of transparency from the election board. Another told Amnesty International that almost all opposition politicians now fear speaking to the media.

“I had to drop a story because every quoted politician was anonymous, as they refused to disclose their identity for fear of reprisals for criticizing the government or the ruling party,” said one news editor interviewed by Amnesty International.

“Most politicians are always reluctant to talk to us about anything critical of the government over the phone. They fear that their devices are compromised by the intelligence services,” said another journalist.

Several of the interviewees also told Amnesty International that the election board has imposed an “oath”, first introduced in 2021, as a precondition for official accreditation to cover the election.

I had to drop a story because every quoted politician was anonymous, as they refused to disclose their identity for fear of reprisals for criticizing the government or the ruling party.

Journalist, Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Election Board is an independent constitutional body established to conduct elections across Ethiopia’s federal and state constituencies.

This oath, which Amnesty International has reviewed, requires media organizations to comply with “ethical responsibilities and obligations set out in the directives for covering elections” and to acknowledge that it is against the law to publish “false information about the Board”.

The restrictions outlined in the oath contain words that can be broadly interpreted.

“Press freedom and the free flow of information are vital during elections. The oath required by the election board is clearly a tool for controlling what is discussed in public about the upcoming election and gives it the power to censor uncomfortable information or determine what is considered to be true or false,” said Tigere Chagutah.

A smear campaign against the media that frames independent journalism as a national threat, just weeks before the election, is an example of how authoritarian tendencies are taking root in Ethiopia and are being deployed to consolidate power

Tigere Chagutah

In recent months, public statements by top government officials have framed critical and independent reporting as threats to national interests, a pretext that has been used to justify the ongoing crackdown on media freedom. Just two months ahead of the election  Redwan Hussien, Ethiopia’s intelligence chief, and the prime minister’s advisor, Daniel Kibret, made this kind of statements, which have been echoed by officials from the country’s media regulatory body, the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA). Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has also frequently used rhetoric that frames the free press as a threat to national interests.

“A smear campaign against the media that frames independent journalism as a national threat, just weeks before the election, is an example of how authoritarian tendencies are taking root in Ethiopia and are being deployed to consolidate power”, said Tigere Chagutah.

Background

Over the past year Ethiopian’s media regulatory body, EMA, has arbitrarily suspended the registration of Addis Standard and Wazema Radio, while revoking the accreditation and licenses of Reuters journalists. The revocation of accreditation for the Reuters journalists was linked to the outlet’s coverage of a military base inside Ethiopia hosting the Sudanese armed group, the Rapid Support Forces.

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Following the United Nations Security Council’s decision to renew the arms embargo on South Sudan for another year, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah said:

“The renewal of the arms embargo, if it is diligently enforced, is an important measure to protect civilians by curtailing the flow of weapons that have been used to commit serious human rights violations and crimes under international law.

“We are however dismayed that several Security Council members continue to call for the lifting of the arms embargo and some members abstained from the vote, especially with the escalating intensity of the armed conflict since early 2025.

The renewal of the arms embargo, if it is diligently enforced, is an important measure to protect civilians by curtailing the flow of weapons that have been used to commit serious human rights violations and crimes under international law.

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

“Weapons continue to be used to take lives. For instance, on 1 March 2026, a group of armed men from Mayom County in Unity State stormed Abiemnom town, killing and injuring hundreds of people in only a few hours. Placing more weapons in the hands of warring parties and other actors involved in serious human rights violations and crimes under international law would be irresponsible and dangerous to civilians.

“Weapons have also been used to commit sexual violence that still continues to characterize the armed conflict in South Sudan despite the existence of agreements and an action plan to combat and address its prevalence. Crimes under international and national law, including conflict-related sexual violence, continue to be rewarded with impunity.”

Background

In 2025, Amnesty International found that the deployment of armed Ugandan soldiers and military equipment to South Sudan since 11 March 2025, in absence of a notification or exemption request to the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, flagrantly violates the arms embargo. Amnesty International also documented evidence of the ongoing use of attack helicopters by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), strongly suggesting that the supply of spare parts – an arms embargo violation previously documented by Amnesty International – continues.

In 2020, Amnesty International documented evidence of newly imported small arms and ammunition, illicit concealment of weapons and diversion of armoured vehicles for unauthorized military purposes, pointing to the failure of the parties to the 2018 peace agreement, including the South Sudanese government, to adhere to the UN embargo, and to implement relevant provisions of the 2018 peace agreement under which they also committed to protect human rights.

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