Schlagwort: Amnesty International

One year after the arbitrary detention of Ruth López, Amnesty International is reiterating its concern over the human rights violations committed against her and calling on the Salvadoran authorities to fully guarantee her due process rights, end her incommunicado detention, and fully comply with the precautionary measures granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

“Ruth López is a prisoner of conscience who has been unjustly detained for a year because of her tireless fight against corruption and her defence of social justice. We call for her immediate and unconditional release,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International. “One year after her detention, the Salvadoran authorities continue to hold Ruth in conditions that are incompatible with their international human rights obligations. Her prolonged incommunicado detention, restrictions on her right to defence and the lack of transparency surrounding the proceedings raise serious concerns about respect for judicial guarantees and due process, not only in her case, but also for the thousands of people arbitrarily detained in El Salvador.”

One year after her detention, the Salvadoran authorities continue to hold Ruth in conditions that are incompatible with their international human rights obligations…We call for her immediate and unconditional release.”

Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

Ruth López was detained on 18 May 2025 amid growing harassment and criminalization of human rights defenders and critical voices in El Salvador. In the first hours after her detention, her relatives and legal team said they did not know where she was, raising concerns that she may have been subjected to a short-term enforced disappearance. The authorities later changed the initial accusations against her, while restricting access to information about the case and raising further questions about respect for judicial guarantees from the very beginning of her detention. In June 2025, Amnesty International recognized Ruth López as a prisoner of conscience.

She remains in detention under an incommunicado regime that has prevented her from maintaining regular contact with her family and has severely restricted her ability to exercise her right to defence. This is compounded by the lack of access to a public hearing and restrictions on access to information about the judicial proceedings against her, further deepening concerns about respect for judicial guarantees and due process. In September 2025, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights granted precautionary measures in her favour, which the state must fully implement, including by ensuring effective access to legal counsel, regular communication with her family, and protection of her physical and psychological integrity.

Amnesty International is also concerned about the lack of independent and effective national mechanisms to adequately monitor the situation of people deprived of liberty in El Salvador. In December 2025, the organization sent a public letter to Human Rights Ombudsperson Raquel Caballero de Guevara, raising concerns about the lack of a diligent and protection-centred response in Ruth López’s case, including the need for rigorous checks on her detention conditions, access to legal counsel and state of health. Amnesty International stresses that it does not question the Salvadoran state’s duty to investigate possible crimes, but rather the need for any criminal proceedings to be carried out in full respect of the human rights and judicial guarantees of the accused. Pretrial detention must only be used in exceptional circumstances and always in line with the strict standards of necessity, proportionality and periodic review under international law.

“Respect for due process and the right to defence does not protect only one person; it is an essential safeguard for everyone facing criminal proceedings. For as long as Ruth López remains detained, the Salvadoran authorities must urgently review the pretrial detention order against her and ensure conditions that are consistent with her rights and dignity,” said Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

For as long as Ruth López remains detained, the Salvadoran authorities must urgently review the pretrial detention order against her and ensure conditions that are consistent with her rights and dignity.” 

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

The organization also expresses concern over the human and social impact that Ruth López’s detention has had on her family, community and professional circles. In addition to her work as a human rights defender, Ruth has been widely recognized for her close and committed leadership in educational, community and grassroots organizing spaces, where she supported and accompanied others in advancing social justice demands.

“Her absence has left a deep mark on the spaces where she was an active and committed presence. Ruth López has not only supported victims and denounced abuses; she has also played an important role in strengthening support networks and community organizing in El Salvador. Defending human rights and strengthening the social fabric are legitimate activities that must be protected, not punished,” Ana Piquer added.

Her absence has left a deep mark on the spaces where she was an active and committed presence. Ruth López has not only supported victims and denounced abuses; she has also played an important role in strengthening support networks and community organizing in El Salvador.”

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

Human rights defenders play a fundamental role in every society, and the Salvadoran state has an obligation to ensure that they can carry out their work without reprisals, criminalization or arbitrary restrictions on their rights.

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

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Responding to the killing of Pedro João Chaúque, a member of the opposition National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique (Anamola) party, in Mozambique’s south-western Gaza province on 16 May, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, said:

“The killing of Pedro João Chaúque by unknown armed men is extremely concerning. It comes after another member of the same opposition party was killed in Manica province barely two weeks ago and fits into a disturbing pattern of killings or enforced disappearances of opposition party members in the recent past.

“Mozambican authorities must ensure prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigations into the killings of Pedro João Chaúque and other opposition figures. All suspected perpetrators must be brought to justice in fair trials. Authorities must ensure and provide access to justice and effective remedies for the victims and their families.

“The authorities must also ensure that everyone in the country can freely exercise their right to freedom of expression, including critics and independent voices. No one should be subject to violence, intimidation, harassment or any other reprisals for expressing dissent or challenging government policies.”

Background

On the night of 16 May, unknown armed men, entered the house of Pedro João Chaúque. They shot and killed Pedro João Chaúque on the spot before seizing his vehicle and other items and fleeing.

Mozambique has seen a spate of killings and enforced disappearances of opposition party members in recent months. Anselmo Vicente, Anamola’s coordinator, was killed on 9 May by unknown armed men in Chimoio city, Manica province. 

Arlindo Chissale, journalist and supporter of Venâncio Mondlane, the leader of Anamola party and former presidential candidate who disputed the October 2024 elections, has not been seen since 7 January 2025. Witnesses who spoke with Arlindo Chissale’s family revealed that on 7 January, they saw him being removed from a public minibus and beaten before being driven away allegedly by members of the defence and security forces.

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• Abu Lulu detained in October 2025 by RSF leadership
• Reuters investigation reveals he has returned to combat
• “The RSF leadership must remove Abu Lulu from the battlefield immediately” – Tigere Chagutah

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander known as “Abu Lulu” – who has reportedly returned to the battlefield in Sudan – must be removed from their ranks immediately, Amnesty International said today.

RSF commander Al-Fatih Abdallah Idris, also known by his alias “Abu Lulu”, was reportedly arrested by the RSF leadership in October 2025 after multiple videos shared online showed him executing captives in civilian clothing.

A new investigation by Reuters, citing multiple sources, has now revealed that Abu Lulu returned to the battlefield in Kordofan in March 2026.

“The RSF commander known as Abu Lulu has previously been accused of war crimes committed during the attacks that resulted in the fall of El Fasher last year,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa Regional Office.

“It is alarming to learn he has returned to combat without any investigation into the allegations. The RSF leadership must remove Abu Lulu from the battlefield and from their ranks immediately, and he must be investigated for the war crime of wilful killings.

“The RSF leadership must ensure that Abu Lulu is held accountable for his actions by competent and credible judicial mechanisms guaranteeing the highest standards of fair trial without resort to death penalty. It is essential that Abu Lulu, and all RSF soldiers who have committed crimes, are subject to an independent investigation for crimes under international law.”

Amnesty International is again calling for the RSF to immediately end attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. They must also guarantee safe passage for civilians who are trying to flee the ongoing violence.

Background

The ongoing conflict in Sudan began in April 2023. It has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 12 million, making it the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

Amnesty International has previously documented war crimes by the RSF and allied Arab militias where they jointly carried out ethnically targeted attacks against the Masalit and other non-Arab communities in West Darfur.

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• Military-connected social media accounts target activists with disinformation
• Online slurs precede intimidation and violent attacks against dissidents
• Meta, TikTok, X and YouTube allow harmful content to spread rapidly

Coordinated disinformation campaigns portraying government critics as “foreign agents” are silencing dissent and fueling intimidation and violence under Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Amnesty International said in a new report published today.

‘Building up Imaginary Enemies’ reveals a growing pattern in which Indonesian authorities – including the military – deploy online disinformation to target journalists, activists, academics and protesters in retaliation for their legitimate activism and expression.  Meanwhile, tech giants Meta, TikTok, X and YouTube have allowed harmful disinformation to remain online.

This disinformation is a political weapon, deployed to consolidate the government’s power when public criticism intensifies, while demonizing and weakening those who dare to speak out.

Agnès Callamard, Secretary General at Amnesty International

“Authoritarian practices have accelerated in Indonesia under President Prabowo Subianto’s government. Amnesty’s research shows that in the 18 months since Prabowo took power, online disinformation has emerged as a key tactic to systematically discredit government critics, shut down public debate and justify repression – all while social media companies sit back and let it happen,” Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said.

“This disinformation is a political weapon, deployed to consolidate the government’s power when public criticism intensifies, while demonizing and weakening those who dare to speak out. By branding protesters, journalists and human rights defenders as ‘foreign agents’, Indonesia’s authorities and their supporters are deliberately shifting attention away from people’s legitimate grievances.”

Intent to deceive

Since President Prabowo took office in October 2024, there have been multiple waves of demonstrations in Indonesia, including against corruption, budget cuts, environmental degradation and expanded powers handed to the military. Prabowo and senior officials have responded by repeatedly and publicly accusing critics of being paid, manipulated and controlled by foreign interests, and framing dissent as orchestrated rather than legitimate.

This has been followed by a proliferation of “foreign agent” slurs against civil society actors online, often based on unsubstantiated claims that they want to “undermine” or “divide” Indonesia due to the fact they receive foreign funding or other support from overseas actors.

Under international law, civil society organizations and media outlets have the right to access international funding, which is often essential for exercising the right to freedom of association. 

Amnesty International’s research found that campaigns disseminating false “foreign agent” allegations against civil society have in most instances involved hundreds of accounts acting in sync to post identical videos, graphics or messages in quick succession. This false information is then amplified across Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. Amnesty was able to infer from the coordinated nature of the campaigns that these accounts were spreading falsehoods with the intention to deceive, a key element of disinformation.

The implications for those branded as “foreign agents” are severe, with victims telling Amnesty it undermined their work and credibility, increased their risk of criminalization and exposed them to physical harm.

‘Your head will fall to the ground’

Digital disinformation campaigns have frequently spilled over into physical violence. In March 2026, Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), was the victim of an acid attack in Jakarta, suffering severe chemical burns.

He had been targeted for months by coordinated online campaigns portraying him as a “foreign agent” after he helped lead peaceful protests against revisions to Indonesia’s Military Law. Dozens of accounts presenting themselves as part of the Indonesian military, together with hundreds of anonymous accounts, took part in these campaigns across different social media platforms.

State investigations later led to the arrest of four military officers. Yet even after the acid attack and arrests, disinformation continued. Coordinated videos accused Yunus of staging the assault to attract foreign funding.

Independent media outlets have also been heavily targeted. Tempo, one of Indonesia’s most respected news organizations, faced sustained disinformation campaigns, including by Instagram accounts presenting themselves as military units, accusing it of being controlled by foreign donors after it reported critically on government policy.

Online smear campaigns were accompanied by chilling acts of intimidation, including a severed pig’s head delivered to Tempo’s newsroom and follow-up packages containing decapitated rats. Online disinformation then sought to portray the threats as staged stunts to garner foreign support.

Greenpeace Indonesia activist Iqbal Damanik was targeted after he led a peaceful protest against the government’s mining activities in Raja Ampat, West Papua. 

He told Amnesty: “I received so many direct messages from anonymous users. I assume they are the ones who believe the disinformation out there about me. Some threatened to kill me. One of them said, ‘Your head will fall to the ground.”

Climate of intimidation

The pervasive use of disinformation has created a climate of fear far beyond those directly targeted, discouraging people from participating in protests, collaborating with civil society organizations or expressing critical views online.

As one journalist told Amnesty: “This is dangerous for all of us. If we all become afraid of being labelled ‘foreign agents’ and stop reporting news or any stories critical of the government, then we are back to the authoritarian atmosphere of the past.”

Amnesty’s report found that Indonesia’s domestic laws fail to protect those targeted with disinformation and are more likely to be used to prosecute and criminalize critics. A new proposed law on ‘Countering Disinformation and Foreign Propaganda’ risks deepening Indonesia’s authoritarian trajectory by being used to further restrict the right to freedom of expression.

“Instead of upholding fundamental rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, Indonesian authorities have failed at every level: state actors participate in the attacks, victims are denied protection and a climate of intimidation is allowed to take hold,” Agnès Callamard said.

“The Indonesian government must protect journalists, activists and protesters rather than enabling and disseminating toxic disinformation against them.”

Social media companies’ responsibilities

The report also finds that Meta, TikTok, X and YouTube’s inadequate content moderation, engagement-driven algorithms and failure to address Indonesia’s heightened human rights risks allowed disinformation to spread rapidly. Most of the posts documented remained online for months – some for more than a year – and many went viral.

“Big Tech’s failures have contributed to the human rights harms documented in this report, with falsehoods spreading faster than facts. Their platforms have played a significant role in enabling an environment in which disinformation, censorship and violence can thrive,” Agnès Callamard said.

Amnesty International wrote to Meta, TikTok, X and YouTube twice: first to seek information during the research phase, and later to share its findings before publication. Only TikTok responded to Amnesty International’s letters detailing our findings, pledging to “set up additional monitoring for this specific issue”.

“Despite the increasingly hostile climate for human rights work and failures of the government and social media companies to counter disinformation, many of the activists we interviewed remain resilient. They continue to adapt, support one another and resist. However, the burden must not rest on them alone,” Agnès Callamard said.

“Amid the heightened risks under President Prabowo’s administration, Meta, TikTok, X and YouTube must stop disinformation, strengthen content moderation, conduct Indonesia-specific human rights due diligence and provide remedy to those harmed due to their failures.”

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Responding to the Dominican Republic assuming the presidency of the 79th World Health Assembly, Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International, said:

“As it assumes the presidency of the world’s leading global health forum, President Luis Abinader’s government in the Dominican Republic has the responsibility to demonstrate that its international leadership translates into real guarantees of access to healthcare for everyone within its territory, without racial discrimination.”

As it assumes the presidency of the world’s leading global health forum, President Luis Abinader’s government in the Dominican Republic has the responsibility to demonstrate that its international leadership translates into real guarantees of access to healthcare for everyone within its territory, without racial discrimination.”

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International

“It is deeply contradictory for the country to preside over the World Health Assembly while putting the health of Haitian people and Dominicans of Haitian descent at risk by perpetuating practices that may deter them from seeking hospital care out of fear of being deported to Haiti. The Dominican government must immediately separate access to healthcare from migration control and ensure that no one is subjected to racial discrimination, detention or expulsion after receiving medical care.”

It is deeply contradictory for the country to preside over the World Health Assembly while putting the health of Haitian people and Dominicans of Haitian descent at risk by perpetuating practices that may deter them from seeking hospital care out of fear of being deported to Haiti.”

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International

In November 2025, Amnesty International analysed the implementation of the migration protocol in public hospitals across the country, concluding that it lacks any public health justification and, on the contrary, reinforces racial discrimination against Haitian people while negatively affecting the entire population of the Dominican Republic.

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

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