Schlagwort: human rights

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.

The post “I set up an online school, so girls in Afghanistan can still study” appeared first on Amnesty International.

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.

The post Ethiopia: International community must act to safeguard press freedom ahead of national election  appeared first on Amnesty International.

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.

The post South Sudan: Renewal of UN arms embargo is key to protecting civilians appeared first on Amnesty International.

In response to the statement issued by Nicaraguan authorities regarding the critical health condition of Indigenous leader and prisoner of conscience Brooklyn Rivera, César Marín, Americas Campaigns Director at Amnesty International, said:

“Brooklyn Rivera must be released immediately and unconditionally. His critical health condition while in the custody of the Nicaraguan state confirms the extreme risk to which he has been exposed after more than two years of enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, incommunicado detention, and lack of regular access to his family, trusted legal counsel and independent oversight.”

Brooklyn Rivera must be released immediately and unconditionally. His critical health condition while in the custody of the Nicaraguan state confirms the extreme risk to which he has been exposed after more than two years of enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, incommunicado detention, and lack of regular access to his family, trusted legal counsel and independent oversight.

César Marín, Americas Campaigns Director at Amnesty International.

Amnesty International has repeatedly warned that the conditions in which Brooklyn Rivera has been held could seriously endanger his life and personal integrity. Today, those warnings have materialized into a situation of extreme urgency that the government can no longer hide.

“While Brooklyn Rivera remains deprived of his liberty, Nicaraguan authorities must immediately guarantee regular access to his family and end his incommunicado detention. They must also ensure that he receives all the medical care he requires, allow an independent medical evaluation, and facilitate oversight by international protection mechanisms. The international community must act urgently and press the Nicaraguan state to secure his release and, immediately, to protect his life and personal integrity.”

The international community must act urgently and press the Nicaraguan state to secure his release and, immediately, to protect his life and personal integrity.”

César Marín, Americas Campaigns Director at Amnesty International.

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

The post Nicaragua: Brooklyn Rivera must be released before it is too late appeared first on Amnesty International.

The U.S. Congress and the international community must take immediate action to stop the U.S. military’s unconscionable campaign of extrajudicial killings at sea and push for accountability, as the death toll nears 200.

Since September 2025, the U.S. Southern Command has carried out nearly 60 air strikes against boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, killing at least 196 people so far. These actions, committed against people who pose no imminent threat to life, are extrajudicial killings, a form of murder, and amount to crimes under international law.

“With nearly 200 killings, these extrajudicial killings are becoming normalized,” said Amnesty International USA’s National Director for Government Relations, Amanda Klasing. “Not only are these killings illegal, they are immoral. People of good conscience cannot allow this to continue, yet Congress has so far failed to halt, or even slow down, this lethal and unlawful campaign.”

Not only are these killings illegal, they are immoral. People of good conscience cannot allow this to continue, yet Congress has so far failed to halt, or even slow down, this lethal and unlawful campaign.”

Amanda Klasing, Amnesty International USA’s National Director for Government Relations.

The first extrajudicial killings of the campaign took place on September 2, 2025, with an air strike against a boat in the Caribbean that killed at least 11 people in what remains the deadliest single strike yet.

Since then, the U.S. has expanded its bombings to the Eastern Pacific, conducting an average of six strikes per month across both regions. The deadliest month was October 2025, with 45 people killed in 11 air strikes, including 15 people killed in three air strikes on October 27, the deadliest single day of the campaign. Already this year, the U.S. military has killed over 70 people, including at least nine in the last month.

“Numbers alone cannot capture the unimaginable human toll of this horrific campaign of murder at sea. Every single person that the U.S. has killed at sea was arbitrarily deprived of their right to life, and they and their families have a right to justice. Lawmakers must do everything in their power to halt this campaign and hold everyone responsible accountable for their role in these extrajudicial killings,” said Amanda Klasing.

The administration’s justifications for these air strikes have been shambolic. White House officials have claimed, without presenting any evidence or even naming a single victim, that the targets are drug traffickers or “narco-terrorists” with whom the U.S. is at war. But the U.S. is not engaged in any armed conflict in the Western Hemisphere which might justify these bombings, and the administration has yet to even say who the supposed “narco-terrorist” groups are. When Virginia Senator Tim Kaine questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in an April Senate hearing about the utter lack of information about who the U.S. military is killing, Hegseth merely referenced that the targets had affiliations with unspecified “designated terrorist organizations,” but did not indicate that the U.S. actually knows the identities of its victims.

U.S. authorities have chosen not to prosecute any air strike survivors either, suggesting that, should claims of trafficking be true, they do not have enough evidence to win a case against them, and have instead released people captured alive without charge. When Congressman Bill Keating raised concerns to Secretary Hegseth in a House Armed Services Committee hearing about the unlawfulness of the strikes and alleged U.S. interdictions, Hegseth simply dismissed the questions as “false accusations.”

“We are witnessing the height of lawlessness — a government taking military action to kill people who it unilaterally deems ‘criminals’ or ‘terrorists’ and then bragging about it on social media and stonewalling members of Congress demanding explanations. Regardless of whether the victims committed crimes or not, killing them is completely illegal under both U.S. and international law. Alleged criminal suspects should be dealt with by law enforcement who are bound by international human rights law, which prohibits using lethal force unless absolutely necessary based on an imminent threat to life,” said Amanda Klasing.

These air strikes take place amid a military buildup in the Western Hemisphere unprecedented in recent history. Secretary Hegseth’s geopolitical frame of a “Greater North America” encompassing all sovereign countries and territories north of the equator within an “immediate security perimeter,” alongside messages from the White House to leaders in the region to ignore international human rights law, raises serious concerns about the actions the administration is willing to take in the region.

“We call on Congress to urgently utilize all legislative and oversight mechanisms available to stop these air strikes and stop enabling and promoting the militarization of public security in the Americas, which can only lead to greater human rights violations such as the ones documented in Mexico and Ecuador. U.S. military actions in the Americas and anywhere, no matter the purported goal, cannot come at the expense of human rights,” said Daniel Noroña, Amnesty International USA’s Advocacy Director for the Americas.

We call on Congress to urgently utilize all legislative and oversight mechanisms available to stop these air strikes and stop enabling and promoting the militarization of public security in the Americas,  U.S. military actions, cannot come at the expense of human rights,” 

Daniel Noroña, Amnesty International USA’s Advocacy Director for the Americas.

Amnesty International is also calling for the international community to hold the U.S. government accountable.

“Beyond U.S. authorities, we need to see leadership from other governments in the region, as well as the Organization of American States,” said Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International. “The international community must speak out firmly against these murders, which constitute a serious threat to human rights and respect for international law. Governments must immediately suspend intelligence sharing that may contribute to these operations. They further should suspend export licenses to any defense material that could be used to perpetuate these murders.”

The international community must speak out firmly against these murders, which constitute a serious threat to human rights and respect for international law. Governments must immediately suspend intelligence sharing that may contribute to these operations. ”

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

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

The post USA: Death Toll in Campaign of Extrajudicial Killings at Sea Nears 200 appeared first on Amnesty International.