News & Updates

Hu Jia jailed for three and a half years

4 April 2008

Chinese human rights activist Hu Jia has been convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

What human rights legacy for the Beijing Olympics?

1 April 2008

Liu Jingmin, Vice-President of the Beijing Olympic Bid Committee, said In 2001 that allowing Beijing to host the Games would “help the development of human rights."

Activists released from prison in Ethiopia

31 March 2008

Two human rights activists have been released from prison in Ethiopia having been detained since November 2005.

Time to release Aung San Suu Kyi

25 March 2008

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the best-known of more than 1,850 known political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Myanmar. 

Tension in Tibet as police raid homes

18 March 2008

While streets in the Tibetan capital are reported to be quiet and empty, there are continued reports of unrest in neighbouring Chinese provinces with large populations of Tibetans. 

Early release for Belarusian newspaper journalist

27 February 2008

Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou, a former deputy editor of a Belarusian newspaper, has been released early from prison.

Kenyan activists receive death threats

1 February 2008

Amnesty International has called for the protection of several Kenyan human rights activists who have received death threats in the last two weeks.

Video: The origami cranes' journey to Belarus

25 January 2008

When a Belarusian youth activist was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment, Amnesty International considered him to be a prisoner of conscience and launched a campaign involving origami cranes.

Belarusian youth activist freed

25 January 2008

The Belarusian youth activist, Zmitser Dashkevich, has been released early from Sklou prison in Belarus.

Free imprisoned trade unionists

10 December 2007

Viet Nam: Two days after Tran Quoc Hien was chosen as spokesperson for the United Workers-Farmers Organization (UWFO) in January 2007, he was arrested.