Spotlight on torture

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:24:55 +0100

On 26 June, International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Amnesty International members and supporters are taking action around the world. They are calling on governments to reaffirm their commitment to the consensus affirmed after the Second World War - that torture and other ill-treatment are absolutely prohibited.

Click on the pictures to the right to watch a slideshow with images of the day.

Recently, there has been a new and acute threat to the international prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment in the context of government responses to the threat of terrorism. It is the validity of the absolute prohibition itself that has been challenged by the actions of governments around the world.

What this means in reality is that individuals are subjected to horrific practices. In the context of government counter-terrorism strategies, Amnesty International has documented practices such as:

beatings, electric shocks, simulated drowning, prolonged isolation and other physical abuse;
the return of individuals to countries where they are at risk of torture, sometimes on the basis of flimsy “diplomatic assurances”;
secret detention.

Amnesty International is calling on all governments to: condemn all forms of torture and other ill-treatment; prevent torture, including through ending secret and incommunicado detention; and hold to account those responsible for authorising, facilitating, or inflicting torture or other ill-treatment.

Today is not a day of passive remembrance but one for action: governments and citizens across the world should act to reverse the trend of recent years and eradicate these cruel and inhuman practices.

Don’t let torture go unchallenged:

In view of France’s Presidency of the European Union, please send an email to President Nicolas Sarkozy and urge him to lead the EU Council to take action to end rendition and secret detention;

Write to the Tunisian government and demand it taks steps to end torture and other ill-treatment;

Europe must face facts on rendition

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:34:19 +0100

“My life has changed and I feel like a destroyed man…. All night long I suffer nightmares and all day long I remember torture so I shake. “

Abu Omar, describing how he feels after the torture suffered in Egypt.

Usama Mostafa Hassan Nasr, known as Abu Omar, was snatched by US and Italian agents from the streets of Milan on 17 February 2003. CIA agents then rendered him, via Germany, to Egypt, where he was held for nearly four years, including 14 months in secret detention. He says that, for seven months, he was tortured up to 12 hours a day.
Abu Omar is one of the six cases of rendition and secret detention – involving thirteen men - highlighted in the report State of denial: Europe’s role in rendition and secret detention.

The report describes the involvement of European states - ranging from allowing CIA flights headed for rendition circuits to use European airports and airspace to hosting secret detention centres, or “black sites” – and their failure to admit or investigate violations carried out by their nationals or on their territory.

“European governments are in a state of denial and have been sidestepping the truth for too long,” said Amnesty International. “Their involvement in renditions and secret detention runs in stark contrast to their claims to be responsible actors in the fight against terrorism.”

Amnesty International’s six-point plan for Europe to end renditions and secret detention calls on states to condemn rendition and secret detention and take positive steps to bring those responsible to justice, ensure reparations for the victims and bring those responsible to justice.

What you can do now:

In view of France’s Presidency of the European Union, please send an email to President Nicolas Sarkozy and urge him to lead the EU Council to take action to end rendition and secret detention (link to rendition web action)

Demand justice for victims of rendition and secret detention.

Routine abuses in the name of security in Tunisia

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:34:47 +0100

Hundreds, possibly thousands, of people, including children, suspected of terrorism-related offences, have been arrested in Tunisia since the introduction of the Anti-Terrorism Law in 2003. Authorities use the broad definition of ‘terrorism’ in this law to criminalize legitimate and peaceful opposition activities.

Many have been tortured and otherwise ill-treated, held in incommunicado detention and subjected to enforced disappearances in the last five years. At least 977 people have been tried and sentenced since June 2006 - after unfair trials before military and other courts - to long prison terms or even death.

The Tunisian government continues to say that the human rights situation in the country is improving. The legal reforms that should offer better protection for human rights are, in practice, little more than hollow promises.

Abuses by security forces continue unabated and are committed with impunity, as the report In the Name of Security: Routine Abuses in Tunisia reveals.

Despite the record of violations, Arab and European governments and the US government have returned people they suspected of involvement in terrorism to Tunisia, where they have then suffered arbitrary arrest and detention, torture or other ill-treatment, and blatantly unfair trials.

A responsibility of all governments

The Tunisian government has a duty to protect its population from violent attacks, but when doing so it must comply with its obligations under international law. The government must condemn torture and other ill-treatment and bring to justice those responsible for authorizing and inflicting it.

Foreign governments should reject the rhetoric of the Tunisian government and face up to the reality of human rights violations in the country. Instead of forcibly returning Tunisian nationals, they should ensure that all cooperation in the context of counter-terrorism complies with human rights standards and put pressure on the Tunisian government to prevent torture and hold torturers to account.

No hiding place for torture

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:41:52 +0100

Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to be free from torture and other ill-treatment. 60 years after it was adopted unanimously at the United Nations, Amnesty International documented torture in at least 81 countries.

The organization has documented torture for decades, but governments’ actions in recent years have challenged the validity of the prohibition itself, particularly in the context of counter terrorism.

This month, Amnesty International will seek to reverse this trend. In partnership with the Global Elders, the organization will call on governments to condemn and prevent torture and other ill-treatment and hold to account those responsible.

No justification for torture

Government responses to the attacks of 11 September 2001, and attacks in other countries since then, have amounted to a serious assault on the framework of human rights. They have not only used torture, they have sought to justify it in the name of security.

Detainees have been subjected to secret detention, enforced disappearance and indefinite detention without charge or trial. They have been transferred from one state to another without due process and have been sent to countries where they have faced torture. Such practices and lack of accountability have facilitated the spread and acceptance of torture.

Counter Terror with Justice

Torture is a crime that cannot be justified under any circumstances. Governments must bring to justice those responsible for authorising and inflicting it. The conditions which allow it to flourish, particularly illegal detention, must be brought to an end.

Governments have a duty to protect their population from violent attacks, but real security can only be achieved through justice and the promotion of human rights.

What you can do:

Amnesty International will organize actions on and around 26 June, International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Contact your local office and get involved;
Take action now to end illegal US detentions;
Stay informed by signing up to our e-newsletter and visiting our activism blog.

Sixty years of human rights failure – governments must apologize and act now

Tue, 27 May 2008 18:16:22 +0100

Amnesty International today challenged world leaders to apologize for six decades of human rights failure and re-commit themselves to deliver concrete improvements.

“The human rights flashpoints in Darfur, Zimbabwe, Gaza, Iraq and Myanmar demand immediate action,” said Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International, launching AI Report 2008: State of the World’s Human Rights.

“Injustice, inequality and impunity are the hallmarks of our world today. Governments must act now to close the yawning gap between promise and performance.”

Amnesty International’s Report 2008, shows that sixty years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations, people are still tortured or ill-treated in at least 81 countries, face unfair trials in at least 54 countries and are not allowed to speak freely in at least 77 countries.

“2007 was characterised by the impotence of Western governments and the ambivalence or reluctance of emerging powers to tackle some of the world’s worst human rights crises, ranging from entrenched conflicts to growing inequalities which are leaving millions of people behind,” said Ms Khan.

Amnesty International cautioned that the biggest threat to the future of human rights is the absence of a shared vision and collective leadership.

“2008 presents an unprecedented opportunity for new leaders coming to power and countries emerging on the world stage to set a new direction and reject the myopic policies and practices that in recent years have made the world a more dangerous and divided place,” said Ms Khan.

Amnesty International challenged governments to set a new paradigm for collective leadership based on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“The most powerful must lead by example,” said Ms Khan.

China must live up to the human rights promises it made around the Olympic Games and allow free speech and freedom of the press and end “re-education through labour”.
The USA must close Guantánamo detention camp and secret detention centres, prosecute the detainees under fair trial standards or release them, and unequivocally reject the use of torture and ill-treatment.
Russia must show greater tolerance for political dissent, and none for impunity on human rights abuses in Chechnya.
The EU must investigate the complicity of its member states in “renditions” of terrorist suspects and set the same bar on human rights for its own members as it does for other countries.

Ms Khan warned: “World leaders are in a state of denial but their failure to act has a high cost. As Iraq and Afghanistan show, human rights problems are not isolated tragedies, but are like viruses that can infect and spread rapidly, endangering all of us.”

“Governments today must show the same degree of vision, courage and commitment that led the United Nations to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights sixty years ago.”

“There is a growing demand from people for justice, freedom and equality.”

Some of the most striking images of 2007 were of monks in Myanmar, lawyers in Pakistan, and women activists in Iran.

“Restless and angry, people will not be silenced, and leaders ignore them at their own peril,” said Ms Khan.

What human rights legacy for the Beijing Olympics?

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:14:38 +0100

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". Seven years on, China’s human rights record shows little sign of improvement, according to an Amnesty International report.

It was hoped that the Games would act as a catalyst for reform but much of the current wave of repression against activists and journalists is occurring not in spite of, but actually because of the Olympics, according to the report China: The Olympics countdown – crackdown on activists threatens Olympics legacy.

Positive changes such as a reform of the death penalty system and a greater reporting freedom for foreign journalists have been overshadowed by stalled reform of detention without trial, repression of human rights defenders and internet censorship.

The report also highlights the Chinese authorities’ recent crackdown on protesters in Tibet, which has led to serious human rights violations since 10 March 2008. Chinese authorities have resorted to measures that are reported to have included unnecessary and excessive use of force, including lethal force, arbitrary detentions and intimidation.

Hundreds of people have been detained in response to the unrest. They could face torture and other ill-treatment by China’s security forces, especially those accused of “separatist” activities.

The near total media blackout on Tibet and the surrounding areas has not only made it difficult to confirm reports, but is a betrayal of official promises to ensure “complete media freedom” in the run-up to the Olympics.

In China too, many activists are held as prisoners of conscience after politically motivated trials. Growing numbers are kept under house arrest. Broad and vaguely defined crimes against national security, such as “separatism”, “subversion” and “stealing state secrets”, are used to prosecute those engaged in legitimate and peaceful human rights activities.

Land rights activist Yang Chunlin was sentenced to five years in prison on 25 March for “inciting subversion” after he spearheaded a petition campaign under the banner “We don’t want the Olympics, we want human rights”. He was initially denied access to lawyers on the grounds that his case apparently involved “state secrets”. He was also reported to have been tortured by the police in detention, but was denied the opportunity to raise these allegations in court.

Housing rights activist Ye Guozhu is serving a four-year prison sentence after he applied for permission to hold a demonstration against forced evictions in Beijing. He was convicted in December 2004 of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble” because of his opposition to the seizure and demolition of property to make way for new construction projects for this year’s Olympic games.

In May 2006, Beijing extended use of a form of detention without trial called Re-education Through Labour (RTL), to “clean up” the city’s image before the Olympics. The system targets those who have committed minor offences but are not legally considered criminals. They are forced to work for long hours, and can be detained for up to four years. RTL is much criticised in China. Long heralded - but now stalled - reform of the system would be a major human rights improvement.

Beijing housing rights activist Wang Ling was reported to have been sentenced to 15 months RTL in October 2007 for signing petitions and making banners in protest against the demolition of her property to make way for Olympic construction. She is believed to be held at Daxing RTL facility in Beijing.
Despite official promises of “complete media freedom” made in July 2001, the authorities are continuing to use the crime of “inciting subversion” and other state security offences to prosecute and imprison writers and journalists exercising their fundamental human rights to freedom of expression.

The internet is being heavily censored too. Cartoon police icons now warn many of China’s 210 million internet users to stay away from “illegal” websites. These virtual police appear to encourage self-censorship by reminding users that the authorities closely monitor web activity. China is also believed to operate the most extensive, technologically sophisticated and broad-reaching system of internet censorship and filtering in the world.

Text messaging is also being monitored. In December 2007, the Beijing city authorities issued a notice stating that those who use text messages to “endanger public security” or “spread rumours” will be investigated.

China is the world leader in the use of the death penalty, despite official statements that the restoration of Supreme People’s Court (SPC) review led to a significant reduction in the number of executions in China in 2007. But publication of full national statistics and other detailed information on the death penalty in China is essential to support such assertions. The drop in executions may be partly due to a growing “backlog” of prisoners awaiting execution as their case is reviewed by the SPC.

Amnesty International’s report calls on the Chinese authorities to: give immediate access to Tibet and surrounding areas to UN investigators and independent observers; cease arbitrary detention, intimidation and harassment of activists; end punitive administrative detention; allow full and free reporting across the whole of China for all journalists; free all prisoners of conscience and reduce the number of capital crimes as a step towards abolition.

China: Olympics countdown - Time running out for improvement in human rights (Press release, 31 March 2008)

Read more about human rights in China and the Beijing Olympics

Women unite to defend their rights

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:16:51 +0000

On 8 March, International Women’s Day, women across the world will take to the streets to express their commitment to the defence of human rights, often at great risk to their safety.

These rights include freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, the right to be treated equally under the law, sexual and reproductive rights, and the rejection of violence against women. But, in promoting these rights, activists come face to face with discriminatory laws, policies and practices.

Aline Castellanos is a leading member of the Committee for Parliamentary Dialogue and Equality in Mexico. She documented and publicized human rights violations in the Oaxaca region of the country during widespread protests in 2006. At that time, Aline Castellanos was working to encourage women’s activism and heighten women’s visibility in public life.

On 28 April 2007, Aline’s house was broken into and searched. The following day, a judge re-issued a warrant for the arrest, despite the fact that it had been successfully challenged twice before. She subsequently fled Oaxaca, fearing arrest on charges of assault, which appear to be baseless.

Given the nature of the harassment, threats and marginalization women human rights defenders can face, their protection is of particular concern. Women can be victims of a host of violations, some gender-specific, including sexual attacks.

Many women activists carry out their work in societies that impose heavy restrictions on women and find themselves vulnerable to harassment and abuse. In some contexts, working on issues viewed by some as unpopular and controversial, such as women’s rights, results in human rights defenders, their families and communities being targeted by the state authorities or other groups.

Delaram Ali is an active member of the organization Campaign for Equality, an Iranian human rights network which works to end legalized discrimination against women. She was arrested in June 2006 during a peaceful demonstration and was sentenced to 30 months in jail. This sentence has been suspended temporarily.

In Zimbabwe, forced evictions and government policies on land reform have had a disproportionately negative impact on women. As economic and social conditions in Zimbabwe have worsened, this has affected access to food, health, education and housing. Women have had little choice but to publicly condemn the government while demanding respect for these rights. Since 2000, hundreds of women have been arbitrarily arrested, detained, beaten and even tortured while in police custody.

Governments are obliged to both promote and protect the work of human rights defenders. Governments must:

Acknowledge the role human rights defenders play in documenting violations of human rights and in upholding democratic practices.
If the rights of defenders are violated, then governments must ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

Women human rights defenders often face a whole series of violations designed to silence them and paralyse their work. On International Women’s Day, women defenders will once again speak out for human rights. Their voices must be heard.

The world shouts 'Close Guantánamo'

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 12:55:25 +0000

Thousands of people, including Amnesty International members and supporters from around the world, have taken action to mark the sixth anniversary of the first transfers of detainees to Guantánamo. Amnesty International staged protests in 30 countries on Friday, 11 January.

Click on the pictures to the right to watch a slideshow with images of the day.

More than simply a call for closure, Amnesty International once again presented the US government with the organization’s framework for ending illegal detentions, whether at Guantánamo or elsewhere. This time, the framework was supported by over 1,200 parliamentarians from around the world.

In some countries, including Belgium and Ireland, some of the parliamentarians accompanied Amnesty International activists at their events and demonstrations.

The infamous orange jumpsuit – closely associated with the inhumanity and illegality of Guantánamo – became once more the icon of this anniversary. There was also street theatre, poetry readings, the recreation of Guantánamo cells in city centres, speeches, rallies and cyber activism.

US military chief wants to close Guantánamo

On Sunday, two days after the anniversary, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Navy Admiral Michael Mullen became the latest US official to say that Guantánamo should be shut down.

“More that anything else, I just think it has been the image – how Gitmo has become around the world, in terms of representing the United States. I believe from the standpoint of how it reflects on us that it’s been pretty damaging.”

What you can still do

Go to tearitdown.org and add your support to Amnesty International’s framework to end illegal US detentions.

Post a tearitdown banner in your website or blog.

Stop the human rights meltdown: make human rights real

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:23:14 +0000

Message from Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International, on the occasion of International Human Rights Day 2007.

As we approach the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we have cause for both celebration and challenge.

We celebrate the impressive development over six decades of international human rights standards, laws and institutions that have improved the lives of many around the world.

The Universal Declaration reflects global values of equality and justice. It inspired the struggle to end apartheid in South Africa, and to promote democracy in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia. It has led to progress to end the death penalty, to outlaw torture, to promote the equality of women, to protect the rights of children, to turn the tide against impunity. Above all, it has moved a worldwide community of ordinary men and women to join in the fight for justice and equality for all.

But this is not only a moment for celebration and self-congratulation. It is also a time of challenge – the challenge of making rights real, of closing the gap between the promise of the Universal Declaration and the performance of governments and others.

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, human rights are being violated, neglected and eroded with audacity and impunity by governments, big business and armed groups. Renewed commitment is needed by governments as well as civil society to convert rhetoric into reality, disillusionment and despair into hope and action.

In Darfur, murder, rape and violence continue unabated. It is not enough for world leaders to wring their hands in horror. We call on them to resource the UN/ AU peacekeeping force properly so that it can protect people effectively.

In Zimbabwe, human rights defenders and political dissidents are being attacked, tortured and thrown into prison without a fair trial. Amnesty International’s recent mission to the country has reinforced our worst fears. We call on governments like South Africa that have influence on President Mugabe to use their influence to bring an end to the violations.

In the Middle East impunity, injustice and human rights abuses are a major obstacle to peace and justice, yet world leaders in Annapolis paid scant attention to them. We call on the international community to put human rights at the centre of the political dialogue.

Today, the International Olympics Committee is meeting to assess progress towards the 2008 Olympics in China. The Committee must not overlook the repression by the Chinese authorities of activists who are protesting forcible evictions to clear land for the Olympics and other projects, or the restrictions on Chinese journalists and internet users. The Olympics Committee must use its influence with the Chinese government to end these practices, which are both contrary to human rights and to the spirit of the Games.

In Myanmar, crimson-robed monks courageously marched to protest the repression and impoverishment of their people but were brutally crushed by the military junta. The neighbouring governments of Myanmar are major trade partners of the military regime. They have power and influence that they must use to pressure the military regime to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other prisoners of conscience and bring about change.

In Pakistan, dark suited lawyers who took to the streets to demand the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary fared no better than the Burmese monks – because like the Myanmar junta, the Pakistani General too has powerful allies. The allies must prioritize human rights over political expediency and misguided security strategies. The failure to do so risks aggravating both human rights and security problems.

A global strategy of counter-terrorism, led by the world’s most powerful government, has undermined fundamental principles of human rights, while extremists and armed groups have unleashed a downward spiral of violence that has endangered the lives of ordinary people everywhere. Parliaments, courts and civil society must call for respect of human rights and the rule of law as the path to greater security.

More attention and resources must be allocated to tackle the hidden or forgotten human rights scandals that destroy millions of lives and livelihoods. While the atrocities of wars make the newspaper pages, very few people are aware that violence against women causes more casualties than armed conflicts.

While world leaders remind us daily of the threat of weapons of mass destruction, the sale and transfer of small arms and conventional weapons, which kill a thousand people a day continue unchecked.

While the advantages and opportunities of economic globalization are evident, there is far less understanding of the failure to respect economic, social and cultural rights that is marginalizing and impoverishing millions of people.

In Bali today the international community is debating the dangers of global warming. The human rights meltdown around the world today is no less a threat to the future of humanity, the call to action no less urgent.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights began as an initiative of governments but today it is the common endeavour of people everywhere.

Every human has rights. That is the essence of our humanity. It places on each of us the duty to stand up, not just for our own rights but also for those of others. That is the spirit of international solidarity. That is the true meaning of universal, indivisible human rights.

As citizens of the world:

We believe human rights abuses anywhere are the concern of people everywhere.
We pledge to harness the power of individuals to galvanize action for justice and equality for all.
We are outraged at the betrayal of our leaders, and are determined to hold them to account.
We commit ourselves to creating a global culture in which every person can realise their human rights.
We will carry the message of hope of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to every region of the world in the 60th anniversary year.

On 10 December 2007, Amnesty International joins The Elders - who are aiming to get one billion signatures on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Who are the Elders?

Sign the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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