Amnesty International European Institutions Office
Press Releases
Women’s rights must not be left trailing in Egypt
25/01/2012As Egypt marks the first anniversary of its uprising, Amnesty International has raised concerns that women’s rights continue to be marginalized in favour of other reforms.
Council of Europe must protect European Convention on Human Rights
23/01/2012As the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) prepares to debate the authority and effectiveness of the European Convention on Human Rights, Amnesty International has urged PACE members to protect the right of individual application to the European Court of Human Rights and ensure it is fully preserved in any future Court reforms.
European Court blocks deportation of Omar Othman (aka Abu Qatada)
17/01/2012The European Court of Human Rights’ has ruled that the UK must halt its planned deportation to Jordan of Abu Qatada, a Jordanian national, on national security grounds.
Time for EU to press Hungary to respect human rights
16/01/2012The European Commission must urgently press the Hungarian Government to ensure that a new constitution and national laws comply with European Union human rights standards. The organisation has also criticised restrictive media laws which it believes pose a threat to freedom of expression in Hungary.
EU leaders must protect discriminated groups in all walks of life
12/01/2012The EU has thrown in the towel about protecting discriminated groups, including lesbian, gay and bisexual people, persons with disabilities, religious minorities, youth and older people, according to a coalition of European equality and anti-discrimination NGOs.
Decade of human rights damage: EU must press USA to close Guantánamo
11/01/201211 November marks the tenth anniversary of the US detention centre at Guantánamo Bay. To coincide with this date, Amnesty International has urged the European Union to press the US Government to abolish indefinite detention without criminal trial, disavow its doctrine of global and pervasive war, and fully embrace standards of international law.
At last, EU progress on halting execution and torture trade
21/12/2011Amnesty International has welcomed long-awaited changes to European Union rules on the trade in drugs used for execution and equipment used for torture, which will be brought in today.
Turkey still failing to respect right to conscientious objection
20/12/2011Amnesty International has charged Turkey with failing to report to the Council of Europe on its progress in implementing a European Court decision on the right to conscientious objection.
EU-Russia Summit must defend protesters’ rights
15/12/2011Amnesty International has called on the EU to raise the issue of human rights with the Russian Federation at the EU-Russia Summit. The summit is being held days after Russia’s legislative elections, following which more than 1,000 people, including journalists, were reportedly detained after demonstrations against the manipulation of votes.
EU must stop racism in Spain, not people
14/12/2011Amnesty International has urged the European Union to take action against police discrimination in the context of migration control in EU countries
Romania must come clean over secret prisons
09/12/2011The Romanian authorities must re-open an investigation into CIA secret detention centres on its territory, Amnesty International said today after new evidence of secret prisons was revealed by a German newspaper.
Danish EU presidency must make a difference on human rights
06/12/2011Announcing its eleven-point human rights recommendations to Denmark before the start of its six-month European Union presidency, Amnesty International has challenged the Danish Government to galvanise the EU into making a major difference on human rights.
EU must ensure genuine human rights progress in Afghanistan
05/12/2011A decade after the first Bonn Conference, the international community returns today to the German city to discuss Afghanistan’s future. As the Afghan Government and its international partners pursue reconciliation with the Taleban and the transition of security to Afghan forces, Amnesty International has urged EU representatives at the Bonn II Conference to ensure that human rights, including women’s rights, are upheld.
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Spotlight
Recommendations to the Danish EU Presidency
04/01/2012
We present specific recommendations on human rights policy for the Danish presidency to deliver during its six-month term as President of the Council of the European Union (January-July 2012).
ACT NOW! Stop the trade in torture and death penalty equipment
04/07/2011
Add your name to our petition and demand that the Commission acts now to strengthen its ban on the trade in ‘tools of torture’!
Fight discrimination in Europe
13/05/2011
Our Fight Discrimination campaign seeks to expose the impact of discrimination on peoples’ lives and empower individuals to claim their rights.
Recent Documents
Letter to the new President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz
26/01/2012 Amnesty International welcomes the new President of the European Parliament, also outlining several of the major challenges facing the European Union.
Open letter : Protect the authority and effectiveness of European Convention on Human Rights
23/01/2012 Amnesty International calls on European parliamentarians to protect the right of individual application to the European Court of Human Rights and ensure it is fully preserved in any future reforms of the Court.
Letter to Morten Bødskov Informal Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting 26-27 January
20/01/2012
The informal meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Copenhagen on 26-27 January will discuss, among other things, a framework on genuine practical solidarity for EU countries facing pressure from mixed migration flows.