13/10/2005 – The establishment of the Agency will mark a highly significant step in the process whereby the EU is shaping its policy with regard to observance and fulfilment of human rights within its own borders. However, it is precisely for that reason that Amnesty International is at the same time very critical of the proposals – not for what the Agency will be able to do, but for what it will be precluded from dealing with.

(Brussels, Tuesday 11 October 2005) European Union countries are increasingly abandoning their responsibilities to protect refugees in an effort to combat “illegal immigration”, as the recent tragic events near the Spanish enclaves in North Africa show, Amnesty International said today in an Open Letter to the UK Presidency of the EU. (See “EU Member States threatening the integrity of the international refugee protection system – Amnesty International Open Letter to the UK Presidency”).

11/10/2005 – Amnesty International’open letter to the UK Presidency in view of the JHA Council on 12 October 2005, on the profound crisis in the system of refugee protection across the EU (Version française également disponible).

European Commission should put pressure on Greece

05/10/2005 – The Greek current legislative framework relating to refugee protection presents a number of gaps. As a result, the application of the law often results in violations of human rights, including the right of refugees not to be returned to a country where they face being subjected to torture or other serious human rights violations.

03/10/2005 – In view of the EU Troika mission to Nepal, Amnesty International presents an update on the main human rights concerns in Nepal (October 2005).

Amnesty International releases new findings in lead up to EU-Russia Summit

30/09/2005 – Amnesty International releases today new findings that show there is no end to the serious human rights violations in the North Caucasus. What the Russian government describes as its “war on terror” in this region is being used as a pretext for violations that include “disappearances”, torture, arbitrary detention and incommunicado detention in unacknowledged as well as official places of detention.

23/09/2005 – The European Commission’s Communication of 2 September 2005 on regional protection programs defined new tools to enhance the protection capacity of transit and host countries and to improve Europe’s contribution to global refugee protection. This new strategic document comes at the very moment when the European Union seems to be going through a “protection crisis”.

COLOMBIAN VICE-PRESIDENT AT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TOMORROW

20/09/2005 – Amnesty International welcomes in principle the creation of an EU Fundamental Rights Agency after repeatedly calling for effective monitoring and correction mechanisms. However, what we see is a strong push for a minimalist conception of the agency in order to ensure that something is put in place quickly that fits existing structures and that does not offend political sensitivities (Article by Dick Oosting).