01/09/2014 – Amnesty International, FIDH (the International Federation for Human Rights), and its member organization, the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (ALTSEAN-Burma) today call on the European Union (EU) and its member states to ensure continued international engagement on the human rights situation in Myanmar by again introducing a resolution on the country at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in October 2014.

EU member states must not lose sight of their human rights commitments. The Strategic Guidelines offer the Union a chance to show a bolder vision of what can and must be achieved in terms of protecting human rights at home and abroad.

26/06/2014 – Three decades after the ground-breaking Convention Against Torture (CAT) was adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 1984, governments across the world continue to betray their commitments to stamp out torture. On this anniversary and beyond, the European Union (EU) and its member states must take strong and consistent action to monitor, prevent, and end torture wherever it occurs.

13/06/2014 – Saturday June 14 marks the ten year anniversary of the adoption of the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders (HRDs).i Human Rights Defenders are individuals, groups of people or organisations who promote and protect human rights through peaceful and non-violent means. This is often at great personal risk. On this anniversary, Amnesty International calls on the EU and its member states to take stock of the effectiveness of the Guidelines to date and to renew their commitment to translate them into meaningful action.

19/05/2014 – The publication of several National Action Plans for the UN Guiding Principles’ implementation, the 10 February Foreign Affairs Council conclusions where Ministers reaffirmed their commitments to implementing the UN Guiding Principles, as well as the recent discussions at international level on the establishment of a binding instrument on business and human rights, have reinforced the need for coherent action within the European Union (EU).

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENT

12/05/2014 – Amnesty International fears that the Serbian authorities will ban the 2014 Pride. The 2011, 2012 and 2013 Pride marches were cancelled, after the Serbian authorities had claimed that the police did not have the capacity to ensure adequate security conditions in the face of “serious security threats”.

09/05/2014 – Ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on Monday 12 May, Amnesty International calls on you to ensure that, in line with previous FAC decisions, all transfers of equipment that can be used for “internal repression” will remain suspended to Egypt and Ukraine until the relevant authorities have taken appropriate measures to address the concerns which have led to the suspensions.

06/05/2014 – On 14 May 2014, Azerbaijan will take on the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. Thirteen years of Council of Europe membership have done little to improve the respect for civil and political rights in the country. Its progress towards becoming a pluralist democracy and consolidating the rule of law has not just stalled – it has gone into reverse in recent years.