Joint Amnesty International AIRE Centre Public Statement

23/10/2014 – On 21 October 2014, the European Court of Human Rights released its Chamber judgment in the case of Sharifi and Others v. Italy and Greece (application no. 16643/09). The ruling emphasizes that European Union (EU) member states cannot ignore or circumvent their obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights when implementing EU law or bilateral agreements aimed at returning asylum-seekers to another EU country.

By sending Somalis to volatile areas where their lives are in danger, the Dutch government is also responsible for the human rights abuses they face on their return.

22/10/2014 – Amnesty International stated in May 2013 that forced returns to Somalia amount to a violation of international law.1 In October 2014, Amnesty International is gravely concerned about continued attempts by the Dutch government to effect such forced returns. Other states such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK) have also attempted forced returns. Of particular concern is the Dutch government’s position that, under certain circumstances, Somalis can be returned to areas under the control of al-Shabaab,2 an Islamist armed group with links to Al-Qaeda.3 Amnesty International considers it dangerous, irresponsible and in violation of international law for the Minister of Migration in the Netherlands to attempt to return, or compel Somalis to return, to areas under al-Shabaab control in Somalia.

Rather than speculatively accusing each other of abuses, both sides should concentrate on investigating and eliminating execution-style killings by forces they control.

20/10/2014 – Amnesty International has received a growing number of allegations of execution-style and other deliberate killings of civilians in eastern Ukraine since April 2014, in addition to those that have been reported in Crimea since its annexation by Russia and in Odessa on 2 May 2014.1 Initially these reports primarily focused on de facto separatist authorities in the territories in Donetsk and Luhansk Regions under their control. It is only in recent months that allegations of extra-judicial killings by Kyiv-controlled forces have come to Amnesty International’s attention.

20/10/2014 – Amnesty International has continued to receive persistent and credible allegations of routine and pervasive torture and other ill-treatment by security forces Security forces refer to all law enforcement forces under the control of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs, and the National Security Services (SNB) during arrest, transfer, in police custody and in pre-trial detention and by security forces and prison personnel in post-conviction detention facilities in Uzbekistan.

10/10/2014 – Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across the world are joining together to call on Russian President Vladimir Putin to repeal the “foreign agents” law and to guarantee that NGOs in Russia are able to work without hindrance, harassment, stigmatisation or reprisals.

Any use of force by the security forces must be strictly in line with international human rights standards, in particular the principles of necessity and proportionality.

As the EU builds its walls higher and higher, migrants and refugees are increasingly taking to the Mediterranean waters in a desperate bid to reach safety and sanctuary in Europe.  Tragically they are increasingly paying the highest cost, losing their lives at sea.

09/10/2014 – 07/10/2014 – The prosecution of Moazzam Begg, a UK national formerly held at Guantánamo Bay, collapsed on 1 October 2014, days before his trial on terrorism-related charges was due to begin. Moazzam Begg was formally acquitted of all charges by the trial judge.

‘The UK is saying to the rest of the world: ‘Pick and choose your human rights’’