AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ADVISORY

This loss of life is appalling, and the Spanish authorities must come clean on what happened – particularly as the Minister’s version of events contradicts earlier official statements. They must determine what went wrong and bring those responsible to account as a matter of urgency. 

12/02/2014 – As a group of international and European human rights and development organisations, we the undersigned are concerned about the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in the occupied Gaza Strip. In the context of ongoing discussions on European Union (EU) joint policy towards Gaza, we call on the European Union to urge Israel to lift the unlawful closure of the Gaza Strip, and demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international law.

Missile debris from drone strike that killed 68 year old grandmother Mamana Bibi in Ghundi Kala, North Waziristan, Pakistan, on 24 October 2012.© Rafeequl Rehman

11/02/2014 – In light of Italy’s obligations under international human rights and refugee law, and following up on the previous submission in August 2012, Amnesty International draws the Committee’s attention to the following areas which remain of concern to the organisation: the continuing risk of foreign nationals in an ‘irregular situation’ in Libya of being subjected to ill-treatment, indefinite detention under inhuman conditions and arbitrary repatriation, the continuing cooperation between Italy and Libya on ‘migration control’, the lack of access to a fair and satisfactory asylum procedure of those intercepted at sea in the context of the Italian operation “Mare Nostrum”, and the risk of refoulementin the context of search and rescue operations performed by private and commercial vessels. Therefore, Amnesty International calls on the Committee of Ministers to continue to supervise the execution of the Hirsijudgment by Italy.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (R) speaks with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics.© ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP/Getty Images

31/01/2014 – Amnesty International is concerned about recent forced evictions targeting Romani communities in Rome. The organisation has received reports of two forced evictions involving Romani families in the past week.

The Lithuanian court has set an example for all of Europe and the USA by upholding the rule of law and recognising that victims of torture and enforced disappearance at the hands of the CIA and European agents have an absolute right to a thorough investigation.

Syrian refugees at the Arbat Temporary Refugee Camp in Iraqi Kurdistan, having fled the fighting inside Syria © Amnesty International

The message to President Putin, from rank and file Amnesty International supporters to world leaders staying away from the Games, is the same – repeal series of laws that restrict the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

EU leaders must shine the spotlight on the grave human rights violations in Russia at every opportunity. The EU-Russia summit must be used to politically and publicly remind Russia of its human rights obligation, and show them that the world is watching.