Northern Ireland’s draconian abortion law is the harshest in Europe.

Displaced Yezidis fleeing Mount Sinjar. © Amnesty International

• Amnesty International releases Annual Report along with forecast of human rights trends for the coming year • Says governments must ‘stop pretending the protection of civilians is beyond their power’ • Forecasts more civilians at risk of abuses by armed groups, continued attacks on freedom of expression, and a worsening humanitarian and refugee crisis; unless there is a fundamental change to the global response to conflict • Calls for global action including renouncement of veto rights by five permanent members of UN Security Council in situations of mass atrocities

20/02/2015 – Weeks before the European Parliament votes on a law to address the trade in conflict minerals, its International Trade Committee has just published a report that threatens to undermine attempts to clean up the trade.

We agree that a European solution is urgently needed. But extending operation Triton without increasing its assets and operational area changes nothing.

We agree that a European solution is urgently needed. But extending operation Triton without increasing its assets and operational area changes nothing.

The failure to address the widespread abuses during the EuroMaydan protests risks entrenching a long-standing culture of impunity for police officers.

We urge all sides in the conflict to treat any detainees humanely according to the Geneva Conventions.

Italian coast guard officials responded admirably and with exceptional personal courage to the SOS call. © ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

12/02/2015 – The Greek Council for Refugees and Amnesty International welcome the announcement by Giannis Panousis, the Deputy Minister for Public Order that the authorities will cease to detain third country nationals held under return orders indefinitely.