Every letter, email and petition signature that authorities receive is a chink in an armour that would otherwise be impenetrable, chipping away at the power of those authorities who commit human rights abuses.

This is yet another example of Europe’s wholesale failure to deal with the current refugee crisis. From Greece, Turkey and across the Balkan states, the plight of refugees and migrants will only worsen unless states grasp the nettle and provide a coordinated response.

In the wake of this weekend’s EU-Turkey migration talks, it’s a stain on the EU’s conscience

The emergency powers currently being rushed through parliament provide for a sweeping extension of executive powers at the expense of essential human rights safeguards. They must be used only when strictly necessary and should not become a permanent addition to France’s anti-terror arsenal

In the wake of this tragedy, the failure to extend solidarity to people seeking shelter in Europe, often after fleeing the very same kind of violence, would be a cowardly abdication of responsibility and a tragic victory for terror over humanity

17/11/2015 – Amnesty International is calling on the EU to boost its political engagement for human rights defenders, journalists and civil society at risk in Burundi, in line with the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders.

17/11/2015 – The European Union’s (EU) determination to seal off its external borders is fuelling a range of human rights abuses while doing nothing to halt the influx of desperate refugees, said Amnesty International in a new report published today.

Europe’s security is not best served by turning its back on a global refugee crisis, but by ensuring the orderly, organised and humane admission of those fleeing similar horrors.

Amnesty International