Amnesty International typically releases its latest news, reports, and updates through its official website (www.amnesty.org) and various social media channels. These updates may include information about human rights abuses, campaigns, advocacy efforts, and events related to their work. Amnesty International also often issues press releases and statements to the media to draw attention to urgent human rights issues.
Additionally, news media organizations and journalists may report on Amnesty International’s findings, campaigns, and activities, so you can also find information about their work through news outlets and reputable sources that cover human rights issues.
To stay up-to-date with the latest news from Amnesty International, you can visit their official website, subscribe to their newsletters, follow their social media accounts (such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram), and keep an eye on reputable news sources that cover human rights and international affairs.
The 2024 News Feed for Amnesty International
- Fri, 22 Nov 2024 17:39:00 +0000: UK: Government is hiding behind 'domestic processes' on Netanyahu arrest - legal expert - Press Releases | Amnesty International UK
UK: Government is hiding behind 'domestic processes' on Netanyahu arrest - legal expertNeil DurkinCommenting on UK ministers and Government spokespeople today repeatedly refusing to say whether the UK authorities would arrest the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited the UK - with ministers speaking instead of following “domestic processes” - Gerhard Kemp, Professor of Criminal Law at UWE Bristol, said:
“The UK government is hiding behind vague ‘domestic processes’ to avoid clearly saying that it will arrest Netanyahu should he enter the UK, as is the UK’s legal duty as a state party to the ICC.
“These ICC arrest warrants were applied for months ago. The UK government must surely have prepared its position on the implications for the UK authorities should the arrest warrants be granted.
“When the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, UK ministers immediately welcomed the step. Failing to do so in this instance looks like a clear case of double standards that damages the administration of justice.”
Earlier this month, Professor Kemp was part of a panel event with Amnesty International UK and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians discussing the worsening human rights crisis in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The event - comprising Prof Kemp, Zaha Hassan, Itay Epshtain and Victor Kattan - discussed how the enforcement of international law can help secure justice for Palestinians.
Yesterday, in response to the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif), Amnesty UK’s Chief Executive Sacha Deshmukh called on the UK government to “unequivocally” back the ICC’s arrest warrants.
- Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:46:00 +0000: Israel-OPT: arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Al-Masri are 'historic breakthrough for justice' - Press Releases | Amnesty International UK
Israel-OPT: arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Al-Masri are 'historic breakthrough for justice'Neil DurkinBenjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant and Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri face ICC charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity
All ICC member states now under obligation to help bring the wanted men to justice, while non-members states such as USA should also follow suit
‘There can be no “safe haven” for those alleged to have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity’ - Agnès Callamard
Responding to news that the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants against the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s former defence minister Yoav Gallant and al-Qassam Brigades commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (known as Deif) for charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:
“The wheels of international justice have finally caught up with those who are alleged to be responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Palestine and Israel.
“Today’s arrest warrants represent a historic breakthrough for justice and must signal the beginning of the end of the persistent and pervasive impunity at the heart of the human rights crisis in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
“Prime minister Netanyahu is now officially a wanted man. Following his indictment, as well as the indictments of Gallant and Mohammed al-Masri, ICC member states and the whole international community must stop at nothing until these individuals are brought to trial before the ICC’s independent and impartial judges.
“There can be no ‘safe haven’ for those alleged to have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“By issuing these arrest warrants the ICC is also at long last bringing real hope for justice to countless victims of crimes under international law, and restoring some faith in the universal value of international legal instruments and justice.
“Now we urge all ICC member states - and non-states parties including the United States and other allies of Israel - to demonstrate their respect for the court’s decision and for universal international law principles by arresting and handing over those wanted by the ICC.
“Holding senior officials accountable for their litany of crimes is a crucial step towards ending continuing violations of rights in Israel and the OPT, and would help address the continued dispossession and oppression of Palestinians under Israel’s unlawful occupation and system of apartheid.”
The ICC’s arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant unequivocally include charges of war crimes which amount to “grave breaches” of the Geneva Conventions. Every state in the world is under an obligation to bring to justice those alleged to have committed such grave breaches, no matter the nationality of the perpetrator or the victim.
Legal timeline
On 3 March 2021, the ICC prosecutor announced the opening of an investigation into the situation in the state of Palestine. This followed the ICC pre-trial chamber I's decision on 5 February 2021 that the court could exercise its criminal jurisdiction in this matter and that the territorial scope of this jurisdiction extends to Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
On 20 May 2024, the ICC prosecutor filed applications for warrants of arrest before the pre-trial chamber concerning Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif) and Ismail Haniyeh for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed on the territory of Israel and the state of Palestine (in the Gaza Strip) from at least 7 October 2023; and Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed on the territory of the state of Palestine (in the Gaza Strip) from at least 8 October 2023.
Earlier today, ICC pre-trial chamber I unanimously issued two decisions rejecting challenges by the state of Israel brought under articles 18 and 19 of the Rome Statute, and issued warrants of arrest for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for charges including the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population, and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. The same chamber also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif) on charges since 7 October 2023, including the crimes against humanity of murder, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and war crimes of murder, intentionally directing attacks against civilians, hostage-taking, rape and other forms of sexual violence, cruel treatment and outrages upon personal dignity. The arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant concern crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024, the day the prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest. Following confirmation of the deaths of Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, the ICC chamber granted the withdrawal of the applications for arrest warrants against them. With respect to Deif, the chamber has noted that it is not currently in a position to determine whether he has been killed or remains alive.
© Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images
- Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:48:00 +0000: Australia: Authorities must regulate social media instead of banning access for children and young people - Press Releases | Amnesty International UK
Australia: Authorities must regulate social media instead of banning access for children and young peoplekai.akramAustralian government introduced a bill in parliament that aims to ban social media for children under 16
The ban will affect access to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X
‘The best way to protect children and young people online is by protecting all users with stronger data protection laws and not personalising feeds based on profiling’ - Nikita White
Responding to proposals by the Australian government to ban social media access for children under the age of 16, Nikita White, Amnesty International Australia Campaigner, said:
“Rather than banning children and young people from social media, the Albanese government should regulate to enhance the protection of children’s privacy and personal data while prioritising their human rights.
“The Government should put in place safeguards to ensure that content-shaping algorithms used by online platforms doesn’t use profiling by default.
“There’s no doubt that the practices of social media platforms are harming young people's rights, but young people also have a right to express themselves online and seek information. Social media offers children and young people benefits such as inclusion, social connection and a sense of belonging, all of which can also support their mental health.
“A total ban would put the burden of companies’ harmful business practices on young people instead of the companies causing the harm.
“Removing the benefits that social media brings will not achieve the Government’s objective of improving young people’s lives and ignores the fact that the harms extend beyond children and young people to marginalised people and groups.
“The best way to protect children and young people online is by protecting all users with stronger data protection laws and not personalising feeds based on profiling.”
Banning Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X
The proposals aim to address the harms children and young people face on social media platforms and the ban will affect access to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.
Australia’s online regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, would be responsible for enforcing the laws if enacted.
An age-verification system is being trialed as part of measures to prevent children from accessing social media platforms.
Amnesty has previously stated that the surveillance-based models of TikTok, Meta and Google are fundamentally incompatible with privacy rights and cause systematic harm.
Issue Small Image
© Matt Cardy/Getty Images
Issues Short CopyAustralian government introduced a bill in parliament that aims to ban social media for children under 16 - Thu, 21 Nov 2024 12:58:00 +0000: Israel-OPT: UK should 'unequivocally' back ICC arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant - Press Releases | Amnesty International UK
Israel-OPT: UK should 'unequivocally' back ICC arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav GallantNeil DurkinResponding to the International Crminal Court today issuing arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant, Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s Chief Executive, said:
“In opposition the Foreign Secretary said in government his party would comply with any arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, and we now need to see Mr Lammy and the whole UK government unequivocally backing this vitally important move by the ICC.
“The UK’s standing as a genuine supporter of the rule of law requires consistency and even-handedness - if war crimes are wrong when carried out by Russian forces in unlawfully-occupied Ukraine, then they’re equally wrong when carried out by Israeli forces in unlawfully-occupied Palestinian territory.
“In compliance with their international legal obligations, the UK authorities should be prepared to make swift arrests if Benjamin Netanyahu or Yoav Gallant step foot on British soil.”
The International Criminal Court also announced that it has issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri - commonly known as “Deif” - for alleged crimes against humanity commited by Hamas. Deif has reportedly been killed by Israeli forces. In the event that he is still alive, Amnesty would strongly support his arrest and efforts to bring him to trial.
- Thu, 21 Nov 2024 08:48:00 +0000: Thailand: Dismissal of case against NSO's Pegasus spyware an 'alarming' setback in fight against unlawful surveillance - Press Releases | Amnesty International UK
Thailand: Dismissal of case against NSO's Pegasus spyware an 'alarming' setback in fight against unlawful surveillanceRachel.ReillyThai activist Jatupat Boonpattararaksa’s lawsuit against NSO Group Technologies Ltd has been dropped
Amnesty was involved in case after his phone became infected with NSO’s Pegasus spyware
NSO claims it is just a developer of spyware with no control over its use
‘[This dismissal will not] deter the fight against the unlawful use of spyware and the fight for justice for the victims of spyware in Thailand and around the world’ - Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong
In response to the Bangkok Civil Court’s dismissal of Thai activist, Jatupat Boonpattararaksa’s lawsuit against NSO Group Technologies Ltd for allegedly failing to prevent him from being targeted with spyware, Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong, Amnesty International’s Thailand Researcher, said:
"The court’s failure to recognise NSO Group’s role in facilitating human rights abuses via the targeting of Thai human rights defenders with Pegasus spyware is deeply alarming. However, it won’t deter the fight against the unlawful use of spyware and the fight for justice for the victims of spyware in Thailand and around the world.
"Despite repeated alerts regarding human rights abuses linked to Pegasus, NSO Group has not disclosed its due diligence processes which must be conducted in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. NSO has sold Pegasus without adequate safeguards against human rights violations, making it responsible for the rights abuses.
“Thai authorities must take immediate actions to provide those targeted with Pegasus spyware with full information to facilitate their ability to access remedies and justice. Corporate and state actors must be held accountable for any unlawful surveillance against human rights defenders.”
Violating the right to privacy
On 3 September this year Amnesty filed an amicus curiae brief at the Bangkok Civil Court in support of Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, whose phone was infected with Pegasus spyware three times between June and July 2021.
In this lawsuit, Jatupat alleges that NSO Group facilitated the use of Pegasus to target him and other Thai activists violating their constitutional rights, including the right to privacy. He demanded 2,500,000 Thai baht (£57,110) in compensation, an end to the use of Pegasus to infect his device, wants access to the data extracted from his device, and that the data be deleted from the company’s database.
In its ruling, the court dismissed the case on the basis that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Jatupat’s device was infected. The court cited that the plaintiff did not adequately present details about the forensic investigation and its outcome that led to the conclusion that his device was targeted with the spyware.
Amnesty International’s Security Lab has performed in-depth forensic analysis of numerous mobile devices around the world, including those of Thai human rights defenders, to identify Pegasus spyware infections. A 2021 Pegasus spyware investigation by Amnesty and Forbidden Stories revealed NSO's spyware had facilitated extensive human rights violations worldwide.
In many instances, NSO says it is a mere developer of spyware with no control over its use and denies allegations of its misuse against human rights activists.
The company argues that its products are exclusively for government agencies fighting crime and terrorism, a claim challenged by civil society research indicating misuse against journalists and activists globally.
Older News – 2023
Earlier this week a Swedish court upheld a life sentence against a former Iranian official implicated in prison massacres Ahmadreza Djalali has been arbitrarily held in Iran for past seven-and-a-half…
Myanmar military arbitrarily detained civilians and looted valuables Use of cluster munitions in Shan State ‘Nearly three years after the coup, the suffering of civilians across Myanmar shows no signs…
Mounting number of Palestinians being held in circumstances amounting to enforced disappearance Sickening images of humiliated detainees in underwear condemned as war crimes ‘We are currently…
Amnesty International has today welcomed the decision by the Irish Government that it will pursue a legal challenge to the UK Government’s controversial Troubles Act at the European Court of Human…
City has been operating as a humanitarian hub for civilians who fled fighting in Khartoum Extensive war crimes have been committed by both forces ‘We’re deeply concerned about the plight of civilians…
Authorities must conduct a thorough, impartial and effective investigation into the killing of journalist João Fernando Chamusse Killing comes amidst a disturbing wave of death threats, intimidation…
Repressive National Security Law is crushing Hong Kong’s freedoms Lai has been denied right to bail and prevented from choosing his own lawyer ‘No one should be prosecuted solely for exercising their…
In response to reports of at least one death in the English Channel, Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Director, said: “Once again this is terrible news and…
Greek authorities failed to mobilise appropriate resources for a rescue Survivors’ testimonies challenge the authorities’ claim that people on the Adriana did not want to be rescued ‘The Greek…
Five exiled pro-democracy activists become latest targeted by large bounties Four people arrested accused of assisting exiled activists UK-based activist Simon Cheng among those place under a £100,000…