Demanding change

2011 and 2012 were years without precedent for people in the Middle East and North Africa. Millions have flooded onto the streets to demand change - often in the face of extreme violence and repression from military and security forces. 

Some, such as those in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya were successful in ending years of repressive rule and introducing democracy, but have found the struggle for human rights continues. Others continue the fight, while in Syria the situation has descended into a violent armed conflict with tens of thousands dead since the crackdown on peaceful protests began in March 2011.  

We stand in solidarity with peaceful protesters across the Middle East and North Africa in their demands for immediate human rights reform.

We stand in defiance against all those who try to suppress the growing movement of people standing up for their rights.

We are urging authorities across the region to:

• Uphold the right to peaceful protest and to freedom of expression, association, assembly and information
• Investigate deaths, injuries, and detentions ensuring those responsible are brought to account
• Immediately begin human rights reforms including giving people the right to participate fully in the political process

We are focusing on four countries in our work on the unfolding human rights crisis across the region: Egypt | Libya | Syria | Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories

Read about the Middle East and North Africa in our 2012 human rights report

Protect civilians in Syria

At least 90,000 men, women and children have been killed since the crackdown on peaceful protests first began in Syria. 

Over that time what started as a peaceful cry for freedom has descended into a devastating internal armed conflict. The impact of the fighting, as ever, is being most brutally felt by civilians. Both pro and anti government forces have committed violent war crimes. Conditions have become so unbearable that hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country, and many more have been displaced within Syria. 

• Stop the bloodshed, protect civilians

Bahrain: Free teacher detained after calling for a strike

In early 2011 Mahdi Abu Dheeb, then leader of the Bahrain Teachers Association, and his colleague Jalila al-Salman called a strike to support growing calls for reform in the country. Most of us would say that they were just doing their job. But the Bahrain authorities have since made them pay dearly for their legitimate work. 

A year of rebellion. A year of hope

One year on from the start of the uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa, we took to the streets of London to ask you what you made of it. Watch the five short films

• Read our report A Year of Rebellion
• Read our Q&A on the issues raised
• See an overview of our work across the year

Further information

• Background
• Women's involvement
• What next?
  
• Campaign resources
• News and reports

Background

Since people first called for fundamental change in Tunisia at the end of 2010, the echoes have reverberated around the Middle East and North Africa.

The protests have unsettled autocratic regimes that have ruled for decades with an iron fist. In a few short months, a new era has begun, marked by unprecedented people's power and a thirst for change.

People are taking to the streets as a result of increasing frustration following years of human rights abuses including state violence, government repression and social inequalities, alongside a sharp rise in youth unemployment.

But as protestors come out in large numbers to demand their human rights they have faced deadly crackdowns. We have a number of researchers in the region recording the human rights abuses committed as people call for change across the Middle East and North Africa.

Women's involvement

Women have played a major role in protests across the Middle East and North Africa. But any hope for equality was dashed when women were excluded from decision making processes following the fall of Mubarak in Egypt. For real human rights reform to take place it is crucial that this exclusion ends.

• Find out more about women's participation in Egypt
• Find out more about our women and human rights programme

What next?

We have a once in a generation opportunity to effect significant human rights impacts across the Middle East and North Africa. Within Egypt, Syria and Libya we aim to contribute towards human rights reforms that lead to increased freedoms, justice for victims of abuses and greater participation within political processes. The key changes we want to see are:

• Freedom of expression, association, and assembly for all human rights defenders
• States held accountable for unlawful detentions, harassment and deaths of protester
• Women's participation in human rights reform and political processes

Download our Agendas for Change: Egypt (pdf) | Libya (pdf) | Tunisia (pdf)

We are also calling on the UK government to take a consistent approach to ensuring human rights are respected and protected across the region. We are asking them to:

• Ensure UK engagement in the region involves civil society, not only governments and businesses
• Not overlook human rights where arms sales, trade or national security cooperation are involved
• Prioritise women's rights, equality and meaningful participation

Campaign resources

We have developed a number of resources to help with your campaigning including:

• 'In Solidarity In Defiance' placard (English). Download now (pdf)
  
• 'In Solidarity In Defiance' placard (Arabic). Download now (pdf)
• 'In Solidarity In Defiance' stickers (English). Order code CCC075
• 'A Human Rights Revolution' A5 leaflet (English). Download now (pdf) | Order code CCC076

Order now by calling 01788 545553 or emailing amnesty@tfstore.co.uk and quote the order code.

News and reports

• Update UAE5 released 30 November 2011
• Mailing Crisis and transition in the Middle East and North Africa (pdf) November 2011
• Report Health crisis: Syrian government targets the wounded and health workers (pdf) 24 October 2011
• Submission to FAC British Foreign Policy and the 'Arab Spring' (pdf) August 2011
• Magazine 50 Years of Defending Human Rights in the Region (pdf) August 2011
  
• Report Syrian student tells of torture ordeal (pdf) 24 May 2011
• Report Misratah - Under siege and under fire (pdf) 6 May 2011
  
• Report Time for Justice: Egypt's corrosive system of detention (pdf) 20 April 2011
• Report The State of Human Rights in the Middle East and North Africa (pdf) May 2011