October 2001

Amnesty International condemns the reported execution of Abdul Haq and others on 26 October 2001. The circumstances of Abdul Haq's killing suggest that he may have been extra-judicially executed after he was taken prisoner. Posted: 31 Oct 2001

On the tenth anniversary of the opening session of the Middle East peace talks in Madrid on 30 October 1991, Amnesty International repeated that respect by all parties for the fundamental principles of international humanitarian and human rights law is the only way to achieve peace and security. Posted: 31 Oct 2001

Amnesty International condemned the indiscriminate killing of two civilians and the wounding at least 13 civilians in Colombo yesterday in the first suicide bomb attack in the capital for a year. Posted: 31 Oct 2001

Amnesty International, Defence for Children International, Human Rights Watch and International Federation for Human Rights deplored the conviction and jailing of a 16-year-old Egyptian boy on charges of 'obscene behaviour'. The four international human rights organizations urged for his immediate and unconditional release. Posted: 30 Oct 2001

Amnesty International UK responded to today's speech by the Prime Minister Tony Blair to the Welsh Assembly with an expression of concern that the UK government is losing sight of the need for a proportionate and necessary response to the 11 September attacks in the United States. Posted: 30 Oct 2001

Amnesty International is calling on the US military to strengthen measures to ensure that civilians are not killed as a result of their military action, to investigate thoroughly reports of such incidents and make public their findings. The organization is also calling for a moratorium on the use of cluster bombs. Posted: 29 Oct 2001

In a letter sent to the President of Gambia today, Amnesty International is calling on him to immediately and unconditionally release Mohamed Lamin Sillah, Secretary General of Amnesty International's Gambian section, who was arrested on 22 October 2001. The organisation has also requested a meeting with President Yahya Jammeh and a delegation is preparing to travel to Banjul. Posted: 26 Oct 2001

Amnesty International welcomed the release today of Mohamed Lamin Sillah, Secretary General of its Gambian section. Although he has not been charged, he has been released on bail and has to report back to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on Monday. Mr Lamin Sillah was not ill-treated but detention conditions in the NIA are poor. Posted: 26 Oct 2001

The Japanese government cannot, and must not, shy away from its obligation to cooperate in bringing to justice Peru's former president, Alberto Fujimori, currently in Japan, who has been indicted in Peru on human rights charges, Amnesty International said today. Posted: 26 Oct 2001

As concerns mount for the health of six prisoners of conscience detained since April 2001 without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA), Amnesty International is again appealing for their release. Posted: 25 Oct 2001

Amnesty International today called for a prompt, effective and impartial inquiry into reports that troops have shot dead more than 100 people in central Nigeria in reprisal for the murder of soldiers. Posted: 25 Oct 2001

State-sponsored repression, including political killings and torture, continues to worsen in Zimbabwe, Amnesty International said today in a new report. Posted: 24 Oct 2001

Amnesty International is calling for all those detained during US police investigations into the 11 September attacks in New York and Washington to be treated with full respect for their rights under US law and international standards. Posted: 23 Oct 2001

Amnesty International is concerned at reports that a new ordinance, meant to grant enhanced powers of arrest and detention to law enforcement agencies, has been approved by the Union Cabinet and will be presented within a few days to the President, who has the constitutional right to ratify it. Posted: 22 Oct 2001

In a dramatic about-turn this week President Arroyo renounced her previous stance against the death penalty. "Executing people will not resolve the rise in crimes such as kidnapping and drug trafficking," Amnesty International said today, in response to the President's call for the execution of convicted kidnappers. Posted: 19 Oct 2001

Amnesty International has written to President Musharraf of Pakistan expressing concerns about plans to open refugee camps in tribal areas. Posted: 19 Oct 2001

The Chinese government's call for international support in its clampdown on domestic "terrorism" raises fears that repression of Muslims in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) will increase and that the dismal human rights situation in the region will further deteriorate says Amnesty International. Posted: 18 Oct 2001

'They treat us like animals' - a complaint which has become familiar to Amnesty International delegates on their regular visits to prisons and police stations across Brazil - is the title of the human rights organisation's new report, presented today in Sao Paulo. Posted: 18 Oct 2001

Amnesty International is calling for independent monitors to verify that Afghan commanders responsible for past human rights abuses are removed before any transfers of weapons and other military equipment and expertise to the warring parties in Afghanistan lead to further human rights abuses and war crimes. Posted: 17 Oct 2001

"The first officer slapped me, kicked me and then I saw what looked like a gun butt coming. I could not tell what happened next...When I woke up in a dark room everything was gone...For thirteen days, I was raped by I do not know how many men." (BL, interviewed April 2001) Posted: 16 Oct 2001