April 2001

Amnesty International condemned today the attack on members of the Movimiento Ciudadano por la Justicia y Democracia (Citizens Movement for Justice and Democracy) by supporters of the ruling Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) on 24 April 2001. Posted: 30 Apr 2001

Amnesty International wrote today to the Italian Minister of the Interior to express concern about the disturbing reports of widespread abuses against protesters at a mass demonstration in Naples on 17 March. Posted: 30 Apr 2001

On the International Day of Solidarity, April 28 2001, Amnesty International is launching an appeal for the immediate and unconditional release of prisoner of conscience and human rights lawyer, Néjib Hosni. Amnesty International is also calling for an end to the attacks and intimidation which still continue against human rights defenders in Tunisia. Posted: 30 Apr 2001

The Turkish parliament will imminently be considering an amendment to Article 16 of the Anti-Terror Law proposed by the government. According to Article 16 of the Anti-Terror Law, people accused and convicted of violent and other political offences are held in solitary confinement and small group isolation. Posted: 30 Apr 2001

At the closing of it's annual session in Geneva, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (CHR) took positive steps to tackle "disappearances", called again for a moratorium on executions, appointed a new Special Rapporteur on Indigenous People and took strong action on Chechnya and Iran. However, it failed in its principal duty to protect victims of appalling human rights violations who happen to live in powerful countries like China, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Equally disconcerting was the Commission's premature decision to drop consideration of human rights violations in Rwanda and attacks on several of its own Special Rapporteurs. Posted: 27 Apr 2001

Following the execution of five drug traffickers last week and the imminent execution of six more, Amnesty International's Secretary General today wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister of Thailand urging him to use his executive powers to issue a moratorium on the use of the death penalty. Posted: 27 Apr 2001

The rate at which the state of Oklahoma is executing prisoners is the highest per capita in the USA, and higher than most countries including China and Iran, Amnesty International said today as it released a report on the use of capital punishment in Oklahoma. Posted: 26 Apr 2001

"Nine men sentenced to prison terms of up to life imprisonment following a deeply flawed trial may now have a new chance for justice", Amnesty International said today as the Jordanian Court of Cassation called for a retrial. Posted: 26 Apr 2001

Today's arrest of human rights activist Badaruddin Ismail under the Internal Security Act (ISA) shows the Malaysian authorities are determined to curb legitimate activities in defence of human rights as well as political dissent, Amnesty International said today. Posted: 26 Apr 2001

Today's arrest of human rights activist Badaruddin Ismail under the Internal Security Act (ISA) shows the Malaysian authorities are determined to curb legitimate activities in defence of human rights as well as political dissent, Amnesty International said today. Posted: 26 Apr 2001

Four farmers have been arrested and held incommunicado since March after complaining about embezzlement by local officials of funds intended to pay for resettling them ahead of the massive Three Gorges dam project in China. He Kechang, Ran Chongxin, Jiang Qingshan and Wen Dingchun are all from Gaoyang township, Yunyang county, in Chingqing municipality. He Kechang has reportedly been tortured in detention. Posted: 26 Apr 2001

News that the Indonesian President has approved the establishment of a human rights court for East Timor which will only try cases of violations committed after the August 1999 popular consultation, was greeted with dismay by Amnesty International. Posted: 25 Apr 2001

The acquisition of section status by Amnesty International groups in Morocco is a recognition of the achievements of the organizations members in the field of protection and promotion of human rights. It will contribute to strengthening the already very active human rights movement in Morocco. Posted: 25 Apr 2001

The acquisition of section status by Amnesty International groups in Morocco is a recognition of the achievements of the organisation's members in the field of protection and promotion of human rights. It will contribute to strengthening the already very active human rights movement in Morocco. Posted: 25 Apr 2001

Amnesty International today expressed concern over the continuing failure of the Mauritian government to investigate allegations of torture and ill treatment during criminal investigation procedures. Posted: 25 Apr 2001

Amnesty International expressed concern today about the uncertainties surrounding funding for the Special Court for Sierra Leone as a result of the United Nations (UN) Security Council's decision to fund the court entirely by voluntary contributions rather than from the regular UN budget. Posted: 24 Apr 2001

The road to justice for past human rights violations in Guatemala remains a long, slow, and potentially dangerous one, Amnesty International said following developments in court cases around two outstanding unresolved cases, the 1982 massacre at Dos Erres, El Petén, and the murder of Mons. Juan José Gerardi in 1998. Posted: 24 Apr 2001

Following some incidents of excessive use of force during the policing of the Québec City summit of the Americas, Amnesty International renewed its call for the rights of free expression and assembly to be respected on the occasion of similar events. Posted: 24 Apr 2001

Amnesty International welcomes the decision of Serbia's Supreme Court to release 143 ethnic Albanians, the so-called Djakovica group. The organization believes that their trials breached international standards and national procedures at every stage, from pretrial custody to the trials themselves. Posted: 24 Apr 2001

Amnesty International today issued a report on "consensual" executions in the USA - that is executions of prisoners who give up their appeals and "ask" to be put to death. Since 1977, 90 such executions have been carried out. Posted: 24 Apr 2001