August 2001

Over the past few years in Africa, as in other parts of the world, many people have 'disappeared' after being taken away from their homes, workplaces and elsewhere by members of the security forces, who later deny any knowledge of their whereabouts. Posted: 31 Aug 2001

Amnesty International urged President Mohamed Egal to either bring to trial or release without further delay the four sultans and a supporter currently held in incommunicado detention in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Posted: 31 Aug 2001

Amnesty International UK today expressed disappointment at the composition of the official UK delegation to the UN World Conference against Racism that starts this weekend (Saturday 31/8/01), which it believes demonstrates a lack of commitment to the conference. Posted: 30 Aug 2001

Hundreds of thousands of people have disappeared over the past decades in the Middle East and North Africa, the majority of them in Iraq, Amnesty International said today, on the Day of the Disappeared 2001. Posted: 30 Aug 2001

"Disappearance" still remains an open wound in many parts of the American continent, Amnesty International said today, as thousands of people come together across the region to reiterate once again their demand for truth and justice in the cases of their "disappeared" loved ones. Posted: 30 Aug 2001

Europe is not immune from the scourge of enforced disappearances, Amnesty International said today as human rights defenders and relatives of the "disappeared" around the globe come together to reclaim their right to truth and justice. Posted: 30 Aug 2001

On the eve of the World Conference against Racism, Amnesty International calls on the world's governments to show solidarity with victims and survivors, and act constructively to combat racism. Posted: 30 Aug 2001

Australia has an international obligation to allow the 438 asylum-seekers drifting in Australian territorial waters to disembark and apply for asylum, Amnesty International said. Posted: 30 Aug 2001

The Government of India should make all those responsible for "disappearances" face justice for their crimes, Amnesty International said today, on the Day of the Disappeared 2001. Posted: 29 Aug 2001

Ahead of Thursday's vote, Amnesty International is calling on all those who will be elected to East Timor's new Constituent Assembly to place justice and human rights at the forefront of the political agenda in East Timor. Posted: 28 Aug 2001

Amnesty International wrote to the President of Indonesia, Megawati Sukarnoputri, urging her to give high priority to the protection and promotion of human rights. Posted: 28 Aug 2001

As Burundi prepares to start, on 1 November 2001, a period of transitional government and institutional reform, Amnesty International, in an eight-page appeal, Burundi: Preparing for peace, highlighted measures which should be implemented now by the current government, political leaders, leaders of armed political movements, civil society and the international community to protect human rights. Posted: 28 Aug 2001

In the light of a recently published official report into the unlawful killing of over 80 protesters at the hands of the security forces in the Algerian region of Kabylia, Amnesty International has today written to the Algerian authorities to press again for full investigations to be carried out into every killing. Posted: 22 Aug 2001

Amnesty International called on the Lebanese authorities to take immediate steps to protect women against torture, ill-treatment and other gender-based violations in custody. Posted: 22 Aug 2001

Following the court ruling in the case of Dr. Younus Sheikh, Amnesty International said it is appalled that yet another innocent person has been convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death. Posted: 22 Aug 2001

The death sentence of a Mexican man facing execution in Oklahoma should be commuted immediately, in light of the recent historic decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) upholding the right of arrested foreign nationals to seek consular assistance, Amnesty International said. Posted: 22 Aug 2001

Amnesty International expressed its grave concern over the dramatic increase in executions carried out in Iran. Posted: 20 Aug 2001

On Friday 17 August 2001, Irene Khan will officially take up her role as Secretary General of the international human rights organisation. Posted: 17 Aug 2001

In the run-up to the Third World Conference against Racism, Amnesty International called for the full protection of the rights of undocumented foreign children found on Spanish territory in the North African Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Posted: 16 Aug 2001

Amnesty International has called on the Macedonian (FYROM) authorities to investigate and prosecute human rights abuses by their own forces as well as those of the Albanian rebels. Posted: 16 Aug 2001