October 2006

Amnesty International welcomed today's new legislation under which the Supreme Court would review all death penalty verdicts in China but urged the authorities to abolish the death penalty once and for all. Posted: 31 Oct 2006

Last night at the United Nations, the majority of the world's governments took the first step towards a global Arms Trade Treaty to prevent international arms transfers that fuel conflict, poverty and serious human rights violations. Posted: 27 Oct 2006

Urgent appeal for Iranian blogger held incommunicado. Amnesty International today (27 October) issued a 'Call to Bloggers', asking them to get online and stand up for freedom of expression on the internet. The organisation says this is a critical time when fundamental rights - particularly freedom of expression and privacy - are under threat from governments that want to control what their citizens say, and what information they can access. Posted: 27 Oct 2006

Women and children continue to be slain in Rio de Janeiro, with little or no reaction from the authorities. Posted: 27 Oct 2006

One year after 13 migrants were killed and hundreds were wounded while trying to enter the Spanish enclaves Ceuta and Melilla, a new report from Amnesty International based on victims' testimonies and contact with the authorities voices concern over whether investigations will be thorough, impartial and effective. Posted: 26 Oct 2006

A vigil was held today (24 Oct) outside the Russian consulate in Edinburgh in memory of Russian journalist, Anna Politkovskaya. The vigil also involved handing in a letter to the Consul-General asking for a thorough investigation into her death. Posted: 24 Oct 2006

On the eve of an historic vote to begin work on an Arms Trade Treaty in the UN General Assembly's First Committee, 15 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates including the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Oscar Arias and Amnesty International have called on governments to support the Treaty in order to stop irresponsible arms exports "which are causing the peoples of the world so much pain and destruction". The appeal is contained in a letter released today at the UN. Posted: 24 Oct 2006

A new report released by Amnesty International reveals a climate of fear in Vietnam, with people afraid to post information online and internet café owners forced to inform on their customers. Posted: 20 Oct 2006

Amnesty International leader, Kate Allen, has hailed Northern Ireland teachers involved in human rights education as 'quiet revolutionaries', who are changing the world by giving children the knowledge and skills to challenge injustice at home and abroad. Posted: 20 Oct 2006

Amnesty International, Reprieve and Fair Trials Abroad are pleased that Mirza Tahir Hussain will not now be executed on 1 November but reacted with anger that he has today been given a postponement and not been freed. Posted: 19 Oct 2006

Changes to the Companies Bill, announced by the Government in the House of Commons could improve the accountability of UK companies, campaigners said today. But Amnesty International, together with other members of the Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition and the Trade Justice Movement, said that although the new moves were welcome, much more is needed to ensure people's human rights and the environment are protected from corporate abuses. Posted: 19 Oct 2006

Amnesty International expressed concern after a man died in County Durham, three days after he was shot with a Taser electro-shock weapon and a baton round. Posted: 18 Oct 2006

Amnesty International has expressed concern after a man died in County Durham, three days after he was shot with a Taser electro-shock weapon and a baton round. Posted: 17 Oct 2006

Amnesty International has expressed concern after a man died in County Durham, three days after he was shot with a Taser electro-shock weapon and a baton round. Posted: 17 Oct 2006

Russia, China and US are among key sceptics on Arms Trade Treaty New research released today reveals that bullets manufactured in Greece, China, Russia and the USA have ended up in the hands of rebel groups in the Ituri District of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is under a UN arms embargo. Posted: 16 Oct 2006

Amnesty International in Northern Ireland today (13 October) welcomed the publication of the Joint Committee on Human Rights' report into human trafficking. The organisation called for more action in Northern Ireland against trafficking and urged the UK government to follow the Committee's recommendations and sign up to a European Convention Against Trafficking, which would ensure support and protection for the victims of trafficking. Posted: 16 Oct 2006

Amnesty calls on President Musharraf and Prime Minister Blair to immediately halt the execution Reacting with disappointment to the news that UK-Pakistani joint national Mirza Hussain is to be executed on Wednesday 1 November 2006, the family, Amnesty International and other human rights organisations involved in the campaign renewed their appeals to President Musharraf to intervene to stop the death sentence being carried out. Posted: 16 Oct 2006

Amnesty International today (13 October) welcomed the publication of the Joint Committee on Human Rights' report into human trafficking. The organisation urged the UK government to follow the Committee's recommendations and sign up a European Convention Against Trafficking and echoed the JCHR's support for the treaty, which would ensure support and protection for the victims of trafficking. Posted: 13 Oct 2006

In a massive show of support for stronger arms controls at the United Nations in New York, 77 governments cosponsored a resolution tabled today to start work on a global Arms Trade Treaty. Many more governments are expected to back the initiative in the coming days. Posted: 12 Oct 2006

Amnesty International has expressed strong disappointment at today's ruling of the Court of Appeal that the UK government is not obliged to intervene on behalf of UK residents held at Guantánamo Bay. Posted: 12 Oct 2006