December 2007

Amnesty International demands the immediate release of Mahmoud Salehi Amnesty International today called for immediate release of an Iranian trade union leader who was rushed to hospital after collapsing in prison. Posted: 21 Dec 2007

Scottish man to be released after 20 years on death row Amnesty International UK and other anti-death penalty campaigners have welcomed today's announcement that Kenny Richey, a Scottish man on death row in Ohio, is to be released. Posted: 20 Dec 2007

Amnesty International has expressed alarm at the increasing number of extrajudicial executions of people in Niger by the army in the Agadez region, and has asked the Niger authorities to put an immediate stop to them. Posted: 20 Dec 2007

Scottish man Kenny Richey has been taken to hospital shortly before he was due to be released from prison in Ohio, USA. Posted: 20 Dec 2007

Amnesty International has warned that the peacekeeping operation in Darfur is doomed to fail if the Sudanese government and international community do not immediately halt the obstructions that have been plaguing the mission thus far. Posted: 19 Dec 2007

Responding to reports that three UK residents who have been held at the US military prison camp at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba will be returned to the UK shortly, Amnesty International has welcomed the news and urged that they be treated 'first and foremost as victims'. Posted: 19 Dec 2007

Amnesty International has today (17 Dec) revealed that secret executions have been taking place in Nigeria's prisons, despite recent assurances by the government that Nigeria has not executed 'in years'. Posted: 17 Dec 2007

The Zimbabwean government continues to beat and torture political opponents and human rights defenders, despite the ongoing mediation process being facilitated by the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), said Amnesty International. Posted: 14 Dec 2007

Thousands of signed postcards and a petition, calling for the release of Chinese prisoner Shi Tao, were presented to the Chinese Consulate in Edinburgh by Amnesty International and Mike Pringle MSP today (Friday 14th December). Posted: 14 Dec 2007

President Musharraf's decision to lift state of emergency fails to deal with a weakened judiciary and leaves country open to human rights violations Posted: 14 Dec 2007

As the Home Affairs Select Committee released its report today opposing an extension to pre-charge detention limits, Amnesty International UK urged people to sign its new 'Not a Day Longer' e-petition calling on the government not to extend the time for which police can hold terrorism suspects without charge. Posted: 13 Dec 2007

Amnesty International UK's 'Ten good reasons why extending pre-charge detention is a bad idea', outlines the strong case against government proposals to extend the time for which police can hold terrorism suspects without charge. Posted: 13 Dec 2007

Amnesty International has welcomed the announcement made by Cuba's Minister of Foreign Affairs that the country will soon ratify key human rights treaties. But it added that this move will only be meaningful if matched by change in Cuba's policies of intimidation and arbitrary arrests of political dissidents. Posted: 12 Dec 2007

The Poet Laureate Andrew Motion has today (11 December) condemned the 'shocking situation' of Guantánamo Bay ahead of an event to launch a new book of poems from prisoners held at the US-run military prison. Posted: 10 Dec 2007

Amnesty International has strongly condemned the hanging of three men in Japan earlier today Posted: 10 Dec 2007

Amnesty International has strongly condemned the hanging of three men in Japan earlier today (7 December). Posted: 7 Dec 2007

Amnesty International today (7 December) expressed concern at the ongoing pilot initiative for wider deployment of Taser stun guns being carried out by the Home Office, as London's Metropolitan Police prepare to enter the scheme despite strong reservations by the Metropolitan Police Authority. Posted: 7 Dec 2007

No extension to pre-charge detention limits for terrorism suspects is acceptable, said Amnesty today (6 December) as the organisation reacted to Home Office proposals to raise the limit to 42 days. Posted: 6 Dec 2007

No extension to pre-charge detention limits for terrorism suspects is acceptable, said Amnesty today (6 December) as the organisation reacted to Home Office proposals to raise the limit to 42 days. Posted: 6 Dec 2007

Amnesty International has reacted with dismay to the news that the PSNI are planning to introduce Tasers to Northern Ireland early next year. Posted: 6 Dec 2007