March 2010

Amnesty International has urged the Zimbabwean Government to stop repressing public debate on past and ongoing human rights violations, after a well-known artist was detained for his work which depicted atrocities committed in the 1980s. Posted: 31 Mar 2010

Amnesty International has said that current proposals from the UK Government for a Northern Ireland Bill of Rights fall far short of international standards. The human rights organisation is urging the Government to undertake a complete reassessment of its approach and to issue new proposals. Posted: 31 Mar 2010

Amnesty International has urged the Hamas de facto administration in Gaza not to carry out several death sentences, after high-ranking officials recently signalled their intention to execute those convicted of "collaboration" with Israel and "murder". Posted: 31 Mar 2010

Amnesty International has today challenged China to reveal how many people it executes, as the organisation published a new report on the global use of capital punishment. The report, Amnestys annual survey of the death penalty worldwide, showed that at least 714 people were executed in 18 countries last year, but its likely that there were thousands of executions in China alone. Posted: 30 Mar 2010

In response to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Arms Export Controls report published today, Amnesty International called for the UK Government to act swiftly to close loopholes which allow for brass-plate companies registered in this country to trade arms to countries where human rights violations are committed. Posted: 30 Mar 2010

In response to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Arms Export Controls report published today [30 March], Amnesty International called for the UK Government to act swiftly to close loopholes which allow for brass-plate companies registered in this country to trade arms to countries where human rights violations are committed. Posted: 30 Mar 2010

Amnesty International today welcomes Bangladeshs ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which took place on Tuesday 23 March. Posted: 25 Mar 2010

The Malaysian authorities should take action to end widespread workplace and police abuses of the migrant workers who make up more than 20 per cent of the country's workforce, Amnesty International said in a report released today. Posted: 24 Mar 2010

(Port-au-Prince) Thousands of women living in temporary camps around Haiti are threatened by sexual violence and have inadequate protection from any authorities, Amnesty International said today after concluding a three-week visit to the country. Posted: 24 Mar 2010

Amnesty International today (23 March) released a new briefing outlining its call for a full, independent and impartial inquiry into UK involvement in human rights abuses overseas post-11 September 2001. The briefing outlines ten key questions that an inquiry should seek to answer. Posted: 23 Mar 2010

Amnesty International today urged authorities in El Salvador to repeal an amnesty law that protects those responsible for thousands of killings and disappearances during the countrys 12-year armed conflict, including the killing of Catholic priest Monsignor Romero on 24 March 1980. Posted: 23 Mar 2010

The Chinese government should remove restrictions on the Internet following Googles decision to stop censoring Internet search results in China and direct all traffic from its servers there to Hong Kong, Amnesty International said today. Posted: 23 Mar 2010

Amnesty International has issued an urgent appeal calling for the execution of a TV presenter sentenced to death for sorcery in Saudi Arabia to be halted. Posted: 22 Mar 2010

Amnesty International has called on the Malawian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, after a judge today ruled that they will face trial in April on charges of gross indecency. Posted: 22 Mar 2010

Sixth formers from Freman College in Buntingford, Hertfordshire, today (22 March) at 4.22pm set a new world record for the number of protests in one day. Posted: 22 Mar 2010

Amnesty has welcomed the move by the Minister for Health Michael McGimpsey in the provision to the Northern Ireland Executive of an options paper on dealing with historical child abuse. The human rights organisation called for the options paper to be published and reiterated its call on the Northern Ireland Executive to initiate an inquiry into the extent of child abuse in State run or church operated institutions in Northern Ireland. Posted: 19 Mar 2010

Responding to new poll findings from the National Union of Students showing, among other things, that only a small minority of women students who have been seriously sexually assaulted have reported it to either their institution or the police, Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said: Posted: 18 Mar 2010

Amnesty International has urged Cuban President Ral Castro to ensure the safety of a group of female relatives of prisoners of conscience ahead of a scheduled demonstration today (18 March). Posted: 18 Mar 2010

New US military measures to control the activities of US Special Operations forces in Afghanistan are a welcome step but more needs to be done to improve accountability for civilian casualties of military operations, said Amnesty International. Posted: 17 Mar 2010

Amnesty International today called on the Cuban authorities to revoke laws that restrict freedom of expression, assembly and association and to release all dissidents unfairly detained by the authorities. Posted: 17 Mar 2010