Internal documents obtained by Wall Street Journal reportedly show that company exempts high-profile users from terms of use, potentially fuelling hate speech ‘If you’re influential enough, they’ll let you get away with anything’ - Agnès Callamard Responding to the publication of internal documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal which reportedly show that Facebook is using a system that exempts high-profile users from some or all of the platform’s terms of use, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said: “These shocking allegations show, once again, how Facebook’s

Eight hate crimes or incidents reported to PSNI every day Racism, sectarianism and homophobia all reported on the increase Amnesty International has expressed concern at new figures that show a disturbingly high rise for hate crime in Northern Ireland. The figures were published today in a report by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) for the year ending June 30 2021. The report shows there were 1,142 racist incidents and 839 racist crimes recorded by the police in the last 12 months - an increase of 251 more racist incidents and 238 more racist crimes on the previous year, with

Still no accountability for January 2021 racist arson attack on Belfast Multi-Cultural Association ‘We feel let down by the police. We don’t know where we can be safe.’ – Muhammad Atif ‘Police figures show that the vast majority of racist hate crimes in Northern Ireland go unpunished. This one appears to be no different.’ – Patrick Corrigan Six months on from the arson attack which destroyed the Belfast Multi-Cultural Association’s building in Belfast, Northern Ireland is now deemed a “safe haven for racists”, says Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland Programme Director

Responding to reports that the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland is investigating a complaint from a member of the public who was involved in a Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest at Guildhall Square, Derry-Londonderry last year, Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Programme Director of Amnesty International, said: “We welcome this investigation by the Police Ombudsman. “It is clear from their previous investigation into the policing of the Black Lives Matter protest in Belfast and Derry-Londonderry that the police acted in a way which was ‘unfair’, ‘discriminatory’ and paid mere ‘lip service’

COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act promises accountability for violence against Asian and other communities of colour ‘The US must confront and uproot the systems of white supremacy’ - Joanne Lin Responding to US President Joe Biden signing into law a new COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act - which includes the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act to improve hate crime data collection - Joanne Lin, National Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs at Amnesty International USA, said: “The enactment of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is a major step forward to address racial violence by improving hate crimes reporting in order

In response to Derek Chauvin being found guilty of murder in the death of George Floyd, Paul O’Brien, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), said: “Today a jury held Derek Chauvin accountable for actions emblematic of a broken policing system. No one should expect an encounter with law enforcement to end in death. And yet for George Floyd – and far too many others – that’s exactly what happened. Officers using excessive force, whatever the result, must be brought to justice. That’s what happened in the Minneapolis courtroom today. “In addition to our human rights to equal

PSNI report outlines that there were 936 racist incidents and 626 racist crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to the end of March 2020 More than six hate-motivated incidents or crimes reported to the police every day ‘The decline in incidents motivated by sectarianism is a welcome trend… but [there have still been] 888 incidents too many’ – Patrick Corrigan Amnesty International has expressed concern at the “worryingly high” figures recorded for hate crimes and incidents in Northern Ireland. The figures were published in a report today by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

Convictions for leaders and former MPs from anti-immigrant party welcomed Tear gas used indiscriminately against crowds outside Athens court this morning ‘Today’s landmark ruling is a recognition of the systemic threat posed to our societies by a violent, racist group’ - Nils Muižnieks Responding to a court in Athens convicting seven leaders of the Golden Dawn party of directing a criminal organisation - while convicting 11 other former Golden Dawn MPs of participating in a criminal organisation - Nils Muižnieks, Amnesty International’s Europe Director, said: “This verdict sends a clear

Amnesty International will hold an online panel discussion on police brutality in the USA and the urgent need for police reform later this month. The event - on Tuesday 29 September, 6-7pm (UK time) - will allow UK activists to hear from policing experts from Amnesty USA at a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked a major debate on racism within policing and in wider society on both sides of the Atlantic. Against the backdrop of continuing protests in the USA following the death of George Floyd at the hands of white police officers in Minneapolis in May, the event will explore