For centuries, the United States opened its arms to refugees whose lives had been torn apart by war, and those ruthlessly hounded because of who they are or what they believe in. But today, the people of Syria are suffering these hardships on an unimaginable scale, and we’re still waiting for US leadership on the biggest humanitarian crisis of our time.
A stairway is seen still standing 10 years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the house on August 28, 2015 in Waveland, Mississippi. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
In marking the 10 years since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina reached the Gulf shores, it is the actions of government authorities since the storm that have been nearly as catastrophic for residents of the Gulf Coast. As highlighted by the ongoing work of the local communities through #GulfSouthRising, the issues documented in Amnesty International’s 2005 report, Un-Natural Disaster: Human rights in the Gulf Coast still profoundly impact Gulf Coast residents’ right to return. SEE THE REST OF THIS POST
Weapons and ammunition in circulation
Total current military stocks of China, USA, Russia, India, France and UK:
Chelsea Manning is serving a 35-year prison sentence for leaking classified US government documents to the website WikiLeaks. From her prison cell in Kansas, Chelsea tells us why speaking out against injustice can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Join Amnesty International and tell President Barack Obama to #FreeManning NOW!
.@xychelsea I support you for speaking out against potential human rights abuses. RT to tell @POTUS @BarackObama to #FreeManning NOW!
— AmnestyInternational (@amnesty) August 21, 2015
Why did you decide to leak documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?
These documents were important because they relate to two connected counter-insurgency conflicts in real-time from the ground. Humanity has never had this complete and detailed a record of what modern warfare actually looks like. Once you realize that the co-ordinates represent a real place where people live; that the dates happened in our recent history; that the numbers are actually human lives – with all the love, hope, dreams, hatred, fear, and nightmares that come with them – then it’s difficult to ever forget how important these documents are. SEE THE REST OF THIS POST
Indian sex workers hold placards as they take part in a rally in New Delhi, 08 March 2006 to mark the International Women’s Day. The protestors demanded social rights and the Immoral Traffic Prevention (ITP) Act to be scrapped. (Photo credit: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images)
A crucial vote to protect the human rights of sex workers was passed today in Dublin at Amnesty International’s decision-making forum, the International Council Meeting (ICM). Delegates from around the world authorized the organization’s International Board to develop and adopt a policy on the issue.
This is a divisive, sensitive and complex issue and our priority has been and remains an approach that best protects the rights of some of the most marginalized people in the world. That is why we have been working for over two years to develop a policy to protect the human rights of sex workers based on research and global consultation with hundreds of organizations, our international membership and many more individuals worldwide.
Baffled by technical human rights terms and precise legal definitions? You’re not alone. Here’s a quick glossary of some of the most troublesome words and phrases.
Congratulations to the #YourMomentOurMovement winner of the week: Julia Myron!
Julia is an Amnesty International member from Houston, Texas. This is her moment:
“The moment I saw police brutality in Nigeria and the fear and abuse of the the citizens I decided to be the voice I decided to join Amnesty International.”
Thank you for fighting for justice and standing up for human rights, Julia. Your moment is our movement.
If you didn’t win this week, don’t worry! We are choosing one winning moment EVERY WEEK. SEE THE REST OF THIS POST
The displays of solidarity, action and impact from Amnesty International activists in honor of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture will amaze you.
Brought to you by Amnesty International and Privacy International
Two years after Edward Snowden revealed the extent of mass surveillance, Amnesty International and Privacy International use his evidence to show how countries are secretly sharing your personal data.
On June 5, 2013, The Guardian and The Washington Post published the first revelations from Edward Snowden about mass government surveillance. (c) Private
On 5 June 2013, whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed the first shocking evidence of global mass surveillance programs.
We’ve since learned that the USA’s National Security Agency (NSA) and the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) have been monitoring the internet and phone activity of hundreds of millions of people across the world.
Two years on, we take a look at seven ways the landscape has changed thanks to the documents Snowden released: