By May Carolan, Communications Coordinator on Security and Human Rights Campaigns at Amnesty International,
Policemen came at 3am; their faces were hidden and they had a list. They were calling out names one by one on the list, and were asking the detainees to come with them. Nobody knew what was going on. A prisoner at the central prison in Nouakchott
On the 23 May 2011, 14 men were abducted from their cells by military police at the central prison in Nouakchott, the capital city of Mauritania. All of them were convicted on charges related to terrorism and at least 6 of the men were tortured while in police custody before their abduction. None of them have been seen or heard from since; no one but their captors knows if they are dead or alive. If they are alive, there are major concerns for their safety. Continue reading ‘14 men disappeared in Mauritania’
By Ashfaq Khalfan, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Policy Coordinator, Demand Dignity and ESCR Programme
On 30 September, the UN Human Rights Council affirmed for the first time that the human right to water and sanitation is legally binding.
The Council stated that the right to water and sanitation is derived from the right to adequate standard of living, which is recognised in several international treaties. These include the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) to which 160 States are party, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has reached nearly universal ratification.
In 2002, the committee of experts appointed by the UN to monitor the ICESCR stated that this treaty implicitly includes the right to water. However, some states, such as Canada and the US, vocally rejected this right and blocked efforts by states to recognise these rights at the international level. Continue reading ‘UN affirms the right to water and sanitation as legally binding’
By Lucy Macnamara, Demand Dignity Campaign Co-ordinator at Amnesty International
Achtung, baby!
It’s nearly midnight on Thursday and I’m writing this backstage in the Production office at Hannover, with my ears still ringing from another fantastic concert. Amnesty’s involvement on this tour is very special and I can’t wait to tell you about a magical moment that takes place during the shows.
You might have heard a beautiful U2 song called ‘Walk On’. It was written by Bono for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest in Burma – a dignified and graceful symbol of the oppression and hardship experienced by her people in a country where there are over 2,200 political prisoners. Continue reading ‘Amnesty International on tour with U2 – A song for Burma’
By Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International in Canada, who will be observing the military trial of Omar Khadr.
In a case that has moved so slowly for so long – it is now nearly five years since Omar Khadr was first charged under the Bush administration – much happened during the first day of his military commission trial here at Guantánamo, both expected and unexpected. Proceedings began with opening statements from the prosecution and defence. They ended in drama when Omar Khadr’s military lawyer, Lieutenant Colonel Jon Jackson, collapsed in court late in the afternoon while cross examining a witness. He was taken to hospital by ambulance and as I write it is uncertain when the trial will resume.
Earlier the commission heard from two prosecution witnesses and viewed a video that US forces had retrieved from the compound in Afghanistan where the firefight took place that is at the heart of the case against Omar Khadr. It is there that, as a 15-year-old, he is alleged to have thrown a grenade that fatally wounded a US soldier, Sergeant Christopher Speer. Among those present in the courtroom today, for the first time, was the widow of Sgt Speer. Continue reading ‘Omar Khadr: Trial begins, but when will it continue?’
By Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International in Canada, who will be observing the military trial of Omar Khadr.
Once again, proceedings are underway in the case of United States vs Khadr at Guantánamo Bay. And the first question on the minds of many was answered quickly this morning. Omar Khadr was indeed present in court as this latest phase of his military commission hearing opened. He remained throughout the entire day. He was present but he left his legal representation in the hands of his appointed military defence lawyer.
Before the trial itself begins (which is expected on Wednesday after the commission panel of US military officers, akin to a jury, is chosen and sworn in tomorrow), there were a number of motions filed previously by both the defence lawyers and by government prosecutors that had to be dealt with today. They involve such matters as questions of evidence, expert witnesses, legal definitions, and courtroom security procedures. Most have been outstanding for many months and have already been the subject of written briefs or days of witness testimony and oral arguments. Some touch on key human rights concerns that go to the heart of the fairness of this process. Continue reading ‘Omar Khadr trial – worst fears confirmed in pre-trial hearing’
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