Amnesty International Australia News

Tunisian authorities must investigate new torture allegations

2012-05-17T01:28:31+00:00

The Tunisian authorities must launch an independent and impartial investigation into recent reports of torture and other ill-treatment against protesters in detention.

Bogotá bomb attack ‘reprehensible’

2012-05-17T01:24:10+00:00

The perpetrators of car bomb attack on 15 May, which killed two people and injured more than 50 in the Colombian capital Bogotá, demonstrated a complete and reprehensible disregard for human life and must be brought to justice, Amnesty International has said.

Accountability for violations needed despite Palestinian prisoner deal

2012-05-17T01:12:06+00:00

Two thousand Palestinians held in Israeli prisons suspended a month-long hunger strike after Israel agreed several measures to improve prison conditions – a move seen by Amnesty International as a step toward compliance with Israel's human rights obligations.

Azerbaijan: Opposition activist freed as pre-Eurovision hunger strike begins

2012-05-17T00:59:45+00:00

Seventeen Azerbaijani prisoners of conscience must be released immediately, Amnesty International said as 11 people jailed for their role in anti-government protests last year launched a hunger strike on Tuesday.

Bahrain must commit to accountability at Universal Periodic Review

2012-05-17T00:52:21+00:00

The Bahraini government must commit to releasing prisoners of conscience and ensuring true accountability for the human rights violations committed since February 2011.

Mali’s worst human rights situation in 50 years

2012-05-16T01:13:56+00:00

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by fighting in northern Mali and dozens have been subjected to arbitrary detention, extra-judicial executions or sexual violence including rape, Amnesty International said today.

Ukraine: Authorities must start to implement police criminality law ahead of Euro 2012

2012-05-16T01:03:26+00:00

A new law which paves the way for independent investigations into allegations of police violence in Ukraine must be enforced in order to curb widespread police criminality in the country ahead of Euro 2012, Amnesty International said.

Sudan must end clampdown on media

2012-05-16T00:58:48+00:00

The Sudanese authorities must halt the ongoing harassment of independent media, Amnesty International said after a prominent journalist was re-arrested and copies of a national newspaper seized in Khartoum on Tuesday.

Azerbaijan: Police violently disperse peaceful rallies ahead of Eurovision

2012-05-15T00:18:48+00:00

Azerbaijan must immediately halt the police use of violence to suppress freedom of expression, Amnesty International said after two separate peaceful protests were broken up by police in the capital city Baku on Monday.

Kuwait: Blasphemy death penalty law would violate international law

2012-05-15T00:16:32+00:00

Amnesty International is urging the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, to reject a bill recently passed by Kuwait’s parliament that would make blasphemy punishable by death.