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Amnesty International has welcomed the US military authorities’ reduction of a prison sentence being served by a US army sergeant, who refused to serve in Afghanistan because of his religious beliefs as a Christian.

At his court martial on 14 August 2009, Travis Bishop was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment for going absent without leave, suspension of two-thirds of his salary and a bad conduct discharge.

Lt General Robert Cone, commanding general of Fort Hood in Texas, approved the sentence reduction on 4 February after considering Travis Bishop’s clemency application. His lawyer estimates that he should now be released in late March, taking his good behaviour into account.

Travis Bishop has asked his lawyer to relay this message to the many people who have written letters of support, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to everyone who wrote letters and supported me! This is amazing and unprecedented."

Following Travis Bishop’s sentencing, the prison’s military authorities received hundreds of letters appealing for his release. His lawyer has personally thanked Amnesty International members "for all of your help on this case. I think the letters may have made the difference. It is extremely rare to get this much time reduced from a sentence".

Travis Bishop has served in the US army since 2004. He was deployed to Iraq from August 2006 to October 2007. According to his lawyer, he had doubts about taking part in military action since then, but it was only in February 2009, when his unit was ordered to deploy to Afghanistan, that he considered refusing to go.

In the period before he was due to be deployed, Travis Bishop’s religious convictions became stronger, and led him to conclude that he could no longer participate in any war.

Travis Bishop’s sentence was imposed even though the US army was still considering his application for conscientious objector status.

In a statement made at the court-martial, Travis Bishop explained that he discovered he could apply for this status only days before his scheduled deployment to Afghanistan. He went absent without leave on the day of his deployment to give himself "time to prepare for my [conscientious objector] application process".

He was away from his unit for about a week, during which he drafted his application and sought legal advice. He returned voluntarily, and on his return to the unit he submitted his application.

Amnesty International considers Travis Bishop to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for his conscientious objection to participate in war.

The organization has recognized as prisoners of conscience a number of US soldiers refusing to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan because of their conscientious objection.

They include Camilo Mejía, who was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment for his objection to the armed conflict in Iraq in 2004, and Abdullah Webster, who refused to participate in the same war due to his religious beliefs and was sentenced the same year to 14 months’ imprisonment.

Another, Kevin Benderman, was sentenced in 2005 to 15 months imprisonment after he refused to redeploy to Iraq because of abuses he allegedly witnessed there.

Agustin Aguayo was sentenced in 2007 to eight months’ imprisonment for his refusal to participate in the armed conflict in Iraq. All four have since been released.

Some of these conscientious objectors have been court-martialled and sentenced despite pending applications for conscientious objector status; others were imprisoned after their applications were turned down on the basis that they were objecting to particular wars rather than to war in general.

Amnesty International has called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Afghan Parliament to immediately suspend controversial legislation that will give immunity from prosecution for serious violations of human rights, including war crimes and crimes against humanity committed, in the past 30 years.

The legislation, the "National Stability and Reconciliation" bill, was passed by both houses of the Afghan Parliament in early 2007 and published in the official Gazette in November 2008 but, unusually, it was not publicly divulged until January 2010.   

Amnesty International and other human rights organizations, including the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), believe that this law is an attempt to provide legal cover for ongoing impunity for perpetrators of human rights violations, including the Taleban.

"The backers of this ‘Impunity Bill’ should note that they cannot simply legislate away the history of gross human rights violations and war crimes committed in Afghanistan over the past three decades. Nor can they silence the consistent demands of the Afghan people for justice and accountability," said Sam Zarifi, director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific programme.

"There are real doubts about the legal validity of this ‘Impunity Bill’, as no national legislation can immunize perpetrators of international crimes. Furthermore, President Karzai never signed this bill, and it was only divulged to the public almost two years after Parliament voted on it."

Under this legislation, people who committed serious human rights violations and violations of the laws of war, including massacres, widespread enforced disappearances, and systematic use of torture, rape, public executions and other forms of ill-treatment would be immune to criminal prosecution if they pledge cooperation with the Afghan government.

"The record of the past eight years has been crystal clear: attempts to accommodate human rights abusers have only led to a deterioration of security and an erosion of the government’s legitimacy. Many of the people facing accusations of human rights abuses in the past are now in prominent government posts, facing new charges of engaging in human rights violations," Sam Zarifi said.

Under the provisions of this legislation, Taleban figures who agree to cooperate with the Afghan government would also be immune to prosecution. The Afghan government and its international supporters identified reconciliation with the Taleban as a priority during the London conference in January 2010.

"Short term expediency in the form of reconciliation with the Taleban should not trump the rights of the Afghan people, and in particular Afghan women and girls, who have suffered greatly under the Taleban’s repressive strictures. The Taleban have had a record of terrible human rights abuses, both when they ruled Afghanistan, and now in the areas they control. They should be held to account for their actions, not be granted official impunity," Sam Zarifi said.

"The Afghan people have time and again signalled that they want a government that protects and provides their human rights and that imposes the rule of law. This legislation is simply an effort to pervert the course of justice under the faulty guise of providing security."

The UN Secretary-General has "missed an opportunity" by failing to make an assessment of the credibility of Israeli and Palestinian investigations into violations during the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel just over a year ago, Amnesty International said on Friday.

"This is deeply disappointing and a missed opportunity to help secure accountability for the conflict’s hundreds of victims," said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Ban Ki-moon indicated on Thursday that “no determination can be made” on whether either the Israelis or Palestinians are complying with a UN General Assembly resolution of November 2009 that urged both sides to carry out investigations “that are independent, credible and in conformity with international standards”.

It requested the Secretary-General to report within three months on their implementation, “with a view to considering further action”. The resolution was based on the Goldstone Report, which accused both sides of war crimes.

The Secretary-General explained his lack of action by the fact that “processes initiated” by the Israeli and Palestinian authorities were “ongoing”.

However, Amnesty International believes that the information he had received was sufficient to show that steps being taken by both sides were clearly inadequate and that this message should have been conveyed to them in the report.

Amnesty International urges the UN Secretary-General to remedy the situation by immediately preparing an independent assessment of the steps being taken by Israel and the Palestinian side to address accountability and requesting input from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other independent experts in international humanitarian and human rights law. Amnesty International wrote to Ban Ki-moon on 20 November 2009 with a similar recommendation.

Such an assessment should be made available to the General Assembly and the Security Council in the coming months and provide a solid basis for decisions on further action that are necessary to secure accountability for both sides. This may include an eventual referral of the situation in Gaza by the UN Security Council to the International Criminal Court.

Amnesty International’s assessment is that the responses presented to the UN Secretary-General by Israel and Palestinian representatives demonstrate that neither side has taken the necessary steps to conduct investigations “that are independent, credible and in conformity with international standards”.

The organization has described the response of the Israeli authorities as “totally inadequate”, since investigations undertaken by them to date have failed to meet “international standards of independence, impartiality, transparency, promptness and effectiveness” (see Amnesty International’s press release of 2 February 2010: www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/latest-israeli-response-gaza-investi…).

The official Palestinian response to Ban Ki-moon was submitted by the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the UN and conveyed a letter from Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

The letter indicates that an investigative commission has recently been established but that investigations have yet to be carried out into specific allegations of violations of international law committed during the conflict.

Documents made public this week by the Ministry of Justice of the Hamas de facto administration in Gaza, by way of a response to the General Assembly’s call for investigations, provide no evidence of investigations which comply with international standards and focus on either denying the allegations of abuses committed by Palestinian armed groups or providing justifications for those violations.

"Today when I walk through Grozny I do not see the rebuilt houses or shops, I still see the dead and the faces of those who killed them."
Elvira Dombaeva, survivor of the Novye Aldy killings

Ten years after the killing of scores of civilians in a suburb of the Chechen capital Grozny, the relatives of those murdered are still denied justice by the Russian authorities.

On the morning of 5 February 2000, at least 56 men and women were killed by Russian security forces in the settlement of Novye Aldy.
 
In February 2000, the armed conflict in Chechnya, which had started in October 1999, had already lessened in intensity. Many residents were beginning to emerge from their cellars and return to the streets when troops entered Novye.

The residents of Novye Aldy didn’t bury their dead immediately, as they waited for the authorities to come and investigate the atrocity.

Throughout a decade, Russia has failed to hold anyone accountable, despite evidence connecting the crime to members of OMON, the Russian special police.

“When we were finally able to collect the bodies after two days, we could not close the eyes of the dead. It was winter and we had to pour warm water over their eyes to be able to close them," Elvira Dombaeva, a survivor of the killings, told Amnesty International.

In the months after the killings, Chechen human rights activists and prosecutors collected reliable information identifying the troops responsible for the crime. In 2006, the Russian government confirmed that a "special operation" was conducted in the village on 5 February 2000 by a unit of OMON and that  more than 50 people had been killed in Novye Aldy on 5 February 2000.

Yet according to the information available to Amnesty International, the authorities have made no serious attempt to identify or punish those who participated in the killing. Meanwhile, prosecutors who have tried to investigate the case have faced obstruction.

“The case of Novye Aldy illustrates the ineffectiveness of the Russian judicial system as well as the lack of political will of the Russian authorities to conduct an investigation and to bring to justice those responsible for crimes against the civilian population in Chechnya,” said David Diaz-Jogeix, Europe and Central Asia Deputy Programme Director.

In July 2007, the European Court of Human Rights found violations of the right to life and the prohibiton of torture and other ill-treatment by Russia responsible for the death of 13 residents of Novye Aldy, whose relatives had filed a complaint with the Court after failing to obtain justice in Russia. Yet still, no one has been brought to justice.

Amnesty International has called on the Russian authorities to provide justice for the victims of the Novye Aldy killings. Only by identifying, arresting and prosecuting those responsible can the authorities demonstrate their respect for the right to life and respect for the law.

Amnesty International reiterated its call on the Sudanese authorities to arrest President Omar al Bashir immediately, after the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague today reversed a ruling that held that there was insufficient evidence to charge the Sudanese President with genocide in Darfur.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity and war crimes in March 2009 against President Bashir, but did not include genocide charges because the court’s Pre-Trial Chamber applied too high a standard of proof to the evidence. ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo today won his appeal against  the Pre-Trial Chamber’s ruling.

"The ICC Prosecutor was asked to prove that the only reasonable inference from the evidence he presented was that the President was responsible for genocide," said Christopher Keith Hall, Senior Legal Adviser at Amnesty International. "In effect, this was requiring the Prosecutor to prove him guilty – something that can only be done at trial."

"The Pre-Trial Chamber must now reassess the evidence against President Bashir to decide whether it can charge him  with genocide," said Christopher Keith Hall.

Amnesty International urged President al Bashir to surrender himself to stand trial over the war crimes and crimes against humanity charges he already faces.

"President Bashir is a fugitive from international justice, charged with responsibility for crimes against men, women and children, including murder, rape, torture and forced displacement," said Christopher Keith Hall.

President Bashir has travelled outside Sudan on a number of occasions following the charges brought by the ICC, however, he has not yet been arrested.

"All states who have signed up to the Rome Statue underpinning the ICC which  have an absolute obligation under that treaty to arrest him immediately if he enters their territory and to surrender him promptly to the court," said Christopher Keith Hall

"Sudan is required by Security Council Resolution 1593 to cooperate with the International Criminal Court, which means to arrest and surrender him. In addition, other states which have not yet ratified the Rome Statute must not offer him a safe haven when he visits."

An arrest warrant for President Omar al Bashir was issued by the ICC over his role in the Darfur conflict that has seen more than 300,000 killed, thousands raped, and millions forcibly displaced.

Israel’s latest response to the UN on its investigations into alleged violations of international law by its forces in Gaza a year ago is totally inadequate, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.

Crucial questions about the conduct of attacks in which hundreds of civilians were killed and thousands were made homeless are not credibly addressed in Israel’s update to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“The investigations undertaken by Israel fail to meet international standards of independence, impartiality, transparency, promptness and effectiveness,” said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

“The Israeli military is investigating itself and in no way can this be adequate in obtaining the truth and ensuring justice for the victims.”

The 46-page update published on 29 January says that Israel has opened investigations into 150 incidents involving alleged violations of the laws of war by its forces during Operation “Cast Lead”, its 22-day military offensive in Gaza which ended on 18 January 2009.

Around 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed in the conflict that took place in Gaza and southern Israel.   

The limited details released indicate that the Israeli authorities are failing to credibly address grave concerns about the army’s use of white phosphorus in densely-populated areas.   
Attacks on UN facilities and other civilian buildings and infrastructure, as well as direct attacks on Palestinian civilians, including ambulance crews have also not been adequately investigated by Israel.

Such incidents were reported by the UN, Amnesty International and other human rights and media organizations at the time of the conflict.

“There were numerous credible allegations during Operation ‘Cast Lead’ that violations of international humanitarian law by Israeli forces caused the deaths of hundreds of civilians, led others to be used as “human shields” and destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and other civilian infrastructure,” said Malcolm Smart.

“Yet more than one year on, according to the update, only one soldier has been convicted of an offence as a result of the Israeli investigations, and that was the theft of a credit card.”

All the Israeli investigations have been carried out by army commanders or by the military police criminal investigators and overseen by the Military Advocate General, severely compromising their independence and impartiality.

The Military Advocate General’s office gave the Israeli forces legal advice on their choice of targets and tactics during Operation “Cast Lead”.

The military investigations also preclude the possibility of examining decisions taken by civilian officials, who are also alleged to be responsible for serious violations.   

The update states that there is no basis for criminal investigations into serious incidents which Amnesty International maintains warrant effective and independent investigations.

These include Israeli strikes on UN facilities, civilian property and infrastructure, attacks on medical facilities and personnel, and incidents in which large numbers of civilians were killed.   

Despite enduring concerns by Amnesty International over Israel’s extensive use of white phosphorus in Gaza, the update contends that there are “no grounds to take disciplinary or other measures for the IDF’s use of weapons containing phosphorous”.

During Operation “Cast Lead” Israeli forces often launched artillery shells containing white phosphorus into residential areas, causing death and injuries to civilians.

Other Israeli attacks which resulted in civilian injuries and deaths are dismissed as “operational errors” although the update admits “some instances” in which Israeli soldiers and officers “violated the rules of engagement”.   

The Israeli government has not indicated that it will ensure reparations, including compensation, to Palestinian civilians harmed as a result of the “operational errors” or admitted violations of their forces.   

Research by Amnesty International into Operation “Cast Lead” showed elements of reckless conduct, disregard for civilian lives and property and a consistent failure on the part of Israeli forces to distinguish between military targets and civilians and civilian objects.

Israeli forces continued to employ tactics and weapons that resulted in growing numbers of civilian casualties for the entire duration of the military offensive.  This was despite Israeli officials knowing from the first days of the military offensive that civilians were being killed and wounded in significant numbers.

Amnesty International drew a number of incidents to the attention of the Israeli authorities who have not responded to the organization’s repeated requests for clarification on specific incidents.

“In his forthcoming report on domestic investigations by Israel and the Palestinian side, Ban Ki-moon must include a substantive assessment of whether these investigations meet the established UN criteria and are ‘independent, credible and in conformity with international standards,” said Malcolm Smart.

“So far, it appears that neither of the parties are able or willing to conduct investigations meeting those standards. If this remains so, then the responsibility will fall on the UN to ensure accountability for the perpetrators and justice for the victims – and this must include the Security Council eventually considering a referral of the Gaza situation to the International Criminal Court and steps by the General Assembly to establish a fund for victims who were killed or injured or suffered loss or damage resulting from unlawful acts committed during the war.”

Background

The Israeli update was submitted days before the deadline set by the UN General Assembly in November 2009 when it endorsed the recommendations of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (the Goldstone Report) and called on both Israel and the Palestinian side, within three months, to undertake investigations into alleged war crimes and other violations by their forces.

These investigations, the General Assembly, said, should be “independent, credible and in conformity with international standards into the serious violations of international humanitarian and international human rights law reported by the [UN] Fact Finding Mission, towards ensuring accountability and justice”. Hamas has yet to submit any public report to the UN.

Human rights, including women’s rights, must not be traded away or compromised during any reconciliation talks with the Taleban in Afghanistan, Amnesty International said on the eve of a London conference set to discuss deteriorating security conditions in the country.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, other leaders and foreign ministers are to discuss security arrangements in Afghanistan for the next two years, including reconciliation programmes to reintegrate so-called moderate elements of Taleban.

"Any discussions with the Taleban must include clear commitments that they will respect and promote the rights of the Afghan people," said Sam Zarifi, director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific programme.

"The Taleban established a terrible record of violating human rights during their rule and they have done nothing since then to indicate they will act differently if they return to power."

"The policymakers gathered in London this week have to show that they will not sacrifice the well-being of the Afghan people at the altar of political and military expediency."

Similar deals with the Taleban in neighbouring Pakistan led to increased human rights violations in areas under Taleban control and a significant escalation in conflict and insecurity.

The Afghan government and insurgent groups must both adhere to Afghanistan’s obligations under international human rights law and domestic law, Amnesty International said.

The Taleban and other insurgent groups in Afghanistan have shown little regard for human rights and the laws of war, deliberately targeting civilians, launching indiscriminate suicide attacks in which civilians are killed and engaging in the wholesale destruction of girls’ education.

According to UN figures, the Taleban were responsible for two thirds of the more than 2400 civilian casualties in Afghanistan last year, the bloodiest year yet since the fall of the Taleban.

In areas under their control, the Taleban have severely curtailed the rights of girls and women,  including the denial of education, employment, freedom of movement and political participation and representation.

Afghan civil society groups, in particular women’s groups, have voiced serious alarms about the prospect of ceding any type of political control to the Taleban.

"Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict are a positive step forward," said Sam Zarifi, "but the rights of the Afghan people must never be negotiated away.

"It is our experience that peace without justice or human rights is not real peace and could ultimately lead to further conflict."

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AFR/somalia-tfg-100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International has called for arms transfers to the Somali government to be suspended until there are adequate safeguards to prevent weapons from being used to commit war crimes and human rights abuses. br /
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In its latest briefing paper on the country, Amnesty International details US shipments of arms, including mortars, ammunition and cash for the purchase of weapons to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). br /
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These transfers were made despite substantial risks that such types of weapons could be used in indiscriminate attacks by TFG forces, or diverted to armed groups opposed to the TFG, who also commit gross and widespread abuses. br /
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ldquo;International concern for the future of the Somali government has not been matched by an equal concern for the human rights of civilians,rdquo; said Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International Deputy Director for Africa. br /
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ldquo;Mortar attacks continue to claim lives ndash; it is time for international donors to apply tighter controls to their support for the governmentrdquo; br /
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Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s briefing also details growing international programmes of military and police training for TFG forces, despite a lack of adequate oversight procedures. br /
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The training is delivered in Somalia itself and in Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti and Uganda. The European Union, France, Germany and Italy are involved, or have pledged funding for it. br /
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Amnesty International calls for all states providing, financing or planning military and police training for the TFG to provide training in international humanitarian law and on arms management. They should also press for the establishment of oversight procedures for TFG forces. br /
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A UN arms embargo on Somalia has been in place since 1992 but states can apply to the UN Sanctions Committee for exemptions to supply security assistance to the Somali government. br /
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Amnesty International is urging the committee to apply criteria for assessing the risk thatnbsp; exemptions to the arms embargo will contribute to war crimes and human rights abuses, and to deny authorisations on this basis. br /
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To be effectively implemented, Amnesty International argues that such criteria need to be enshrined in international law and universally applied to all arms transfers. The organisation calls on states to establish such common standards in an international Arms Trade Treaty. br /
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Somalia has been mired in armed conflict since the collapse of the Siad Barre government in 1991. Conflict intensified and unlawful killings of civilians increased after Ethiopian troops entered Somalia at the end of 2006 to help the TFG fight against several armed opposition groups from whom it has been seeking to regain territorial control. br /
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Despite a peace agreement between the TFG and one armed group, the appointment of a President issued from the former armed opposition and the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia, armed opposition groups have continued attacks against the TFG. In May 2009, they launched a major offensive against the TFG, which currently only controls a small part of the capital Mogadishu. br /
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In 2009, indiscriminate attacks by all parties to the armed conflict have resulted in thousands of civilians killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. The number of people internally displaced within Somalia is now 1.5 million and some 3.7 million are dependent on humanitarian assistance for their survival.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AFR/sudan-unamid-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Thousands of activists are gathering at events in 15 countries on Saturday in a global coordinated effort, calling on world leaders to take urgent steps to prevent a return to severe and widespread conflict in Sudan. br /
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Sudan365 (a href=http://www.sudan365.org title=www.sudan365.orgwww.sudan365.org/a), a year of campaigning for Sudan, has been organised by a coalition of groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Save Darfur Coalition, FIDH, Refugees International, Darfur Consortium and Arab Coalition for Darfur.br /
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The effort comes with one year remaining until a referendum that will decide the future of Sudan and marks the five year anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the civil war between Northern and Southern Sudan and called for this referendum. br /
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Sudan365 is being supported by some of the worldrsquo;s most famous drummers – including Phil Selway, Radiohead; Stewart Copeland, The Police; Nick Mason, Pink Floyd; Jonny Quinn, Snow Patrol; Caroline Corr; Richard Jupp, Elbow;nbsp; Middle Eastern star Mohammed Mounir and Mustapha Tettey Addy who has been drumming since the 1970s. br /
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The celebrity drummers are coming together to create a lsquo;beat for peacersquo; in Sudan. A film of this global beat for peace, featuring drummers from five continents, will be released to coincide with the launch of the campaign. Today, activists will also drum along at events worldwide to call on governments to take action to prevent worsening violence and ensure civilians are protected. br /
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Activists are calling on world leaders to dramatically increase their engagement to: br /
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bull;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Provide intensive and coherent diplomatic support to Northern and Southern Sudanese parties on unresolved issues such as wealth sharing, borders and security, and legislation for the referendum;br /
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bull;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Increase international monitoring and reporting on human rights violations throughout Sudan in the run-up to the April elections and referendum, and support measures to protect civilians from potential violence related to these events; br /
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bull;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Push the United Nations Security Council to strengthen the civilian protection mandate of the Sudan peacekeeping force (UNMIS) by increasing its presence in remote and volatile areas and by rapidly deploying its personnel to conflict-prone areas.br /
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The 2011 referendum will determine whether or not the Southern region of Sudan becomes independent from the North. Experts fear that instability in the run-up to the referendum or its aftermath could reignite a civil war and cause massive human rights abuses unless international efforts are intensified to find a peaceful path through the next 12 months. br /
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ldquo;We are already seeing a grave increase in inter-ethnic violence in the South and violence continues in Darfur,rdquo; said Tawanda Hondora, Deputy Director of Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s Africa Programme. br /
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ldquo;The coming year poses serious threats to human rights in Sudan that can be prevented if governments act now.rdquo;br /
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More than two million people lost their lives in the 22-year long civil war between the North and the South. 2009 has seen a serious spike in violence in which more than 2,500 have been killed and 350,000 displaced in South Sudan. In Darfur, the conflict in which hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed remains unresolved and millions continue to suffer daily in camps. br /
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ldquo;Ideally the parties will reach agreement on a path to avoiding renewed conflict,rdquo; said Joel Charny, Acting President of Refugees International. br /
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ldquo;At the same time the international community must be prepared to respond to increases in violence, attacks on civilians and new population flows, which may occur around the referendum. We recognize the real potential for renewed conflict and we must prepare ourselves to respond.quot;br /
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ldquo;We urge world leaders to pay particular attention to the human rights situation in Sudan in 2010 and to act to prevent the country from spiralling again into bloodshed, violence and impunity,rdquo; said Souhayr Belhassen, President of FIDH.br /
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ldquo;This campaign is unprecedented. It’s incredibly exciting. Thousands of drummers from some of the most famous drummers in the world ndash; Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Snow Patrol, Elbow ndash; to community groups across 5 continents coming together to create a global beat for peace in Sudan. The next 365 days will be critical for the people of Sudan,rdquo; said Jamie Catto, founder member of 1 Giant Leap and Faithless. ldquo;And this global drumbeat is a cry for positive action from world leaders to prevent conflict from returning.rdquo;

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/MENA/gaza-report-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Israel and Hamas have less than one month to show real progress in bringing to account those who perpetrated war crimes during the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel one year ago, Amnesty International warned on Monday ahead of a February deadline set by the UN.br /
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In November 2009, the UN General Assembly gave Israel and Hamas until 2 February to show that they are willing and able to undertake investigations that meet international standards into alleged war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed during the 22-day conflict which ended on 18 January 2009.br /
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quot;The clock is running ndash; if both sides cannot provide real evidence that they are taking steps to put their houses in order, the international community will need to take measures to ensure that the perpetrators are held to account, and that the victims receive full reparation, including compensation,quot; said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s director for the Middle East and North Africa.br /
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Should investigations fail to meet required standards, it is the responsibility of the international community to bring the perpetrators of crimes to justice, including by the Security Council referring the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC).br /
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quot;It would be far better if Israel and Hamas meet their own obligations to ensure accountability for serious crimes under international law, rather than creating a need to be referred to the ICC,quot; said Malcolm Smart.br /
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quot;The US and European governments who are protective of Israel, along with the Arab governments who have influence over Hamas, should urge the respective parties to meet their obligations while making it clear that the international community will step in if they continue to evade responsibility.quot;br /
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Following the publication of the UN-commissioned report by South African Judge Richard Goldstone into war crimes and other serious violations, including possible crimes against humanity, committed during the 2009 conflict, Amnesty International sent both the Israeli authorities and Hamas a document setting out the criteria for credible and independent domestic investigations that conform to international standards.br /
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Any investigations carried out by Israel and Hamas must be assessed against such criteria ndash; including the need for the investigating body to be impartial, competent, expert and independent ndash; and to have access to all relevant sources of information.br /
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The UN Fact Finding Mission headed by Judge Richard Goldstone found evidence that both sides had committed war crimes and other serious violations of international law.. So far, neither side has shown a willingness to conduct credible investigations.br /
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quot;The only investigations to have been carried out since the violence of one year ago have been by the Israeli military into the behaviour of their own forces.nbsp; Unfortunately these do not meet the international standards stipulated by the UN General Assembly and they have taken place behind closed doors,quot; said Malcolm Smart.nbsp; quot;For the investigations to have any credibility, they must be impartial, independent, thorough and transparent.quot;br /
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More than 300 children were among the hundreds of Palestinian civilians killed by indiscriminate Israeli attacks in Gaza. Three Israeli civilians were killed by rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, in violation of international law.br /
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Investigations conducted by Israel to date have failed to meet many of the essential standards. Those responsible for the limited investigations that have taken place are officers in the military ndash; the same institution whose actions are being examined. The process is also opaque: it is unknown which cases have been opened and which have been closed, and on the basis of what assessments. No prosecutions for violations of international law have been initiated. The only indication of the results is the declaration by the Israeli army that most allegations of serious violations of international law are baseless and that the rest can be put down to operational mistakes.br /
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Hamas, for its part, has not shown any serious inclination to set up an investigation. The de facto Hamas administration in Gaza has stopped firing indiscriminate rockets into civilian areas in southern Israel but only as a temporary measure and without renouncing the practice which Judge Goldstone declared to be a war crime.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/MENA/gaza-more-destruction-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/One year after Israel’s major military offensive on the Gaza Strip, Amnesty International has again urged all parties to meet their obligations to pursue accountability for war crimes and serious human rights violations that occurred during the conflict.br /
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quot;Impunity, if it is allowed to persist, not only undermines justice and the rule of law but makes it all the more likely that further, grave human rights violations will be committed,quot; said Malcolm Smart, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty International.br /
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No one has been held accountable for the war crimes and other grave violations of international law reported by a UN Fact Finding Mission, Amnesty International and Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights organizations.br /
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After the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel, the distinguished South African jurist Judge Richard Goldstone was mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to head a Fact Finding Mission to investigate allegations of war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.br /
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In a report published last September, Judge Goldstone and his team concluded that both the Israeli military forces and Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.br /
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Following the Goldstone report, the UN General Assembly asked both the Israeli government and the Palestinian side to conduct their own investigations that are credible, independent and conform to international standards.br /
br /
Amnesty International said on Sunday that if they fail to do so the international community must step in and take the measures necessary to ensure that those who perpetrated war crimes or other crimes under international law are held to account.br /
br /
quot;There must be accountability for what happened in Gaza and southern Israel one year ago,quot; said Malcolm Smart. quot;Those responsible, on both sides, cannot be allowed to evade accountability for the crimes that were committed. If the Israelis and Palestinians cannot ndash; or will not ndash; deliver justice themselves, the international community must ensure that the perpetrators are held to account.quot;br /
br /
Meanwhile, Gaza remains effectively cut off from the outside world by the continuing Israeli military blockade, which limits the amount of food, fuel, and other essential items that are allowed into the Gaza Strip, rendering reconstruction and recovery from the war virtually impossible.br /
br /
The Israeli government launched its offensive on the Gaza Strip on 27 December 2008, with the declared aim of stopping Palestinian armed groups from firing indiscriminate rockets into southern Israel.br /
br /
In the three weeks that followed, the population of Gaza was subjected to aerial and ground attacks by the Israeli military that left some 1400 Palestinians dead, including hundreds of unarmed civilians and more than 300 children.br /
br /
Thirteen Israelis were killed during the conflict, including three civilians killed in rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups.br /
br /
An Amnesty International research team in southern Israel and Gaza during and in the immediate aftermath of the fighting found compelling evidence of war crimes and other serious violations by Israeli forces and by Palestinian armed groups.br /
br /
The hundreds of unguided rockets fired by Palestinian armed groups at Israeli towns and villages were incapable of being directed at specific targets. They killed three civilians, injured others, damaged civilian buildings in southern Israel, and displaced thousands from their homes.br /
br /
In Gaza, the Israeli military used a range of imprecise weapons and munitions in densely-populated civilian areas; these included artillery shells and mortars, and flechette shells fired from tanks.br /
br /
Israeli forces repeatedly fired highly incendiary white phosphorus shells, many of which burst in the air over densely-populated areas showering people and buildings beneath with burning wedges impregnated with white phosphorus. The use of white phosphorus is strictly restricted under international law because of its highly incendiary nature; when it lands on human skin it burns deeply through the skin, muscle tissue and into the bone.br /
br /
Some Israeli attacks were directed against UN compounds, including on buildings where Palestinian civilians had fled in search of sanctuary.br /
br /
Many Palestinian civilians were killed with high-precision weapons which can strike with extreme accuracy, relying on surveillance drones which have exceptionally good optics, allowing those watching to see their targets in detail. Israeli officials have yet to explain adequately why so many civilians were killed in these types of attacks.br /
br /
During the 22 days of the offensive, Israeli forces frequently obstructed medical care and humanitarian aid from those wounded and trapped.nbsp; They prevented ambulances and medical staff from attending to the wounded and transporting them to hospital and in several cases targeted ambulance and rescue crews and others who were trying to evacuate the wounded.br /
br /
Thousands of homes in Gaza as well as hospitals, schools, and the water and the electricity infrastructure were destroyed or damaged by the Israeli military.

Amnesty International has urged the Saudi Arabian authorities to investigate the reported killing of seven civilians in an air raid attack in the Sarsquo;da region of Yemen.br /
br /
The Saudi Arabian Air Force reportedly dropped three bombs on a family home in the vicinity of Mithab on Monday, in what may have been a deliberate attack. It is unclear whether armed fighters were present at the house or in its vicinity at the time of the attack.br /
br /
Three children and four women from the ‘Amer family are said to have been killed in the explosions, which also injured at least nine other civilians. br /
br /
Fighting between Yemeni government forces and supporters of the late Shirsquo;a cleric Hussein al-Houthi spilled over into Saudi Arabia in November, leading Saudi Arabian forces to become directly engaged against the Yemeni rebels. br /
br /
quot;It appears that the lsquo;Amer family house may have been deliberately targeted by the Saudi Arabian Air Force as it was struck three times in quick succession,quot; said Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Director, Malcolm Smart. br /
br /
quot;In the absence of information indicating that armed al-Houthi rebels were operating inside the house or in its vicinity, we are seriously concerned that civilians may have been directly attacked.quot; br /
br /
Amnesty International has urged Saudi Arabiarsquo;s Defence minister Prince Sultan bin lsquo;Abdul lsquo;Aziz Al-Saud to ensure that Saudi Arabian forces take all possible steps to ensure protection of civilians caught up in the conflict in Sa’da.br /
br /
quot;We have asked the Saudi Arabian government to indicate what steps they are taking both to investigate this reported incident and, more generally, to ensure that all possible protection is afforded to civilians caught up in the conflict area in Yemen and along Saudi Arabiarsquo;s southern border,quot; said Malcolm Smart.br /
br /
The three children reported to have been killed in the attack have been naked as Hussein lsquo;Amer Muthana lsquo;Amer, Ameen Muthana lsquo;Amer and Hussein Hadi lsquo;Abdullah lsquo;Amer.br /
br /
In addition, four women from the same family – Nashra Hadi Zaid, Fatima Muthana lsquo;Amer, Ramia lsquo;Ali Muthana lsquo;Amer and Hindah Muthana lsquo;Amer ndash; are reported to have been killed by the three bombs that struck home in Sarsquo;darsquo;s al-lsquo;Ammar District. br /
br /
The conflict in Yemenrsquo;s Sarsquo;da region began in 2004 and has continued intermittently since then. Fighting intensified last August since when thousands of the regionrsquo;snbsp; predominantly Shrsquo;ia population have been forcibly displaced and scores, possibly hundreds, of people have been killed.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/afghanistan-us-troops-100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International has called on the US to establish a consistent, clear and credible mechanism to investigate civilian casualties resulting from military operations after President Barack Obama said he would send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan. br /
br /
This is now particularly urgent due to the current lack of accountability and transparency within regular US military forces and civilian intelligence agencies, as well as private contractors. br /
br /
quot;Recent efforts by the US and NATO forces to minimise civilian casualties are a step forward but the US government must ensure that any troops who violate Afghan civilians’ human rights are held to account,quot; said Madhu Malhotra, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific programme. quot;More US troops must not lead to more harm to Afghan civilians.quot;nbsp; nbsp;br /
br /
Amnesty International said that it recognises that anti-government groups, including the Taleban, are responsible for the majority of civilian casualties and injuries. The organization said that this does not diminish the responsibility to offer support to those injured by Afghan and NATO/US forces and to bring those suspected of violations of international humanitarian and human rights law to justice. br /
br /
Respect for international law, including human rights law and international humanitarian law by all parties involved is a prerequisite to bringing security to Afghanistan. br /
br /
Clearer chains of command and rules of engagement that abide by international law must be established for all forces to ensure the safety of Afghan civilians. br /
br /
Without a clear sense of who is involved in these operations it is impossible for victims and their families to make complaints, inquire about investigations, and ultimately seek justice.

Amnesty International has called on Commonwealth leaders to press the Sri Lankan government about the plight of the displaced. br /
br /
The organization made the call in an open letter to heads of government attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad and Tobago this week.br /
br /
The UK government said on Friday that it will oppose Sri Lanka hosting the next Commonwealth summit because of concerns over its conduct in the conflict and its treatment of refugees.br /
br /
At least 130,000 people displaced by war and living in government camps in northern Sri Lanka are being denied their basic human rights, including liberty and freedom of movement.br /
br /
Amnesty International has a global campaign, Unlock the Camps, calling on the Sri Lankan government to end its policy of forcibly confining people to camps, which amounts to arbitrary detention.br /
br /
In recent weeks the government has speeded up releases from the camps. Amnesty International has welcomed the Sri Lankan government’s recent promise to lift any restrictions on movement of at least 130,000 people still unlawfully detained by 1 December. br /
br /
However, amid reports of some re-arrests following releases from the camps, the organization has called on thenbsp; Sri Lankan authorities to abide by the principles of international humanitarian law and ensure that displaced people are supported to make voluntary and informed decisions about their future.br /
br /
The open letter also asked Commonwealth leaders to support calls for greater accountability for abuses of human rights and humanitarian law suffered by Sri Lankan civilians.br /
br /
br /

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/MENA/israel-gilad-shalit-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International has made a renewed call for the humane treatment of all detainees in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, following reports that captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit may be released in a prisoner exchange.br /
br /
Several armed groups were involved in Shalit’s capture although it is thought that Hamas is now exclusively holding him. In exchange for his release, Hamas is reported to be demanding the release of a number of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.br /
br /
Amnesty International has called on Hamas to abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law. The organization said that Gilad Shalit must be treated humanely, granted access to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and allowed to communicate regularly with his family.br /
br /
Corporal Gilad Shalit was 19 when he was captured on 25 June 2006 by Palestinian armed groups during an attack on an army base in southern Israel in which two other soldiers were killed and a third was injured.br /
br /
Since then his exact location has not been revealed and the ICRC has been denied access to him.br /
br /
With the permission of Gilad Shalit’s family, Israeli television broadcast a Hamas video in October that showed Shalit reading a statement and holding a copy of a newspaper dated 14 September 2009. Negotiations are ongoing.br /
br /
Amnesty International has campaigned on behalf of Gilad Shalit since 2006. Its members have written letters to Hamas officials calling for his humane treatment and sent letters of solidarity to the Shalit family.br /
br /
Gilad Shalit’s parents Noam and Aviva Shalit have been extremely active in campaigning for his release.br /
br /
Amnesty International has also raised the issue of the conditions of Gilad Shalitrsquo;s detention and demanded that he be given access to the ICRC in meetings with the Hamas de facto authority in Gaza. br /
br /
In the weeks following the attack in which Gilad Shalit was taken prisoner, the Israeli authorities launched a prolonged military offensive against the Gaza Strip, in which over 100 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces, including dozens of children and many other unarmed civilians.br /
br /
During the military operation, which involved air bombardment and artillery shelling, Israeli forces also attacked and destroyed or damaged civilian infrastructure including bridges, roads, and the electricity network.br /
br /
The Israeli army arrested scores of Palestinian officials, among them government ministers and other members of the Palestinian parliament. Some of these detainees have subsequently been released. Amnesty International has urged both Israeli and Palestinian parties not to use detention as a political tactic and detainees as bargaining tools. br /
br /
The organization has also criticized the Israeli authorities’ use of administrative detention whereby Palestinians are held, sometimes for years, without charge or trial. As of September 2009, some 335 Palestinians were being held in administrative detention in Israeli jails.br /
br /
Amnesty International members have campaigned on behalf of such Palestinian administrative detainees, including 17-year-old student Hamdi al-Tarsquo;mari and university lecturer Dr Ghassan Khaled.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/srilanka-menik-farm-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International has welcomed the government of Sri Lanka’s promise to lift by 1 December any restrictions on movement of at least 130,000 people displaced by the war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE). br /
nbsp; br /
quot;Now the Sri Lankan government needs to demonstrate that it will provide the displaced with necessary assistance such as shelter, food and security as they re-establish their homes,quot; said Madhu Malhotra, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Asia Pacific programme. br /
br /
Hundreds and thousands of Tamils who escaped the war have been detained in camps under military control for the past six months, deprived of their freedom of movement. Many of them survived months of difficult conditions as they were forced to travel with retreating LTTE forces who forcibly recruited civilians, including children, and in some instances used civilians as human shields. br /
br /
The Sri Lankan government has agreed to give people a choice about whether to remain in camps to seek alternative accommodation or attempt to return home. br /
br /
quot;For months vulnerable people have been held in inadequate conditions in camps lacking adequate sanitation facilities and clean drinking water. If the Sri Lankan government follows through on its promise to allow thousands of people to return home, it would be the first step in the long struggle ahead for people rebuilding their devastated lives,quot; said Madhu Malhotra. br /
br /
Amnesty International stressed the continued need to protect the rights of internally displaced people both within and outside the camps. br /
br /
The organization also urged the Sri Lankan authorities to abide by the principles of International humanitarian law and ensure that displaced people are supported to make voluntary and informed decisions about their future. br /
br /
quot;Humanitarian and human rights organizations should be given unimpeded access to displaced people and those attempting to resettle to monitor their safety and wellbeing and ensure their needs are being met, including that they are protected against further human rights violations,quot; said Madhu Malhotra. br /
br /
Since the war ended in May, an estimated 12,000 displaced people (including children) suspected of links to the LTTE have been arbitrarily arrested, separated from the general displaced population and detained by the authorities in irregular detention facilities, such as vacated school buildings. br /
br /
Amnesty International said it is concerned about lack of transparency and accountability in that process, which is conducted outside of any legal framework and the increased dangers to detainees when they are held incommunicado. br /
br /
The organization said that persons arrested on suspicion of links to the LTTE and accused of crimes should be charged with legitimate offences, tried and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/srilanka-menik-farm-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International has welcomed the government of Sri Lanka’s promise to lift by 1 December any restrictions on movement of at least 130,000 people displaced by the war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE). br /
nbsp; br /
quot;Now the Sri Lankan government needs to demonstrate that it will provide the displaced with necessary assistance such as shelter, food and security as they re-establish their homes,quot; said Madhu Malhotra, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Asia Pacific programme. br /
br /
Hundreds and thousands of Tamils who escaped the war have been detained in camps under military control for the past six months, deprived of their freedom of movement. Many of them survived months of difficult conditions as they were forced to travel with retreating LTTE forces who forcibly recruited civilians, including children, and in some instances used civilians as human shields. br /
br /
The Sri Lankan government has agreed to give people a choice about whether to remain in camps to seek alternative accommodation or attempt to return home. br /
br /
quot;For months vulnerable people have been held in inadequate conditions in camps lacking adequate sanitation facilities and clean drinking water. If the Sri Lankan government follows through on its promise to allow thousands of people to return home, it would be the first step in the long struggle ahead for people rebuilding their devastated lives,quot; said Madhu Malhotra. br /
br /
Amnesty International stressed the continued need to protect the rights of internally displaced people both within and outside the camps. br /
br /
The organization also urged the Sri Lankan authorities to abide by the principles of International humanitarian law and ensure that displaced people are supported to make voluntary and informed decisions about their future. br /
br /
quot;Humanitarian and human rights organizations should be given unimpeded access to displaced people and those attempting to resettle to monitor their safety and wellbeing and ensure their needs are being met, including that they are protected against further human rights violations,quot; said Madhu Malhotra. br /
br /
Since the war ended in May, an estimated 12,000 displaced people (including children) suspected of links to the LTTE have been arbitrarily arrested, separated from the general displaced population and detained by the authorities in irregular detention facilities, such as vacated school buildings. br /
br /
Amnesty International said it is concerned about lack of transparency and accountability in that process, which is conducted outside of any legal framework and the increased dangers to detainees when they are held incommunicado. br /
br /
The organization said that persons arrested on suspicion of links to the LTTE and accused of crimes should be charged with legitimate offences, tried and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Activists and supporters of Amnesty International will launch a week of action on Monday highlighting the continued detention of thousands of displaced civilians in government camps in Sri Lanka. br /
br /
Activists in more than 10 countries will take action as part of the Unlock the Camps campaign. Events include a lsquo;Circle of Hopersquo; in Canada, a street march and signature campaign in Nepal, a poetry reading in Switzerland and solidarity actions innbsp; France, Germany, Mauritius and the United States.br /
br /
Throughout the week, Amnesty International activists based in London and participating sectionsnbsp; will write blogs about the events taking place across the world..br /
br /
Six months after the end of the war between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Sri Lanka continues to confine people who fled fighting in the north to closed displacement camps in uncomfortable and sometimes hazardous conditions. br /
br /
Releases from the camps have increased in recent weeks. However, camp shelters have deteriorated as Sri Lanka has entered the rainy season, with funds for shelter repair running out.br /
br /
This week John Holmes, lead advisor on humanitarian affairs to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, travels to Sri Lanka to assess the situation of the people in the camps. nbsp;br /
br /
strongTRAPPED/strongbr /
Around 150,000 displaced people living in government camps in northern Sri Lanka are still being denied their basic human rights including freedom of movement. The military control whether the displaced can leave camp premises – even to seek medical care – and they are denied basic legal protections.br /
br /
The government has widely publicised recent releases but Amnesty International has received reports that many people have been held by local authorities to determine whether they had links to the LTTE. br /
strongbr /
VOICELESS/strongbr /
Displaced people have been given no voice in decisions regarding their release, return or resettlement.br /
br /
Families have received no warning about impending releases or been informed of conditions in their former homes. They have not been given clear information about their rights and obligations, legal status or procedures for tracing family members. br /
nbsp;br /
Humanitarian organizations have been prevented from talking to displaced people in the camps, obstructing their ability to conduct crucial human rights work such as providing legal aid or assisting with family reunification. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has not had access to the camps since July. br /
br /
strongUNPROTECTED/strongbr /
Since the war ended in May 2009, many thousands of people detained in camps have been subjected to ’screening’ by the security forces in an attempt to root out LTTE members. br /
br /
An estimated 12,000 people (including children) suspected of links to the LTTE have been arrested, separated from the general displaced population and detained by the authorities in irregular detention facilities, such as vacated school buildings. br /
br /
Amnesty International has received repeated, credible reports from humanitarian workers about the lack of transparency and accountability in the screening process, which is conducted outside of any legal framework. There are also increased dangers to detainees when they are held incommunicado. nbsp;br /
While screening is appropriate to ensure that LTTE combatants are not housed with the general camp population, proper procedures should be followed and the screening process must not be used as an excuse for collective punishment. nbsp;br /
br /
Independent monitors (including the ICRC) continue to be denied access to sites housing adult LTTE suspects. Detainees have not been charged with any offence, and have been denied legal counsel and due process. Many are held incommunicado. br /
a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/how-you-can-help/share/widgets/sri-lankaimg src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/AI/action-button-en.gif title=Take Action alt=Take Action height=73 width=114 class=asset-align-right//abr /
Amnesty International has called on the Sri Lankan government to respect and protect the human rights of displaced people, including the rights to liberty and freedom of movement.

Amnesty International has called on all parties to the conflict raging in Yemenrsquo;s northerly Sarsquo;da region to treat detainees humanely and protect civilians.br /
br /
Fighting between Yemeni government forces and armed supporters of the late Shirsquo;a Zaidi cleric Hussein al-Houthi is reported to have spilt over into Saudi Arabia, leading Saudi Arabian forces to become directly engaged against the Yemeni rebels. br /
br /
Amnesty International has urged all parties to the conflict to adhere strictly to the requirements of international humanitarian law.br /
br /
At least 100 al-Houthi supporters are reported to be detained in Saudi Arabia after being captured by or surrendering to Saudi Arabian forces in the past few days. br /
br /
The rebels, in turn, say they have captured and are holding several Saudi Arabian soldiers. Neither side is yet known to have allowed those they are holding access to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), prompting fears for their safety.br /
br /
On 5 November, the Saudi Arabian air force is reported to have struck at al-Houthi forces who had crossed the border near Jabal al-Dukhan, killing one Saudi Arabian soldier and wounding 11 others. br /
br /
Allegations that the Saudi Arabian air force dropped phosphorus bombs have been carried by news reports. It is unclear whether anyone was killed in the bombing and, if so, whether they included civilians, but some 300 families are reported to have fled the area afterwards. br /
br /
Phosphorus bombs are highly incendiary weapons and pose grave risks to civilians. They should never be used in the vicinity of civilians.br /
br /
The day after the bombing raid, Amnesty International wrote to Saudi Arabiarsquo;s Defence Minister, Crown Prince Sultan bin lsquo;Abdul lsquo;Aziz Al-Saud, asking whether phosphorus bombs were used and, if so, in what manner and what precautions were taken to ensure that civilians were not put at risk. As yet, the organization has received no response. br /
br /
The conflict in Yemenrsquo;s Sarsquo;da Governorate began in 2004 and has continued intermittently since then. It flared to new intensity last August, since when thousands of the predominantly Shrsquo;ia population have been displaced and scores, possibly hundreds, of people, including civilians, have been killed. br /
br /
The Yemeni government has largely sealed off the area making it extremely difficult to obtain independent information about events there and increasing concern for the safety and welfare of the civilian population. br /

The Kenyan government has failed to implement a fair and credible judicial process to try those accused of carrying out human rights violations, including possible crimes against humanity, during last yearrsquo;s post-election violence, said Amnesty International. br /
br /
Amnesty International voiced its dismay at the process following a statement issued yesterday by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that he will seek to open an investigation into post-election violence in Kenya. br /
br /
ldquo;The Kenyan government has left the ICC no option but to open an investigation by its failure to do so itself,rdquo; said Godfrey Odongo, Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s East Africa researcher. br /
br /
ldquo;Kenya has failed to define the crimes against humanity committed by members of all parties during the elections last year as crimes under national law. By doing so, it has opened the door to an ICC investigation and prosecution.rdquo; br /
br /
Kenya enacted the International Criminal Court Act, 2008, defining crimes against humanity and other crimes under international law as crimes under Kenyan law, but only if committed after January 2009. br /
br /
That law also provides for cooperation with the ICC, but permits the Attorney General, a political official, broad discretion to refuse to cooperate with the Court. br /
br /
ldquo;Kenya seems unwilling and unable to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the violence, particularly those at the highest level in political parties and in the government,rdquo; said Godfrey Odongo. br /
br /
The country has failed to amend the Constitution to permit the establishment of a special court that could try some of those suspected of responsibility for possible crimes against humanity during the elections last year. br /
br /
The ICC has only a limited capacity to investigate and try persons suspected of crimes against humanity, and Kenya has a duty to ensure effective prosecution at the national level to put an end to impunity for the perpetrators of these crimes. br /
br /
Following the enactment of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Act, 2008, there is now a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) in place and the TJRC has indicated it will start hearings by mid next year. br /
br /
However to date there is no clear government policy on how any local judicial processes to try persons suspected of crimes committed during the violence would be complementary to the ICC process and the ongoing truth, justice and reconciliation process. br /
br /
ldquo;A Justice, Truth and Reconciliation Commission can begin to establish the truth about what happened during the terrible weeks following the election ndash; but it cannot determine guilt or innocence of those accused, which remains an obligation of the Kenyan judiciary,rdquo; said Godfrey Odongo.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/MENA/gaza-more-destruction-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Thursday’s UN vote adopting key recommendations of the Goldstone report on the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel earlier this year is vitally important for ensuring that those, on both sides, who committed war crimes and other violations of international law will now be held to account, said Amnesty International. br /
br /
quot;Both Israel and Hamas in Gaza have been served due notice, in this defining General Assembly resolution, that they must immediately conduct credible, independent investigations into the alleged grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed during the conflict,quot; said Yvonne Terlingen, Head of Amnesty International’s Office at the UN on Thursday. br /
br /
quot;The clock is now running and we urge both parties to act without further delay. The UN has spoken up today for accountability and for an end to the cycle of impunity that has for so long obstructed the search for peace and justice between Israelis and Palestinians.quot; br /
br /
The UN General Assembly resolution, based on the findings of the UN Fact Finding Mission led by Justice Goldstone, which concluded that both Israeli and Palestinian forces committed war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity, was adopted by a large majority: 114 states voted in favour, 18 voted against and 44 abstained. The USA and 7 European Union (EU) states voted against the resolution while Russia abstained. br /
br /
quot;We deeply regret that the USA and the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia voted against the resolution and failed to support the need for accountability, justice and human rights that are so vital for victims of abuses in this conflict,quot; said Terlingen. br /
br /
The resolution calls on the UN Secretary-General to transmit Judge Goldstone’s report to the Security Council, which has powers to refer the situation in Gaza to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court if Israel and Hamas prove unable or unwilling to conduct independent investigations that meet international standards. It also calls on the UN Secretary-General to present a progress report to the General Assembly in three months’ time. br /
br /
quot;We urge the UN Secretary-General to now appoint independent experts in human rights and international humanitarian law to assess whether any investigations that are conducted by Israel and Hamas meet the required international standardquot;, said Terlingen. br /
br /
The findings of the Goldstone report echo those of an Amnesty International team that investigated alleged violations in Gaza and southern Israel during and in the immediate aftermath of the conflict, in which hundreds of Palestinian civilians, including some 300 children, and three Israeli civilians were killed. br /
br /
quot;Almost one year on, those who suffered war crimes and other gross violations of their rights, are still waiting for justicequot;, said Amnesty International. quot;It is our fervent hope that today’s UN General Assembly resolution will act as a catalyst to make justice and reparation a reality for the victims on both sides.quot;

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/MENA/gaza-more-destruction-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Thursday’s UN vote adopting key recommendations of the Goldstone report on the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel earlier this year is vitally important for ensuring that those, on both sides, who committed war crimes and other violations of international law will now be held to account, said Amnesty International. br /
br /
quot;Both Israel and Hamas in Gaza have been served due notice, in this defining General Assembly resolution, that they must immediately conduct credible, independent investigations into the alleged grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed during the conflict,quot; said Yvonne Terlingen, Head of Amnesty International’s Office at the UN on Thursday. br /
br /
quot;The clock is now running and we urge both parties to act without further delay. The UN has spoken up today for accountability and for an end to the cycle of impunity that has for so long obstructed the search for peace and justice between Israelis and Palestinians.quot; br /
br /
The UN General Assembly resolution, based on the findings of the UN Fact Finding Mission led by Justice Goldstone, which concluded that both Israeli and Palestinian forces committed war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity, was adopted by a large majority: 114 states voted in favour, 18 voted against and 44 abstained. The USA and 7 European Union (EU) states voted against the resolution while Russia abstained. br /
br /
quot;We deeply regret that the USA and the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia voted against the resolution and failed to support the need for accountability, justice and human rights that are so vital for victims of abuses in this conflict,quot; said Terlingen. br /
br /
The resolution calls on the UN Secretary-General to transmit Judge Goldstone’s report to the Security Council, which has powers to refer the situation in Gaza to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court if Israel and Hamas prove unable or unwilling to conduct independent investigations that meet international standards. It also calls on the UN Secretary-General to present a progress report to the General Assembly in three months’ time. br /
br /
quot;We urge the UN Secretary-General to now appoint independent experts in human rights and international humanitarian law to assess whether any investigations that are conducted by Israel and Hamas meet the required international standardquot;, said Terlingen. br /
br /
The findings of the Goldstone report echo those of an Amnesty International team that investigated alleged violations in Gaza and southern Israel during and in the immediate aftermath of the conflict, in which hundreds of Palestinian civilians, including some 300 children, and three Israeli civilians were killed. br /
br /
quot;Almost one year on, those who suffered war crimes and other gross violations of their rights, are still waiting for justicequot;, said Amnesty International. quot;It is our fervent hope that today’s UN General Assembly resolution will act as a catalyst to make justice and reparation a reality for the victims on both sides.quot;

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/afghanistan-kunduz-100.jpg alt= title= /br/The German government should immediately launch a credible, transparent investigation into a 4 September airstrike in Kunduz, Afghanistan, that killed scores of people, many of them civilians, Amnesty International said on Thursday.br /
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The German military said on Thursday that NATOrsquo;s investigation suggested the airstrike, which targeted two fuel tanker trucks that had been hijacked by Taleban fighters five hours earlier, was appropriate even though it led to civilian casualties.br /
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Amnesty internationalrsquo;s investigation into the Kunduz incident suggests that the laws of war may have been violated during the airstrike.br /
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quot;An urgent and transparent investigation needs to be launched by the German government into what happened in Kunduz. NATO, and the German government, must show accountability for the loss of civilian life and prove that it has the will and mechanism in place to investigate civilian casualties,quot; said Sam Zarifi, director of mnesty Internationalrsquo;s Asia-Pacific programme.br /
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According to the German military, NATOrsquo;s investigation could not verify the exact number of casualties. Village elders from the area told Amnesty International in Kunduz that 142 people had been killed in the attack, of which at least 83 were civilians. The Taleban killed one of the tanker drivers during the hijacking, according to Afghan security officials.br /
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The German Ministry of Defence stated that it would analyze the NATO report and consider further action as necessary.br /
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Amnesty International gathered eyewitness testimonies from survivors of the attack, as well as interviews with Mohammed Razaq Yaqoobi, the local chief of police, UN officials, and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.br /
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quot;The Taleban again disregarded the lives of Afghan civilians by putting them in the line of fire,quot; Sam Zarifi said. quot;But that doesnrsquo;t absolve NATO from taking the utmost feasible precautions to ensure that it minimizes harm to civilians.quot;br /
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The Taleban control many of the villages in the area surrounding the airstrike. Residents of nearby Taleban-controlled village, AmerKhiel, were invited to take away fuel from the tankers after the tankers were stuck while crossing the Kunduz river.br /
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The organisationrsquo;s research shows that NATO did not provide civilians in the area with effective warning that they were going to launch an attack, endangering the lives of people in the area.br /
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In some circumstances, NATO aircraft in Afghanistan fly close to targets or shoot warning rounds to get civilians away from a potential target. Eyewitnesses to the attack told Amnesty International that they did not see NATO aircraft engage in any warning action prior to the Kunduz airstrike.br /
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A local villager Omera Khan told Amnesty International that quot;The Germans could have responded differently to the hijacking and prevented the civilian casualties. People were there to take the free fuel offered by the Taleban and at the time of the attack there was no warning.quot;br /
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quot;NATO has been trying to improve the protection of civilians with its recently issued Tactical Directive, and we welcome this, but it still has not provided a credible accountability mechanism for redress.quot; said Sam Zarifi. quot;Immediately, NATO should publicize its report.quot;br /
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In 2009 Afghanistan has suffered the highest level of civilian casualties since the fall of the Taleban in 2002. quot;All sides to the conflict must take every possible precaution to spare civilian lives. Civilians must not be made to pay the price for unlawful conduct on either side. All violations of international human rights and humanitarian law must be promptly, thoroughly and independently investigated and those responsible for them must be bought to justice, quot; said Sam Zarifi.

Amnesty International said Mondayrsquo;s decision by the Special Court for Sierra Leone to uphold the convictions of three former senior leaders of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) is a positive step in the fight against impunity for the worst crimes committed during the countryrsquo;s eleven-year civil war. br /
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The Appeals Chamber of the Special Court for Sierra Leone upheld, by a majority,nbsp; the convictionsnbsp; ofnbsp; Issa Sesay, Morris Kallon and Augustine Gbao, former senior leaders of the main armed opposition group in Sierra Leonersquo;s conflict. br /
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ldquo;The confirmation of the convictions of these former RUF leaders is a positive contribution in the fight against impunity not only in Sierra Leone but also in Africa,rdquo; said Hugo Relva, Legal Adviser with Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s International Justice Project. br /
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ldquo;However, we need to remember that these convictions are of only eight out of the possibly thousands of people responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sierra Leone during the armed conflict. Far more effort has to be made to bringing to justice others implicated in these terrible crimes.rdquo; br /
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Although the Appeals Chamber revised the sentences for some counts, the final judgment rendered today upheld the total terms of imprisonment for Issa Sesay, who will serve 52 years in prison,nbsp; Morris Kallon, who will serve 40 years in prison and Augustine Gbao, who will spend 25nbsp; years in prison. br /
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They were sentenced for their individual criminal responsibility for crimes against humanity and war crimes, including the use of child soldiers, forced marriage and attacks against United Nations peacekeepers. br /
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ldquo;Many other perpetrators of vicious crimes ndash; including murder, rape, sexual slavery and mutilation ndash; remain free to this day, protected by amnesties,rdquo; said Hugo Relva. br /
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ldquo;This is utterly unacceptable and demonstrates the need for African states and others to exercise universal jurisdiction with regard to those who committed crimes under international law.rdquo; br /
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The judgment rendered today is the last that will be issued by the Appeals Chamber in Freetown. Proceedings against Charles Taylor, former Liberian president, for crimes against humanity and war crimes are being held in The Hague at the International Criminal Court premises. br /
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ldquo;It is essential for Sierra Leone to take steps to ensure that the legacy of the Special Court at the national level is not one of continuing impunity. The government should lift the amnesties and enact legislation to make war crimes and crimes against humanity crimes under national law in Sierra Leone,rdquo; said Hugo Relva. br /

Amnesty International has strongly condemned the killing of at least 155 people, mostly civilians, in twin suicide bomb attacks in Baghdad on Sunday.br /
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The attacks were carried out almost simultaneously in central Baghdad. A truck bomb was exploded near the ministries of justice and municipalities, just before 10:30am local time. Minutes later a second attack, a car bomb, exploded just outside the Baghdad Governorate building.br /
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In addition to those killed, at least 700 people were wounded, making this the deadliest attack in over two years.br /
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The two ministries and the governorate are reported to have been badly damaged.br /
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No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. This latest attack is similar to the one which damaged the finance and foreign affairs ministries on 19 August 2009, in which 147 people were killed and almost 500 were injured.br /
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Amnesty International said that as direct attacks on civilians these latest bomb attacks constitute war crimes. br /
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The organization said that if the blasts are part of a widespread or systematic attack on the civilian population of Iraq in furtherance of a particular organization or armed group’s policy, they also constitute crimes against humanity.br /
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War crimes and crimes against humanity are among the most serious crimes under international law. Amnesty International said that the attacks must be stopped immediately and those responsible must be brought to justice.br /
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Since US troops pulled out from cities and towns on 30 June 2009, hundreds of civilians have been killed by armed groups and many more injured.br /
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This latest carnage is a reminder that the security situation in Iraq remains very dangerous. Despite this, in recent months, several European countries, including the United Kingdom, Sweden and Denmark, have forcibly returned Iraqis to central and southern Iraq. br /
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Only last week the UK tried to forcibly return about 44 Iraqi asylum seekers to Baghdad; 10 people were allowed entry but the others were returned to the UK by the Iraqi authorities. br /
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On 23 October 2009 the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, publicly appealed to host countries, especially those in Europe, not to forcibly return Iraqis from Iraqrsquo;s central regions because of the dangerous security conditions prevailing there.nbsp; br /
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