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The comment below is by Amnesty International’s interim Secretary General Claudio Cordone.

There has been a lot of controversy in the media surrounding Amnesty International’s work with Moazzam Begg and Cageprisoners, in light of statements by Gita Sahgal, an Amnesty International staff member.

Contrary to Gita Sahgal’s assertions to the media, she was not suspended from Amnesty International for raising these issues internally. In fact, we actively welcome vigorous internal debate.  Up to now we have maintained confidentiality in line with our policy but wanted to correct this misrepresentation. This is not a reflection of the organisation’s respect for her work as a women’s rights activist and does not undermine the work she has done over the last few years as the head of Amnesty International’s gender unit.  

Our work with Moazzam Begg has focused exclusively on highlighting the human rights violations committed in Guantánamo Bay and the need for the US government to shut it down and either release or put on trial those who have been held there. Moazzam Begg was one of the first detainees released by the US without charge, and has never been charged with any terrorist-related offence or put on trial.

When President Obama promised to close Guantánamo, Amnesty International hoped that we could wind down our campaign and focus more broadly on human rights abuses related to security and terrorism. However, as that promise remains unmet, Amnesty International continues to work with Moazzam Begg and other former detainees to ask European governments to accommodate those who cannot be returned to their country of citizenship without risk of torture or ill-treatment.

In this complex and polarised world, we at Amnesty International face the challenge of  communicating clearly the scope of our work with individuals and groups. Amnesty International champions and continues to champion Moazzam Begg’s rights as a former detainee at Guantánamo. He speaks about his own views and experiences, not Amnesty International’s. And Moazzam Begg has never used a platform he shared with Amnesty to speak against the rights of others.

Amnesty International has a long history of demanding justice – in the case of our Counter Terror with Justice Campaign we called for both an end to human rights abuses at Guantánamo and other locations, and called for those detained there to be brought to justice, in fair trials that respected due process.

However, our work for justice and human rights spans a far wider range of issues than counter-terrorism and security. Amnesty International has done considerable research on the Taleban and campaigns to stop violence against women and to promote women’s equality. We continue to take a strong line against abuses by religiously-based insurgent groups and/or governments imposing religious strictures, Islamic or otherwise, in violation of human rights law. Sometimes the people whose rights we defend may not share each other’s views – but they all have human rights, and all human rights are worth defending.

Amnesty International has welcomed the release of the Belarusian opposition activist and musician Igor Koktysh, who has been held in a pre-trial detention centre in Ukraine for two and a half years.

Igor Koktysh had been detained in Ukraine since June 2007 when Belarus requested his extradition over an accusation that he committed murder in Belarus in January 2001, an offence he had been acquitted of in 2002. He was released on Monday.

Amnesty International believes that he was charged by the Belarusian authorities because of his social and political activism. Before his release, the organization considered Igor Koktysh to be a prisoner of conscience.

Speaking from his home in Ukraine on Thursday, Igor Koktysh thanked Amnesty International "for the efforts you have taken". He said that he is still adjusting to his freedom and that his first concern is his health.

Igor Koktysh’s release follows a European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruling in his favour on 10 December 2009. He had filed a complaint with the Court in October 2007.

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office initially stated that he would be released only after the judgment of the ECtHR became final in March 2010, but he was released on 2 February.

In its judgement the ECtHR said that Igor Koktysh should not be extradited to Belarus, where he would have been at serious risk of torture or other ill-treatment and could have been given an unfair trial and sentenced to death.

The Court said that there was no legal basis to detain him obliging Ukraine to release him immediately and also stated that the conditions in which he was held in Ukraine amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment.

Igor Koktysh is accused of "premeditated, aggravated murder" of a close friend’s relative in January 2001, under Article 139 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, which carries the death penalty.

Igor Koktysh was held in detention in Belarus from January 2001 until his trial that December. While in custody he was allegedly tortured and ill-treated. This included being beaten and locked naked in a freezing cell, as well as being deprived of necessary medication for his asthma, in order to force him to confess.

Igor Koktysh told Amnesty International that during his detention in Belarus the head investigator of Brest district told him that he knew he was not guilty of the crime, but that he was under pressure from his superiors. The investigator refused to repeat these words in court.

Able to prove that he was in another city when the murder took place, he was acquitted and released. This verdict was confirmed by the Supreme Court of Belarus on 1 February 2002.

After his release, Igor Koktysh moved to Ukraine where he registered to live and work and met his future wife. In April 2002, the Belarusian Prosecutor General appealed against his acquittal and the case was returned to the lower court for a retrial.

Igor Koktysh is currently pursuing his application for refugee status in Ukraine. Amnesty International said it will continue to monitor the progress of his asylum application and the payment of compensation ordered by the European Court of Human Rights.

Two weeks after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, its people are confronted with a human rights crisis. Amnesty International has identified some of the country’s biggest human rights challenges and outlined a plan that puts protection of human rights at the core of relief and reconstruction efforts.

Exploitation of children
With families separated and schools destroyed, thousands of children in Haiti have been left without protection. The most vulnerable could become prey to the traffickers.

There is also a risk that children could be caught in irregular adoption processes – a risk increased by the interest of families abroad who would like to adopt Haitian children orphaned by the earthquake. Haitian institutions also have a lack of capacity to determine the status of children and ensure their rights are protected Separated and unaccompanied children might wrongly be considered orphans.

International adoption should be a last resort, used only after domestic alternatives have been exhausted. The Haitian authorities must ensure children are not taken out of the country without the completion of formal legal proceedings for international adoption.

Family tracing should be a priority for the international community, the Haitian authorities and international aid agencies.

Security and law enforcement
The Haitian government’s ability to ensure the rule of law has been severely undermined by the earthquake. Establishing a functional justice system to deal with the most serious crimes should be a top priority.

There is a growing concern that prisoners convicted of violent crimes who escaped from Port-au-Prince’s National Penitentiary are trying to regain control of the most deprived and vulnerable communities.

In response to this threat, community members have organized themselves to prevent gangs from taking over communities. However, this could put community members at risk of spiralling violence. Amnesty International has received reports of lynchings and incidents of mob justice where alleged looters have been killed.

There are also reports of alleged looters being shot by police. Haitian authorities must ensure that firearms are only to be used by police in self-defence and as a last resort. The Haitian authorities must also set up a provisional detention centre, as the country’s main prison has been destroyed and other detention centres are overcrowded.

Rights of the displaced
Hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless by the earthquake and many have fled the devastated areas.

Displaced people must be supported to make voluntary and informed decisions about their future. Any relocation of internally displaced persons from camps or disaster areas must be voluntary, unless the safety and health of those affected requires evacuation. They should not be coerced in any way, including through the suspension of assistance. All displaced persons have the right to return to their former homes unless safety issues prevent it.

Violence against women
In post-disaster situations, women and girls are often particularly at risk from sexual violence, exploitation by traffickers and reduced access to sexual, reproductive and maternal health services. Their disadvantage in accessing aid is well documented.  
Those involved in the relief and reconstruction efforts must ensure that the prevention of all gender-based violence, in particular sexual violence, is integrated into their work.

Accountability of international forces
More than 10,000 US troops, 150 military personnel from the Dominican Republic and 800 Canadian soldiers have been deployed in Haiti to provide security for the distribution of aid.

The terms of deployment and rules of engagement must be clarified from the onset and respected by all international forces The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) personnel must also be governed by strict rules of accountability. In the past, leaving accountability for violations solely to the discretion of troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions has lead to impunity for serious human rights abuses.

Haiti’s foreign debt
In 2009, international financial institutions and other creditors cancelled US$ 1.2 billion of Haiti’s foreign debt. Despite this, Haiti still owes hundreds of millions of dollars to its creditors.

The repayment of this debt now represents an unacceptable burden on Haiti’s population and national economy. Amnesty International has called on all creditors to cancel Haiti’s debt. Insistence on repayment would hinder Haiti’s ability to meet its human rights obligations.

All financial resources available to Haiti in the years to come must be channelled to reconstruction programmes that ensure Haitians’ welfare and access to basic services, and equitable and sustainable development.

Image caption: Men fight over a bag of rice during UN food distribution, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, © AP GraphicsBank

Amnesty International on Wednesday called on all states to take concrete steps to end secret detention, following publication of a detailed United Nations report on its widespread use in the name of countering terrorism.

The UN study highlights the global nature of the problem, naming dozens of countries, covering every region of the world, as undertaking secret detention, or being complicit in it through international networks of detainee transfers and intelligence agencies.

Secret detentions, as the UN report clearly states, constitute a series of human rights violations and "cannot be justified under any circumstances." The practice is irreconcilable with international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

"Secret detention is not only unlawful in itself, it enables a range of abhorrent abuses including torture and extrajudicial execution," said Widney Brown, Senior Director of International Law and Policy for Amnesty International.

"States must act swiftly to implement the recommendations in this important study, to confront and end secret detention and the human rights violations it entails and enables."

Amnesty International has campaigned for decades against human rights violations associated with secret detentions worldwide, including enforced disappearance, torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, extrajudicial execution, and arbitrary deprivation of liberty.

The UN study highlights secret detention practices in USA-led global "war on terror" operations since 11 September 2001.

Amnesty International said it continues to push for real accountability for abuses, including crimes under international law, perpetrated by the United States government in the course of such operations.

Governments that colluded in US rendition and secret detention programmes have also been urged to investigate the human rights and criminal implications of their own roles.

This week, Amnesty International wrote to the Lithuanian Prosecutor General urging him to open a criminal investigation into allegations that secret detention facilities existed on Lithuanian territory from 2003 to 2005.

Other human rights violations related to secret detention in the name of "countering terrorism" that Amnesty International has campaigned against include enforced disappearance in Pakistan, and the secret or prolonged incommunicado detention of "security suspects" in Saudi Arabia and those accused of involvement in terrorism-related activities in Tunisia.

The Joint Study was prepared by four Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council (the Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism; the Special Rapporteur on torture; the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances).

Amnesty International welcomed the decision of the four Special Procedures to produce a joint study, which enabled them to address the human rights aspects of the practice of secret detention in an integrated and comprehensive manner, and welcomed the global geographic coverage of the report.

The Special Procedures will present the Study for discussion by states and civil society at the UN Human Rights Council at its next session; the presentation and discussion is scheduled for the week beginning 8 March.

Amnesty International submitted information to the experts and the organization’s published research features among the wide range of sources cited in the study report.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/usa-gitmo-cells-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/strongemquot;A commitment to human rights starts with universal standards and with holding everyone accountable to those standards, including ourselveshellip; When injustice anywhere is ignored, justice everywhere is denied. Acknowledging and remedying mistakes does not make us weaker, it reaffirms the strengths of our principles and institutions.quot;/em/strongbr /
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Not Amnesty International’s words, but those of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last month in an address on the Obama administration’s quot;Human Rights Agenda for the 21stCenturyquot;. – Accountability, she said, was elemental to the administration’s approach, and it was under this principle that President Barack Obama had ordered an end to CIA torture and closure of the Guantaacute;namo detention facility.br /
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While Secretary Clinton’s words are welcome, the fact is that a year into the new administration, almost 200 individuals remain detained without fair trial at the Guantaacute;namo prison camp, and accountability and remedy for the human rights violations committed against these and other detainees in what the USA previously called the quot;war on terrorquot; remain more myth than reality.br /
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It is nearly eight years, for example, since Abu Zubaydah was arrested in Pakistan. He was hidden away in secret CIA custody for the first four and a half years, subjected to torture and enforced disappearance, crimes under international law for which no-one has been brought to justice. For the past three years he has been in Guantaacute;namo, still held without charge or access to remedy. The Obama administration continues to resist disclosure of what happened to him and others held in secret CIA custody.br /
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Information which the administration had wanted to keep classified emerged in federal court earlier this month in the case of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, namely that he had been subjected to quot;enhanced interrogation techniquesquot; for 14 hours over five days at some point in secret CIA custody.br /
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In its written briefing to the court, the Obama administration argued that its predecessor had quot;justifiablyquot; treated Ghailani as an quot;intelligence assetquot; rather than a criminal defendant, despite a pre-existing indictment in US federal court against him at the time of his arrest in Pakistan in 2004.br /
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It added that the Bush administration had made the quot;entirely reasonablequot; decision to continue to hold Ghailani without charge as an quot;enemy combatantquot;. Ahmed Ghailani was held in secret CIA custody for two years, and in Guantaacute;namo for nearly three more years, before being transferred to New York for trial in June 2009. No one has been brought to account for the human rights violations perpetrated against him.br /
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The impunity goes well beyond abuses in the CIA programme. Shortly before President Obama took office, for example, the Bush administration’s Convening Authority for military commissions confirmed that Saudi Arabian national Mohamed al Qahtani had been tortured in military custody at Guantaacute;namo. Despite this admission, a year later, with Mohamed al Qahtani still held without charge in Guantaacute;namo, no criminal investigation is known to have been opened into the torture allegations.br /
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Earlier this month, a US federal judge found quot;crediblequot; the allegations that Yemeni national Musa’ab al Madhwani had been subjected to acts amounting to torture and other ill-treatment in a secret US facility in Kabul before his transfer to Guantaacute;namo where he remains detained without charge more than seven years later.br /
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What accountability will there be for this abuse? None, it would seem, unless the current administration has a rethink about whether accountability and adherence to the USA’s international human rights obligations will truly be among its governing principles.br /
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In litigation implicating the USA’s international obligations to ensure accountability and remedy for past human rights violations, the Obama administration has all too often adopted a stance that promotes impunity and blocks remedy. For example, in its first year it has:br /
ul
liinvoked the state secrets privilege to seek dismissal of a lawsuit brought by five detainees for the human rights violations, including crimes under international law, they say they were subjected to in the CIA quot;renditionquot; programme;/li
liopposed a lawsuit brought by four UK nationals for the torture and arbitrary detention to which they say they were subjected in Guantaacute;namo, the administration arguing that it was quot;not clearly establishedquot; at the time of the men’s detention that they had the rights they said were violated and that the officials concerned were therefore quot;shieldedquot; from civil liability. In December, the US Supreme Court sided with the administration and declined to take the case;/li
liintervened to petition a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit filed against John Yoo, a former Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the US Justice Department, for the role the lawsuit claims he played in unlawful detention conditions and interrogation techniques. The Obama administration argued that the context of quot;the detention and treatment of those determined to be enemies during an armed conflicthellip; implicating matters of national security and war powersquot; counselled against the quot;judicial creation of a money-damage remedyquot;;/li
limaintained the Bush administration’s denial of and opposition to access to lawyers and courts for those held at the US airbase in Bagram in Afghanistan, cementing the accountability gap for abuses committed there and the detaineesrsquo; lack of effective remedy for them;/li
lirefused to release of photographs and other documentary material relating to detainee abuses./li
/ul
When the USA assumed its seat on the UN Human Rights Council in 2009, the Obama administration said: quot;Make no mistake; the United States will not look the other way in the face of serious human rights abuses. The truth must be told, the facts brought to light and the consequences facedquot;. A year on, the administration continues to look the other way when it comes to full disclosure of and remedy for human rights violations perpetrated by the USA in the name of quot;countering terrorismquot;.br /
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The change of tone the Obama administration has brought to the USA’s pronouncements on human rights is welcome. It must now match these words with concrete action, including on accountability, remedy, and ending the Guantaacute;namo detentions in line with its international human rights obligations.

p
Amnesty International has urged the Iranian authorities not to sentence to death protesters arrested during religious commemorations last month.br /
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At least five demonstrators arrested during protests on Ashoura, 27 December, have been charged with emmoharebeh/em (enmity against God), which carries the death penalty. Amnesty International fears they could be tried imminently. br /
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The authorities have said that ldquo;rioting and arsonrdquo; amounts to emmoharebeh/em, a criminal offence usually used against those who take up arms against the state.br /
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On Friday, Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi reportedly confirmed the five to be members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization (PMOI), an opposition group based in Iraq.nbsp; br /
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The PMOI has confirmed to Amnesty International that five people – who
all have children in the PMOI in Iraq – have been detained since the
Ashoura protests.br /
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These are Ali Mehrnia, 70, Parviz Varmazyari, 54, Majid Rezaii, Alireza Nabavi and Ali Massoumi. br /
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quot;The offences the protesters are accused of do not amount to the ‘most serious crimes’ for which the death penalty may be applied under international law.nbsp; Even if they have committed such offences, they should not face the death penalty if convicted,quot; said Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.br /
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quot;The authorities should ensure that anyone suspected of criminal offences related to the demonstrations, including stone throwing or acts of arson, is tried promptly and fairly, in proceedings which meet international fair trial standards, and that no one is sentenced to death.quot;br /
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The news comes amid signs that the Iranian authorities may be planning to increase the use of the death penalty as a means to deter demonstrations. br /
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On 4 January, a group of 36 MPs proposed a motion to amend the Code of Criminal Procedures so that those convicted of emmoharebeh/em would be executed within five days of their conviction. Such a move would compromise the effective exercise of a defendantrsquo;s right to appeal.br /
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The authorities have accused various opposition groups of orchestrating the unrest on Ashoura, notably the Baha’is, an unrecognized religious minority. At least 13 Baha’is have been arrested from their homes since the demonstrations. The Baharsquo;i community denies any such involvement. br /
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In December, the lawyers for seven Baha’i leaders detained without trial for more than a year were informed their clients will be tried on Tuesday. They face charges of espionage and could be sentenced to death.nbsp; Amnesty International believes that all 20 are prisoners of conscience who should be released immediately and unconditionally. br /
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quot;Iranians should be free to assemble in peaceful protests to express their opinions, including about the government and human rights violations, and not face excessive use of force, arbitrary arrest and unfair trial, or risk execution,quot; said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.nbsp; br /
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ldquo;Instead of allowing demonstrations to take place, the Iranian authorities are locking up anyone of a different viewpoint from theirs and are looking for scapegoats to blame for the unrestrdquo;.br /
/p

Leading human rights organizations have urged more European states to accept detainees held at the US detention centre at Guantaacute;namo who cannot be returned to their countries of origin for fear of torture or other human rights violations.nbsp; nbsp;br /
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On the eighth anniversary of the first transfers to Guantaacute;namo, the organisations urged other countries, including Germany, Finland, Sweden and Luxembourg to do more to aid the transfer of roughly 50 such men who remain trapped after years of unlawful detention. br /
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ldquo;Although several countries have already led the way, it is disappointing that only a few European governments have stepped forward to help those in need of protection,rdquo; said Sharon Critoph, Campaigner on the US at Amnesty International ldquo;Amongst those governments which have failed to assist are those previously most vocal in calling for Guantaacute;namo to be closed.rdquo; br /
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Reprieve, the Center for Constitutional Rights and former Guantaacute;namo detainee Moazzam Begg of the organization Cage Prisoners are today beginning a tour across Europe urging more states to offer the men a safe haven. The tour will be hosted by Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s national sections. br /
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These men remain detained for the sole reason that they have no safe place to go. They have been essentially abandoned at Guantaacute;namo. The plight of these men poses one of the most significant obstacles to the closure of the detention centre. br /
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A number of European states have already taken the commendable step of offering a safe haven to such detainees, in line with the stated aims of the EU-US joint agreement on the closure of Guantaacute;namo. These include France, Ireland, Portugal, Hungary and Belgium.On this important anniversary, human rights groups are urging others to follow suit. br /
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The men come from countries such as Libya, Tunisia, Syria, China and Russia, where they will be at serious risk of torture or other human rights violations if returned.nbsp; nbsp;br /
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The US government has been seeking safe countries willing to offer these men an opportunity to rebuild their lives and is primarily responsible for finding solutions for all those held at Guantaacute;namo. br /
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The international community which has repeatedly called for the detention centrersquo;s closure can however help in realizing this aim by offering a safe haven to some of these men. br /
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Guantaacute;namo remains a stark symbol of injustice.nbsp; Human rights groups have expressed concern that the detention facility will remain open past 22 January 2010, the date by which US President Barack Obama had pledged to close it.nbsp; Unless more European countries step forward now to help, some of the most vulnerable detainees remain at serious risk of forcible return to abuse. br /
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»The last decade saw the erosion of the rule of law and international respect for human rights. Guantaacute;namo stands for all that went wrong and it must now be closedrsquo;rsquo; said Sophie Weller of the Center for Constitutional Rights.lsquo;lsquo;The men who remain detained because they lack a safe haven continue, every day to pay the human price for delay and inaction in achieving this aim.rdquo; br /
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ldquo;Many European governments have condemned the ongoing detention of prisoners at Guantaacute;namo Bay. Now they can do something about it,rdquo; said Clive Stafford Smith, Director of Reprieve. ldquo;Actions really do speak louder than words in this case; its time to turn the rhetoric into reality and get Guantaacute;namo closed as soon as possible.rdquo; br /
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Background information br /
The human rights organisations welcomed the actions of those countries which have already come forward to assist ndash; such as France, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Hungary – but expressed disappointment that others had not taken concrete steps in line with the EU-US Joint Statement on the Closure of Guantaacute;namo Bay. The statement, issued on 16 June 2009, expressed the readiness of certain EU Member States to assist with the reception of former detainees on a case-by-case basis. br /
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Nearly seven months since this statement was issued, only seven former detainees have been welcomed into Europe as free men. A further ten have been sent to Palau and Bermuda, and two have been transferred to Italy for possible trial. Approximately 50 more still need protection.nbsp; nbsp;br /
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The tour will include visits to a number of European countries – including Luxembourg, Sweden and Germany – which could provide safe and appropriate reception for detainees from Guantaacute;namo, giving them the chance to rebuild their lives. br /
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The organizations will also be calling on government officials in countries which have already accepted detainees to share expertise, encouragement and examples of good practice with their counterparts in countries which may be considering following suit. br /
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There are 198 prisoners in total still held in Guantaacute;namo.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/mexico-ricardo-ucan-100.jpg alt= title= /br/p
Amnesty International has welcomed the release of a Mexican Indigenous man detained for almost 10 years following an unfair trial for murder.br /
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Ricardo Ucaacute;n Ceca, from Yucataacute;n, was released on 31 December. He had been imprisoned since June 2000.br /
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He understood and spoke little Spanish and could not read or write. During his trial, he was not given an interpreter and his state appointed lawyer did not provide him with adequate defence.br /
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Ricardo Ucaacute;n claimed he shot his neighbour in self defence, but a state court found him guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced him to 22 years.br /
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nbsp;quot;The Mexican governmentrsquo;s decision to resolve the case constitutes an implicit recognition of the injustice and discrimination suffered by Ricardo Ucaacute;n,quot; said Kerrie Howard, deputy director of Amnesty International’s America’s programme.br /
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Mexico’s Constitution guarantees the right for Indigenous peoples to an interpreter, but Ricardo Ucaacute;n’s status as an Indigenous person was not recognised.br /
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In 2008, the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights accepted his case and in November 2009, the Commission held a hearing in which Mexican human rights organizations presented evidence of discrimination and denial of the right to fair trial suffered by Ricardo Ucaacute;n.br /
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The Mexican federal and state authorities contested this evidence but agreed to reach a friendly settlement to resolve the case which has resulted in Ricardo Ucaacute;nrsquo;s early release from prison.br /
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Since his conviction, Amnesty International and local human rights organizations have campaigned for Ricardo Ucaacute;n to be given a fair trial and for this injustice to be rectified.br /
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His case was included in Amnesty International’s 2007 report strongemLaws without justice/em/strong as an emblematic case of discrimination against Indigenous people in Mexico’s criminal justice system.br /
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quot;Ricardo Ucaacute;n’s conviction and sentence were the result of discrimination, which in Mexico often results in indigenous criminal suspects being subject to unfair trials and disproportionate sentences,quot; said Kerrie Howard.br /
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Amnesty International has called on the Mexican authorities to ensure that prosecutors, defence lawyers and judges uphold the right of Indigenous peoples to a fair trial and protection of the law.
/p
p
The organization said that in particular, the authorities should ensure that proceedings are carried out or translated into a language Indigenous defendants understand and that they have access to an effective defence.
/p

For the first time a European government has admitted that a secret ldquo;black siterdquo; existed on its territory, after a Lithuanian parliamentary committee concluded that a CIA secret prison operated in Lithuania during the US-led ldquo;war on terrorrdquo;. br /
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ldquo;Confirmation of the existence of a secret prison in Lithuania marks a modern low point for human rights protection in Europe,rdquo; said Julia Hall, Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s expert on counter-terrorism in Europe. br /
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ldquo;But the Lithuanian inquiry signals a turning point in the quest for the truth about what role European states played in helping the USA in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks. Other European governments should take note and commit to full investigations of similar serious allegations.rdquo;nbsp; nbsp;br /
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The Lithuanian parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence issued a report stating that officials from the Lithuanian State Security Department assisted in constructing a secret prison for terrorist suspects on the countryrsquo;s territory. br /
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Many detainees held at such secret sites were victims of enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment by US agents, often with the cooperation and assistance of foreign governments. br /
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The committee concluded that CIA airplanes had landed in Lithuania without border checks and claimed that Lithuanian State Security Department officials had failed to notify the president or the prime minister in violation of Lithuanian law. br /
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ldquo;The Lithuanian government should have known what its own agencies were doing and is ultimately responsible for the secret prison and any human rights violations that may have taken place there,quot; said Julia Hall. nbsp;br /
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ldquo;The inquiryrsquo;s findings are only a first step toward accountability. The investigation in Lithuania should continue and those persons responsible for any involvement in the secret site must be identified and prosecuted.rdquo; br /
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Poland and Romania have also been named by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe as allegedly having hosted secret detention facilities for the CIA. br /
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ldquo;It is high time that European governments review and tighten civilian control over intelligence and security agencies. It is not enough for governments to claim that they did not know what their security apparatus was up to,rdquo; said Julia Hall. br /

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/mongolia-riot100.jpg alt= title= /br/The Government of Mongolia has failed to effectively respond to human rights abuses that took place during the July 2008 riot in Sukhbaatar Square, Ulaanbaatar, and its aftermath, leaving a legacy of impunity and injustice, Amnesty International said in a report released on Friday. br /
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Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s report describes how hundreds of people were taken to police detention centres where they were held in over-crowded cells without food or water for up to 72 hours during the riots. Police beat detainees while they were in custody and during interrogations to extract ldquo;confessionsrdquo;. br /
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Over 700 people were arrested and over 100 more in the weeks following, for suspected offences committed during the riot. br /
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One year on from the riot, the scope of the investigation conducted remains limited. Allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in detention, and excessive and unnecessary use of force by police have largely been ignored. br /
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ldquo;Investigations into allegations of human rights violations have been delayed, ignored or inadequately investigatedrdquo;, said Roseann Rife, Asia-Pacific Deputy Programme Director at Amnesty International. br /
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ldquo;A year on from the riot and there is no accountability on the part of authorities and no justice for the victims.rdquo; br /
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Procedures for prosecution of ten police officers and four senior police officials suspected of using and authorizing the use of live ammunition during the riot was stalled by the defendants and their lawyers for over seven months until early November 2009. The case file is now being read by the families of the victims and their lawyers. br /
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ldquo;There has been a failure on the part of the Mongolian government to seriously investigate allegations of torture and other ill-treatment of those held in detention following the riot or to prosecute those suspected of carrying out and ordering the use of live ammunition,rdquo; said Roseann Rife. br /
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Mongolia has failed to comply with its international obligations which require them to take a range of legislative, judicial, administrative and other measures to prevent human rights violations and bring those responsible to justice and ensure victims receive reparations in line with international standards. br /
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The secrecy surrounding the operations of police and other law enforcement agencies is further damaging their reputation leading to mistrust and fear. Such sentiments will persist as long as the authorities fail to take concrete steps to conduct independent investigations and prosecute any alleged perpetrators of offences involving human rights violations, and implement reforms to ensure non-repetition. br /
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strongBackground /strongbr /
Amnesty International calls on the Mongolian government to: br /
br /
Ensure that the Special Investigation Unit of the State General Prosecutorsrsquo; Office is provided adequate funding and support to enable it to carry out prompt, independent, impartial and thorough investigations into allegations of offences involving human rights violations against officials and that procedures are in place to ensure that parties involved in the investigation are not able to stall or otherwise delay procedures unreasonably and prevent cases being prosecuted. br /
br /
Ensure that any complaints or reports of human rights violations are investigated promptly, independently, impartially and thoroughly, and that those suspected of related offences are prosecuted. Investigations should be conducted by personnel who are competent, impartial and independent of the alleged perpetrators and the agency they serve. br /
br /
Initiate a review of regulations, policy, and training to ensure that the practices of the police, including the use of force, in policing demonstrations are consistent with international human rights standards, including the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms. br /
br /
Establish effective mechanisms to receive complaints, provide timely and accessible information on the progress of cases, and ensure that any person wishing to submit a complaint against law enforcement officials is not in any way obstructed from doing so. Where a complaint is rejected as inadmissible, the complainant should be given clear and detailed reasons for the decision, in writing, and information on appeals mechanisms and alternative avenues of recourse. br /
br /
Ensure that victims of crimes committed by law enforcement officials have access to an effective remedy and receive adequate reparation, including compensation, restitution, rehabilitation, and guarantees of non-repetition in accordance with international standards. br /
br /
On 1 July 2008 thousands of people protested at Sukhbaatar Square amid allegations of widespread election fraud. The riot was unexpected and unexpectedly violent. At least nine people were shot by the police, four fatally, and a fifth person died allegedly from smoke inhalation. br /
br /
The Government called the countryrsquo;s first state of emergency since transitioning to a democratic system of government in 1990 for four days from midnight 2 July, 2008.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/lithuania-president-100.jpg alt= title= /br/The Lithuanian government must ensure that its inquiry into allegations
that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operated a secret prison
on Lithuanian soil sets an example in Europe for accountability for
human rights abuses, said Amnesty International.br /
br /
A Lithuanian parliamentary committee is currently investigating these allegations and its report is due to be issued next week.br /
br /
Ahead of the report’s release, Amnesty International wrote a letter to
the head of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and
Defence, which is conducting the inquiry. The organizationnbsp; reiterated
its call for a full, effective, independent and impartial investigation
into the allegations of a CIA quot;black sitequot; in Lithuania and the
possible role that Lithuanian officials may have played in the prison’s
operation.br /
br /
Amnesty International said that the Lithuanian investigation should
ensure that, if the evidence points to the existence of a secret
prison, quot;those responsible for human rights violations are held to
account.quot;br /
br /
quot;The Lithuanian inquiry should chart a new course for truth-telling and
accountability in Europe with respect to human rights violations
committed in the context of the US-led ‘war on terror’.quot; said Julia
Hall, Amnesty International’s expert on counter-terrorism in Europe.br /
br /
quot;The evidence that secret prisons existed in Europe is compelling and
the governments at the centre of these allegations must respond by
effectively investigating the charges. We urge Lithuania to meet that
challenge,quot; said Julia Hall.br /
br /
Many detainees held at such secret sites, known as quot;black sitesquot;, were
victims of unlawful rendition, enforced disappearance, torture and
other ill-treatment by US agents, often with the cooperation and
assistance of foreign governments.br /
br /
Poland and Romania have also been named by the European Parliament and
the Council of Europe as allegedly having provided secret detention
facilities for the CIA.br /
br /
quot;If the Lithuanians fail to conduct this inquiry in a thorough manner,
it will send a signal to other governments that they can effectively
ignore charges of serious human rights abuses,quot; said Julia Hall.
quot;Lithuania’s efforts can and should set the standard in Europe for real
accountability.quot;br /
br /
The allegations against Lithuania were first made by US television
network ABC News in August. The story quoted unnamed CIA sources as
saying that Lithuania provided a detention facility outside the
capital, Vilnius, where ldquo;high valuerdquo; detainees were held and questioned
in secret by the CIA until December 2005.br /
br /
Following ABC News’ allegations, Amnesty International wrote to
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite on 8 September, urging her to
ensure that any investigation of the allegations be prompt, thorough,
independent, and impartial.br /
br /
The organization pointed out that the duty to investigate charges of
such serious human rights abuses is an obligation under international
law and includes guaranteeing that perpetrators are held accountable,
victims are provided with redress and measures are taken to prevent
such violations in the future.br /
br /
A reply dated 17 September said that preliminary inquiries made by
parliamentary committees to Lithuanian security officials and other
agencies had indicated that no secret site existed.nbsp; In November, the
Lithuanian parliament issued a mandate for a full parliamentary
inquiry, indicating that those initial inquiries were not sufficient. br /
br /
A November follow-up report by ABC News claimed that unnamed Lithuanian
officials provided ABC News with documents from a quot;CIA front companyquot;
indicating that it purchased a former riding academy in Antiviliai,
outside Vilnius, and used it to construct the quot;black sitequot; in 2004.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/MENA/syria-sssc-court-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International called for Syria’s Supreme State Security Court (SSSC) to be abolished as the trial of five members of the Kurdish minority resumed on Tuesday. br /
br /
quot;The trial is likely to be a parody of justice as the SSSC has shown itself to be grossly unsatisfactory as a court of law,quot; said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. quot;It is neither independent nor impartial and it does not operate in accordance with international standards of fair trial. It should be abolished without further ado.quot; br /
br /
The five Kurds scheduled to appear before the SSSC on Tuesday are accused of belonging to the Democratic Union Party (PYD), an unauthorized political party said to identify with Turkey’s Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). They are also accused of using violence at a rally held on 15 February 2008 in Aleppo to mark the anniversary of the arrest of PKK leader Abdullah Ouml;calan by the Turkish authorities. br /
br /
The five defendants are reported to have been held incommunicado for long periods following their arrests in 2008. Amnesty International has learnt that at least one defendant did not see his family for one year after being taken into detention. br /
br /
Other information about their conditions of detention is not available because the families have been afraid to speak to human rights organizations, apparently for fear that the defendants will receive harsher sentences if they do. br /
br /
Amnesty International said it knows that Kurdish minority activists and other suspected critics and opponents of the Syrian government have previously been tortured and otherwise ill-treated during months of incommunicado detention. br /
br /
Defendants tried by the SSSC are frequently convicted on the basis of quot;confessionsquot; that the security authorities say they made freely while held in pre-trial detention. These are generally accepted without question by the court even when defendants allege that they were extracted under torture or other ill-treatment and despite compelling evidence that the security services use torture to get the information they want. br /
br /
Last month, at least another five Kurds were sentenced by the SSSC to up to 12 years’ imprisonment for alleged affiliation with the PYD, after being held in incommunicado detention for ndash; in most cases ndash; at least 19 months. None of them had access to legal counsel before their trial and even during it they were permitted only very restricted contact with their lawyers. br /
br /
Given the long-standing pattern of torture and other ill-treatment of detainees in Syria, all five are believed to have been subjected to such abuses. The mother of one of the five is reported to have overheard one guard tell another that her son was being subjected to the quot;flying carpetquot; torture method, in which the victim’s hands and feet are strapped to a piece of wood and he is then beaten and kicked. br /
br /
quot;The SSSC has shown no interest in upholding defendants’ rights to defence and to fair trial,quot; said Malcolm Smart. quot;It has failed to order investigations into torture allegations or to stand up to the security authorities, and it has lost all credibility. It should be closed down and those accused of political and other crimes should be guaranteed fair trials and protected from torture and other abuse.quot; br /
br /
The five Kurds on trial are Monzer Resho, aged 16 at the time of his arrest in 2008, Gewan Mohammed Ahmed, Hassan Khalil Qiddo, Khalil Dahli and Mannan Ahmed Sido.

Amnesty International has urged the Ukrainian authorities to comply with a European Court of Human Rights ruling calling for the release of Belarusian opposition activist and musician Igor Koktysh.br /
br /
Igor Koktysh has been detained in Ukraine since June 2007, when Belarus requested his extradition over an accusation that he committed murder in Belarus in January 2001. br /
br /
Amnesty International believes that the charges were fabricated due to his social and political activism. The organization considers Igor Koktysh to be a prisoner of conscience.br /
br /
In October 2007, Igor Koktysh filed a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights to challenge his threatened extradition to Belarus and his detention in Ukraine, pending extradition.br /
br /
In its judgment on 10 December, the Court ruled in his favour on both counts.br /
br /
The judgment stated that the extradition of Igor Koktysh to Belarus would violate the prohibition of torture as he would be at serious risk of torture or ill-treatment if extradited to Belarus.br /
br /
The Court said that he could also face capital punishment together with the prospect of an unfair trial in Belarus.br /
br /
According to the Court, the detention of Igor Koktysh constitutes a violation of the right to liberty in several regards. The Court stated that there is no legal basis for Igor Koktysh’s detention in Ukraine and that he has been denied the possibility to challenge the lawfulness of his detention.br /
nbsp;br /
The prison conditions in which Igor Koktysh has been – and still is – detained were found to amount to ill-treatment in the opinion of the European Court of Human Rights.br /
br /
In line with the judgment by the European Court of Human Rights, Amnesty International has called on the Ukrainian authorities to release Igor Koktysh immediately and unconditionally and to ensure that he receives full compensation in accordance with the Courtrsquo;s judgment. br /
nbsp;br /
The organization also called on the authorities to ensure that Igor Koktysh is provided with effective and durable protection against return to any country, including Belarus, where he would be at risk of the death penalty, torture or other grave human rights violations.br /
br /
Igor Koktysh is charged with the quot;premeditated, aggravated murderquot; of a close friend’s relative, under Article 139 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, which carries the death penalty.br /
br /
Igor Koktysh was held in detention in Belarus from January 2001 until his trial that December. While in custody he was allegedly tortured and ill-treated. This included being beaten and locked naked in a freezing cell, as well as being deprived of necessary medication for his asthma, in order to force him to confess.br /
br /
Igor Koktysh told Amnesty International that during his detention in Belarus the head investigator of Brest district told him that he knew he was not guilty of the crime, but that he was under pressure from his superiors. The investigator refused to repeat these words in court.br /
br /
Able to prove that he was in another city when the murder took place, he was acquitted and released. This verdict was confirmed by the Supreme Court of Belarus on 1 February 2002.br /
br /
After his release, Igor Koktysh moved to Ukraine where he registered to live and work and met his future wife. In April 2002, the Belarusian Prosecutor General appealed against his acquittal and the case was returned to the lower court for a retrial.br /
br /
Belarus’s request for his extradition followed and Igor Koktysh was detained by the Ukraine authorities on 25 June 2007.

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.

The Iranian authorities must carry out a full and independent investigation into the death of a young doctor who had worked at the Kahrizak detention centre south of Tehran, Amnesty International said on Wednesday.br /
br /
Dr Ramin Pourandarjani’s body was discovered in his room at a health centre in Tehran’s Police headquarters on 10 November.br /
br /
Iran’s Chief of Police said on Wednesday that Dr Pourandarjani had committed suicide as a result of depression, as he had been summoned to court and was facing a possible five-year prison term.br /
br /
His father, Reza-Qoli Pourandarjani has questioned suicide as a cause of death. He told the Associated Press that he was initially told that his son had broken his leg in a car accident and needed hisnbsp; consent for surgery, only for his family to be confronted with his dead body when they travelled to Tehran. br /
br /
He said his son had been in good spirits when he spoke to him the previous night.br /
br /
On Monday, the Tehran Prosecutor’s office had said that Dr Pourandarjani’s death was being investigated.br /
br /
During the unrest in the summer following the disputed presidential election, Dr Pourandarjani, 26, was serving his required military service at Kahrizak as its resident physician.br /
br /
Before his death he had allegedly received threats to deter him from revealing the extent of the abuse that had taken place at Kahrizak. He was said to have told friends he feared for his life. br /
br /
Kahrizak detention centre had been used to hold post-election protestors. Iranian officials have confirmed that torture took place there and that at least three men died as a result.br /
br /
As the detention centre doctor, Ramin Pourandarjani would have treated inmates that had been tortured on his weekly visits.br /
br /
One of these victims was Mohsen Rouholamini, the son of a conservative Iranian politician whose death drew widespread attention to the torture and killings in Kahrizak.br /
br /
Kahrizak was closed in July on orders of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after allegations of abuses against detainees said to have been held in inhumane conditions.br /
br /
According to media reports, Iran is to continue its review of abuses in the wake of the disputed June presidential election.br /
br /
The head of a special parliamentary committee charged with investigating allegations of abuses during the unrest – which had interviewed Dr Pourandarjani about conditions in Kahrizak – is reported to have met with the head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces in order to discuss Dr Pourandarjani’s death.br /
br /
Amnesty International said the investigation should comply fully with the UN Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions.

The Iranian authorities must carry out a full and independent investigation into the death of a young doctor who had worked at the Kahrizak detention centre south of Tehran, Amnesty International said on Wednesday.br /
br /
Dr Ramin Pourandarjani’s body was discovered in his room at a health centre in Tehran’s Police headquarters on 10 November.br /
br /
Iran’s Chief of Police said on Wednesday that Dr Pourandarjani had committed suicide as a result of depression, as he had been summoned to court and was facing a possible five-year prison term.br /
br /
His father, Reza-Qoli Pourandarjani has questioned suicide as a cause of death. He told the Associated Press that he was initially told that his son had broken his leg in a car accident and needed hisnbsp; consent for surgery, only for his family to be confronted with his dead body when they travelled to Tehran. br /
br /
He said his son had been in good spirits when he spoke to him the previous night.br /
br /
On Monday, the Tehran Prosecutor’s office had said that Dr Pourandarjani’s death was being investigated.br /
br /
During the unrest in the summer following the disputed presidential election, Dr Pourandarjani, 26, was serving his required military service at Kahrizak as its resident physician.br /
br /
Before his death he had allegedly received threats to deter him from revealing the extent of the abuse that had taken place at Kahrizak. He was said to have told friends he feared for his life. br /
br /
Kahrizak detention centre had been used to hold post-election protestors. Iranian officials have confirmed that torture took place there and that at least three men died as a result.br /
br /
As the detention centre doctor, Ramin Pourandarjani would have treated inmates that had been tortured on his weekly visits.br /
br /
One of these victims was Mohsen Rouholamini, the son of a conservative Iranian politician whose death drew widespread attention to the torture and killings in Kahrizak.br /
br /
Kahrizak was closed in July on orders of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after allegations of abuses against detainees said to have been held in inhumane conditions.br /
br /
According to media reports, Iran is to continue its review of abuses in the wake of the disputed June presidential election.br /
br /
The head of a special parliamentary committee charged with investigating allegations of abuses during the unrest – which had interviewed Dr Pourandarjani about conditions in Kahrizak – is reported to have met with the head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces in order to discuss Dr Pourandarjani’s death.br /
br /
Amnesty International said the investigation should comply fully with the UN Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/guantanamo100.jpg alt= title= /br/The US government must redouble efforts to resolve the future of detainees still held at the military facility in Guantaacute;namo Bay, Cuba, Amnesty International said after President Barack Obama acknowledged his administration would not meet his deadline for its closure. br /
br /
quot;Over recent months, US authorities have allowed the Guantaacute;namo detentions to become a political football, and the politics of fear to trump human rights,quot; said Susan Lee, Director of the Amnesty International’s Americas Regional Programme. br /
br /
quot;Now, as should have been the case from day one, the government should resolve these detentions by either bringing the detainees to fair trial or immediately releasing them,quot; Susan Lee said.br /
br /
On 22 January 2009, President Obama signed an executive order committing his administration to resolving the cases of the detainees held at Guantaacute;namo quot;as promptly as possiblequot;, and to closing the detention facility quot;no later than one year from the date of this order.quot; nbsp;br /
br /
In his comments on Wednesday, President Obama would not put an exact new date on closure, stating only that he anticipated it would happen sometime later next year, and adding that it would ldquo;depend on cooperation from Congress.quot;br /
br /
Hopes for an end to the Guantaacute;namo detentions this year have receded over recent months as members of Congress sought to block the closure of the facility, and the administration has been slow to charge detainees. br /
br /
At the same time, diplomatic efforts to find solutions for detainees who cannot be returned to their home countries for fear of the human rights violations they would face there have been undermined by the refusal of the US authorities to release any in mainland USA. br /
br /
Amnesty International has long called for the Guantaacute;namo detainees to be brought to trial in an independent and impartial court ndash; not a military commission ndash; or immediately released. br /
br /
It has also repeatedly called for the USA not to seek the death penalty in any case.br /
br /
Since President Obama took office, 26 detainees have been transferred out of Guantaacute;namo, leaving 215 still there. br /
br /
One detainee has been transferred to face trial in a federal court in New York and the administration has announced that another five will also be transferred to the city for such trials, with the likelihood that the death penalty will be sought against them. br /
br /
The US Attorney General has also said the administration has decided to refer another five cases back to the Pentagon for trial by military commission.br /
br /
In his 22 January order requiring his administration to ensure quot;prompt and appropriatequot; resolution of each and every Guantaacute;namo case and to close the Guantaacute;namo facility within a year, President Obama pointed to the quot;significant concerns raised by these detentions, both within the United States and internationallyquot;.br /
br /
quot;Those concerns have not gone away, and will be reignited by President Obama’s comments todayquot;, Susan Lee said.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/guantanamo100.jpg alt= title= /br/The US government must redouble efforts to resolve the future of detainees still held at the military facility in Guantaacute;namo Bay, Cuba, Amnesty International said after President Barack Obama acknowledged his administration would not meet his deadline for its closure. br /
br /
quot;Over recent months, US authorities have allowed the Guantaacute;namo detentions to become a political football, and the politics of fear to trump human rights,quot; said Susan Lee, Director of the Amnesty International’s Americas Regional Programme. br /
br /
quot;Now, as should have been the case from day one, the government should resolve these detentions by either bringing the detainees to fair trial or immediately releasing them,quot; Susan Lee said.br /
br /
On 22 January 2009, President Obama signed an executive order committing his administration to resolving the cases of the detainees held at Guantaacute;namo quot;as promptly as possiblequot;, and to closing the detention facility quot;no later than one year from the date of this order.quot; nbsp;br /
br /
In his comments on Wednesday, President Obama would not put an exact new date on closure, stating only that he anticipated it would happen sometime later next year, and adding that it would ldquo;depend on cooperation from Congress.quot;br /
br /
Hopes for an end to the Guantaacute;namo detentions this year have receded over recent months as members of Congress sought to block the closure of the facility, and the administration has been slow to charge detainees. br /
br /
At the same time, diplomatic efforts to find solutions for detainees who cannot be returned to their home countries for fear of the human rights violations they would face there have been undermined by the refusal of the US authorities to release any in mainland USA. br /
br /
Amnesty International has long called for the Guantaacute;namo detainees to be brought to trial in an independent and impartial court ndash; not a military commission ndash; or immediately released. br /
br /
It has also repeatedly called for the USA not to seek the death penalty in any case.br /
br /
Since President Obama took office, 26 detainees have been transferred out of Guantaacute;namo, leaving 215 still there. br /
br /
One detainee has been transferred to face trial in a federal court in New York and the administration has announced that another five will also be transferred to the city for such trials, with the likelihood that the death penalty will be sought against them. br /
br /
The US Attorney General has also said the administration has decided to refer another five cases back to the Pentagon for trial by military commission.br /
br /
In his 22 January order requiring his administration to ensure quot;prompt and appropriatequot; resolution of each and every Guantaacute;namo case and to close the Guantaacute;namo facility within a year, President Obama pointed to the quot;significant concerns raised by these detentions, both within the United States and internationallyquot;.br /
br /
quot;Those concerns have not gone away, and will be reignited by President Obama’s comments todayquot;, Susan Lee said.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/usa-obama-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/President Obama must use his first official visit to China to urge the authorities to reverse the sharp rise in human rights violations in the country, Amnesty International said on Friday. br /
br /
The organisation reminded President Obama in an open letter that he has a responsibility to publicly push for an improvement in Chinarsquo;s poor human rights record during his scheduled visit to China next week. br /
br /
Thousands of Chinese activists and human rights lawyers continue to face arbitrary detention, harassment and imprisonment following unfair trials while the authorities continue to execute more people than the rest of the world combined. br /
br /
ldquo;The Chinese government has stepped up efforts to silence any internal criticism or challenge, despite the countryrsquo;s massive economic growth. President Obama must take this opportunity to show that the US views human rights as a central plank of its relationship with China,rdquo; said Sam Zarifi,Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s Asia Pacific Director. br /
br /
Amnesty International continues to monitor the cases of many individuals who are being held in administrative detention, including the ldquo;re-education through labourrdquo; detention system, where detainees can be locked up for up to four years without trial. br /
br /
Torture by law enforcement personnel is endemic, resulting in many prisonersrsquo; deaths while in custody. br /
br /
Human rights lawyers are harassed, intimidated, assaulted, abducted, forcibly disappeared, placed under surveillance and house arrest and faced criminal charges for protecting the rights of others. br /
br /
In the first half of 2009 alone, Amnesty International documented the cases of at least four human rights lawyers who were threatened with violence; at least 10 who were prevented from meeting with or representing their clients in courts, and at least five who were briefly detained, one for one month, because of their human rights work. br /
br /
The announcement this week that authorities had executed eight Uighurs and one Han Chinese for their alleged role in the July riots are further proof of the urgent need for the US administration to push China for an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation of the events surrounding the July riots. br /
br /
Uighurs and other ethnic minority and religious groups such as Tibetans and Falun Gong practitioners continue to be ill treated and face persecution for their beliefs. br /
br /
ldquo;Despite China adopting a human rights action plan after hosting the Olympic Games last year its government needs to show the world that it is serious about meetings its obligations under international human rights law,rdquo; saidnbsp; Sam Zarifi. br /
br /
Amnesty International calls on China to show its commitment to human rights by immediately meeting the following benchmarks: br /
br /
bull; Abolition of the ldquo;Re-Education through Labourrdquo; detention system. There is a strong domestic call in China for the reform of the system. In the run-up to the Beijing Olympics, an open letter calling for its abolition solicited 15,000 signatures. br /
br /
bull; A public and independent investigation of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators. Human rights defenders and activists face police harassment and surveillance when they press the authorities to take responsibility for the crackdown in 1989. br /
br /
bull; A lifting of all restrictions and obstacles to freedom of worship. Thousands are detained for their religious activities. br /
br /
bull; Cessation of the repression of Tibetans and Uighurs and respect for their ethnic, cultural and religious identity. Tibetans and Uighurs has been the target of systematic and extensive human rights violations. These include arbitrary detention, torture, severe restrictions on freedom of religion and employment discrimination. br /
br /
It also calls on President Obama to urge China to: br /
br /
bull; Release Shi Tao, a journalist who was sentenced to ten years imprisonment on charges of ldquo;illegally providing state secrets to foreign entitiesrdquo; due to an email he sent to a US-based website. Court records show that one of the evidence was Shi Taorsquo;s account holder information provided to the police by Internet company Yahoo! Inc. br /
br /
bull; Release immediately and unconditionally those detained solely for engaging in peaceful protest, including support for the Dalai Lama, the independence of Tibet, or greater autonomy for Tibet. br /
br /
bull; Release prisoner of conscience Ablikim Abdiriyim, son of Uighur activist Reibya Kadeer. He is serving a nine-year sentence in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) on charges of ldquo;instigating and engaging in secessionist activities.rdquo; br /
br /
There are serious concerns that he may have confessed under torture. Ablikim Abdiriyim was detained with his siblings and several family members in May 2006. Their detention prevented them from meeting with a United States Congressional delegation on a scheduled visit. His brother Alim Abdiriyim is also in prison on charges of tax evasion, which may be politically motivated. br /
br /
bull; Ensure lawyersrsquo; rights to carry out their legal work without harassment, intimidation, violence or fear of criminal prosecution.

p
img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/belarus-charnyshau-300×200.jpg title=Ales Charnyshou alt=Ales Charnyshou height=300 width=250 class=asset-align-right/emBlog written for Amnesty International by Belarusian youth activist Ales Charnyshou, who was sentenced to two years of ‘restricted freedom’ on 22 April 2008.
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On April 23, 2008 I was sentenced to two years of ‘restricted freedom’ for participating in a rally in support of entrepreneurs.br /
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The action was intended to draw public attention – and the attention of the national authorities – to the contents of a decree issued by the President of Belarus that significantly worsened the situation for small businesses.br /
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I am not a businessman. But as a person with an active, open attitude, I found it necessary to participate in this action. All the more so because I link my future to business activities and the error of the decree was obvious to me.br /
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During the rally, about 1,500-2,000 people marched with banners from the central square of Minsk to the House of Government.br /
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Unfortunately, my participation in this event turned into 15 days of detention and criminal punishment under the so-called quot;trial of 14quot;, resulting in a sentence of ‘restricted freedom’.br /
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Since the commencement of criminal proceedings against me, my life has changed dramatically.br /
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After sentencing, I was obliged to have a permanent place of work (without the right to quit), to regularly register at the police station and to be at home every day after 8pm and all weekends and public holidays.br /
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This was all under the control of the police, whose officers had the right to check my presence at home or work at any time.br /
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According to the sentence, I had no right to travel, not only abroad, but also outside the city. I was not allowed to attend any concerts or football matches or other social events.br /
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The slightest infringement, including meeting with friends over a pint of beer (which, incidentally, I love very much ☺) carries a formal warning. After the third such warning, law enforcement agencies are entitled to change the punishment following another trial.br /
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Fortunately I have not reached that stage. I must admit that the police officers, while carrying out their duties, treated me rather humanely. I would like to believe that they understood the uncertainty of my situation.br /
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On June 15, 2009 the terms of my punishment was changed (reduced). It is now quot;correctivequot; work, which means the continuation of work at my normal job, while paying 15% of my earnings to the state. As before, my rights are restricted (for example, I have no right to travel abroad).br /
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I have been following Amnesty International’s activities and I am grateful to them for paying so much attention to our trial, and for issuing the statement in May 2009 in which we were named as ldquo;prisoners of conscience.rdquo;br /
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I hope that an amnesty will be applied to me and others involved in the quot;trial of 14quot;. At the moment, despite everything that has happened, I am optimistic about the future and that is what I am wishing you.
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strongREAD MORE/stronga href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/belarus-activists-tell-life-exile-20091127/a
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a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/belarus-activists-tell-life-exile-20091127Belarus activists tell of life in exile/a (News, 27 November 2009)br /
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a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/belarus-activists-tell-life-exile-20091127/a
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a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/mikhail-kryvau-20091127img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/belarus-kryvau-thumb2.jpg title=fr alt=fr height=40 width=40 class=asset-align-left//aReadnbsp;a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/mikhail-kryvau-20091127Mikhail Kryvau/a’s blog
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a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/tatyana-tishkevich-20091127img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/belarus-tatyana-thumb.jpg title=Tatyana Tishkevich alt=Tatyana Tishkevich height=40 width=40 class=asset-align-left//aRead a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/tatyana-tishkevich-20091127Tatyana Tishkevich/a’s blog
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a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/alyaksei-bondar-20091127img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/belarus-bondarthumb.jpg title=Alyaksei Bondar alt=Alyaksei Bondar height=40 width=40 class=asset-align-left//a Read a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/alyaksei-bondar-20091127Alyaksei Bondar/a’s blog
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a href=http://livewire.amnesty.org/2009/11/27/belarusian-youth-activists-speak-out/Belarusian activists speak out /a(Livewire Blog – Discussion) br /
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a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/call-belarusian-president-free-youth-activistsimg 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//aa href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/call-belarusian-president-free-youth-activistsCall on Belarusian President to free youth activists/a
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Amnesty International said on Wednesday that the Sudanese government was responsible for the death and ill-treatment of a prisoner who died from tuberculosis in police custody last week.br /
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Ahmed Suleiman Sulman died on 21 October at the police hospital to which he was taken from Kober prison in Khartoum two days before his death. His body was still in shackles and showed evidence of torture.br /
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He had also been suffering from a lung infection for a long time but was refused access to a specialized doctor by the prison despite requests by his lawyer.br /
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Adam Suleiman Sulman was one of 103 men sentenced to death by the special counter-terrorism courts established following an attack by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), an armed opposition group, on Omdurman, near Khartoum, on 10 May 2009. br /
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quot;The government must order an independent investigation into the death of Mr Sulman. Torture is abhorrent and those responsible for Mr Sulman’s ill-treatment and death must be brought to justice in fair trials.quot; said Tawanda Hondora Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Africa Programme. br /
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Hundreds of people remain unaccounted for following the JEM attack on Omdurman. br /
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Sulman was detained by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) between 12 and 13 May 2008. He was sentenced to death in August 2008 and had been in Kober prison since then. br /
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According to information received by Amnesty International, Sulman, said to have been in his late-twenties, was severely traumatized by the torture he endured following his arrest. Several sources confirmed to Amnesty International that Sulman was mentally ill when he faced trial. br /
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Amnesty International said it has serious concerns regarding the conditions in which prisoners are kept in Kober, and has received numerous accounts of ill-treatment and poor hygiene conditions. br /
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quot;We are gravely concerned about the prisoners who remain in Kober prison. The Sudanese government must ensure that the detainees families and doctors have immediate access to them,quot; said Tawanda Hondora.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/mexico-jacinta-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International welcomes the release of Mexican prisoner of conscience Jacinta Francisco Marcial, who was held in prison for three years after being falsely accused of kidnapping six federal agents.br /
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The mother of six, an Otomiacute; Indigenous woman from Santiago Mexquititlaacute;n in the Mexican state of Quereacute;taro, was sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment in December 2006.br /
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Amnesty International is calling for a full review into her unfounded prosecution and for her to receive full compensation for unfair and wrongful imprisonment. br /
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ldquo;The Mexican government has finally recognised that there was never evidence to justify Jacintarsquo;s trial and conviction of 21 years imprisonment on charges of kidnapping,rdquo; said Kerrie Howard, Americas Deputy Director at Amnesty International. br /
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ldquo;Jacinta and her family have been robbed of three years of her life while she has been detained in prison for a crime she did not commit. Nothing will bring back the time she lost in prison. However, it is vital that those responsible for this injustice are held to account and that she is fully compensated.rdquo; br /
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The 46-year-old was released by the judge presiding over the retrial following an appeal won in her favour earlier in 2009. The judgersquo;s decision was inevitable after the Federal Attorney Generalrsquo;s Office announced that it was dropping the case against Jacinta due to lack of evidence.br /
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Jacinta Francisco Marcial was convicted of the kidnapping of six Mexican Federal Investigation Agency (Agencia Federal de Investigacioacute;n, AFI) agents. br /
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They claimed they were held hostage by Jacinta and other market stall holders during a raid on pirate DVD vendors on Santiago Mexquititlaacute;n square in March 2006. br /
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More than four months after the event, on 3 August 2006, Jacinta was arrested and taken to the Federal Attorney General’s Office. She was told she was going to be questioned about the felling of a tree. However, once at the prison she found out that she, along with two other women, were being accused of kidnapping the agents.br /
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Amnesty International adopted Jacinta as a prisoner of conscience on 18 August 2009 after concluding there was no evidence against her and she had been arrested, tried and convicted because she was a poor Indigenous woman.br /
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The release raises serious questions about the reliability of the entire prosecution case and highlights clear failings in the investigation.br /
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Amnesty International has called for a full and impartial review of the investigation, including the case against co-defendants Alberta Alcaacute;ntara and Teresa Gonzaacute;lez, who were also convicted of kidnapping the six federal agents along with Jacinta.br /
outcome of a retrial.