NICOSIA: Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have warned UN peacekeepers against withdrawing from Sudan at a time when the Janjaweed militia is not only keeping up war crimes in Darfur but also taking its "despicable brutality" to Khartoum."It's hard to imagine a worse time to decide to close UNAMID," the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur, said Jonathan Loeb, a senior crisis adviser at Amnesty International.As a Jun 27 vote on whether to wind down UNAMID nears, Amnesty said it had "new evidence, including satellite imagery, showing that Sudanese government forces, including the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias, have continued to commit war crimes ... in Darfur"."These have included the complete or partial destruction of at least 45 villages, unlawful killings, and sexual violence," the rights group said in a statement issued Tuesday.The RSF, formed from the former Janjaweed militia, were also responsible for the Jun 3 crackdown on protesters in Khartoum … [Read more...] about Amnesty, HRW warn UN against Sudan pullout
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Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg gets Amnesty prize
Sweden's teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was Friday awarded a prestigious Amnesty International prize for mobilising world public opinion on the looming peril of global warming. The 16-year-old issued a statement declaring it "a huge honour to receive Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award," saying it was recognition for everybody inspired by her "Fridays for Future" movement that has seen students strike from school to take part in climate protests. "To act on your conscience means that you fight for what you think is right," she said. To AFPTV, she said "it's amazing to get recognition like this". Thunberg, a fierce campaigner with a gift for public speaking, has become a figurehead for young climate activists internationally. International organisations often invite her to climate change events in an effort to put a human face on the fight to curb carbon emissions. Last week, she appeared alongside actor and former politician Arnold Schwarzenegger at a … [Read more...] about Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg gets Amnesty prize
Amnesty suspends Zimbabwe branch after fraud probe
HARARE: Amnesty International on Thursday (May 30) suspended its local branch in Zimbabwe after uncovering evidence of fraud, in the first ever such move by the rights advocacy group.Amnesty issued a statement saying "an extensive forensic audit was conducted in late 2018 which uncovered evidence of fraud and serious financial mismanagement".It said that the Zimbabwe branch had been suspended from the global organisation and placed under administration and the Zimbabwean police had been informed of the audit findings."The decision has been made to take extraordinary measures ... to protect the reputation, integrity and operation of the movement," it added.The London-based group gave no further details, but said it would try to recover lost funds and that urgent measures had been introduced to ensure donor money was safe.Amnesty has focused recent work in Zimbabwe on campaigning against the arrest of rights activists, promoting media freedom and calling for accountability for … [Read more...] about Amnesty suspends Zimbabwe branch after fraud probe
Amnesty to cull managers after probe into ‘toxic’ workplace
LONDON: Amnesty International said on Tuesday (May 28) most of its top leaders would leave the rights group this year after an external audit, prompted by two staff suicides, found a "toxic" working culture.The organisation, headquartered in London, will shed five of its seven-strong senior management team after the review into "staff wellbeing" ordered last year by secretary-general Kumi Naidoo.It found working at Amnesty often put employees under "exceptional stress" and that its efforts to support staff had been "ad hoc, reactive and piecemeal"."Amnesty as a working environment is often described as 'toxic'," the report, carried out by consultants The KonTerra Group, stated."Organisational culture and management failures are the root cause of most staff wellbeing issues," it concluded.Amnesty initiated the probe last August after Gaetan Mootoo, a well-known researcher, and paid intern Roz McGregor took their own lives within three months of each other that year.Mootoo, who had been … [Read more...] about Amnesty to cull managers after probe into ‘toxic’ workplace
Amnesty condemns Yemen rebels’ detention of journalists
DUBAI: Amnesty International on Wednesday condemned the prolonged detention of 10 journalists by Huthi rebels in Yemen, saying it reflected “the dire state of media freedom” in the war-torn country. The 10 journalists have been held since the summer of 2015 and are being prosecuted on trumped-up spying charges, according to the rights group. It said the men have been tortured, held incommunicado and deprived of medical care. “The unlawful and prolonged detention, torture and other ill-treatment of these 10 journalists is a shocking reminder of the repressive media climate facing journalists in Yemen and illustrates the risks they face at the hands of all parties to the conflict,“ said Rasha Mohamed, Amnesty’s Yemen researcher. “These men are being punished for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression. “The de facto Huthi authorities should release them immediately and drop all the charges against them,“ he said in a … [Read more...] about Amnesty condemns Yemen rebels’ detention of journalists