Amnesty International Calls for Immediate Release of Ugandan Lawyer Jailed Without Fair Trial

KAMPALA, Uganda — International human rights organization Amnesty International called on Ugandan authorities on Wednesday to reverse a military tribunal’s verdict and release Eron Kiiza, a lawyer sentenced to nine months in prison after being accused of contempt of court. Kiiza, who was reportedly reprimanded and detained for shouting during a court martial proceeding, was denied a fair trial, according to advocates. Kiiza’s detention occurred as he was trying to enter a reserved area for lawyers at the tribunal, where he intended to represent opposition leader Kizza Besigye. The incident has sparked widespread criticism from … Read more

Amnesty International Decries Thai Court’s Decision in NSO Group Spyware Case as Major Setback for Human Rights Advocates

Bangkok, Thailand – Amnesty International has expressed grave concerns following a Thai court’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit against NSO Group Technologies, which was accused of misusing its Pegasus spyware. This ruling represents a severe blow to efforts aiming to protect privacy and human rights within the region. The case, initiated by Thai pro-democracy activist Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, also known as Pai Dao Din, centered on allegations that NSO Group failed to prevent the abusive deployment of its spyware against activists. Pai took legal action following alerts from Apple and a comprehensive 2022 report indicating that … Read more

Ethiopian Government Uses State of Emergency as a Tool for Silencing Dissent and Violating Human Rights, says Amnesty International

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The Ethiopian government has come under fire for using the state of emergency as a means to suppress dissent and silence opposition voices. Amnesty International has accused authorities of arbitrarily detaining politicians critical of the government and journalists, while also highlighting the lack of transparency and violation of basic rights. The state of emergency was initially implemented in August 2023 amidst escalating violence in the Amhara region between government forces and the Fano militia. The emergency measures granted authorities broad powers, including the ability to arrest suspects without a court warrant, … Read more

Spain’s Parliament to Vote on Controversial Amnesty Law for Catalonia’s Independence Supporters

Madrid, Spain – Spain’s lower house of Parliament is set to discuss and vote on an amnesty law that has sparked intense controversy. The proposed law aims to resolve the legal issues faced by potentially hundreds of individuals involved in Catalonia’s failed bid for independence in 2017. The amnesty law was pushed forward by Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in exchange for the support of two small Catalan separatist parties, which allowed him to establish a new leftist government late last year. Carles Puigdemont, the former Catalan President and leader of one of the separatist … Read more