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{{multiple issues| | |||
{{COI|date=December 2016}} | |||
{{condense|date=April 2014}} | |||
{{unreliable sources|date=April 2014}} | |||
{{lead rewrite|date=December 2016}} | |||
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{{Use Indian English|date=January 2013}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} | |||
{{Infobox organization | {{Infobox organization | ||
| name = Popular Front of India | | name = Popular Front of India | ||
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}} | }} | ||
The '''Popular Front of India (PFI)''' is an |
The '''Popular Front of India (PFI)''' is an neo social ]ic organisation in India<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/Kerala-Police-unmasks-PFI%E2%80%99s-terror-face/2013/04/28/article1564744.ece|title=Kerala Police unmasks PFI's terror face}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/HuJi-Popular-Front-of-India-under-lens-for-hate-messages/articleshow/15594008.cms|title=HuJi, Popular Front of India under lens for hate messages - Times of India|access-date=2016-09-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=In a pluralistic part of India, fears of rising Islamic extremism|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/this-is-india-not-afghanistan/2011/02/04/ABOyT5E_story.html|work=The Washington Post}}</ref> formed as a successor to ] (NDF) in 2006, and often have been accused for involvement in anti-national and anti-social activities by the Indian Government. It acquired a multi-state dimension by merging with the National Development Front, ], ] and other organisations. The PFI describe themselves as a ] movement committed to empower people to ensure justice, freedom and security.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Popular-Front-of-India-denies-role-in-terror-attacks/articleshow/46722015.cms|title=Popular Front of India denies role in terror attacks - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref> The organisation has various wings to cater to different sections of society, including the ] and the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article184644.ece|title=Cops manhandled women during PFI raids: NWF|work=The New Indian Express}}</ref> | ||
PFI claims to work in cooperation with the ] and other human rights activists in a bid to curb human rights violations in the nation.<ref name="twocircles.net">{{cite web|url=http://twocircles.net/2012apr02/nchro_asks_govt_repeal_antpeople_laws_frame_rules_human_rights_act_1993.html |title=NCHRO asks govt to repeal anti-people laws, frame rules for Human Rights Act 1993 |publisher=TwoCircles.net |date=2012-04-02 |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref><ref name="mangalorean. com">{{cite web|url=http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=346366 |title=Serving Mangaloreans Around The World! |publisher=Mangalorean.Com |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> The organisation campaigns for Muslim Reservation in line with the ] (National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities) report to address inequality faced by Muslims in India.<ref>{{cite web |author=Hyderabad Deccan News |url=http://www.newswala.com/India-National-News/National-campaign-for-Muslim-reservation-launched-in-Pune-1507.html |title=National campaign for Muslim reservation launched in Pune |publisher=Newswala.com |date=2010-02-03 |access-date=2014-04-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118201939/http://www.newswala.com/India-National-News/National-campaign-for-Muslim-reservation-launched-in-Pune-1507.html |archive-date=18 January 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milligazette.com/news/6494-pfis-march-for-muslim-reservation |title=PFI's march for Muslim Reservation |publisher=Milligazette.com |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> In 2012, the organisation conducted protests against the use of the ]] to detain innocent citizens.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-11/india/32632277_1_pfi-public-meetings-muslims |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029214413/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-11/india/32632277_1_pfi-public-meetings-muslims |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-10-29 |title=Popular Front of India plans month-long campaign to highlight plight of jailed Muslims |date=2012-07-11 |work=] |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref><ref name="articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-13/mangalore/34430508_1_pfi-e-m-abdul-rahiman-popular-front |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029213407/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-13/mangalore/34430508_1_pfi-e-m-abdul-rahiman-popular-front |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-10-29 |title=Popular Front's campaign starts |date=2012-10-13 |work=] |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> | PFI claims to work in cooperation with the ] and other human rights activists in a bid to curb human rights violations in the nation.<ref name="twocircles.net">{{cite web|url=http://twocircles.net/2012apr02/nchro_asks_govt_repeal_antpeople_laws_frame_rules_human_rights_act_1993.html |title=NCHRO asks govt to repeal anti-people laws, frame rules for Human Rights Act 1993 |publisher=TwoCircles.net |date=2012-04-02 |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref><ref name="mangalorean. com">{{cite web|url=http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=346366 |title=Serving Mangaloreans Around The World! |publisher=Mangalorean.Com |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> The organisation campaigns for Muslim Reservation in line with the ] (National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities) report to address inequality faced by Muslims in India.<ref>{{cite web |author=Hyderabad Deccan News |url=http://www.newswala.com/India-National-News/National-campaign-for-Muslim-reservation-launched-in-Pune-1507.html |title=National campaign for Muslim reservation launched in Pune |publisher=Newswala.com |date=2010-02-03 |access-date=2014-04-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118201939/http://www.newswala.com/India-National-News/National-campaign-for-Muslim-reservation-launched-in-Pune-1507.html |archive-date=18 January 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milligazette.com/news/6494-pfis-march-for-muslim-reservation |title=PFI's march for Muslim Reservation |publisher=Milligazette.com |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> In 2012, the organisation conducted protests against the use of the ]] to detain innocent citizens.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-11/india/32632277_1_pfi-public-meetings-muslims |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029214413/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-11/india/32632277_1_pfi-public-meetings-muslims |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-10-29 |title=Popular Front of India plans month-long campaign to highlight plight of jailed Muslims |date=2012-07-11 |work=] |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref><ref name="articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-13/mangalore/34430508_1_pfi-e-m-abdul-rahiman-popular-front |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029213407/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-13/mangalore/34430508_1_pfi-e-m-abdul-rahiman-popular-front |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-10-29 |title=Popular Front's campaign starts |date=2012-10-13 |work=] |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> | ||
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Abdul Wahid Sait, NEC Member | Abdul Wahid Sait, NEC Member | ||
==History== | |||
== Criticism and accusations == | |||
===1960s=== | |||
], the founder of Amnesty International. He worked for Britain's ] at ] during World War II.]] | |||
Amnesty International was founded in London in July 1961 by English barrister ].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |year=2002 |encyclopedia= Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture |publisher= Routledge |location= London |editor1-first =Peter |editor1-last= Childs |editor2-first =Mike |editor2-last= Storry |title= Amnesty International |pages= 22–23}}</ref> Benenson was influenced by his friend ], who led a political prisoners’ campaign.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AGNI Online: Amnesty International: Myth and Reality by Linda Rabben|url=http://agnionline.bu.edu/essay/amnesty-international-myth-and-reality|access-date=10 June 2021|website=agnionline.bu.edu|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=McKinney|first=Seamus|date=29 September 2018|title=Sir Louis Blom-Cooper: Campaigning lawyer had strong links with Northern Ireland|url=http://www.irishnews.com/notices/livesremembered/2018/09/29/news/sir-louis-blom-cooper-campaigning-lawyer-had-strong-links-with-northern-ireland-1443623/|access-date=10 June 2021|website=The Irish News|language=en}}</ref> | |||
According to Benenson's own account, he was travelling on the ] on 19 November 1960 when he read that two Portuguese students from ] had been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in Portugal for allegedly "having drunk a toast to liberty".{{efn|name=fn1}}<ref name= Keane>{{cite book | title=An Irish Statesman and Revolutionary: The Nationalist and Internationalist Politics of Sean MacBride| first =Elizabeth | last = Keane |isbn= 978-1-84511-125-0 | year=2006 |publisher= I.B. Tauris}}</ref> Researchers have never traced the alleged newspaper article in question.{{efn|name= fn1}} In 1960, Portugal was ruled by the ] government of ].<ref>{{Citation | first1 = Douglas L | last1 = Wheeler | first2 = Walter C | last2 = Opello | title = Historical Dictionary of Portugal | page = xxvi | publisher = Scarecrow Press | year = 2010}}.</ref> The government was authoritarian in nature and strongly ], suppressing enemies of the state as anti-Portuguese. In his significant newspaper article "The Forgotten Prisoners", Benenson later described his reaction as follows: <blockquote>Open your newspaper any day of the week and you will find a story from somewhere of someone being imprisoned, tortured or executed because his opinions or religion are unacceptable to his government... The newspaper reader feels a sickening sense of impotence. Yet if these feelings of disgust could be united into common action, something effective could be done.<ref name=Forgotten /></blockquote> | |||
Benenson worked with his friend ]. Baker was a member of the ] who had been involved in funding the British ] as well as becoming <!--/who would also become - was this before or after 1948? --> head of ], and in his memoirs, Benenson described him as "a partner in the launching of the project".<ref>Benenson, P. (1983). Memoir</ref> In consultation with other writers, academics and lawyers and, in particular, Alec Digges, they wrote via ] to ], editor of '']'' newspaper, who, on 28 May 1961, published Benenson's article "The Forgotten Prisoners". The article brought the reader's attention to those "imprisoned, tortured or executed because his opinions or religion are unacceptable to his government"<ref name= Forgotten /> or, put another way, to violations, by governments, of articles 18 and 19 of the ] (UDHR). The article described these violations occurring, on a global scale, in the context of restrictions to press freedom, to political oppositions, to timely ] before impartial courts, and to asylum. It marked the launch of "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961", the aim of which was to mobilize public opinion, quickly and widely, in defence of these individuals, whom Benenson named "Prisoners of Conscience". The "Appeal for Amnesty" was reprinted by a large number of international newspapers. In the same year, Benenson had a book published, ''Persecution 1961'', which detailed the cases of nine ] investigated and compiled by Benenson and Baker (Maurice Audin, ], ], ], ], ], ], Antonio Amat and ]).<ref>{{cite journal | last = Buchanan | first = T. |year=2002 | title= The Truth Will Set You Free: The Making of Amnesty International | journal= Journal of Contemporary History | volume=37 | issue= 4 | pages= 575–97| doi= 10.1177/00220094020370040501 | jstor= 3180761| s2cid = 154183908 }}</ref> In July 1961, the leadership had decided that the appeal would form the basis of a permanent organization, Amnesty, with the first meeting taking place in London. Benenson ensured that all three major political parties were represented, enlisting members of parliament from the ], ], and ].<ref name="guardian1">{{cite news| first =Tracy | last = McVeigh |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/29/amnesty-international-marks-50th-birthday |title=Amnesty International marks 50 years of fighting for free speech |work= The Observer |date= 29 May 2011 |location= London}}</ref> On 30 September 1962, it was officially named "Amnesty International". Between the "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961" and September 1962 the organization had been known simply as "Amnesty".<ref>{{cite book |title= Report 1962 | publisher =Amnesty International |year= 1963}}</ref> | |||
What started as a short appeal soon became a permanent international movement working to protect those imprisoned for non-violent expression of their views and to secure worldwide recognition of Articles 18 and 19 of the UDHR. From the very beginning, research and campaigning were present in Amnesty International's work. A library was established for information about prisoners of conscience and a network of local groups, called "THREES" groups, was started. Each group worked on behalf of three prisoners, one from each of the then three main ideological regions of the world: ], ], and ]. | |||
By the mid-1960s, Amnesty International's global presence was growing and an International Secretariat and International Executive Committee were established to manage Amnesty International's national organizations, called "Sections", which had appeared in several countries. They were secretly supported by the British government at the time.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Sellars|first=Kirsten|title=Peter Benenson in David P. Forsythe (ed.), (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), pp. 162-165.|url=https://www.academia.edu/1969187|journal=The Encyclopaedia of Human Rights|language=en}}</ref> The international movement was starting to agree on its core principles and techniques. For example, the issue of whether or not to adopt prisoners who had advocated violence, like ],<ref>{{Cite book|title=A flame in barbed wire : the story of Amnesty International|last=Larsen|first=Egon|publisher=Norton|year=1979|isbn=978-0393012132|edition=1st American|location=New York|oclc=4832507|url=https://archive.org/details/flameinbarbedwir00lars}}</ref> brought unanimous agreement that it could not give the name of "Prisoner of Conscience" to such prisoners. Aside from the work of the library and groups, Amnesty International's activities were expanding to helping prisoners' families, sending observers to trials, making representations to governments, and finding asylum or overseas employment for prisoners. Its activity and influence were also increasing within intergovernmental organizations; it would be awarded consultative status by the United Nations, the ] and ] before the decade ended. | |||
In 1966, Benenson suspected that the British government in collusion with some Amnesty employees had suppressed a report on British atrocities in Aden.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=28 February 2005|title=Peter Benenson|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/peter-benenson-13233.html|access-date=23 October 2020|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref> He began to suspect that many of his colleagues were part of a British intelligence conspiracy to subvert Amnesty, but he could not convince anybody else at AI.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Power|first=Jonathan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VegiAQAAMAAJ|title=Amnesty International, the Human Rights Story|date=1981|publisher=McGraw-Hill|isbn=978-0-07-050597-1|language=en}}</ref> Later in the same year there were further allegations, when the US government reported that ], the former Irish foreign minister and Amnesty's first chairman, had been involved with a ] funding operation.<ref name=":1" /> MacBride denied knowledge of the funding, but Benenson became convinced that MacBride was a member of a CIA network.<ref name=":2" /> Benenson resigned as Amnesty's president on the grounds that it was bugged and infiltrated by the secret services, and said that he could no longer live in a country where such activities were tolerated.<ref name=":3" /> ''(See ])'' | |||
===1970s=== | |||
During the 1970s, ] and ] led Amnesty International. While continuing to work for prisoners of conscience, Amnesty International's purview widened to include "]" and opposition to long ] (UDHR Article 9), and especially to the torture of prisoners (UDHR Article 5). Amnesty International believed that the reasons underlying torture of prisoners by governments were either to acquire and obtain information or to quell opposition by the use of terror, or both. Also of concern was the export of more sophisticated torture methods, equipment and teaching by the superpowers to "client states", for example by the United States through ]. | |||
Amnesty International drew together reports from countries where torture allegations seemed most persistent and organized an international conference on torture. It sought to influence public opinion to put pressure on national governments by organizing a campaign for the "Abolition of Torture", which ran for several years. | |||
Amnesty International's membership increased from 15,000 in 1969<ref>{{cite book |title= Amnesty International Report 1968-69 |publisher= Amnesty International |year=1969}}</ref> to 200,000 by 1979.<ref>{{cite book |title= Amnesty International Report 1979 |publisher= Amnesty International |year=1980}}</ref> This growth in resources enabled an expansion of its program, "outside of the prison walls", to include work on ], the death penalty and the rights of refugees. A new technique, the "Urgent Action", aimed at mobilizing the membership into action rapidly was pioneered. The first was issued on 19 March 1973, on behalf of Luiz Basilio Rossi, a Brazilian academic, arrested for political reasons. | |||
At the intergovernmental level Amnesty International pressed for application of the UN's ] and of existing humanitarian conventions; to secure ratifications of the two ] in 1976; and was instrumental in obtaining additional instruments and provisions forbidding the practice of maltreatment. Consultative status was granted at the ] in 1972. | |||
In 1976, Amnesty's British Section started a series of fund-raising events that came to be known as '']'' series. They were staged in London initially as comedy galas featuring what the ''Daily Telegraph'' called "the crème de la crème of the British comedy world"<ref name="Monahan">{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/3561631/Hot-ticket-The-Secret-Policemans-Ball-at-the-Royal-Albert-Hall-London.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK | first=Mark | last=Monahan |title= Hot ticket: The Secret Policeman's Ball at the Royal Albert Hall, London | date=4 October 2008}}</ref> including members of comedy troupe ], and later expanded to also include performances by leading rock musicians. The series was created and developed by ] alumnus ] and entertainment industry executive ] working closely with Amnesty staff members ] (Assistant Director of Amnesty 1974–78) and subsequently with Peter Walker (Amnesty Fund-Raising Officer 1978–82). Cleese, Lewis and Luff worked together on the first two shows (1976 and 1977). Cleese, Lewis and Walker worked together on the 1979 and 1981 shows, the first to carry what the ''Daily Telegraph'' described as the "rather brilliantly re-christened" ''Secret Policeman's Ball'' title.<ref name="Monahan"/> | |||
The organization was awarded the 1977 ] for its "defence of human dignity against ]"<ref name="AINobelLec">{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1977/press.html|title=The Nobel Peace Prize 1977 - Presentation Speech|publisher=Nobel Prize}}</ref> and the ] in 1978.<ref name="AIUNAward">{{cite web|url=http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Press/previous_recipients.pdf |title=United Nations Prize in the field of Human Rights }}</ref> | |||
===1980s=== | |||
By 1980, Amnesty International was drawing more criticism from governments. The ] alleged that Amnesty International conducted espionage, the ] denounced it as a defender of lawbreakers, and the ] banned Amnesty International's 1983 annual report.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325142753/https://www.amnesty.org/russia/pdfs/justice-report-eng.pdf |date=25 March 2009}}</ref> | |||
Throughout the 1980s, Amnesty International continued to campaign against torture, and on behalf of prisoners of conscience. New issues emerged, including ]s, military, security and police transfers, political killings, and disappearances. | |||
Towards the end of the decade, the growing number of refugees worldwide became a focus for Amnesty International. While many of the world's refugees of the time had been displaced by war and ], in adherence to its mandate, Amnesty International concentrated on those forced to flee because of the human rights violations it was seeking to prevent. It argued that rather than focusing on new restrictions on entry for asylum-seekers, governments were to address the human rights violations which were forcing people into exile. | |||
Apart from a second campaign on torture during the first half of the decade, two major musical events took place to increase awareness of Amnesty and of human rights (particularly among younger generations) during the mid- to late-1980s. The 1986 ] tour, which played five concerts in the US, and culminated in a daylong show, featuring some thirty-odd acts at Giants Stadium, and the 1988 ] world tour. Human Rights Now!, which was timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the United Nations' ] (UDHR), played a series of concerts on five continents over six weeks. Both tours featured some of the most famous musicians and bands of the day. | |||
===1990s=== | |||
Throughout the 1990s, Amnesty continued to grow, to a membership of over seven million in over 150 countries and territories,<ref name="whoai">{{cite web |url= https://www.amnesty.org/en/who-we-are |title=Who we are |publisher=Amnesty International |access-date=16 March 2015}}</ref> led by Senegalese Secretary General ]. Amnesty continued to work on a wide range of issues and world events. For example, South African groups joined in 1992 and hosted a visit by Pierre Sané to meet with the ] government to press for an investigation into allegations of police abuse, an end to arms sales to the ] region and the abolition of the death penalty. In particular, Amnesty International brought attention to violations committed on specific groups, including ]s, racial/ethnic/religious minorities, women and those executed or on ]. The death penalty report ''When the State Kills''<ref>, Amnesty International, 1989 ({{ISBN|978-0862101640}}).</ref> and the "Human Rights are Women's Rights" campaign were key actions for the latter two issues. | |||
During the 1990s, Amnesty International was forced to react to human rights violations occurring in the context of a proliferation of armed conflict in ], ], the ], ], and the former ]. Amnesty International took no position on whether to support or oppose external military interventions in these armed conflicts. It did not reject the use of force, even lethal force, or ask those engaged to lay down their arms. Instead, it questioned the motives behind external intervention and selectivity of international action in relation to the strategic interests of those who sent troops. It argued that action should be taken to prevent human-rights problems from becoming human-rights catastrophes and that both intervention and inaction represented a failure of the ]. | |||
In 1995, when AI wanted to promote how ] was involved with the execution of an environmental and human-rights activist ] in Nigeria, it was stopped. Newspapers and advertising companies refused to run AI's ads because Shell Oil was a customer of theirs as well. Shell's main argument was that it was drilling oil in a country that already violated human rights and had no way to enforce human-rights policies. To combat the buzz that AI was trying to create, it immediately publicized how Shell was helping to improve overall life in Nigeria. ], the director of Amnesty, said, "Social media re-energises the idea of the global citizen".<ref name="guardian1"/> James M. Russell notes how the drive for profit from private media sources conflicts with the stories that AI wants to be heard.<ref name=Russell>{{cite journal |last=Russell |first=James M. |title=The Ambivalence about the Globalization of Telecommunications: The Story of Amnesty International, Shell Oil Company and Nigeria |journal=Journal of Human Rights |year=2002 |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=405–416|doi=10.1080/14754830210156625 |s2cid=144174755 }} Retrieved 3 March 2013.</ref> | |||
Amnesty International was proactive in pushing for recognition of the universality of human rights. The campaign 'Get Up, Sign Up' marked 50 years of the UDHR. Thirteen million pledges were collected in support, and the Decl music concert was held in Paris on 10 December 1998 (]). At the intergovernmental level, Amnesty International argued in favour of creating a ] (established 1993) and an ] (established 2002). | |||
After his arrest in London in 1998 by the ], Amnesty International became involved in the legal battle of Senator ], former Chilean dictator, who sought to avoid extradition to Spain to face charges. ] had an indirect connection with Amnesty International, and this led to an important test for the appearance of bias in legal proceedings in UK law. There was a suit<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/617425.stm |title=Legal lessons of Pinochet case |work=BBC News | date=2 March 2000 | access-date=23 April 2010}}</ref> against the decision to release Senator Pinochet, taken by the then British ] Jack Straw, before that decision had actually been taken, in an attempt to prevent the release of Senator Pinochet. The English ] refused<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/625198.stm |title=Pinochet appeal fails |work=BBC News |date=31 January 2000 |access-date=9 February 2009 |author=uncredited}}</ref> the application, and Senator Pinochet was released and returned to Chile. | |||
===2000s=== | |||
After 2000, Amnesty International's primary focus turned to the challenges arising from ] and the reaction to the ] in the United States. The issue of globalization provoked a major shift in Amnesty International policy, as the scope of its work was widened to include economic, social and cultural rights, an area that it had declined to work on in the past. Amnesty International felt this shift was important, not just to give credence to its principle of the indivisibility of rights, but because of what it saw as the growing power of companies and the undermining of many nation-states as a result of globalization.<ref>Amnesty International News Service , 15 August 2003. Retrieved 9 January 2011.</ref> | |||
In the aftermath of 11 September attacks, the new Amnesty International Secretary General, ], reported that a senior government official had said to Amnesty International delegates: "Your role collapsed with the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York."<ref>{{cite book|title=Amnesty International Report 2002|publisher=Amnesty International|year=2003}}</ref> In the years following the attacks, some{{Who|date=January 2010}} believe that the gains made by human rights organizations over previous decades had possibly been eroded.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/articles_papers_reports/185.html|title=Revisiting Humanitarian Intervention: Post-September 11|last=Saunders|first=Joe|date=19 November 2001|publisher=Carnegie Council for Ethics in international Affairs |access-date=24 April 2016}}</ref> Amnesty International argued that human rights were the basis for the security of all, not a barrier to it. Criticism came directly from the ] and '']'', when Khan, in 2005, likened the US government's detention facility at ], to a ].<ref>{{cite news|title=American Gulag|work=The Washington Post|date=26 May 2005|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/25/AR2005052501838.html|access-date=2 October 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bush says Amnesty report 'absurd'|work=BBC News|date=31 May 2005|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4598109.stm|access-date=2 October 2006}}</ref> | |||
During the first half of the new decade, Amnesty International turned its attention to ], controls on the world ], concerns surrounding the effectiveness of the UN, and ending torture.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa19/001/2003/en/ |title=endtorture.org International Campaign against Torture |format=PDF }}</ref> With its membership close to two million by 2005,<ref>{{cite book|title=Amnesty International Report 2005: the state of the world's human rights|publisher=Amnesty International|year=2004|isbn=978-1-887204-42-2}}</ref> Amnesty continued to work for prisoners of conscience. | |||
In 2007, AI's executive committee decided to support access to abortion "within reasonable gestational limits...for women in cases of rape, incest or violence, or where the pregnancy jeopardizes a mother's life or health".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/women/pdf/SRR_Resource_Toolkit.pdf |title=Women's Rights |publisher=Amnesty International USA |access-date=5 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624214114/http://www.amnestyusa.org/women/pdf/SRR_Resource_Toolkit.pdf |archive-date=24 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
Amnesty International reported, concerning the ], on 17 March 2008, that despite claims the security situation in Iraq has improved in recent months, the human rights situation is disastrous, after the start of the war five years earlier in 2003.<ref>{{cite news|title=Reports: 'Disastrous' Iraqi humanitarian crisis|publisher=CNN|date=17 March 2008|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/17/iraq.humanitarian/index.html|access-date=17 March 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080321214850/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/17/iraq.humanitarian/index.html| archive-date= 21 March 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> | |||
In 2009, Amnesty International accused Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement of committing war crimes during Israel's January offensive in Gaza, called ], that resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.<ref>{{cite news|title=Israel used human shields: Amnesty|publisher=Fairfax Digital|date=3 July 2009|url=http://www.theage.com.au/world/israel-used-human-shields-amnesty-20090702-d6j2.html|access-date=3 July 2009 | location=Melbourne | first1=Jason | last1=Koutsoukis}}</ref> The 117-page Amnesty report charged Israeli forces with killing hundreds of civilians and wanton destruction of thousands of homes. Amnesty found evidence of Israeli soldiers using Palestinian civilians as human shields. A subsequent ] was carried out; Amnesty stated that its findings were consistent with those of Amnesty's own field investigation, and called on the UN to act promptly to implement the mission's recommendations.<ref>{{cite web | |||
| title = UN must ensure Goldstone inquiry recommendations are implemented | |||
| url = https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2009/09/onu-garantizar-recomendaciones-informe-goldstone-israel-gaza-20090916/ | |||
| publisher=Amnesty International | |||
| date = 15 September 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/search/?contentType=2561|title=Turkmenistan|publisher=Amnesty International}}</ref> | |||
===2010s=== | |||
] | |||
] | |||
==== 2010 ==== | |||
In February 2010, ] ], its gender unit head, after she criticized Amnesty for its links with ], director of ]. She said it was "a gross error of judgment" to work with "Britain's most famous supporter of the Taliban".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spectator.co.uk/martinbright/5759197/gita-sahgal-a-statement.thtml |author=Bright, Martin|title=Gita Sahgal: A Statement|work=The Spectator |date=7 February 2010 |access-date=18 March 2010}}</ref><ref name=JoanSmith /> Amnesty responded that Sahgal was not suspended "for raising these issues internally... speaks about his own views ..., not Amnesty International's".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/amnesty-international-its-work-moazzam-begg-and-cageprisoners |title=Amnesty International on its work with Moazzam Begg and Cageprisoners|publisher=Amnesty International |date=11 February 2010 |access-date=18 March 2010}}</ref> Among those who spoke up for Sahgal were ],<ref>, ''The Sunday Times'', 21 February 2010.</ref> Member of Parliament ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name=JoanSmith>Smith, Joan, , '']'', 11 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2010.</ref><ref name="denis">{{cite web|url=http://www.human-rights-for-all.org/spip.php?article11|title=Letter To Amnesty International from Denis MacShane, Member of British Parliament|last=MacShane|first=Denis|date=10 February 2010|access-date=17 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216011402/http://www.human-rights-for-all.org/spip.php?article11|archive-date=16 February 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="mel">{{cite news|url=http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/5774326/the-human-wrongs-industry-spits-out-one-of-its-own.thtml|title=The human wrongs industry spits out one of its own|last=Phillips|first=Melanie|date=14 February 2010|work=The Spectator |location=UK|access-date=23 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Plait |first=Phil |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/fighting_words/2010/02/suspension_of_conscience.html |title=Amnesty International loses sight of its original purpose |publisher=] |date=15 February 2010}}</ref><ref>Bright, Martin, {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211120857/http://www.spectator.co.uk/martinbright/5757557/amnesty-international-moazzam-begg-and-the-bravery-of-gita-sahgal.thtml |date=11 February 2010}}, '']'', 7 February 2010.</ref><ref>, '']'', 12 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2010.</ref><ref>Cohen, Nick, , ''The Observer'', 14 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2010.</ref> | |||
==== 2011 ==== | |||
In February 2011, Amnesty requested that Swiss authorities start a criminal investigation of former US President ] and arrest him.<ref name=AIBush>{{cite web | |||
|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/president-bush-cancels-visit-switzerland-2011-02-06 | |||
|title=President Bush cancels visit to Switzerland | |||
|publisher=Amnesty International | |||
|date=6 February 2011 | |||
|access-date=8 February 2011}}</ref> | |||
In July 2011, Amnesty International celebrated its 50 years with an animated short film directed by ], produced by Eallin Motion Art and Dreamlife Studio, with music by Academy Award-winner ] and nominee Lorne Balfe. The film shows that the fight for humanity is not yet over.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vimeo.com/24146622 |title=Amnesty International – 50 years on Vimeo |publisher=Vimeo |date=23 May 2011}}</ref> | |||
==== 2012 ==== | |||
In August 2012, Amnesty International's chief executive in India sought an impartial investigation, led by the United Nations, to render justice to those affected by war crimes in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3751494.ece |title= Amnesty wants U.N. probe into Sri Lanka war crimes |date=11 August 2012 | location=Chennai, India |work=The Hindu |first=S. Vijay |last=Kumar}}</ref> | |||
==== 2014 ==== | |||
] | |||
On 18 August 2014, in the wake of ] sparked by people protesting the ], an unarmed 18-year-old man, and subsequent acquittal of Darren Wilson, the officer who shot him, Amnesty International sent a 13-person contingent of human rights activists to seek meetings with officials as well as to train local activists in non-violent protest methods.<ref name="Reuters.Amnesty">{{Cite news|last1=Wulfhorst|first1=Ellen|title=National Guard called to Missouri town roiled by police shooting of teen|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-missouri-shooting-idUSKBN0GF0LP20140818|newspaper=Reuters|access-date=18 August 2014|date=18 August 2014}}</ref> This was the first time that the organization has deployed such a team to the United States.<ref>{{cite web |author= Geidner, Chris |url= https://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/amnesty-international-takes-unprecedented-us-action-in-fergu#3ib1dmm |title=Amnesty International Takes "Unprecedented" U.S. Action In Ferguson |publisher=Buzzfeed |date=14 August 2014 |access-date=18 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-ferguson-protests-020140816-story.html#page=1 |author1=Pearce, Matt |author2=Molly Hennessy-Fiske |author3=Tina Susman|title=Some warn that Gov. Jay Nixon's curfew for Ferguson, Mo., may backfire |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=16 August 2014 |access-date=18 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Reilly, Mollie |url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/17/amnesty-international-ferguson-police_n_5685952.html |title=Amnesty International Calls For Investigation Of Ferguson Police Tactics |work=The Huffington Post |date=17 August 2014 |access-date=18 August 2014}}</ref> In a press release, AI USA director ] said, "The U.S. cannot continue to allow those obligated and duty-bound to protect to become those who their community fears most."<ref>{{cite web|title=Amnesty International Sends Human Rights Delegation to Ferguson, Missouri|url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/amnesty-international-sends-human-rights-delegation-to-ferguson-missouri|publisher=Amnesty International|access-date=19 August 2014}}</ref> | |||
==== 2016 ==== | |||
In February 2016, Amnesty International launched its annual report of human rights around the world titled "The State of the World's Human Rights". It warns from the consequences of "us vs them" speech which divided human beings into two camps. It states that this speech enhances a global pushback against human rights and makes the world more divided and more dangerous. It also states that in 2016, governments turned a blind eye to war crimes and passed laws that violate ]. Elsewhere, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Thailand and ] carried out massive crackdowns, while authorities in other countries continued to implement security measures represent an infringement on rights.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/02/amnesty-international-annual-report-201617/|title='Politics of demonization' breeding division and fear|date=22 February 2017|publisher=Amnesty International |access-date=26 February 2017}}</ref> In June 2016, Amnesty International has called on the United Nations General Assembly to "immediately suspend" ] from the ].<ref>. Amnesty International. 29 June 2016.</ref><ref>. Amnesty International. 7 June 2016.</ref> Richard Bennett, head of Amnesty's UN Office, said: "The credibility of the U.N. Human Rights Council is at stake. Since joining the council, Saudi Arabia's dire human rights record at home has continued to deteriorate and the coalition it leads has unlawfully killed and injured thousands of civilians in the ]."<ref>. Salon. 29 June 2016.</ref> | |||
In December 2016, Amnesty International revealed that ], a fake non-profit organization which claims to raise awareness for migrant workers who are victims of ] in ], had been trying to spy on their staff.<ref name="lemondecommentuneongfantome">{{cite news|last1=Untersinger|first1=Martin|title=Comment une ONG fantôme a tenté d'espionner Amnesty International|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2016/12/21/comment-une-ong-fantome-francaise-a-tente-d-espionner-amnesty-international_5052479_4408996.html|access-date=27 December 2016|work=Le Monde|date=22 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="forbesthisfakenonprofit">{{cite news|last1=Fox-Brewster|first1=Thomas|title=This Fake Nonprofit Has Been Accused Of Spying On Real Human Rights Activists|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2016/12/21/voiceless-victims-a-fake-charity-spying-qatar-activists/#39d3331417a4|access-date=27 December 2016|work=Forbes|date=21 December 2016}}</ref> | |||
==== 2017 ==== | |||
The various allegations include connections with various Islamic terrorist groups,<ref name="hindustantimes.com"/><ref name="News.outlookindia.com"/> possessing arms,<ref name="dailypioneer.com"/><ref name="daily.bhaskar.com"/><ref name="Deccanherald.com"/> kidnapping, murder,<ref name="auto"/><ref name="Newindianexpress.com"/> intimidation,<ref name="dna"/><ref name="ibnlive.in.com"/><ref name="The Times of India"/><ref name="auto1"/> hate campaign,<ref name="zen"/><ref name="noe"/><ref name="Bihar Prabha"/><ref name="Rediff"/> rioting,<ref name="shimogatimes"/><ref name="ReferenceD"/> ]<ref name="auto3"/> and various acts of religious extremism, including the ] who had set a controversial question paper supposedly insulting the Prophet Muhammed.<ref name="Rediff.com"/><ref name="English News | Top Stories"/><ref name="M.G. Radhakrishnan"/><ref name="Defending the front"/><ref name="Radianceweekly.com"/><ref name="auto4"/><ref name="The Hindu"/><ref name="ReferenceE"/> However, the charges were refuted by the PFI which alleged the accusations as baseless and fabricated to malign the organisation.<ref name="tulunadunews.com"/><ref name="auto2"/> An IB officer have said that PFI preaches to its cadres that killing of right-wing activists would provide them 'religious rewards in the afterlife'.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
] in July 2017]] | |||
Amnesty International published its annual report for the year 2016–2017 on 21 February 2017. Secretary General ]'s opening statement in the report highlighted many ongoing international cases of abuse as well as emerging threats. Shetty drew attention, among many issues, to the ], the use of ] in the ], outgoing United States President ]'s expansion of ], and the successful 2016 presidential election campaign of Obama's successor ]. Shetty stated that the Trump election campaign was characterized by "poisonous" discourse in which "he frequently made deeply divisive statements marked by misogyny and xenophobia, and pledged to roll back established civil liberties and introduce policies which would be profoundly inimical to human rights." In his opening summary, Shetty stated that "the world in 2016 became a darker and more unstable place."<ref>Shetty, Salil (February 2017) Amnesty International Report 2016/17, Part 1: Foreword and Regional Overviews, p. 12</ref> | |||
In July 2017, ] police detained 10 human rights activists during a workshop on digital security at a hotel near ]. Eight people, including ], Amnesty International director in Turkey, as well as German ] and Swede Ali Gharavi, were arrested. Two others were detained but released pending trial. They were accused of aiding armed terror organizations in alleged communications with suspects linked to ]ish and left-wing militants, as well as the movement led by US-based Muslim cleric ].<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 October 2017|others=The ]|title=Amnesty International's director in Turkey charged with helping terror groups|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/amnesty-international-turkey-chief-charged-human-rights-1.4345995|access-date=|website=]}}</ref> | |||
=== 2003 Murders === | |||
In 2003, some of its members were arrested for rioting and ] in Kerala's Kozhikode.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Dev|first=Arun|date=2017-11-25|title=Explained: Why Does Govt Want Popular Front of India (PFI) Banned?|url=https://www.thequint.com/explainers/explainer-why-government-wants-pfi-banned-popular-front-of-india|access-date=2020-08-08|website=TheQuint|language=en}}</ref> | |||
Amnesty International supported the UN treaty on the ]. James Lynch, Head of Arms Control and Human Rights at Amnesty International, said: "This historic treaty brings us a step closer to a world free from the horrors of ]s, the most destructive and indiscriminate weapons ever created."<ref>{{cite news |title=UN: Nuclear weapons ban is an antidote to cynical brinkmanship |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/07/un-nuclear-weapons-ban-is-an-antidote-to-cynical-brinkmanship/ |publisher=Amnesty International |date=7 July 2017}}</ref> | |||
=== Connection with Students Islamic Movement of India === | |||
==== 2018 ==== | |||
In 2010, the PFI was alleged to have links with the banned Islamic terrorist organisation ].<ref name="sify.com"/> The PFI's national chairman, Abdul Rehman, was the former national secretary of SIMI, while the organization's state secretary, Abdul Hameed, was SIMI's former state secretary. Most former leaders of SIMI were either identified with PFI or were holding various portfolios in the organisation.<ref name="News.outlookindia.com"/> The alleged SIMI connection has been dubbed baseless by the leaders of the Popular Front claiming that the Front was launched in 1993, whereas the SIMI ban came much later in 2001.<ref name="tulunadunews.com"/><ref name="auto2"/> Retired Indian army officer P. C. Katoch has claimed that the PFI maintains links with the Pakistani intelligence agency, ].<ref>{{cite book|title=India's Special Forces: History and Future of Special Forces| date=2013|publisher=Vij Book India Pvt Ltd|isbn=9789382573593}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|journal=Indian Defence Review | title = retired Indian army claimed that PFI | date=Apr–Jun 2013|volume=28| issue = 2 }}</ref> | |||
] ] activists in May 2018]] | |||
Amnesty International published its 2017/2018 report in February 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/6700/2018/en/|title=AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2017/18: THE STATE OF THE WORLD'S HUMAN RIGHTS}}</ref> | |||
In October 2018, an Amnesty International researcher was abducted and beaten while observing demonstrations in Magas, the capital of Ingushetia, Russia.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/10/15/amnesty-international-activist-abducted-beaten-faced-mock-execution/|title=Amnesty International activist abducted, beaten and faced mock-execution in Russia|last=Luhn|first=Alec|date=15 October 2018|work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> | |||
=== Arms training camp in Narath === | |||
On 25 October, federal officers raided the ] office for 10 hours on a suspicion that the organization had violated foreign direct investment guidelines on the orders of the ]. Employees and supporters of Amnesty International say this is an act to ] and people who question the authority and capabilities of government leaders. Aakar Patel, the Executive Director of the Indian branch claimed, "The Enforcement Directorate's raid on our office today shows how the authorities are now treating ] like criminal enterprises, using heavy-handed methods. On Sep 29, the Ministry of Home Affairs said Amnesty International using "glossy statements" about humanitarian work etc as a "ploy to divert attention" from their activities which were in clear contravention of laid down Indian laws. Amnesty International received permission only once in Dec 2000, since then it had been denied Foreign Contribution permission under the Foreign Contribution Act by successive Governments. However, in order to circumvent the FCRA regulations, Amnesty UK remitted large amounts of money to four entities registered in India by classifying it as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).<ref>{{Cite news|title=Amnesty International's statement far from truth, attempt to influence probe into its illegalities: MHA|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/amnesty-internationals-statement-far-from-truth-attempt-to-influence-probe-into-its-illegalities-mha/articleshow/78388167.cms|access-date=5 February 2021}}</ref> | |||
In April 2013, Kerala Police raided a training camp in Narath, ] and arrested 21 activists of the Popular Front of India. Two country-made bombs, a sword, raw materials for making bombs and pamphlets in the name of PFI were seized by the police. The raid was conducted at the office building of Thanal Charitable Trust. A document with names of several leading personalities and organisations was also seized, which police suspect is a hit-list.<ref name="dailypioneer.com"/><ref name="daily.bhaskar.com"/><ref name="Deccanherald.com"/> The Popular Front leadership and those arrested claimed that it was a Yoga training programme organised as part of a personality development programme<ref name="dailypioneer.com"/> and asked for a judicial probe by a sitting judge to inquire into the alleged training camp. PFI's state president claimed that this police case was fabricated in a bid to tarnish the organisation's image.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/narath-pfi-seeks-judicial-probe/article4701551.ece |title=Narath: PFI seeks judicial probe |newspaper=The Hindu |date=2013-05-10 |access-date=2014-04-15 |location=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite web|url=http://twocircles.net/2013apr26/pfi_smells_conspiracy_behind_kerala_arrests.html |title=PFI smells conspiracy behind Kerala arrests |publisher=TwoCircles.net |date=2013-04-26 |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> On 18 May 2013, the ] arrived to investigate the alleged extremist activities in Narath.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/narath-case-nia-team-in-kannur/article4726572.ece |title=Narath case: NIA team in Kannur |newspaper=The Hindu |date=2013-05-18 |access-date=2014-04-15 |location=Chennai, India}}</ref> | |||
The current Prime Minister of India, ], has been criticized by foreign medias for harming civil society in India, specifically by targeting advocacy groups.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/09/opinion/narendra-modis-crackdown-on-civil-society-in-india.html|title=Opinion {{!}} Narendra Modi's Crackdown on Civil Society in India|access-date=29 October 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-ngos-crackdown/india-uses-foreign-funding-law-to-harass-charities-rights-groups-idUSKBN134056|title=India uses foreign funding law to harass charities: rights groups|last=Bhalla|first=Nita|work=U.S.|access-date=29 October 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/c6377b1c-917b-11e8-bb8f-a6a2f7bca546|title=Indians sound alarm over 'Orwellian' data collection system|last=Kazmin|first=Amy|date=30 July 2018|website=Financial Times|language=en-GB|access-date=29 October 2018}}</ref> India has cancelled the registration of about 15,000 nongovernmental organisations under the ] (FCRA); the U.N. has issued statements against the policies that allow these cancellations to occur.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/10/26/asia-pacific/amnesty-india-says-raid-frozen-accounts-aimed-silencing-government-critics/|title=Amnesty India says raid and frozen accounts aimed at silencing government critics|last=Das|first=Krishna N.|date=26 October 2018|work=The Japan Times Online|access-date=29 October 2018|language=en-US|issn=0447-5763}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/r-india-using-funding-law-to-foil-dissenting-charities-un-experts-2016-6|title=The UN wants India to stop trying to starve charities that are critical of the government|work=Business Insider|access-date=29 October 2018}}</ref> Though nothing was found to confirm these accusations, the government plans on continuing the investigation and has frozen the ]s of all the offices in ]. A spokesperson for the Enforcement Directorate has said the investigation could take three months to complete.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
=== Kidnap and Murder of boys for ransom === | |||
On 30 October 2018, Amnesty called for the arrest and prosecution of ]n security forces claiming that they used excessive force against Shi'a protesters during a peaceful religious procession around Abuja, Nigeria. At least 45 were killed and 122 were injured during the event .<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/11/01/amnesty-international-wants-nigerian-security-forces-held-accountable-for-killing-shiites/|title=Amnesty International Wants Nigerian Security Forces Held Accountable for Killing Shiites|last=Abiodun|first=Eromosele|date=November 2018}}</ref> | |||
Two boys were kidnapped on 8 June 2011 from ] premises in ] and murdered by members of ] (KFD), who sought ransom of 5 crore rupees to raise funds for their organisation.<ref name="dna"/><ref name="ibnlive.in.com"/><ref name="The Times of India"/><ref name="auto1"/> In 2006 KFD had merged with PFI. The arrested KFD members are Adil, alias Adil Pasha; Athavulla Khan; Ameen, alias Syed Ameen; Rehman, alias Shabbir Rehaman; Kouser, alias Mohammed Kouser; and Safeer Ahmed, alias Safeer.<ref name="dna"/> Following the arrest of these KFD members, Karnataka state government requested the Union government to ban Karnataka Forum for Dignity.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-27/bangalore/29709372_1_karnataka-forum-kfd-ban |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103074257/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-27/bangalore/29709372_1_karnataka-forum-kfd-ban |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 January 2013 |work=] |title=State will urge Centre to ban KFD|date=27 June 2011 }}</ref> | |||
In November 2018, Amnesty reported the arrest of 19 or more rights activists and lawyers in ]. The arrests were made by the Egyptian authorities as part of the regime's ongoing crackdown on dissent. One of the arrested was Hoda Abdel-Monaim, a 60-year-old human rights lawyer and former member of the National Council for Human Rights. Amnesty reported that following the arrests Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF) decided to suspend its activities due to the hostile environment towards civil society in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/egypt-arrests-19-rights-activists-lawyers-amnesty/a-46125842|title=Egypt arrests 19 rights activists, lawyers: Amnesty {{!}} DW {{!}} 1 November 2018|website=Deutsche Welle|language=en-GB|access-date=23 December 2018}}</ref> | |||
=== Murder of CPI(M) and RSS workers === | |||
On 5 December 2018, Amnesty International strongly condemned the execution of ] and Siamion Berazhnoy in ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur49/9521/2018/en/|title=BELARUS: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNS EXECUTION OF TWO MORE PRISONERS|date=5 December 2018|website=Amnesty International|access-date=7 December 2018}}</ref> They were shot despite ] request for a delay.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://belsat.eu/en/news/black-realtors-case-one-more-executed-in-belarus/|title=Black realtors case: One more executed in Belarus|date=28 November 2018|website=BelSat|access-date=7 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dp.spring96.org/en/news/91535|title=Belarus: Amnesty International condemns execution of two more prisoners|date=5 December 2018|website=Viasna-96|access-date=7 December 2018}}</ref> | |||
In 2012, the Kerala government informed the Kerala High Court, in an affidavit, that Popular Front of India had active involvement in 27 murder cases, mostly of cadres of ] and ].<ref name=ie>{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pfi-is-simi-in-another-form-kerala-govt-tells-hc/979440/ |title=PFI is banned outfit SIMI in another form, Kerala govt tells HC |date=26 July 2012 |access-date=24 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=PFI, NDF Involved in CPI(M), RSS Cadres' Murders: Kerala|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=769976|access-date=18 April 2014|newspaper=Outlook|date=25 July 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408211304/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=769976|archive-date=8 April 2014}}</ref> In 2014, it again submitted before the Kerala High Court that activists of the NDF/PFI were involved in 27 communally motivated murder cases, 86 attempt to murder cases and in 106 communal cases registered in the state. The affidavit was filed in response to a petition filed by Thejas, spokesperson of PFI in the State, challenging the refusal of the government to give government advertisements to the daily.<ref>{{cite news|title=PFI promotes extremism|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/pfi-promotes-extremism/article5673924.ece|access-date=18 April 2014|newspaper=The Hindu|date=11 February 2014|location=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=NDF and PFI Involved in 106 Communal Cases, HC Told|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/NDF-and-PFI-Involved-in-106-Communal-Cases-HC-Told/2014/02/11/article2050043.ece|access-date=18 April 2014|newspaper=The New Indian Express|date=11 February 2014}}</ref> A carpenter Abid Pasha was arrested for six murder cases.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/abid-pasha-mysuru-murders-revelations-religious-leaning-carpenter-bajrang-dal-2991215/|title=The carpenter of Mysuru and the murders no one suspected him of|date=2016-08-23|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-05-17|language=en-US}}</ref> He had links with PFI.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/rss-man-murder-karnataka-r-rudresh-3740784/|title=Karnataka: Cops to invoke UAPA in RSS leader murder case|date=2016-11-07|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-05-17|language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
====2019==== | |||
=== Murder of ABVP activist N Sachin Gopal and Vishal === | |||
], 4 May 2019]] | |||
In February 2019, Amnesty International's management team offered to resign after an ] found what it called a "toxic culture" of ], and found evidence of ], ], ] and ], after being asked to investigate the ]s of 30-year Amnesty veteran Gaetan Mootoo in Paris in May 2018 (who left a ] citing work pressures), and 28-year-old intern Rosalind McGregor in Geneva in July 2018.<ref name=RTE2019-02-23a>{{cite web |title=Amnesty management team offers to resign over 'toxic culture' of bullying|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2019/0223/1032309-amnestys-toxic-culture-of-bullying-report/|access-date=24 February 2019 |publisher= ]|date=23 February 2019}}</ref> | |||
In April 2019, Amnesty International's deputy director for research in Europe, Massimo Moratti, warned that if extradited to the United States, ] founder ] would face the "risk of serious human rights violations, namely detention conditions, which could violate the prohibition of torture".<ref>{{cite news |title=UK's Labour Party calls for PM to prevent Assange's extradition |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/04/uk-labour-party-calls-prevent-assange-extradition-190412134034770.html |work=Al-Jazeera |date=12 April 2019}}</ref> | |||
On 6 July 2012, N. Sachin Gopal, a student of Modern ITC, Kannur and the district leader ], was allegedly stabbed by members of the Campus Front and Popular Front of India. Student leader Vishal was murdered.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ban orders in Chengannur, Mavelikkara|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article572853.ece|newspaper=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=ABVP pays homage to Sachin Gopal|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/abvp-pays-homage-to-sachin-gopal/article3913520.ece}}</ref> Gopal later died of his injuries at KMC Hospital in Mangalore on 6 September 2012<ref name="auto"/> A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the case.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article3864525.ece |title=ABVP activist who was stabbed dies |work=The Hindu|date=2012-09-06 |access-date=2014-04-17 |location=Chennai, India}}</ref> | |||
On 24 April 2019 protestors occupied the reception of Amnesty's London offices, to protest against what they saw as Amnesty's inaction in on human rights abuses against ], including the incarceration and isolation of a founding member of the ], ]. A hunger strike was declared by the occupiers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amnesty and ITV offices occupied to break the silence over jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan|url=https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2019/04/24/amnesty-and-itv-offices-occupied-to-break-the-silence-over-jailed-kurdish-leader-abdullah-ocalan|work=]] and ]i regimes. On 26 April Amnesty called on the Police forcibly to eject the demonstrators, and the offices were cleared. | |||
=== SMS campaign against people of the North-East === | |||
On 14 May 2019, Amnesty International filed a petition with the District Court of Tel Aviv, Israel, seeking a revocation of the export licence of surveillance technology firm ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/05/israel-amnesty-legal-action-stop-nso-group-web-of-surveillance/|title=Amnesty supports legal action to stop chilling spy web|website=www.amnesty.org|date=13 May 2019|language=en|access-date=6 June 2019}}</ref> The filing states that "staff of Amnesty International have an ongoing and well-founded fear they may continue to be targeted and ultimately surveilled"<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/18/israeli-firm-nso-group-linked-to-whatsapp-spyware-attack-faces-lawsuit|title=Israeli firm linked to WhatsApp spyware attack faces lawsuit|last=Sabbagh|first=Dan|date=18 May 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=6 June 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> by NSO technology. Other lawsuits have also been filed against NSO in Israeli courts over alleged human-rights abuses, including a December 2018 filing by Saudi dissident Omar Abdulaziz, who claimed NSO's software targeted his phone during a period in which he was in regular contact with murdered journalist ].<ref name="Buchanan" /> | |||
After the ], an ] hate campaign was launched in the South of India threatening people from the North-East with retribution, particularly after Ramzan. Investigators traced the source of these hate messages to ] (HuJI) and the Popular Front of India, along with its affiliate organisations ] and ]. More than 60 million messages were sent in a single day on 13 August 2012. Some 28-30 percent of the messages were found to have been uploaded from Pakistan. The SMS campaign was designed to create a panic among the people from the North-East, forcing them to flee. This led to a mass exodus of 30,000 people from cities of ], ], ] and national capital ]. Union ] banned bulk SMS and MMS for 15 days to quell rumors and threats.<ref name="zen"/><ref name="noe"/><ref name="Bihar Prabha"/><ref name="Rediff"/><ref> | |||
{{cite book |title=Governing India's Northeast: Essays on Insurgency, Development and the Culture of Peace |first=Samir Kumar |last=Das |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |year=2013 |isbn=978-8132211464 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hSFGAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA8 |pages=8–9}} | |||
</ref> | |||
In August 2019, the Global Assembly elected five new Members to the International Board - Tiumalu Peter Fa'afiu (New Zealand), Dr Anjhula Singh Bais (Malaysia), Ritz Lee Santos III (The Philippines), Lulu Barera (Mexico) and Aniket Shah (USA) as Treasurer. Given Fa'afiu received the most votes, his term will be for four years and others three years. Bais and Santos become the first Malaysian and Filipino elected. Fa'afiu the first of Pacific descent. They join at a significant time in the organisation's history - financial challenges, organisational restructure, development of a new global strategy, ever-shrinking civil society space, and demand from its younger members and partners to move into non-traditional areas such as climate change.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} | |||
The PFI has denied the accusation.<ref> | |||
{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/ne-exodus-pfi-denies-hand-in-hate-message-campaign/20120821.htm |title=NE exodus: PFI denies hand in hate message campaign - Rediff.com India News |publisher=Rediff.com |date=2012-08-21 |access-date=2014-04-15}} | |||
</ref> | |||
In September 2019, European Commission President-elect ] created the new position of "Vice President for ]", who will be responsible for upholding the rule-of-law, internal security and migration.<ref>{{cite news |title=New EU post to protect European Way of Life slammed as 'grotesque' |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-eu-jobs-life/new-eu-post-to-protect-european-way-of-life-slammed-as-grotesque-idUKKCN1VV26N |work=Reuters |date=10 September 2019}}</ref> Amnesty International accused the ] of "using the framing of the far right" by linking migration with security.<ref>{{cite news |title=EU chief under fire over 'protecting way of life' portfolio |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49661650 |work=BBC News |date=11 September 2019}}</ref> | |||
=== Attack on T. J. Joseph by PFI activists === | |||
At its Board Meeting in October 2019, International Board members appointed Sarah Beamish (Canada) as Chairperson. She has been on the Board since 2015 and at age 34 is the youngest IB Chair in its history. She is a human rights lawyer in her homeland. | |||
{{Main|Attack on T. J. Joseph}} | |||
In Jan 2011, Kerala Police filed a charge sheet against 27 alleged PFI activists in conjunction with an incident in which they severed the hand of a Kerala professor who had offended the religious sentiments of his students.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Hand-chopping-case--Charge-sheet-filed-against-27-accused/737464 |title=Hand chopping case: Charge sheet filed against 27 accused |newspaper=The Indian Express|date=2011-01-14 |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> At the time of the attack, Joseph was coming back from his duties at a private Christian college in Muvattapuzha and had been accused of blasphemy.<ref> | |||
{{Cite news | |||
|title = Propaganda CD suspected to be that of Al Queda seized | |||
|agency = Press Trust of India | |||
|newspaper = Hindustan Times | |||
|date = 9 July 2010 | |||
|url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/Propaganda-CD-suspected-to-be-that-of-Al-Queda-seized/Article1-569745.aspx | |||
|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130125065239/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Propaganda-CD-suspected-to-be-that-of-Al-Queda-seized/Article1-569745.aspx | |||
|url-status = dead | |||
|archive-date = 25 January 2013 | |||
}}</ref><ref> | |||
{{Cite news | |||
| title= Family of Indian professor 'forgives' attackers | |||
| first=Alastair | |||
| last=Lawson | |||
| newspaper=BBC News | |||
| date=2010-07-08 | |||
| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/south_asia/10557819.stm | |||
}}</ref> | |||
On 24 November 2019 ], a former Amnesty International board member, was killed by a car bomb while working with the United Nations Development Project. U.S. Secretary of State, ] announced Raj's death at a briefing 26 Nov, during which he discussed other acts of terrorism.<ref> India West News</ref> | |||
It is reported that the attack resulted from the ruling from one of the "Taliban-model" courts (]) operating in the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/jul/07/islamic-court-ordered-chopping-of-profs-palm.htm |title=Islamic court ordered chopping of prof's palm - Rediff.com India News |publisher=Rediff.com |date=2010-07-07 |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> The Kerala state police claimed to be "unearthing the vast network" of the PFI,<ref> | |||
{{Cite news | |||
| title= Gulf-bound persons under police scanner | |||
| newspaper=Express News | |||
| date=2010-07-09 | |||
| url= http://newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article180545.ece | |||
}}</ref> and after a series of raids on the houses of PFI members, the district secretary of the PFI "threatened the officer with dire consequences if he continued raiding the houses of its activists."<ref> | |||
{{Cite news | |||
|title = Kerala prof attacker now threatens cop | |||
|newspaper = Hindustan Times | |||
|date = 2010-07-07 | |||
|url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/Kerala-prof-attacker-now-threatens-cop/Article1-568506.aspx | |||
|url-status = dead | |||
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100710124239/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Kerala-prof-attacker-now-threatens-cop/Article1-568506.aspx | |||
|archive-date = 10 July 2010}}</ref> On 9 July 2010, it was reported that PFI installations were being raided by police, and that they had found ] videos from the global ] network ] in the possession of one alleged PFI member, and a rifle, fake ]s, and fake ]s in the possession of another member of the PFI.<ref name=ieconcern/><ref>{{Cite news | |||
|title = Propaganda CD suspected to be that of Al Queda seized | |||
|agency = Press Trust of India | |||
|newspaper = Hindustan Times | |||
|date = 2010-07-09 | |||
|url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/Propaganda-CD-suspected-to-be-that-of-Al-Queda-seized/Article1-569745.aspx | |||
|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130125065239/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Propaganda-CD-suspected-to-be-that-of-Al-Queda-seized/Article1-569745.aspx | |||
|url-status = dead | |||
|archive-date = 2013-01-25 | |||
}}</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722064152/http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article525464.ece |date=22 July 2010 }}, KOCHI, 21 July 2010, thehindu.com</ref> As a result of the incident, the BJP has called for a ban on the PFI and an examinations of possible links between the PFI and the Taliban by the National Investigation Agency.<ref name="DNA_2010-06-12"> | |||
{{Cite news | |||
| newspaper=Daily News & Analysis | |||
| title=BJP demands ban on PFI, Kochi lecturer case be probed by NIA | |||
| date=2010-06-12 | |||
| url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_bjp-demands-ban-on-pfi-kochi-lecturer-case-be-probed-by-nia_1408771 | |||
}}</ref> | |||
On 5 December 2019 Kumi Naidoo, the organization's Secretary General, has made the decision to step down from his position due to health-related reasons.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/12/amnesty-international-secretary-general-kumi-naidoo-steps-down/|title=Amnesty International's Secretary General steps down|website=www.amnesty.org|date=5 December 2019|language=en|access-date=5 December 2019}}</ref> | |||
One of the chief accused in this case, Prof. Anas was acquitted. He had contested to win the local elections from jail. He alleged the accusation is a scheme devised by the NIA and the police to deliberately target the Popular Front.<ref name="nyoooz.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.nyoooz.com/kochi/96798/former-pfi-district-head-among-those-acquitted#|title=Former PFI district head among those acquitted|work=NYOOOZ|access-date=4 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504211559/http://www.nyoooz.com/kochi/96798/former-pfi-district-head-among-those-acquitted|archive-date=4 May 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
=== |
=== 2020s === | ||
In August 2020, Amnesty International expressed concerns about what it called the "widespread torture of peaceful protesters" and treatment of detainees in Belarus.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Homan|first=Timothy R.|date=15 August 2020|title=Pressure builds on US to respond to brutal crackdown in Belarus|url=https://thehill.com/policy/international/europe/512136-pressure-builds-on-us-to-respond-to-brutal-crackdown-in-belarus|access-date=19 August 2020|website=The Hill|language=en}}</ref> The organization also said that more than 1,100 people were killed by bandits in rural communities in northern Nigeria during the first six months of 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|date=24 August 2020|title=More than 1,100 villagers killed in Nigeria this year: Amnesty|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/1100-villagers-killed-nigeria-year-amnesty-200824141851896.html|access-date=25 August 2020|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref> Amnesty International investigated what it called "excessive" and "unlawful" killings of teenagers by Angolan police who were enforcing restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|date=25 August 2020|title=Teens killed by Angolan police enforcing virus curbs: Amnesty|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/teens-killed-angolan-police-enforcing-virus-curbs-amnesty-200825153239291.html|access-date=25 August 2020|website=Aljazeera}}</ref> | |||
In May 2020, the organization raised concerns about security flaws in a ] contact tracing app mandated in ].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Anwar|first=Nessa|date=17 August 2020|title=Governments have collected large amounts of data to fight the coronavirus. That's raising privacy concerns|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/17/governments-collected-data-to-fight-coronavirus-raising-privacy-concerns.html|access-date=19 August 2020|website=CNBC|language=en}}</ref> | |||
Karnataka's Shimoga faced violence during rallies held by Popular Front of India, which resulted in the death of two persons. Popular Front of India activists were arrested for the murder of Vishwanath Shetty. Later it was proved that the second killing was related to Popular Front.<ref>{{cite web|title=dajiworld|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=298194}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Prohibitory orders|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/prohibitory-orders-imposed-in-shimoga-after-communal-clash/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Violence rips Shimoga|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Violence-rips-Shimoga-Section-144-imposed/articleshow/46304418.cms}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bolt from the blue for this family|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/bolt-from-the-blue-for-this-family/article6918836.ece}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Man dies as group attacks him after communal clash|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/460915/man-dies-group-attacks-him.html|website=Deccan Herald}}</ref> | |||
In September 2020, Amnesty shut down its India operations after the government froze its bank accounts due to alleged financial irregularities.<ref>{{Cite news|date=29 September 2020|title=Amnesty International to halt India operations|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-54277329|access-date=29 September 2020}}</ref> | |||
=== Funding of Anti-CAA Protests === | |||
On 29 October 2020, Amnesty International launched a ] learning application called "Amnesty Academy".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/10/amnesty-launches-human-rights-learning-app-to-equip-next-generation-of-activists/ |title= Amnesty launches human rights learning app to equip next generation of activists |access-date= 29 October 2020 |website= Amnesty International|date= 29 October 2020 }}</ref> | |||
On 1 January 2020 Union law minister Mr.] stated that Popular Front of India, may have played a part in violence surrounding some protests against the ] (CAA).<ref>{{Cite news|title=anti-caa-protests-trouble-mounts-for-pfi-over-source-of-funding-as-ed-deepens-prob|work=India Today|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/anti-caa-protests-trouble-mounts-for-pfi-over-source-of-funding-as-ed-deepens-probe-1643184-2020-02-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=ed-says-pfi-mobilised-money-to-fund-anti-caa-protests|work=Business today|url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/ed-says-pfi-mobilised-money-to-fund-anti-caa-protests/story/394730.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=anti-caa-protest-funding-trail-leads-ed-to-pfi.|work=Deccan Chronicle|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/280120/anti-caa-protest-funding-trail-leads-ed-to-pfi.html}}</ref>] (ED) has also informed ] in its report submitted to Home Ministry and is investigating a ] probe.<ref>{{Cite news|title=ed-finds-financial-links-between-pfi-and-anti-caa-protests-in-up|work=The Times of India|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ed-finds-financial-links-between-pfi-and-anti-caa-protests-in-up-sources/articleshow/73662688.cms?from=mdr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=Delhi riots: ED books Tahir Hussain, PFI for money-laundering|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/delhi-riots-ed-books-tahir-hussain-pfi-for-money-laundering-53845|access-date=2020-08-08|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}</ref> However Popular Front of India has denied any link with any protest against the ] in the country and called it a cheap campaign against Popular Front of India.<ref>{{Cite news|title=pfi-popular-front-of-india-funded-anti-caa-protests-ed-to-mha-|work=ndtv.com|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pfi-popular-front-of-india-funded-anti-caa-protests-ed-to-mha-2183376}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=totally-baseless-pfi-rejects-charges-of-funding-anti-caa-protests-in-uttar-pradesh|work=The Indian Express|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/totally-baseless-pfi-rejects-charges-of-funding-anti-caa-protests-in-uttar-pradesh-6237980/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=government/popular-front-of-india-caa-protests-kapil-sibal|work=thewire|url=https://thewire.in/government/popular-front-of-india-caa-protests-kapil-sibal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=cheap-campaign-pfi-tells-govt-to-prove-charge-that-it-funds-caa-protests|work=Hindustan Times|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cheap-campaign-pfi-tells-govt-to-prove-charge-that-it-funds-caa-protests/story-tAu0SP1MuRN58TNXBOklzN.html}}</ref> | |||
On 2 November 2020, Amnesty International reported that 54 people – mostly ] women and children and elderly people – were ] in the village of Gawa Qanqa, Ethiopia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=At least 54 killed in Ethiopia massacre, says Amnesty|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/02/killed-ethiopia-massacre-amnesty-oromia-amhara|date=2 November 2020|access-date=3 November 2020|website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title= Ethiopia: over 50 killed in 'horrendous' attack on village by armed group|url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/ethiopia-over-50-killed-horrendous-attack-village-armed-group|date=2 November 2020|access-date=3 November 2020|website=Amnesty International}}</ref> | |||
===Forced conversion=== | |||
AS Zainaba, president of the ] – the PFI's women's wing – have admitted planning forced religious conversions to Islam at charitable trusts related to PFI.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
== On accusations and counter charges == | == On accusations and counter charges == |
Revision as of 05:12, 5 December 2021
Abbreviation | PFI |
---|---|
Formation | 22 November 2006 |
Type | Voluntary Based Nonprofit organisation |
Purpose | To establish an egalitarian society in which freedom, justice and security are enjoyed by all. |
Headquarters | G-66, 2nd Floor, Shaheen Bagh Kalindikunj, Noida Road, New Delhi – 110025, Tel/ Fax – 011 29949902 |
Region served | India |
Chairman of the Front | OMA Abdul Salam |
Website | www |
The Popular Front of India (PFI) is an neo social Islamic organisation in India formed as a successor to National Development Front (NDF) in 2006, and often have been accused for involvement in anti-national and anti-social activities by the Indian Government. It acquired a multi-state dimension by merging with the National Development Front, Manitha Neethi Pasarai, Karnataka Forum for Dignity and other organisations. The PFI describe themselves as a neo-social movement committed to empower people to ensure justice, freedom and security. The organisation has various wings to cater to different sections of society, including the National Women's Front and the Campus Front of India.
PFI claims to work in cooperation with the National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations and other human rights activists in a bid to curb human rights violations in the nation. The organisation campaigns for Muslim Reservation in line with the Mishra Commission (National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities) report to address inequality faced by Muslims in India. In 2012, the organisation conducted protests against the use of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to detain innocent citizens.
Since its inception, the organisation has been accused of various antisocial and anti-national activities. The allegations include connections with various Islamic terrorist groups, possessing arms, kidnapping, murder, intimidation, hate campaigns, rioting, Love Jihad and various acts of religious extremism. In 2010, the assault on Prof. T. J. Joseph who published a controversial question paper, supposedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad, was linked to the PFI. However, the charges were denied by the organisation, which added that the accusations were fabricated to malign the organisation.
In 2012, the Government of Kerala informed the High Court of their opinion that the activities of the Popular Front are inimical to the safety of the country and that it is "nothing but a resurrection of the banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in another form", in its argument to ban the organisation's Independence Day programme, dubbed "Freedom Parade". The High Court dismissed the Government's stand, but upheld the ban imposed by the State Government. In July 2010, the Kerala Police seized country-made bombs, weapons, CDs and several documents containing Taliban and Al-Qaeda propaganda, from PFI activists. The raids conducted were subsequently termed "undemocratic" and "unconstitutional" by the organisation. As of 6 September 2010, as informed to the state high court by the Kerala government, no evidence has been found by the police in its probe into the allegation of links to Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e Taiba (Let) or Al-Qaeda. However, in April 2013 a series of raids by the Kerala Police on PFI centres across North Kerala found lethal weapons, foreign currency, human shooting targets, bombs, explosive raw materials, gunpowder, swords, among other things. The Kerala Police claimed that the raid revealed the "terror face" of the PFI.
In 2015, the Madras High Court issued a notice to the Commissioner of Police based on the PIL charging police for having given misleading information to HC on the "unity march", a variant of the Freedom Parade. The HC directed to register a case against the CoP and the SP, and ₹3.3mn as compensation for "loss of image, reputation and defamation". The organisation provided counter arguments to the allegations positioned against it in its 2012 nationwide campaign "Why Popular Front".
The organisation is also known for its anti-Imperialist and anti-Zionist stance, as seen in the pro-Palestine protests in various parts of the country in November 2012, and later in July 2014 with the nationwide solidarity campaigns christened "I am Gaza". In 2015, the Popular Front protested against the death sentence given to a democratically elected leader and Islamist affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Morsi and his followers. The protest was in front of the Egyptian embassy in New Delhi.
History
The PFI started in Kerala as successor to National Development Front in 2006. It went on to merge with the Karnataka Forum for Dignity of Karnataka and the Manitha Neethi Pasarai in Tamil Nadu and later in 2009, with Goa's Citizen's Forum, Rajasthan's Community Social and Educational Society, West Bengal's Nagarik Adhikar Suraksha Samiti, Manipur's Lilong Social Forum and Andhra Pradesh's Association of Social Justice. It actively advocates Muslim reservations, personal law courts for Muslims, the cause of Dalits, Muslims and tribals, and scholarships to deprived Muslim students.
A common platform was formed in cooperation with the South India Council as an outcome of a regional discussion attended by Muslim social activists and intellectuals from the South Indian States at Bangalore on 25 and 26 January 2004. It has taken up the issue of reservation in government and private sector jobs and Parliament and Assemblies and in cooperation with the Confederation of Muslim Institutions in India, it organised a two-day workshop on Muslim Reservations on 26 and 27 November 2005 at Hyderabad, inaugurated by Rajya Sabha member Rahman Khan. The slogan of PFI is Naya Karavan: Naya Hindustan, which is Urdu for "New Caravan: new India".
Leadership (Office Bearers)
The National General Assembly (NGA) of Popular Front of India elected
O.M.A Salam - Chairman
E.M Abdul Rahiman - Vice Chairman
Anis Ahmed, General Secretary
V.P Nasruddin, Secretary
Afsar Pasha, Secretary
Mohammed Shakif, Secretary
E Abubacker, NEC Member
Prof P Koya, NEC Member
Mohammed Ali Jinnah, NEC Member
A.S Ismail, NEC Member
Adv. Mohammed Yusuff, NEC Member
Abdul Wahid Sait, NEC Member
History
1960s
Amnesty International was founded in London in July 1961 by English barrister Peter Benenson. Benenson was influenced by his friend Louis Blom-Cooper, who led a political prisoners’ campaign.
According to Benenson's own account, he was travelling on the London Underground on 19 November 1960 when he read that two Portuguese students from Coimbra had been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in Portugal for allegedly "having drunk a toast to liberty". Researchers have never traced the alleged newspaper article in question. In 1960, Portugal was ruled by the Estado Novo government of António de Oliveira Salazar. The government was authoritarian in nature and strongly anti-communist, suppressing enemies of the state as anti-Portuguese. In his significant newspaper article "The Forgotten Prisoners", Benenson later described his reaction as follows:
Open your newspaper any day of the week and you will find a story from somewhere of someone being imprisoned, tortured or executed because his opinions or religion are unacceptable to his government... The newspaper reader feels a sickening sense of impotence. Yet if these feelings of disgust could be united into common action, something effective could be done.
Benenson worked with his friend Eric Baker. Baker was a member of the Religious Society of Friends who had been involved in funding the British Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament as well as becoming head of Quaker Peace and Social Witness, and in his memoirs, Benenson described him as "a partner in the launching of the project". In consultation with other writers, academics and lawyers and, in particular, Alec Digges, they wrote via Louis Blom-Cooper to David Astor, editor of The Observer newspaper, who, on 28 May 1961, published Benenson's article "The Forgotten Prisoners". The article brought the reader's attention to those "imprisoned, tortured or executed because his opinions or religion are unacceptable to his government" or, put another way, to violations, by governments, of articles 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The article described these violations occurring, on a global scale, in the context of restrictions to press freedom, to political oppositions, to timely public trial before impartial courts, and to asylum. It marked the launch of "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961", the aim of which was to mobilize public opinion, quickly and widely, in defence of these individuals, whom Benenson named "Prisoners of Conscience". The "Appeal for Amnesty" was reprinted by a large number of international newspapers. In the same year, Benenson had a book published, Persecution 1961, which detailed the cases of nine prisoners of conscience investigated and compiled by Benenson and Baker (Maurice Audin, Ashton Jones, Agostinho Neto, Patrick Duncan, Olga Ivinskaya, Luis Taruc, Constantin Noica, Antonio Amat and Hu Feng). In July 1961, the leadership had decided that the appeal would form the basis of a permanent organization, Amnesty, with the first meeting taking place in London. Benenson ensured that all three major political parties were represented, enlisting members of parliament from the Labour Party, the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Party. On 30 September 1962, it was officially named "Amnesty International". Between the "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961" and September 1962 the organization had been known simply as "Amnesty".
What started as a short appeal soon became a permanent international movement working to protect those imprisoned for non-violent expression of their views and to secure worldwide recognition of Articles 18 and 19 of the UDHR. From the very beginning, research and campaigning were present in Amnesty International's work. A library was established for information about prisoners of conscience and a network of local groups, called "THREES" groups, was started. Each group worked on behalf of three prisoners, one from each of the then three main ideological regions of the world: communist, capitalist, and developing.
By the mid-1960s, Amnesty International's global presence was growing and an International Secretariat and International Executive Committee were established to manage Amnesty International's national organizations, called "Sections", which had appeared in several countries. They were secretly supported by the British government at the time. The international movement was starting to agree on its core principles and techniques. For example, the issue of whether or not to adopt prisoners who had advocated violence, like Nelson Mandela, brought unanimous agreement that it could not give the name of "Prisoner of Conscience" to such prisoners. Aside from the work of the library and groups, Amnesty International's activities were expanding to helping prisoners' families, sending observers to trials, making representations to governments, and finding asylum or overseas employment for prisoners. Its activity and influence were also increasing within intergovernmental organizations; it would be awarded consultative status by the United Nations, the Council of Europe and UNESCO before the decade ended.
In 1966, Benenson suspected that the British government in collusion with some Amnesty employees had suppressed a report on British atrocities in Aden. He began to suspect that many of his colleagues were part of a British intelligence conspiracy to subvert Amnesty, but he could not convince anybody else at AI. Later in the same year there were further allegations, when the US government reported that Seán MacBride, the former Irish foreign minister and Amnesty's first chairman, had been involved with a Central Intelligence Agency funding operation. MacBride denied knowledge of the funding, but Benenson became convinced that MacBride was a member of a CIA network. Benenson resigned as Amnesty's president on the grounds that it was bugged and infiltrated by the secret services, and said that he could no longer live in a country where such activities were tolerated. (See Relationship with the British Government)
1970s
During the 1970s, Seán MacBride and Martin Ennals led Amnesty International. While continuing to work for prisoners of conscience, Amnesty International's purview widened to include "fair trial" and opposition to long detention without trial (UDHR Article 9), and especially to the torture of prisoners (UDHR Article 5). Amnesty International believed that the reasons underlying torture of prisoners by governments were either to acquire and obtain information or to quell opposition by the use of terror, or both. Also of concern was the export of more sophisticated torture methods, equipment and teaching by the superpowers to "client states", for example by the United States through some activities of the CIA.
Amnesty International drew together reports from countries where torture allegations seemed most persistent and organized an international conference on torture. It sought to influence public opinion to put pressure on national governments by organizing a campaign for the "Abolition of Torture", which ran for several years.
Amnesty International's membership increased from 15,000 in 1969 to 200,000 by 1979. This growth in resources enabled an expansion of its program, "outside of the prison walls", to include work on "disappearances", the death penalty and the rights of refugees. A new technique, the "Urgent Action", aimed at mobilizing the membership into action rapidly was pioneered. The first was issued on 19 March 1973, on behalf of Luiz Basilio Rossi, a Brazilian academic, arrested for political reasons.
At the intergovernmental level Amnesty International pressed for application of the UN's Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and of existing humanitarian conventions; to secure ratifications of the two UN Covenants on Human Rights in 1976; and was instrumental in obtaining additional instruments and provisions forbidding the practice of maltreatment. Consultative status was granted at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 1972.
In 1976, Amnesty's British Section started a series of fund-raising events that came to be known as The Secret Policeman's Balls series. They were staged in London initially as comedy galas featuring what the Daily Telegraph called "the crème de la crème of the British comedy world" including members of comedy troupe Monty Python, and later expanded to also include performances by leading rock musicians. The series was created and developed by Monty Python alumnus John Cleese and entertainment industry executive Martin Lewis working closely with Amnesty staff members Peter Luff (Assistant Director of Amnesty 1974–78) and subsequently with Peter Walker (Amnesty Fund-Raising Officer 1978–82). Cleese, Lewis and Luff worked together on the first two shows (1976 and 1977). Cleese, Lewis and Walker worked together on the 1979 and 1981 shows, the first to carry what the Daily Telegraph described as the "rather brilliantly re-christened" Secret Policeman's Ball title.
The organization was awarded the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize for its "defence of human dignity against torture" and the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1978.
1980s
By 1980, Amnesty International was drawing more criticism from governments. The Soviet Union alleged that Amnesty International conducted espionage, the Moroccan government denounced it as a defender of lawbreakers, and the Argentinian government banned Amnesty International's 1983 annual report.
Throughout the 1980s, Amnesty International continued to campaign against torture, and on behalf of prisoners of conscience. New issues emerged, including extrajudicial killings, military, security and police transfers, political killings, and disappearances.
Towards the end of the decade, the growing number of refugees worldwide became a focus for Amnesty International. While many of the world's refugees of the time had been displaced by war and famine, in adherence to its mandate, Amnesty International concentrated on those forced to flee because of the human rights violations it was seeking to prevent. It argued that rather than focusing on new restrictions on entry for asylum-seekers, governments were to address the human rights violations which were forcing people into exile.
Apart from a second campaign on torture during the first half of the decade, two major musical events took place to increase awareness of Amnesty and of human rights (particularly among younger generations) during the mid- to late-1980s. The 1986 Conspiracy of Hope tour, which played five concerts in the US, and culminated in a daylong show, featuring some thirty-odd acts at Giants Stadium, and the 1988 Human Rights Now! world tour. Human Rights Now!, which was timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), played a series of concerts on five continents over six weeks. Both tours featured some of the most famous musicians and bands of the day.
1990s
Throughout the 1990s, Amnesty continued to grow, to a membership of over seven million in over 150 countries and territories, led by Senegalese Secretary General Pierre Sané. Amnesty continued to work on a wide range of issues and world events. For example, South African groups joined in 1992 and hosted a visit by Pierre Sané to meet with the apartheid government to press for an investigation into allegations of police abuse, an end to arms sales to the African Great Lakes region and the abolition of the death penalty. In particular, Amnesty International brought attention to violations committed on specific groups, including refugees, racial/ethnic/religious minorities, women and those executed or on Death Row. The death penalty report When the State Kills and the "Human Rights are Women's Rights" campaign were key actions for the latter two issues.
During the 1990s, Amnesty International was forced to react to human rights violations occurring in the context of a proliferation of armed conflict in Angola, East Timor, the Persian Gulf, Rwanda, and the former Yugoslavia. Amnesty International took no position on whether to support or oppose external military interventions in these armed conflicts. It did not reject the use of force, even lethal force, or ask those engaged to lay down their arms. Instead, it questioned the motives behind external intervention and selectivity of international action in relation to the strategic interests of those who sent troops. It argued that action should be taken to prevent human-rights problems from becoming human-rights catastrophes and that both intervention and inaction represented a failure of the international community.
In 1995, when AI wanted to promote how Shell Oil Company was involved with the execution of an environmental and human-rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa in Nigeria, it was stopped. Newspapers and advertising companies refused to run AI's ads because Shell Oil was a customer of theirs as well. Shell's main argument was that it was drilling oil in a country that already violated human rights and had no way to enforce human-rights policies. To combat the buzz that AI was trying to create, it immediately publicized how Shell was helping to improve overall life in Nigeria. Salil Shetty, the director of Amnesty, said, "Social media re-energises the idea of the global citizen". James M. Russell notes how the drive for profit from private media sources conflicts with the stories that AI wants to be heard.
Amnesty International was proactive in pushing for recognition of the universality of human rights. The campaign 'Get Up, Sign Up' marked 50 years of the UDHR. Thirteen million pledges were collected in support, and the Decl music concert was held in Paris on 10 December 1998 (Human Rights Day). At the intergovernmental level, Amnesty International argued in favour of creating a United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (established 1993) and an International Criminal Court (established 2002).
After his arrest in London in 1998 by the Metropolitan Police, Amnesty International became involved in the legal battle of Senator Augusto Pinochet, former Chilean dictator, who sought to avoid extradition to Spain to face charges. Lord Hoffman had an indirect connection with Amnesty International, and this led to an important test for the appearance of bias in legal proceedings in UK law. There was a suit against the decision to release Senator Pinochet, taken by the then British Home Secretary Jack Straw, before that decision had actually been taken, in an attempt to prevent the release of Senator Pinochet. The English High Court refused the application, and Senator Pinochet was released and returned to Chile.
2000s
After 2000, Amnesty International's primary focus turned to the challenges arising from globalization and the reaction to the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States. The issue of globalization provoked a major shift in Amnesty International policy, as the scope of its work was widened to include economic, social and cultural rights, an area that it had declined to work on in the past. Amnesty International felt this shift was important, not just to give credence to its principle of the indivisibility of rights, but because of what it saw as the growing power of companies and the undermining of many nation-states as a result of globalization.
In the aftermath of 11 September attacks, the new Amnesty International Secretary General, Irene Khan, reported that a senior government official had said to Amnesty International delegates: "Your role collapsed with the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York." In the years following the attacks, some believe that the gains made by human rights organizations over previous decades had possibly been eroded. Amnesty International argued that human rights were the basis for the security of all, not a barrier to it. Criticism came directly from the Bush administration and The Washington Post, when Khan, in 2005, likened the US government's detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to a Soviet Gulag.
During the first half of the new decade, Amnesty International turned its attention to violence against women, controls on the world arms trade, concerns surrounding the effectiveness of the UN, and ending torture. With its membership close to two million by 2005, Amnesty continued to work for prisoners of conscience.
In 2007, AI's executive committee decided to support access to abortion "within reasonable gestational limits...for women in cases of rape, incest or violence, or where the pregnancy jeopardizes a mother's life or health".
Amnesty International reported, concerning the Iraq War, on 17 March 2008, that despite claims the security situation in Iraq has improved in recent months, the human rights situation is disastrous, after the start of the war five years earlier in 2003.
In 2009, Amnesty International accused Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement of committing war crimes during Israel's January offensive in Gaza, called Operation Cast Lead, that resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. The 117-page Amnesty report charged Israeli forces with killing hundreds of civilians and wanton destruction of thousands of homes. Amnesty found evidence of Israeli soldiers using Palestinian civilians as human shields. A subsequent United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict was carried out; Amnesty stated that its findings were consistent with those of Amnesty's own field investigation, and called on the UN to act promptly to implement the mission's recommendations.
2010s
2010
In February 2010, Amnesty suspended Gita Sahgal, its gender unit head, after she criticized Amnesty for its links with Moazzam Begg, director of Cageprisoners. She said it was "a gross error of judgment" to work with "Britain's most famous supporter of the Taliban". Amnesty responded that Sahgal was not suspended "for raising these issues internally... speaks about his own views ..., not Amnesty International's". Among those who spoke up for Sahgal were Salman Rushdie, Member of Parliament Denis MacShane, Joan Smith, Christopher Hitchens, Martin Bright, Melanie Phillips, and Nick Cohen.
2011
In February 2011, Amnesty requested that Swiss authorities start a criminal investigation of former US President George W. Bush and arrest him.
In July 2011, Amnesty International celebrated its 50 years with an animated short film directed by Carlos Lascano, produced by Eallin Motion Art and Dreamlife Studio, with music by Academy Award-winner Hans Zimmer and nominee Lorne Balfe. The film shows that the fight for humanity is not yet over.
2012
In August 2012, Amnesty International's chief executive in India sought an impartial investigation, led by the United Nations, to render justice to those affected by war crimes in Sri Lanka.
2014
On 18 August 2014, in the wake of demonstrations sparked by people protesting the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old man, and subsequent acquittal of Darren Wilson, the officer who shot him, Amnesty International sent a 13-person contingent of human rights activists to seek meetings with officials as well as to train local activists in non-violent protest methods. This was the first time that the organization has deployed such a team to the United States. In a press release, AI USA director Steven W. Hawkins said, "The U.S. cannot continue to allow those obligated and duty-bound to protect to become those who their community fears most."
2016
In February 2016, Amnesty International launched its annual report of human rights around the world titled "The State of the World's Human Rights". It warns from the consequences of "us vs them" speech which divided human beings into two camps. It states that this speech enhances a global pushback against human rights and makes the world more divided and more dangerous. It also states that in 2016, governments turned a blind eye to war crimes and passed laws that violate free expression. Elsewhere, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Thailand and Turkey carried out massive crackdowns, while authorities in other countries continued to implement security measures represent an infringement on rights. In June 2016, Amnesty International has called on the United Nations General Assembly to "immediately suspend" Saudi Arabia from the UN Human Rights Council. Richard Bennett, head of Amnesty's UN Office, said: "The credibility of the U.N. Human Rights Council is at stake. Since joining the council, Saudi Arabia's dire human rights record at home has continued to deteriorate and the coalition it leads has unlawfully killed and injured thousands of civilians in the conflict in Yemen."
In December 2016, Amnesty International revealed that Voiceless Victims, a fake non-profit organization which claims to raise awareness for migrant workers who are victims of human rights abuses in Qatar, had been trying to spy on their staff.
2017
Amnesty International published its annual report for the year 2016–2017 on 21 February 2017. Secretary General Salil Shetty's opening statement in the report highlighted many ongoing international cases of abuse as well as emerging threats. Shetty drew attention, among many issues, to the Syrian Civil War, the use of chemical weapons in the War in Darfur, outgoing United States President Barack Obama's expansion of drone warfare, and the successful 2016 presidential election campaign of Obama's successor Donald Trump. Shetty stated that the Trump election campaign was characterized by "poisonous" discourse in which "he frequently made deeply divisive statements marked by misogyny and xenophobia, and pledged to roll back established civil liberties and introduce policies which would be profoundly inimical to human rights." In his opening summary, Shetty stated that "the world in 2016 became a darker and more unstable place."
In July 2017, Turkish police detained 10 human rights activists during a workshop on digital security at a hotel near Istanbul. Eight people, including Idil Eser, Amnesty International director in Turkey, as well as German Peter Steudtner and Swede Ali Gharavi, were arrested. Two others were detained but released pending trial. They were accused of aiding armed terror organizations in alleged communications with suspects linked to Kurdish and left-wing militants, as well as the movement led by US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.
Amnesty International supported the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. James Lynch, Head of Arms Control and Human Rights at Amnesty International, said: "This historic treaty brings us a step closer to a world free from the horrors of nuclear weapons, the most destructive and indiscriminate weapons ever created."
2018
Amnesty International published its 2017/2018 report in February 2018.
In October 2018, an Amnesty International researcher was abducted and beaten while observing demonstrations in Magas, the capital of Ingushetia, Russia.
On 25 October, federal officers raided the Bengaluru office for 10 hours on a suspicion that the organization had violated foreign direct investment guidelines on the orders of the Enforcement Directorate. Employees and supporters of Amnesty International say this is an act to intimidate organizations and people who question the authority and capabilities of government leaders. Aakar Patel, the Executive Director of the Indian branch claimed, "The Enforcement Directorate's raid on our office today shows how the authorities are now treating human rights organizations like criminal enterprises, using heavy-handed methods. On Sep 29, the Ministry of Home Affairs said Amnesty International using "glossy statements" about humanitarian work etc as a "ploy to divert attention" from their activities which were in clear contravention of laid down Indian laws. Amnesty International received permission only once in Dec 2000, since then it had been denied Foreign Contribution permission under the Foreign Contribution Act by successive Governments. However, in order to circumvent the FCRA regulations, Amnesty UK remitted large amounts of money to four entities registered in India by classifying it as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
The current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has been criticized by foreign medias for harming civil society in India, specifically by targeting advocacy groups. India has cancelled the registration of about 15,000 nongovernmental organisations under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA); the U.N. has issued statements against the policies that allow these cancellations to occur. Though nothing was found to confirm these accusations, the government plans on continuing the investigation and has frozen the bank accounts of all the offices in India. A spokesperson for the Enforcement Directorate has said the investigation could take three months to complete.
On 30 October 2018, Amnesty called for the arrest and prosecution of Nigerian security forces claiming that they used excessive force against Shi'a protesters during a peaceful religious procession around Abuja, Nigeria. At least 45 were killed and 122 were injured during the event .
In November 2018, Amnesty reported the arrest of 19 or more rights activists and lawyers in Egypt. The arrests were made by the Egyptian authorities as part of the regime's ongoing crackdown on dissent. One of the arrested was Hoda Abdel-Monaim, a 60-year-old human rights lawyer and former member of the National Council for Human Rights. Amnesty reported that following the arrests Egyptian Coordination for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF) decided to suspend its activities due to the hostile environment towards civil society in the country.
On 5 December 2018, Amnesty International strongly condemned the execution of Ihar Hershankou and Siamion Berazhnoy in Belarus. They were shot despite UN Human Rights Committee request for a delay.
2019
In February 2019, Amnesty International's management team offered to resign after an independent report found what it called a "toxic culture" of workplace bullying, and found evidence of bullying, harassment, sexism and racism, after being asked to investigate the suicides of 30-year Amnesty veteran Gaetan Mootoo in Paris in May 2018 (who left a note citing work pressures), and 28-year-old intern Rosalind McGregor in Geneva in July 2018.
In April 2019, Amnesty International's deputy director for research in Europe, Massimo Moratti, warned that if extradited to the United States, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange would face the "risk of serious human rights violations, namely detention conditions, which could violate the prohibition of torture".
On 24 April 2019 protestors occupied the reception of Amnesty's London offices, to protest against what they saw as Amnesty's inaction in on human rights abuses against Kurds in Turkey, including the incarceration and isolation of a founding member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, Abdullah Öcalan. A hunger strike was declared by the occupiers. There were claims that Amnesty's inaction had been driven by undue deference to the Turkish and Qatari regimes. On 26 April Amnesty called on the Police forcibly to eject the demonstrators, and the offices were cleared.
On 14 May 2019, Amnesty International filed a petition with the District Court of Tel Aviv, Israel, seeking a revocation of the export licence of surveillance technology firm NSO Group. The filing states that "staff of Amnesty International have an ongoing and well-founded fear they may continue to be targeted and ultimately surveilled" by NSO technology. Other lawsuits have also been filed against NSO in Israeli courts over alleged human-rights abuses, including a December 2018 filing by Saudi dissident Omar Abdulaziz, who claimed NSO's software targeted his phone during a period in which he was in regular contact with murdered journalist Jamal Kashoggi.
In August 2019, the Global Assembly elected five new Members to the International Board - Tiumalu Peter Fa'afiu (New Zealand), Dr Anjhula Singh Bais (Malaysia), Ritz Lee Santos III (The Philippines), Lulu Barera (Mexico) and Aniket Shah (USA) as Treasurer. Given Fa'afiu received the most votes, his term will be for four years and others three years. Bais and Santos become the first Malaysian and Filipino elected. Fa'afiu the first of Pacific descent. They join at a significant time in the organisation's history - financial challenges, organisational restructure, development of a new global strategy, ever-shrinking civil society space, and demand from its younger members and partners to move into non-traditional areas such as climate change.
In September 2019, European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen created the new position of "Vice President for Protecting our European Way of Life", who will be responsible for upholding the rule-of-law, internal security and migration. Amnesty International accused the European Union of "using the framing of the far right" by linking migration with security.
At its Board Meeting in October 2019, International Board members appointed Sarah Beamish (Canada) as Chairperson. She has been on the Board since 2015 and at age 34 is the youngest IB Chair in its history. She is a human rights lawyer in her homeland.
On 24 November 2019 Anil Raj, a former Amnesty International board member, was killed by a car bomb while working with the United Nations Development Project. U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo announced Raj's death at a briefing 26 Nov, during which he discussed other acts of terrorism.
On 5 December 2019 Kumi Naidoo, the organization's Secretary General, has made the decision to step down from his position due to health-related reasons.
2020s
In August 2020, Amnesty International expressed concerns about what it called the "widespread torture of peaceful protesters" and treatment of detainees in Belarus. The organization also said that more than 1,100 people were killed by bandits in rural communities in northern Nigeria during the first six months of 2020. Amnesty International investigated what it called "excessive" and "unlawful" killings of teenagers by Angolan police who were enforcing restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
In May 2020, the organization raised concerns about security flaws in a COVID-19 contact tracing app mandated in Qatar.
In September 2020, Amnesty shut down its India operations after the government froze its bank accounts due to alleged financial irregularities.
On 29 October 2020, Amnesty International launched a human rights learning application called "Amnesty Academy".
On 2 November 2020, Amnesty International reported that 54 people – mostly Amhara women and children and elderly people – were killed by the OLF in the village of Gawa Qanqa, Ethiopia.
On accusations and counter charges
In 2012, the Popular Front launched a nationwide campaign "Why the Popular Front", detailing the alleged false accusations and attempts by mainstream media and other organisations to tarnish its image. The organisation maintains that it strives hard to restore the rights of the depressed and marginalised sections of the Indian society. The organisation's former Chairman, E M Abdul Rahman, gave elaborate justifications for the accusations that the PFI faces that year. Further, the organisation filed complaints with the Press Council of India against 10 newspapers—both Hindi and English—for their attempts to tarnish the image of the PFI. In 2013, in line with the PFI's counter charge, "Coastal Digest" reported that the NIA and the IB denied that they had shared any such information, denying the claims by the media. This was in response to the 2012 complaints against 10 newspapers. In March 2015, Indian intelligence agencies reported that the role of the PFI in the 2011 Mumbai bombings, 2012 Pune bombings and 2013 Hyderabad blasts had been found; claims which were subsequently denied by the PFI.
Political activities
National Political Conference
The public meeting on 17 February 2009 which marked the conclusion of National Political Conference saw the merger of social organisations in eight states into the Popular Front of India. Along with the state presidents of NDF Kerala, MNP Tamil Nadu and KFD Karnataka which had already merged with Popular Front, heads of social organisations in Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Manipur joined hands on the dais with the Popular Front chairman.
Freedom Parade on Indian Independence Day
The PFI and its allies conducted a freedom parade on 15 August in 2009 and 2010 in celebration of Indian Independence Day. The parade was followed by a public meeting. In 2010, the parade was conducted in Udupi and Mettuppalayam. In the previous year it was conducted in Mangalore and Madurai.
The Kerala state government banned the Freedom Parade stating it would jeopardise communal harmony. The ban was challenged in the Kerala High Court which upheld the ban. The Intelligence wing of Kerala Police had informed the High Court that PFI is the new face of banned Islamist group Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and is engaged in fundamentalist and anti-national activities. This stand of the government was rejected by the High Court.
Social Justice conference 2011
The Social Justice Conference was held at Ramlila Ground in New Delhi on 26 and 27 November 2011. The conference was addressed by Syed Shahabuddin, a former MP and Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party leader, and Thol. Thirumavalavan the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader. The key address of the conference was to plea the UPA government to implement the findings of Sachar Committee Report and the Ranganath Misra Commission.
Protest against misuse of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
21 activists of PFI were charged with Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for involvement in anti-national activities. Following which, in May 2013, the organisation conducted a statewide campaign in Kerala, it started on 8 May from Kasargod and how the UAPA is being misused, and how they believe it is terrorising citizens who resisted oppression from a ruling elite. The campaign concluded with a mass gathering at the State Capital, Thiruvananthapuram on 30 May.
Muslim minority reservation and employment
KM Shareef, the National General Secretary of PFI has asserted that reservation is the most immediate need of Muslims, referencing a report submitted by the Prime Minister's High Level Committee (Justice Rajindar Sachchar Committee) in November 2006, which identified the Muslim community as more backward than any other, and claimed that insufficient discussion on this topic was taking place in assemblies and parliament. In the context of the Central Government's decision on reservation in higher education, the South India Council organised three Regional Conventions on Reservation: in Calcutta on 4 August 2006, in Bangalore on 5 August 2006, and in Chennai on 17 August 2006. A National Convention on Reservation in Higher Education was organised by the South India Council jointly with All India Milli Council at New Delhi on 29 August 2006. Former Prime Minister V. P. Singh also addressed the convention. In 2010, the National Executive Council of the PFI demanded a ten percent reservation for Muslims across India.
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Further reading
- Menon, Nandagopal R. (21 August 2010). "Imagined Kerala". Economic and Political Weekly. 34: 22–25.
- Abdelhalim, Julten (2013). "Being a Governed Muslim in a Non-Muslim State: Indian Muslims and Citizenship". In Bidisha Chaudhuri; Lion Koenig (eds.). Discourses of Transculturality:Ideas, Institutions and Practices in India and China. South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University. pp. 19–30.
- Abdelhalim, Julten (2013). Spaces for Jihād: Indian Muslims and Conceptions of Citizenship. University of Heidelberg.
External links
- Official website
- "Here Come the Pious". Tehelka.
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