Spotlight
Many Beijing residents were displaced to clear space for Olympic venue construction. Photo Satbir (Flickr)
Human rights abuse a legacy of “exceptional” Games
Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC, said at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics,"these were truly exceptional Games". It's not likely that he was referring to the Chinese Government's forced displacement of people to make way for Olympic infrastructure, the detention of people legally applying for permission to protest in designated protest zones, the ongoing torture of people in detention or of the censorship of media and internet.
Add a widget for human rights in China
The race for human rights in China is far from over. As the media crews leave Beijing we need to keep the international spotlight on China and remind the world that there is still much change needed to progress human rights in China.
Chris Abani, Song for Night
Chris Abani's new novel, Song for Night, is the story of a West African boy soldier’s lyrical, terrifying, yet beautiful journey through the nightmare landscape of a brutal war in search of his lost platoon. We are delighted to invite you to celebrate the publication of Song for Night at Readings in Carlton, Victoria on Tuesday, 16 September 2008.
See our Victoria branch page for more information on this great event.
International Day of the Disappeared
The stories of thousands of disappeared people have been documented in more than 80 countries since the 1980s. Javier Zuñiga, Amnesty International, presents a compelling feature article about some of these people on Saturday 30 August 2008, the 25th International Day of the Disappeared.
Guantánamo Bay visits US elections
From 25 to 28 August, the Amnesty Guantánamo Bay cell replica was at the US Democratic Convention in Denver, USA. Its message to Presidential nominee Barack Obama and his democratic party was that the world rejects the illegal imprisonment of alleged enemy combatants as part of the War on Terror. Next stop in the cell’s tour: the Republican Convention in Minneapolis-Saint Paul from 1 to 4 September.
See the latest updates, videos, pictures and an interactive view of the inside of the cell.
The 2008 Freedom Art Union Raffle is back
Buy tickets for Freedom for your chance to win a Stylish Citroën C4 Hatch, plus three other sensational holidays!
Campaign blogs
China in the headlines – 8 September 2008
In the latest wrap-up from news outlets and bloggers across the globe:
The Paralympics have opened in China, a country where prejudice is still widespread.
Chinese authorities begin a Ramadan security crackdown in the homeland of the country's mainly Muslim ethnic Uighur people.
Plus …
Blind activist’s friends and family face more hurdles
Relatives and friends of jailed blind activist Chen Guangcheng have had their telephones tampered with – just as the Paralympics are about to open.
Continue reading Blind activist’s friends and family face more hurdles
Can Paralympics be a catalyst for change?
Many are hoping China's hosting of the Paralympics will have positive spin-offs for the country's disabled, who despite improvements still face many barriers.
China in the headlines – 5 September 2008
In the latest wrap-up from news outlets and bloggers across the globe:
Angry parents, whose children died when their schools collapsed in May's devastating earthquake, are thwarted in their bid to confront China's Prime Minister.
The Chinese ambassador to the UK writes in the Guardian about how she thinks the Olympics have changed her country.
A look at what's likely to happen in the Tibet-China relationship when the Dalai Lama eventually dies.
Plus …
School attendance and welfare: another blow to human rights
Under new legislation passed by the Australian Government, the principal carers of children who miss school regularly could have their welfare payments stopped for up to three months. This policy targets Indigenous people without seeking to address the underlying causes of Indigenous disadvantage.
Continue reading School attendance and welfare: another blow to human rights
Act now
Free Shi Tao
On 20 April 2004, while working for the Dangdai Shangbao (Contemporary Trade News) in Hunan Province, Shi Tao attended a meeting about a Central Propaganda Department communique. Seven months later he was in detention for illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities. Call on the Chinese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him.
take action regarding “Free Shi Tao”
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During their bid to host the Olympic Games the Chinese authorities promised to improve human rights. This promise has not been kept.
© Kin Cheung, AP Photo.
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News
Security Act used to punish activists
New information about the arbitrary detention of five Malaysian government critics obtained by Amnesty International researchers highlights the need for the Malaysian parliament to immediately abolish the country’s Internal Security Act, Amnesty International said on 4 September.
Interview with a survivor of the Bosnia and Herzegovina conflict
Nidzara Ahmetasevic was 17 when the war started in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992. She left the country for a year after she was wounded in the leg and then returned.
Need for comprehensive peace across the former Yugolavia
The trial of Radovan Karadzic is undoubtedly a huge step towards bringing justice to the tens of thousands of victims of war crimes across Bosnia and Herzegovina. But is it enough to heal the wounds caused by the horrific violations of human rights committed by all sides to the conflict?
Concern about detainees in Afghanistan
Amnesty International has expressed concern at recent reports about the treatment of detainees in Afghanistan during an incident on 29 - 30 April 2008.
State of emergency in Thailand
The Thai government should remove restrictions on free speech contained in the 2 September emergency decree, Amnesty International said.
Our mission
Amnesty International Australia works with people in Australia and our region to demand respect for human rights and protect people facing abuse. We mobilise people, campaign, conduct research and raise money for our work. We promote a culture where human rights are embraced, valued and protected.