Stories of Human Abuse and Human being in wretched plight all around the World

Annual Report 2011 The state of the world's human rights The year 2010 may well be remembered as a watershed year when activists and journalists used new technology to speak truth to power and, in so doing, pushed for greater respect for human rights. It is also the year when repressive governments faced the real possibility that their days were numbered. source : Amnesty Information is a source of power, and for those challenging the abuse of power by states and other institutions, it is an exciting time. Since Amnesty International’s inception half a century ago, we have seen and shaped similar major shifts in the power struggle between those perpetrating abuses and the courageous and inventive individuals who expose their wrongdoing. As a movement dedicated to focusing global outrage in defence of beleaguered individuals, we are committed to supporting activists who imagine a world in which information is truly free and in which they can exercise their rig...

New Delhi’s Women Problem: What Does It Take to Make a City, and Society, Safe?  By Krista Mahr | May 2, 2012 Source : TIME ( Kaushik Roy / India Today Group / Getty Images Women attend the 'Besharmi Morcha' march or 'Slutwalk' in New Delhi on July 31,2011.) One of the first things I heard when I moved to New Delhi was to be careful at night. I heard it from my real estate agent, my colleagues, from people I met at coffee shops and bars. I knew the incidence of rape in the Indian capital was high, but I largely interpreted the warnings as other people underestimating my ability to take care of myself. Let’s not linger too long on that weird reaction, but I will add that I’ve been living in relatively safe places for the past few years, and I had forgotten what it felt like to live in a place where, as a woman in public, you’re usually pretty aware that you are that: a woman in public. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Here, it can be. In a...

Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood MP Seeks to Abolish Female Rights and Enforce Female Genital Mutilation by Raymond Ibrahim, April 26, 2012 According to the Egyptian website Youm 7 , Azza al-Jarf, a female Member of Parliament representing the Muslim Brotherhood's "Freedom and Justice Party," is trying to abolish several laws currently enjoyed by Egyptian women—including preventing them from divorcing or even separating from their husbands, because "the man has the authority and stewardship" (see Koran 4:34); mandating that fathers must circumcise their daughters; and trying to get the Egyptian educational system to ban the teaching of the English language—on the grounds that it is an "infidel" tongue—while separating boys and girls in classrooms and forcing girls to wear the hijab. Ms. Jarf, of course, is not the first Muslim female in Egypt opposed to her own gender; earlier, another female politician declared that "women are deficien...

      Legal analysis  -----------------------<>--------------------------- Asia Pacific: Free expression and law in 2011 In this statement, ARTICLE 19 highlights the major legal developments, in particular laws and regulations, relating to freedom of expression and the right to information throughout Asia in 2011. Trends 2011 saw both positive and negative trends in Asia Pacific.  On the positive side: The Indian government indicated its intention to decriminalise defamation Cambodia and Mongolia adopted Right to Information legislation Malaysia and Vietnam all took steps towards legislation which increased media freedom within their respective countries. However, these laws do not properly reflect international standards on freedom of expression. On the negative side: Public debate and freedom of media continue...

Blogger faces charges of blasphemy, apostasy after Mohammed tweets Saudi blogger Hamza Kashgari may face the death penalty for tweets he sent out about the Prophet Mohammed A Saudi blogger whose tweets about the Prophet Mohammed were deemed blasphemous and tantamount to apostasy has been deported from Malaysia back to Saudi Arabia, where he is certain to face trial and possibly the death penalty, report Malaysia's Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Human Rights Watch and other IFEX members. Hamza Kashgari, 23, fled Saudi Arabia on 6 February in hopes of finding political asylum after his tweets sparked an official publishing ban and order for his arrest, as well as a Twitter lynch mob that called for his death, report the members. Kashgari was on his way to another country - reportedly New Zealand - when security officials arrested him at Kuala Lumpur airport on 9 February, his lawyer, Muhamma...

Investigative journalist and family murdered A freelance journalist who had investigated illegal mining activity, his wife and their two children were found brutally murdered in their home in India's Madhya Pradesh state on 18 February, report the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI). According to IPI, Chandrika Rai, his wife, Durga, and their children, Jalaj (19) and Nisha (17) had been killed with a sharp object and each left in a separate room of the house. The bodies were discovered by the journalist's brother, who became suspicious after noticing that the family's front door had been locked from the outside. In a letter addressed to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Indian Editors Guild said it suspected that the gruesome crime was linked to Rai's work as a journalist. Rai had been investigating illegal coal-mining activity in the state's central Umaria district an...

Faxjam for freedom of expression Johan Teterissa is a teacher from Maluku, Indonesia who is currently serving a 15 year prison sentence after he took part in a peaceful protest. He has been imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression. Last week, we spoke with Johan and he asked us to share this message with you: “I urge Amnesty International to continue campaigning for the freedom of all political prisoners from Maluku...we should not have been charged in the first place... many of the prisoners are still suffering from the torture and some have even died... the police should be investigated for what they did... our families should also be given reparations as they are now suffering financially without us... I thank Amnesty International for its support.“ ...

The anniversary edition of WIRE outlines everything you need to know about our plans for the year, and how you can: Defend the rights of women and girls in Nicaragua Unite against the death penalty Speak out for the silenced Demand justice for people in the Democratic Republic of Congo Call for clean-up of the Niger Delta Stand up for women’s rights in Egypt As always, your urgent action is also needed on our World Wide Appeals. Also, see what our researchers in the Middle East and North Africa have to say about their work in this special supplement. Until next time, Adi , Editor Above: Celebrating Amnesty International’s 50th birthday in Togo. Amnesty international teams blogging from the ground: ...

UN confirms massive oil pollution in Niger Delta The UN shows evidence of the devastating impact of oil pollution on people in the Delta © Kadir van Lohuizen/NOOR Shell's systemic failure to address oil spills for many years is addressed in the report © Kadir van Lohuizen/NOOR 4 August 2011 The oil company Shell has had a disastrous impact on the human rights of the people living in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, said Amnesty International, responding to a UN report on the effects of oil pollution in Ogoniland in the Delta region. The report from the United Nations Environment Programme is the first of its kind in Nigeria and based on two years of in-depth scientific research. It found that oil contamination is widespread and severe, and that people in the Niger Delta have been exposed for decades. “This report proves Shell has had a terrible impact in Nigeria, but has got away with...

20 April 2011 Media discouraged from reporting on tsunami, earthquake fallout, says CPJ Hiro Ugaya in tsunami-destroyed Noda Mura village, which received scant media attention Freelancers in Japan says they and foreign and online media have been actively excluded from reporting on the nuclear threat and other calamities resulting from the earthquake and tsunami, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Last week, the Japanese government upped the danger rating for the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station to its highest level. According to CPJ, it is not clear if the government or Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which runs the plant, withheld the extent of the risk. "The local media's habitual allegiance to officials who arrange press conferences and companies that buy advertising makes it hard to tell, and freelancers who are eager to probe deeper say their questions have been suppressed," said CPJ. Take author and freelancer Takashi Ue...