Human Rights Abuses in the 'War on Terror'

Governments must stand for the principles of unalienable, universal rights. Otherwise, those who wage war on human rights will have won the battle against freedom. The "war on terror" cannot become an excuse to deny human rights.

The UK Authorities Must Accept Return of Residents Held at Guantánamo Bay

News Flash: 3rd October 2006

In response to the reports featured in The Guardian newspaper today that the USA has offered to return nearly all UK residents held at Guantánamo Bay, Amnesty International calls on the UK government to fulfil its obligations under domestic and international law and ensure the immediate return of all the men to the UK.

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Pakistan: Enforced disappearances in the 'war on terror'

Press Release: 29th September 2006

In cooperating in the US-led 'war on terror', the Pakistani government has systematically committed human rights abuses against hundreds of Pakistanis and foreign nationals.

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Syria/Jordan/Canada/USA: Canadian inquiry underlines need for investigation into Maher Arar case in Syria and Jordan

Press Release: 21st September 2006

Amnesty International welcomes the findings of the Canadian public inquiry into the role of Canadian officials in the deportation and detention of Maher Arar, published on 18 September.

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Medics Condemn Government Over Guantanamo in New Letter: Human rights group says UK must intervene in case of eight UK residents held at Guantánamo Bay

Press Release 18th September 2006

Amnesty International today (18th September) called for the UK government to act over “forgotten” prisoners from the UK held at the US detention centre in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

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South Asia: 'War on terror' spawns new patterns of enforced disappearance

30th August 2006

New patterns of enforced disappearance related to the "war on terror" have emerged in South Asia alongside the long-standing problems in countries such as Nepal and Sri Lanka. In all cases, the families of the victims suffer emotionally, socially and financially, said Amnesty International on International Day of the Disappeared.

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Good News: Murat Kurnaz has been released from Guantánamo!

24th August 2006

“Thank God, I am well, but just God that created us knows when I will come back”

Murat Kurnaz wrote these words to his family from Guantánamo in March 2002. His dreams of returning home to Germany have only now, finally, been realised.

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No Impunity for War Crimes: US administration seeking to amend the War Crimes Act

11th August 2006

Amnesty International is concerned that the United States administration is seeking to persuade Congress to narrow the scope of the US War Crimes Act to prevent prosecutions of US personnel for humiliating and degrading treatment of detainees in the "war on terror".

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United States Supreme Court Rules Guantanamo Military Commissions Invalid

In a victory for human rights and the rule of law, the U.S. Supreme Court decided June 29th that the “military commissions” at Guantanamo Bay are invalid. The Court found that commission rules violate due process provisions of the Geneva Conventions and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

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Council of Europe: PACE calls for an end to rendition and secret detention

Public Statement: Tuesday 27th June 2006

The adoption by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) of a resolution aimed at ensuring that states in Europe take specific measures to end the US-led practice of rendition and secret detention is a milestone in unravelling the web of unlawful conduct that has resulted in torture and ill-treatment, enforced disappearance of individuals.

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USA: Three years on - Ali al-Marri remains in solitary confinement without charge or trial

Public Statement: Thursday 23rd June 2006

On 23 June 2003 President George W. Bush issued an executive order for Qatari national Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri to be detained in US military custody as an ‘enemy combatant’. In doing so, President Bush was once again seeking unchecked executive power in the “war on terror” and exposed Ali al-Marri to indefinite arbitrary detention. To date, Ali al-Marri’s treatment has remained entirely at the discretion of the military and executive authorities.

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Ireland lacks control over use of its territory - European States legally responsible for rendition abuses

Press Release: Wednesday 14th June 2006

Ireland must regain control over use by US military aircraft of its airspace and territory, according to Amnesty International. This call came as the organization released a report detailing cases of US rendition involving seven European states. Publication of the report Partners in crime: Europe's role in US renditions comes after the publication last week of Senator Marty's Council of Europe hard-hitting draft report.

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US breach illuminates Ireland’s lack of control over use of its territory

Press Release: Tuesday 13th June 2006

Ireland must regain control over use by US military aircraft of its airspace and territory, according to Amnesty International.

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USA: Independent investigation must be held into deaths of three Guantánamo detainees

Press Release: Monday 12th June 2006

Amnesty International today called for a fully independent investigation led by civilians into the deaths of three Guantanamo detainees after apparent suicides.

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Turkey: The draft revisions to the Law to Fight Terrorism are wide-ranging, arbitrary and restrictive

Public Statement: Friday 9th June 2006

Amnesty International is concerned that the “Draft Law revising some articles of the Law to Fight Terrorism [Law 3713 of 12/4/1991]” presented to the Turkish parliament on 18 April 2006 – and currently again being scrutinized by the Parliamentary Justice Sub-Commission before being resubmitted to parliament – contains sweeping and draconian provisions which may in practice contravene international human rights law and facilitate violations of the human rights of individuals.

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Torture Free Skies

News Release: Wednesday 7th June 2006

Today (June 7), as Council of Europe Commissioner Marty publishes his final report on the use of renditions, Amnesty International and the Irish Centre for Human Rights are reiterating their concern at how, in the context of the "war on terror", members of the international community are failing in their obligations to uphold international humanitarian and human rights law.

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