Amnesty warns of a worsening international human rights crisis
Amnesty International has warned of a worsening international human rights crisis, accelerated by the so-called “Trump effect,” which fuels harmful global trends, Africanews reported on April 29th.
In its annual report, “The State of the World’s Human Rights”, the organisation examined national, regional, and international developments across various human rights topics.
The key threats to human rights are violations in armed wars, the suppression of dissent, economic and climate injustice, discrimination, and the use of technology to violate human rights. Interestingly, Amnesty recently stated that executions across the world have reached their highest level since 2015 last year, Middle East Eye reported on April 8th.
Amnesty pointed to Africa’s armed conflicts as a major source of suffering. With sexual and gender-based abuse affecting civilians, while international responses remained insufficient, leaving communities feeling abandoned.
The report also emphasised how the cost-of-living crisis has intensified. Rising food and fuel prices, high taxation, public debt, corruption, ongoing conflict, and extreme weather have made the crisis even worse. In this environment, protesting became increasingly dangerous.
Amnesty stated that protests were often dangerously spreading, and attacks on freedom of expression and peaceful protests remained widespread.
Governments used methods such as forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and the detention of critics, activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. Meanwhile, conflict and extreme weather continued to displace many, with Sudan facing the world’s largest displacement crisis.
Unlawful attacks by government and armed forces occurred across the region. In Burkina Faso, the military reportedly killed at least 223 civilians in February. In Ethiopia, following conflict in January in Merawi, government forces executed dozens of men, after rounding them up from homes.
Africanews
