Nov 21, 2022Afghan Women and Girls Must Not Be AbandonedBy Alice Dahle, AIUSA Women’s Human Rights Coordination Group, Chair At the abrupt departure from Afghanistan of US and NATO military forces in August 2021, Afghan civilians rushed to leave the country as the Taliban quickly moved in to fill the power vacuum. Hundreds of thousands fled their homes in…4 min read4 min read
Aug 29, 2022How to Get Justice for the DisappearedBy the AIUSA Cogroup Writers August 30 is observed globally as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. Enforced disappearances are a horrific crime where a government or its agents detain someone and then deny all knowledge of their whereabouts or fate. They are committed in every region…5 min read5 min read
Jun 28, 2022Death Penalty in the United States: Furman v. Georgia 50 Years OnBy Rick Halperin Director, SMU Human Rights program Texas SDPAC and former Chair, AIUSA Board of Directors Fifty years ago, as spring faded and summer arrived in late June, the United States (and the world) was a vastly different place. In June, the first U.S. Libertarian Party National Convention was…6 min read6 min read
Jun 9, 2022Would you “wait and have patience”?By Larry Ladutke, El Salvador Country Specialist That’s what a guard at the infamous Mariona prison told Salvadoran families to do when they tried to find out where their loved ones were being held during the state of emergency that has been going on since late March 2022. He advised…3 min read3 min read
May 26, 2022Amnesty International has left Hong Kong but there will still be candles in the darknessBy Chow Hang-tung, human rights activist, Tiananmen vigil organizer and barrister, currently jailed in Hong Kong It was a sad moment when Amnesty International closed its Hong Kong offices after standing for more than 40 years in my city. This organization is very important to me — and not just…4 min read4 min read
May 2, 2022Protect Threatened Journalists on World Press Freedom DayBy the AIUSA Cogroup Writers World Press Freedom Day, May 3rd, provides an opportunity for people around the world to celebrate the fundamental human right to freedom of expression, enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Every day, journalists around the world face the threat…6 min read6 min read
Apr 6, 2022Ukraine War and YemenBy Alireza Azizi, AIUSA Yemen Country Specialist As the war in Ukraine is causing destruction and loss of life; as refugees escape war and destruction and are being welcomed by their neighboring countries; as many countries and communities are helping to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine; as the news media…2 min read2 min read
Mar 25, 2022“Everything is on fire”: One month since the Russian invasion of UkraineBy Maria Guryeva, Amnesty International On the night of 24 February, I couldn’t sleep, constantly checking Twitter and looking for any signs that the long-predicted Russian invasion would not happen. This night was sleepless for many in Ukraine. I was reloading my newsfeed again and again, reading increasingly disturbing news…6 min read6 min read
Mar 25, 2022Speak up for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights!By Samantha Baer, AIUSA Women’s Human Rights Coordination Group International Women’s Day (IWD) is commemorated in March (on the 8th), a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Women, girls, and people who can become pregnant are powerful leaders and changemakers, and this month we…2 min read2 min read
Dec 10, 2021Killer Robots (a.k.a. Lethal Autonomous Weapons): a Chance for RegulationBy Lillian Mauldin, AIUSA’s Military, Security and Police Transfers Coordination Group Next week, diplomats will convene in Geneva to decide whether to begin negotiating new international law on autonomy in weapons systems. Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWs), colloquially known by many in the arms control community as “Killer Robots”, are “weapons…Amnesty International3 min readAmnesty International3 min read
