Trump's first 100 days supercharged a global ‘freefall of rights', says Amnesty
The first 100 days of Donald Trump's presidency have 'supercharged' a global rollback of human rights, pushing the world towards an authoritarian era defined by impunity and unchecked corporate power, Amnesty International warns today.
In its annual report on the state of human rights in 150 countries, the organisation said the immediate ramifications of Trump's second term had been the undermining of decades of progress and the emboldening of authoritarian leaders.
Describing a 'freefall' in human rights, the report said growing inaction over the climate crisis, violent crackdowns on dissent and a mounting backlash against the rights of migrants, refugees, women, girls and LGBTQ+ people could be traced to the so-called Trump effect.
Amnesty warned the situation would deteriorate further this year as Trump continued to dismantle the rules-based world order that Washington helped to build from the devastation of the second world war.
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK's chief executive, described the US president's swift and deliberate targeting of international institutions designed to make the world safer and fairer as 'terrifying'.
'You look forward to the end of this decade and wonder whether the basic frameworks and underpinnings of not just human rights but international law will still be standing. You probably haven't been able to say that since 1935,' he said.
Amnesty's report also documents how mass arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and lethal force are becoming increasingly widespread tools of repression.
In Bangladesh, 'shoot-on-sight' orders during student protests led to hundreds of deaths; Mozambique's disputed elections similarly sparked a deadly crackdown; and Turkey also imposed draconian bans on demonstrations.
The report also identified global inaction as an area of concern, particularly in relation to Sudan's ruinous civil war. One of the warring sides there, the Rapid Support Forces, has been accused of repeatedly carrying out mass sexual violence against women and girls yet international action remains muted.
Trump's sweeping foreign aid cuts had made conditions worse across the world, Amnesty said, closing crucial programmes in states such as Yemen and Syria, leaving children and survivors of conflict without access to food, shelter or healthcare.
Amnesty also raised concerns over failures to uphold international humanitarian law, citing Israel's military operations in Gaza.
In Europe, Amnesty said Russia killed more Ukrainian civilians in 2024 than the previous year and continued to target non-military infrastructure. Trump is proposing that Ukraine cede territory to Russia as part of peace proposals dismissed as appeasement by critics.
Sign up to Global Dispatch
Get a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features and pictures, curated by our global development team
after newsletter promotion
Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International's secretary general, said: 'Trump has shown only utter contempt for universal human rights – emboldening anti-rights movements worldwide and letting corporate allies run amok.'
Looking further ahead, the report warned that governments risked failing future generations on the climate, economic inequality and corporate power.
It cited the collapse of the UN's Cop29 climate conference, under fossil-fuel corporations' influence, while rich countries 'bullied' low-income nations into accepting inadequate climate financing.
Trump's exit from the crucial Paris climate agreement threatened 'to drag others with him', Amnesty warned.
Elsewhere, against a backdrop of scapegoating migrants, 'billionaires gained wealth as global poverty reduction stalled', it said.
Women, girls and LGBTQ+ people faced intensifying attacks in a number of countries including Afghanistan and Iran, while LGBTQ+ rights were targeted in Uganda, Georgia and Bulgaria.
'The Trump administration fanned the flames, cutting support for gender equality and dismantling protections for trans people and women globally,' Amnesty said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
25 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Greta Thunberg says she was kidnapped by Israeli forces in international waters
Greta Thunberg on Tuesday accused Israel of kidnapping her and her fellow pro-Palestinian activists in international waters, saying she declined to sign a document stating she entered the country illegally prior to being deported. Speaking in the arrivals section of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport after being deported from Israel, the Swedish activist said she and her team had broken no laws, and called for the immediate release of the activists still in Israel. Advertisement "I was very clear in my testimony that we were kidnapped on international waters and brought against our own will into Israel," she said. She laughed off criticism from US president Donald Trump, who had described her as an angry person, saying: "I think the world needs a lot more young angry women to be honest, especially with everything going on right now." World Greta Thunberg deported from Israel after Gaza-bou... Read More Thunberg (22) arrived in Paris a day after the Israeli navy prevented her and a group of fellow pro-Palestinian activists from sailing to Gaza. Israeli forces boarded the charity vessel as it neared Gaza early on Monday, trying to break through a years-old naval blockade of the coastal enclave, and seized the 12-strong crew, including Thunberg. Thunberg denied her mission to deliver aid to Gaza by breaking through a years-old naval blockade of the coastal enclave was a PR stunt, saying a previous effort in a larger boat was ended after the vessel was bombed. She said she was now in desperate need of a shower and sleep. She admitted it was unclear where she would be heading next, telling reporters it could be Sweden.
Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Vance slams Newsom over LA ICE riots
By Published: | Updated: Vice President JD Vance ridiculed California Governor Gavin Newsom, as he struggled to handle violent protests in California in response to ICE deportations. The social media duel between the two ambitious politicians was a messaging preview if the two leaders ultimately one day face each other in the upcoming 2028 presidential election. Trump told reporters he even supported the idea of his immigration czar Tom Homan arresting Newsom for doing a 'terrible job' as governor as he returned to the White House from Camp David. Newsom reacted on social media, expressing shock at Trump's comments. 'The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor,' Newsom wrote. 'This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.' 'Do your job. That's all we're asking,' Vance replied on X. Newsom appears eager to take his political career to a national level after he is prevented from running again for governor in 2026, thanks to term limits. Vance, who many expect to be the heir to the MAGA movement remained widely supportive of President Trump's action to send the military to help quell the riots.
The Guardian
30 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Los Angeles braces for arrival of more troops in ‘crisis of Trump's own making'
Los Angeles on Tuesday was bracing for new troop arrivals after a quieter night following four days of protests over federal immigration raids on local businesses. The initial deployment of 300 national guard troops is expected to quickly expand to the full 4,000 that has been authorized by Donald Trump, with an additional 700 marines who could begin arriving on Tuesday. The US Northern Command, or Northcom, said in a statement on Monday that marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division 'will seamlessly integrate' with forces 'who are protecting federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area'. Northcom added that the forces had been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force – and that approximately 1,700 soldiers from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, a California national guard unit, were already in the greater Los Angeles area. The national guard and marine detachments were being dispatched to the US's second largest city over the objections of California's governor, Gavin Newsom. And the state is now suing the Trump administration, claiming the president illegally federalized the national guard to confront protesters in Los Angeles. California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, said on Monday that the state's sovereignty was 'trampled'. But Trump countered that his administration had 'no choice' but to send in troops. The national guard are not believed to be involved in crowd control but assigned to protect federal property. 'If I didn't 'SEND IN THE TROOPS' to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great city would be burning to the ground right now, much like 25,000 houses burned to the ground in L.A. do to an incompetent Governor and Mayor' Trump said in a Truth Social post early on Tuesday, referring to the response to wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles county late last year. Trump later deleted that post and published another with the correct spelling of 'due'. But the deployment is strongly opposed by California Democrats. Senator Alex Padilla told the Associated Press on Tuesday that protests against the US's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) as well as the subsequent legal showdown between his state and the government 'is absolutely a crisis of Trump's own making'. 'There are a lot of people who are passionate about speaking up for fundamental rights and respecting due process, but the deployment of national guard only serves to escalate tensions and the situation,' Padilla said. 'It's exactly what Donald Trump wanted to do.' Padilla slammed the deployment as 'counterproductive' and said the Los Angeles sheriff's department had not been advised of the federalization of the national guard. He said his office had pressed the Pentagon for a justification, and 'as far as we're told, the Department of Defense isn't sure what the mission is here'. 'Los Angeles is no stranger to demonstrations and protests and rallies and marches,' Padilla added. 'Local law enforcement knows how to handle this and has a rapport with the community and community leaders to be able to allow for that.' The defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, signaled support on his personal X account for deploying troops to California. 'Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty US Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order,' he posted on X. 'We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers – even if Gavin Newsom will not.' Hegseth will testify on Tuesday along with the joint chiefs of staff chair, Gen Dan Caine, before the House appropriations subcommittee on defense. The meeting is focused on the nearly $1tn budget request for 2026, but Democrats are likely to question the defence secretary on the controversial move to deploy national guard and marines to LA.
