Latest news with #JuliaDuchrow
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Amnesty: Human rights at risk worldwide
AI Image According to the UK-based human rights organization Amnesty International , we are at a "critical juncture" when it comes to universal human rights worldwide. Its report underlines religious, patriarchal and racist assaults on the system of human rights conventions, universal human rights, international humanitarian law , and international courts agreed upon by states after the crimes of the Nazis and World War II. "Unprecedented forces are hunting down the ideals of human rights for all, seeking to destroy an international system forged in the blood and grief of World War Two and its Holocaust," writes Agnes Callamard, International Secretary General of Amnesty International (AI), in the foreword to her organization's annual report. Amnesty International assesses the human rights situation in a total of 150 countries every year. Increasing violence against civilians and minorities Amnesty's annual report identifies three main ongoing trends. Firstly, civilians are coming under increasing pressure in war zones like Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of Congo. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Highest Earning College Majors—2025 Edition Best Paying Degrees | Search Ads Learn More Undo "The rules that are supposed to apply in conflicts, the red lines that the international community has set itself, are being more and more disregarded," Julia Duchrow, the secretary general of Amnesty's German section, told DW. Secondly, minorities in particular were at risk in many countries, particularly people from LGBTQ+ communities, refugees and dissidents. And, thirdly, states were increasingly failing to take action to counter this crisis in human rights. This was particularly true of states that once were committed to universal human rights, such as the US. "The US government is acting as an accelerant in this human rights crisis, putting billions of people worldwide at risk," said Duchrow. She added that sanctions against the International Criminal Court and the US' withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council were tantamount to taking an ax to international law. Israel and Gaza once again in focus The human rights NGO also once again draws particular attention to the war in Gaza, in which tens of thousands of people have been killed. The current conflict broke out after the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by Germany, the US and the EU among others, launched an attack in Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel retaliated by launching a military operation in Gaza. Amnesty International accuses Israel of committing "genocide" against Palestinians. "States watched on as if powerless, as Israel killed thousands upon thousands of Palestinians, wiping out entire multigenerational families, destroying homes, livelihoods, hospitals and schools," the report reads. The organization made a similar argument in an almost 300-page report in December 2024. The accusation of genocide is controversial. The Israeli government vehemently rejects it, and some international law experts have also called the use of the term into question. German-British expert Stefan Talmon has described the legal argumentation of Amnesty's report as flawed. On the other hand, other organizations such as Human Rights Watch have also accused Israel of "acts of genocide," such as deliberately starving the civilian population in Gaza. Sudan: A humanitarian disaster The crisis in Sudan also features in this year's annual report. The country has been embroiled in a civil war for more than two years, with devastating consequences for the civilian population, and tens of thousands of victims, according to the UN. More people have been displaced in Sudan than anywhere else in the world, says Amnesty International The former US government accused the rebel group involved of "genocide." Amnesty International refers instead to violence on both sides and calls for an arms embargo. However, Germany's AI Secretary General Duchrow did not rule out the possibility that the NGO could, in future, also conclude that genocide has been committed in Sudan. Criticism of Germany Germany also comes in for criticism for a series of changes relating to the rights of immigrants and refugees. Amnesty International lists the expansion of authorities' powers of entry to premises, search and detention, and the further increased risk of unlawful detention for asylum seekers in Germany. The NGO also points specifically to the resumption of deportations to Afghanistan and Syria, the suspension of asylum applications for Syrians, and the restoration of Schengen border checks without "reasonable suspicion." AI also condemns the "excessive use of force in the policing of protests by climate activists and supporters of Palestinians' rights. Call to reflect on human rights Amnesty is calling for a return to the rules-based order of human rights and for governments to respect human rights and international law. According to Duchrow, this would include respecting and complying with international arrest warrants such as the one against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She also believes that reform of the UN Security Council is necessary. But the Secretary General of Amnesty Germany also mentioned some positive developments. "We see positive developments time and again, alongside the negative ones," Duchrow said. "Human rights have a powerful impact on the people who take to the streets. That is why we are calling on governments to put human rights at the heart of their policies. But of course, it also requires commitment from everyone; it depends on all of us."
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Amnesty International criticizes case against German climate group
Amnesty International and other organizations have criticized charges against members of the former climate group Last Generation (Letzte Generation), over allegations of forming a criminal organization. The actions of the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office are disproportionate, said Julia Duchrow, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, adding that the move unfairly stigmatizes and criminalizes the entire climate movement. Duchrow emphasized that even uncomfortable protest is protected by the German constitution and human rights law. Civic engagement can be stifled by such disproportionately repressive measures, leading to deterrence and intimidation, she warned. Prosecutors have charged five members of the former Letzte Generation with suspicion of forming a criminal organization. A district court will decide whether to proceed to trial. If convicted, the activists could face up to five years in prison, or 10 years in severe cases. The group, known for blocking roads and targeting museums in its protests, announced at the end of last year that it was changing its strategy and its name. A nationwide raid in the case in May 2023 sparked sharp criticism and court disputes. At that time, 170 police officers searched 15 properties in seven countries.
