Amnesty International Letter to the First Minister

Amnesty International has written to Scotland's new First Minister Humza Yousaf inviting him to meet rights organisations and campaigners to agree a ‘human rights agenda’ for Scotland. 

Naomi McAuliffe, Amnesty's Scotland Director welcomed Mr Yousaf to office, and said that strengthening the law on human rights protections, opposing the UK Government’s attack on people seeking asylum, and standing up for human rights defenders working domestically and internationally should be among his priorities.

Ms McAuliffe said:

"The Scottish Government has been clear in its opposition to some of the very calculated crackdowns on rights protections at a UK level. When the UK Government proposed repealing the Human Rights Act Scottish Ministers were vocal, and are also resisting the extremely damaging Refugee Ban Bill being rushed through the Commons right now. 

"In Scotland there has been positive law and policy but we are concerned that progress may stall. Two years ago the parliament passed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill but after a Supreme Court Challenge we are still to see the Bill amended and commenced. Similarly a lot of work has gone into developing a Human Rights Bill for Scotland but we are still waiting on the public consultation on the proposals.  

"The human rights challenges facing many have been exacerbated by the pandemic and cost of living crisis and we need the new First Minister to agree a human rights agenda that will ensure progress in Scotland is consolidated and built upon as quickly as possible."

Read the full letter from Amnesty below.