AIUK Briefing - International Human Rights Abuses

For decades, major powers have flouted international law with impunity and shielded their allies from accountability. The result is conflicts and crises rife with human rights violations in every corner of the world and unprecedented threats to the international rules-based system, multilateralism and open societies. It is no coincidence that unprecedented attacks on civic space and human rights defenders (HRDs) are taking place against a backdrop of rising authoritarianism and growing attacks on the international rules-based system. HRDs are the canaries in the coal mine: attacks against them foretell increasingly repressive and regressive policies and practices. They are also the most important partners for exposing and opposing those policies and practices. Amnesty International is calling on the UK government to adopt a principled foreign policy that acknowledges and responds to human rights violations in a consistent manner, wherever they take place.

• Consistently support international justice and accountability mechanisms for crimes under international law.
• Prioritise the promotion of civil society space worldwide, including freedom of expression, association and assembly and support for human rights defenders and journalists.

This briefing looks at examples of human rights abuses in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Myanmar, Nigeria, India and China.