Amnesty Global Round-Up: Latest Human Rights News

Sudan: Attacks on camps for the displaced must stop immediately Amnesty International today called for an immediate halt to attacks by Sudanese security forces on displaced persons' camps in Darfur. The latest assault on residents at the El-Geer camp near Nyala is the fourth time over the past ten days that displaced persons' camps have been attacked.

The attacks come just a day after Sudan's government signed humanitarian and security agreements with armed opposition groups in the Nigerian capital of Abuja,

"This attack shows a callous disregard on the part of the Government of Sudan for its most basic obligations under humanitarian and human rights law," Amnesty International said

Police fired tear gas, assaulted residents and bulldozed shelters in El-Geer camp, ignoring the protests of representatives of the United Nations, the African Union and international aid agencies who were present during the attack. Journalists also came under fire and the deputy chief of the camp was beaten up and arrested.

The assault comes a week before the UN Security Council is due to meet in Nairobi, Kenya, to discuss crises in the region and at a time when the UN Commission of Inquiry is visiting the area.

"The attacks show how urgent it is for the international community to take firm measures at next week's UN Security Council meeting to ensure the security of civilians in Darfur and the protection of their human rights," Amnesty International said.

Swaziland: Judges' stand supports human rights Amnesty International welcomes the position taken yesterday by the judges of Swaziland’s Court of Appeal that the Government must comply with its rulings or they will not resume their duties. http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGAFR550092004

Iran: Civil society activists and human rights defenders under attack Efforts by Iran's judiciary to curtail freedom of expression and association are now increasingly encroaching on human rights defenders and civil society activists. http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGMDE130452004

Albania: Disability and the right to marry Amnesty International expresses grave concern about draft amendments to the Albanian Family Code that would bar marriage to people with certain mental and physical disabilities. http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGEUR110052004

Central African Republic: Hundreds raped and neglected The international community should provide human and material resources and ensure that the Government of the CAR protects and promotes the rights of women and girls not to be subjected to physical, psychological or sexual violence. http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGAFR190052004

Nigeria: Are human rights in the pipeline? The failure of the Nigerian government to rigorously enforce its obligations to protect human rights is fuelling violations of civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural rights in the process of the oil exploration and production in the Niger Delta. http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGAFR440312004

Uzbekistan: Britain's ambassador was right to speak out A Pinochet torture survivor explains why Craig Murray was right to denounce the use of torture "evidence". http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGEUR620262004

Solomon Islands: Women in fear as rapists go unchecked Hundreds of cases of rape, torture and other violence in the Solomon Islands remain unresolved because victims fear for their safety if they report such crimes to the police. http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGASA430022004

Zimbabwe: Misleading information about Amnesty International's participation in a campaigning event in Southern Africa Amnesty International moves to correct misleading information falsely attributed to the South African section of the organization and other partner non-governmental organizations in Southern Africa. http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGAFR460352004

Jamaica: Five years of impunity must come to an end Amnesty International is gravely concerned that it is now more than five years since any Jamaican police officer has been convicted of an unlawful killing committed while on duty, a shameful blot on the country’s human rights record. http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGAMR380162004

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