North Jersey AIUSA

Amnesty International's Day of the Disappeared online event has been moved to this Saturday!

August 30 marks the International Day of the Disappeared. Enforced disappearances are a horrific crime where a government or its agents detain someone and then deny all knowledge of their whereabouts or fate. AIUSA’s Country & Thematic Specialist Program invites YOU to shine a light on individuals subjected to enforced disappearance and stand in solidarity with their families to seek truth and justice.

Join us on August 24 at 4PM EST/3PM CST/1PM PST for an online event featuring voices of formally disappeared individuals and family members of disappeared individuals.

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Day of Disappeared 2024 . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. August 30 marks the International Day of the Disappeared. Enforced disappearances are a horrific crime where a government or its agents detain someone and then deny all knowledge of their whereabouts or fate. AIUSA’s Country & Thematic Specialist Program invites YOU to shine a light on individuals...

Amnesty International featured Zamora's son, Joe Carlos Zamora, as a speaker in our 2023 World Press Freedom Day event. Jose Ruben Zamora is now an official Prisoner of Conscience.

Guatemala: Amnesty International Declares José Rubén Zamora a Prisoner of Conscience and Demands his Release José Rubén Zamora is being persecuted for exercising his right to freedom of expression in the context of his work as a journalist investigating and denouncing corruption.

SHINE A LIGHT ON ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES

August 30 marks the International Day of the Disappeared. Enforced disappearances are a horrific crime where a government or its agents detain someone and then deny all knowledge of their whereabouts or fate. AIUSA’s Country & Thematic Specialist Program invites YOU to shine a light on individuals subjected to enforced disappearance and stand in solidarity with their families to seek truth and justice.

Join us on August 31 at 1 PM EST/12 PM CST/10 AM PST for an online event featuring voices of formally disappeared individuals and family members of disappeared individuals.

SIGN-UP 2024 DAY OF DISAPPEARED MOBILIZATION
REGISTER FOR ONLINE EVENT 31 AUGUST 1PM EST/12PM CST/10AM PST

A group of us from New Jersey lobbied in favor of the SAFEGUARD Act on Capitol Hill on February 26. This legislation will strengthen mechanisms to prevent US weapons from being given or sold to human rights abusers.

END U.S. COMPLICITY IN GLOBAL WAR CRIMES The Safeguarding Human Rights in Arms Exports (SAFEGUARD) Act would help prevent U.S. weapons sales to governments that use them to violate human rights. It only takes a minute — send your letter to your senators and representative!

This is especially obvious after the Pentagon itself criticized Israel for misusing US weapons in the deadly attack on Palestinian civilians sheltering in a school in Rafa.

Amnesty International USA and Amnesty International France Call on Macron and Biden to Urgently Stop Sending Weapons to Israel Paul O’Brien, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, and Jean-Claude Samouiller, President of Amnesty International France, comment about President Biden marking D-Day alongside President Macron in France.

Leonard Peltier is very old and in poor health. He has been in prison for almost 50 years despite serious flaws in the trial that convicted him. This may the last opportunity for him to return home before he dies.

Urgent Action: URGE PAROLE FOR NATIVE AMERICAN ACTIVIST (USA 16.19) Native American activist Leonard Peltier (Bureau of Prisons Register Number 89637-132) has been imprisoned in the USA for nearly 50 years, some of which was spent in solitary confinement, for a crime he maintains that he did not commit. Now 79 years old, he suffers from several chronic health ailmen...

Biden is expected to issue an executive order to "shut down the border" in the coming weeks This is not what he promised when he was a candidate in 2020.

Stop Biden From Reviving Deadly Policies at the Border President Biden's plans to revive a Trump-era asylum ban makes it nearly impossible to seek asylum at the border. Help us flood the White House with strong opposition to these latest moves.

The Inter-American Human Rights Commission has recognized electoral observers as human rights defenders.

CIDH reconoce a observadores electorales como defensores de derechos humanos - La Prensa Gráfica La Comisión considera que los observadores buscan promover la democracia y evaluar el respeto a diferentes derechos de los ciudadanos.

"There are currently 40 women serving prison sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years for convictions related to abortions."

El Salvador congress upholds total abortion ban El Salvador’s congress voted yet again Wednesday to uphold the country’s total ban on abortions. Women’s rights groups had petitioned congress to approve at least exceptions in the case of r**e, risk to a woman’s health or life-threatening deformities. Congress has been asked three times bef...

El Salvador's constitution is no longer just a piece of paper. It is now a piece of paper with erasable ink.

El Salvador: Constitution "à la carte" could deepen human rights crisis in coming years El Salvador’s human rights situation has deteriorated alarmingly over the last five years, especially in the area of civil and political rights.

"Less than lethal" weapons can still kill. And they can cause permanent disabilities--such as blindness.

“While a few universities agreed to dialogue with protesters and put their concerns up for a vote, many college administrations called in law enforcement, which then resorted to violent means, including physical force, use of concussion devices or ‘flash bangs’, kinetic impact projectiles (such as rubber bullets), and chemical irritants (such as tear gas and pepper spray) against largely peaceful demonstrations,” continued O’Brien. “Worse yet, the NYPD specifically prevented media, including student journalists, legal observers, and street medics from performing their role in directly observing these actions, threatening them with arrest if they did not leave the area.”

Amnesty International USA Condemns University Administrations’ Responses to Campus Protests We urge university administrations to safeguard and facilitate the right of students to peacefully and safely protest or counter protest on their campuses.

Join today's Global Day of Action to to Israel!

Today is a Day of Action to to Israel!

Amnesty International is part of a coalition calling on the United Sates and other countries to

- Halt all transfer of weapons, parts and ammunition used to fuel the crisis in Gaza.

- Demand perpetrators of international humanitarian law violations and atrocity crimes are held to account.

- Not be complicit in ongoing violations of international law by fulfilling their legal obligations and secure a permanent ceasefire now.

We should not be supplying weapons to ANYONE targeting civilians, hospitals, infrastructure, humanitarian aid, etc.

U.S.-Made Weapons Used by Government of Israel in Violation of International Law and U.S Law President Biden must end U.S. complicity and finally suspend the transfer of weapons to the government of Israel.

Protesting in support of human rights IS a human right!

Amnesty International Urges University Administrations to Respect and Protect Students’ Rights to Protest The right to protest is critical to freely speak out against what is happening right now in Gaza.

I worked with with both Congressman Payne's office and that of his father, Donald Payne Sr., as part of my volunteer role at Amnesty International. I also remember the time he spoke at NJCU following the terrorism incident (committed with an AR-15) of December 2019. He will be remembered for his work on ending gun violence as well as support for other human rights issues.

Statement from NJCU Interim President Andrés Acebo on the Passing of U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne, Jr. | New Jersey City University

Evidence must be preserved as per the International Court of Justice's provisional measures issued on January 26. Only independent investigators can ensure that this happens.

Gaza: Discovery of mass graves highlights urgent need to grant access to independent human rights investigators Responding to the discovery of mass graves containing hundreds of bodies at two of Gaza’s hospitals, Amnesty International’s Senior Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, Erika Guevara Rosas said: “The harrowing discovery of these mass graves underscores the urgency of ensuring ...

If interested, please apply ASAP to be able to attend the training for new Country and Thematic specialists in June.

Amnesty International USA is recruiting volunteer leaders for our Country and Thematic Specialists Program! AIUSA's Country and Thematic Specialist Program is seeking diverse and talented activists interested in working on Guatemala Specialist.

County and Thematic Specialists are volunteer leaders who serve as experts and strategists for a particular country or issue at AIUSA. In collaboration with other volunteers and staff, Country and Thematic Specialists develop action strategies designed to bring about positive change in the human rights situation in the target country or issue. These strategies may involve rapid responses, media and social media engagement, US and foreign government advocacy, and collaboration with coalitions.

The Country and Thematic Program is a two-year commitment. The time commitment is an average of 2-5 hours per week but varies depending on the county being covered by a specialist.

To Apply:

If you are interested in applying, please complete the Country

and Thematic Specialist Application (includes questionnaire, resume, and letter of interest).
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.amnestyusa.org/country-thematic-specialist-application/__;!!HXCxUKc!1Nh0UcVu5CnoNJjh8X-7x4LeE4_X9z5pvLQq1MsXW6JEMUPerCGSUhii8HYFAvY5p-P4n_nuQ2mtUTOPzQ$

Learn More – check out the Country and Thematic Specialist Program webpage or email Ryan Moore, [email protected].

urldefense.com

This was one of the cases we highlighted while lobbying for the SAFEGUARD Act in February. The SAFEGUARD Act would tighten restrictions on selling weapons to human rights violators.

Global: New short film highlights devastating impact less-lethal weapons are having on protesters globally Amnesty International is launching a powerful film showing the devastating impact less-lethal weapons are having on protesters globally, with many suffering life-long injuries and permanent disabilities. The new film, which features Leidy Cadena who was blinded by police in 2021 during a protest whi...

Paul O'Brien: When will President Biden realize he is complicit in the Israeli government’s crimes against humanity? Enough is enough. President Biden must use the immense leverage of the United States to bring about an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the unlawful siege and blockade to save lives.”

Amnesty International Demands U.S. Suspension of Weapons Transfer to Government of Israel It’s unconscionable that this administration continues to give weapons despite clear evidence of war crimes and other atrocities being committed by Israeli forces.

Amnesty International welcomes the new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, which concludes there are “reasonable grounds to believe the threshold indicating Israel’s commission of genocide is met.

UN Special Rapporteur Report on Gaza Provides Crucial Evidence That Must Spur International Action to Prevent Genocide Amnesty International responds to the UN Special Rapporteur report that states must uphold their obligations under the Genocide Convention and take concrete measures to protect Palestinians in Gaza today.

This panel on the impact of El Salvador's state of exception on the region will also be available online at 4:30 on Thursday, April 4. You don't need to register, just use the link below when the event starts.

https://bit.ly/3xlUUr6

As of February 2024, victims’ movements, local human rights organizations and media reports had registered 327 cases of enforced disappearances, more than 78,000 arbitrary detentions – with a total of approximately 102,000 people now deprived of their freedom in the country – a situation of prison overcrowding of approximately 148%, and at least 235 deaths in state custody.

The institutionalization of human rights violations in El Salvador The government continues to ignore its international human rights obligations

Restrictions to abortion impact a range of human rights, including the right to autonomy and privacy, liberty and security of person, equality and non-discrimination, health, life, and to be
free from torture and other ill-treatment. On this International Women’s Day, take an action from the new toolkit on abortion rights from Amnesty International and share it widely in your social media networks!
http://www.amnestyusa.org/abortion

Call on your Senators and Representative today to pass the Transgender Bill of Rights, a resolution that provides a comprehensive framework for protecting the rights of transgender and nonbinary people.

Act Now: Trans Rights are Human Rights The time is now: Call on your representative today to pass the Transgender Bill of Rights, a resolution that provides a comprehensive framework for protecting the rights of transgender and nonbinary people.

Here is Amnesty International's reaction to Bukele's reelection in El Salvador.

El Salvador's human rights crisis could deepen in Bukele's second term The international community must stay vigilant

I have decided I can't afford the hotel for the Amnesty International AGM this year. I am just going to go down Sunday for the lobbying day mobilization.

Todos las salvadoreñas y los salvadoreños tienen los derechos humanos ! Excepcion!

El Salvador: Detrás del velo de la popularidad: Represión y regresión en materia de derechos humanos en El Salvador - Amnistía Internacional El presente informe es resultado de tres misiones de investigación y 83 entrevistas, que documentan la instalación de un contexto marcado por la profundización de un enfoque punitivo y represivo en materia de seguridad pública; la adopción de un marco legal que pone en riesgo el debido proceso;...

All Salvadorans have human rights !

El Salvador: Policies, practices, and abusive, arbitrary legislation violate human rights and threaten civic space El Salvador is experiencing an alarming regression in the respect for and protection of human rights as reported in Amnesty International's new report.

The new Amnesty International report on the state of exception in El Salvador is available. This 85-page report is very thorough.

The summary page is in English, but the link to the report takes you to the Spanish version. Hopefully the English version will be available soon.

Repression and regression of human rights in El Salvador Policies, practices, and abusive, arbitrary legislation threaten civic space