Amnesty International supports schools and their wider communities in all regions of the world to build a global culture of human rights. Human Rights Friendly Schools aim to empower young people and promote the active participation of all members of the school community to integrate human rights values and principles into all areas of school life.

On 2 April, the tribunal of Sidi M’hamed in Algiers convicted prominent Algerian journalist Ihsane El Kadi to five years in prison, of which two suspended, a fine of 700,000 Algerian dinars (around USD 5,150), and ordered the dissolution of his media company, one of the last media outlets in the country, and a fine of 10 million Algerian dinars (around USD 73,862). He was convicted on charges of “receiving funds for political propaganda” and “harming the national security of the state”, solely for investing money sent to him by his daughter into his media company and exercising his work of journalist. His conviction is a clear violation of his right to freedom of expression and the latest example of the Algerian authorities tightening their grip on critical voices and the independent media. He must be released immediately and unconditionally, and his conviction must be quashed.

The Eswatini authorities must ensure the investigation into the unlawful killing of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko is completely independent, impartial, transparent and effective, Amnesty International said today, one month after he was shot by unknown gunmen.

Responding to the news that Israel has intercepted and detained the 12-person crew aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla’s Madleen boat, including activist Greta Thunberg, who has been designated by Amnesty International as an Ambassador of Conscience, which had attempted to break Israel’s illegal blockade on the occupied Gaza Strip and get in desperately needed humanitarian supplies, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said:

The Rwandan-backed March 23 Movement (M23) has killed, tortured and forcibly disappeared detainees, held some as hostages, and subjected them to inhumane conditions at detention sites in Goma and Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). These acts violate international humanitarian law (IHL) and may amount to war crimes, Amnesty International said today.

The 2025 edition of Amnesty International’s annual report, The State of the World’s Human Rights, assesses national, regional and global developments across a wide range of human rights themes. It identifies world trends related to violations in armed conflicts, repression of dissent, discrimination, economic and climate injustice, and the misuse of technology to infringe on human rights. It also highlights how powerful states have deliberately undermined the international rules-based system, hindering the resolution of problems that affect the lives of millions. The report documents human rights concerns during 2024 in 150 countries, connecting global and regional issues and looking to the future.

The Trump administration’s anti-rights campaign is turbocharging harmful trends already present, gutting international human rights protections and endangering billions across the planet, Amnesty International warned today upon launching its annual report, The State of the World’s Human Rights.

Mozambicans have taken to the streets to protest contested election results and other socioeconomic and political grievances. Instead of protecting their rights to peaceful assembly, police cracked down on nationwide protests and responded with unlawful use of force, mass arbitrary arrests and suppression of information. This report examines human rights violations by units of the Mozambican security forces in relation to the protests between 21 October 2024 and 24 January 2025, as well as possible actions of internet service providers which resulted in impeded access to information during that time.

Mozambican security forces used reckless and unnecessary force in a widespread crackdown on protests following last October’s election, resulting in unlawful killings and devastating injuries, Amnesty International said in a new report. 

Responding to news that treason charges were brought against Tundu Lissu, leader of Tanzania’s main opposition Party for Democracy and Progress (Chadema) on 10 April, following his arrest on 9 April, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah said:

This press release contains descriptions of sexual violence and torture.

This report covers the judicial use of the death penalty for the period January to December 2024. Amnesty International’s monitoring shows an increase by 32% in recorded executions compared to 2023. This does not include the thousands of people believed to have been executed in China, as well as in North Korea and Viet Nam, also believed to have resorted to executions extensively. For the second consecutive year, executing countries reached the lowest number on record.

Global executions hit their highest figure since 2015, as over 1,500 people were executed across 15 countries in 2024, said Amnesty International today as it released its annual report on the global use of the death penalty.

More than two-thirds of the countries in the world have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice. This document includes Amnesty International’s lists of countries in the four categories: abolitionist for all crimes, abolitionist for ordinary crimes only, abolitionist in practice and retentionist.

Ahead of the two-year anniversary of Inocêncio Manhique losing his eye due to unlawful use of force by security forces, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Khanyo Farisè, said: