Conflict & crises. Authoritarian practices & closing civic space. Attacks on the international human rights system. At 25 years of their partnership, leaders at the EU-AU summit must rise to challenges in both regions & worldwide.

🎂 Happy birthday to Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan. After a brief moment of freedom, she has now spent over a year detained on vague criminal charges, awaiting an unfair trial. Illustrator: @badiucao.bsky.social

A new @amnesty.org report on sexual violence in Sudan is out today. It documents widespread sexual and other violence by the RSF in the current conflict, against the backdrop of decades of impunity for such crimes where perpetrators went unpunished. www.amnesty.org/en/latest/ne...

The common trend? Russia sponsoring and financing a far-right take over exploiting migrants as a political weapon.

🚨 Kenya's high court has ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear and consider the merits of a case, in which Meta is accused of promoting content that led to ethnic violence and killings in Ethiopia.

Last week @amnesty.org's Deprose Muchena challenged EU and member state counterparts: Show diplomatic leadership to stop violations in DRC, Sudan and across Africa as in Ukraine. Bring all your imagination and engagement for rights across the world. Our asks? 👇

Henry Kissinger, ally of military dictators & genocidal regimes? Supporter of crimes of aggression & military juntas? Committer of war crimes & coup d'états? This is not what global credibility & principled leadership looks like.

#Sudan As the two-year anniversary of the conflict approaches, civil society organisations call on the EU and its member states to act robustly and strategically for human rights of all those affected.

Full support by Euro-Parl's Trade Committee members to suspension of EU’s flawed mineral deal with #Rwanda. DG INTPA's evasive & unconvincing responses raise serious questions about principles of its actions. multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/webstream...

We can’t breathe

Netanyahu halts entry of all goods & supplies to the illegally blocked and occupied Gaza Strip in defiance of countless warnings about the catastrophic humanitarian situation Israel deliberately inflicting conditions of life on Palestinians in Gaza intended to lead to their destruction is genocide

For too long, the EU's anti-smuggling laws have enabled the unjust prosecution of refugees, migrants & human rights defenders. @ec.europa.eu proposals to reform Facilitators Package must align with intl' law & stop criminalizing solidarity. Our recommendations👇 www.amnesty.eu/news/amnesty...

Ahead of the EU-Israel association council in Brussels on Monday @evegeddie.bsky.social says, "It is unconscionable that the EU is rolling out the red carpet for minister Sa’ar whose boss, PM Netanyahu, is wanted by the ICC." www.amnesty.org/en/latest/ne...

A new era on LGBTI rights backsliding in Europe. @ilgaeurope.bsky.social #AnnualReview2025 reveals how “LGBTI propaganda” laws threaten human rights and governments are fueling anti-LGBTI sentiment to restrict freedom of expression, association, and fair elections in Europe 🧵

Six months after the Paris Olympics, French authorities are not only doubling down on the discriminatory hijab ban but are attempting to extend it to all sports. French lawmakers must reject this discriminatory bill.

German police banning Arabic at a pro-Palestine protest is a new blow for democracy – @erikaguevararosas.bsky.social www.independent.co.uk/voices/gaza-...

#Sudan As fighting rages in #Khartoum & #Darfur @amnesty.org has received alarming information, including reports of lists of potential targets, indicating civilian activists, #humanrights defenders, medical & humanitarian workers are at imminent risk of deadly reprisal attacks.

German authorities must stop their crackdown on speech and protests and the discriminatory restriction of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. #ProtectTheProtest ✊

The death penalty is a cruel and inhumane punishment, which is incompatible with the inalienable right to life, fails to act as a deterrent to crime, represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity, and makes the miscarriages of justice irreversible.

CNN's @jimacosta.bsky.social is out after 18 years as they make "internal changes". He signs off: "It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant. I have always believed it is the job of the press to hold power to account.. Don't give into the lies. Don't give into the fear. Hold onto the truth."

With the Israeli Knesset bill coming into action, which will ban UNRWA from operating in the occupied Palestinian territory at a time where humanitarian aid is mostly needed, millions of Palestinian lives are in danger.

@amnesty.org has issued an Urgent Action calling on Israel to immediately release Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. The Paediatrician and Director of what *was* the last functioning major medical facility in North Gaza has been arbitrarily detained since 27 December. www.amnesty.org/en/documents...

Our DC Director sets the record straight: #Biden administration has failed on human rights in foreign policy - with massive consequences globally. The next 4 years might be even more difficult. EU's leadership for human rights more critical than ever. www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...

The @eudiplomacy.bsky.social assessment of human rights progress in #Egypt was always going to be flawed, as there are no criteria on which progress can be measured. The @ec.europa.eu decision is therefore purely political. The commission wanted to release the €1bn & it did so.

Shocking to see #Poland, a strong advocate for international law, blatantly flouting it by granting immunity to an #ICC suspect. States will always have reasons to exempt suspects from arrest, however respect for rule of law means one standard that applies for everyone. Be that Putin or Netanyahu.

Starting off 2025 with a flash-back to our lightning action calling on EU leaders to #EndGazaGenocide at the EU Commission HQ (Berlaymont) back in December Check out our video here: www.instagram.com/reel/DDw25Rl...