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New Amnesty International report ‘We Start With the Verdict’ on Pegasus surveillance by Morocco

October 7, 2026

On 6 October 2026, Al Jazeera and others tell the story:

Omar Radi is a journalist and human rights defender from Morocco. His case is among four detailed in a new Amnesty International report, We Start With the Verdict: Inside Morocco’s Surveillance Machine, produced with 14 media organisations and coordinated by the international network of journalists Forbidden Stories.

The other three are Fouad Abdelmoumni, a veteran activist; Abdessadak El Bouchattaoui, a human rights lawyer; and Hicham Mansouri, a journalist in exile who had been imprisoned in 2015 on charges of adultery and sexual exploitation, which Amnesty describes as trumped-up.

Authorities in Morocco operate an expansive and vast surveillance apparatus that combines digital and analogue tools to track, monitor and ultimately silence journalists, activists and other critical voices, Amnesty International said in a new report. 

We start with the verdict: Inside Morocco’s surveillance machine reveals how Moroccan authorities use unlawful surveillance to target human rights defenders, journalists and other dissenting voices and subject them to criminal prosecutions, judicial harassment and other forms of repression in violation of their rights to privacy, liberty, and freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.  

“Morocco has wholly embraced techno-authoritarian practices, acquiring a wide range of surveillance technologies to establish and enable a repressive system specifically designed to instill fear among human rights activists and journalists, silence their voices and obstruct their work inside and outside Morocco,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General. 

Morocco has repeatedly denied using spyware to spy on its citizens. However, new evidence obtained by Amnesty International including whistleblower testimony, leaked surveillance data, government spyware targeting records and material from companies selling surveillance tools proves the opposite. Drawing on this evidence, the organization documents not only the range of tools and techniques used to target dissent, but the web of international vendors providing them. 

“Our report provides the most detailed picture to date of the tools deployed by the Moroccan authorities, such as high-tech spyware, audio bugging systems and trackers to spy on journalists, human rights defenders and other individuals. Morocco’s surveillance tools are purchased from corporate actors based in Israel, the EU and the United States of America, and including NSO Group, the now defunct Italian spyware company Hacking Team, now known as Memento Labs, and the British-German network of companies Gamma Group and FinFisher.  Agnès Callamard, Amnesty Internation’s Secretary General

“This is another demonstration of a global economy of techno-oppression, enabled by companies and States failing to uphold their obligations under international law. 

“This repressive ecosystem makes it difficult, and dangerous for people in Morocco to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. Even after they have been released from prison, they continue to live under the shadow of surveillance and are subject to smear campaigns with private details that can only be obtained through surveillance. Moroccan authorities must immediately end the unlawful surveillance of human rights defenders and journalists,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.  

Forensic evidence unearthed by Amnesty International demonstrates how human rights defenders were targeted using multiple infection methods, including physical infection of devices; 1-click attacks, which typically rely on the victim clicking on a malicious link; zero-click attacks, which can infect a target without them having to click a link, or take any action; and network injection attacks, delivered via the state-owned Maroc Telecom network. 

Amnesty International had previously published the first ever forensic evidence confirming Pegasus spyware infections of the mobile phones of human rights defenders and activists in Morocco.  

This new report now identifies the Direction Générale de la Surveillance du Territoire (DGST), as the entity responsible for the deployment of Pegasus spyware in Morocco, and the extensively documented abuses of Pegasus against activists and journalists between 2017 and 2021 despite previous denials by Moroccan authorities.  

A whistleblower, known by the pseudonym Safir, is a former DGST employee. In multiple interviews conducted over several years, he described the inner operations of the DGST and detailed the wide range of surveillance tools and techniques used by the agency. Amnesty International corroborated key aspects of Safir’s testimony with independent sources, technical evidence and interviews with human rights defenders.  …….

see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/05/05/nso-versus-whatsapp-continues-in-court/

https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/morocco-surveillance-used-to-silence-journalists-and-activists

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/10/6/moroccan-journalists-recount-years-of-surveillance-amid-new-amnesty-claim

https://www.spsrasd.info/en/2026/10/02/18007.html

https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr-ryan/our-work/carr-ryan-commentary/choosing-not-see-what-paragons-admissions-and

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450 NGOs urge Turkey to end criminalization of LGBTI+ movement

September 24, 2026

More than 450 civil society organizations from 65 countries have called on Turkey to end what they described as the criminalization of the LGBTI+ movement and release people detained solely for human rights work.

In a joint statement on 22 September 2026 titled “Stop the Criminalisation of the LGBTI+ Movement in Turkey,” the groups said human rights advocacy, publishing, organizing, membership, donations, fundraising and lawful domestic or international funding should not be treated as evidence of criminal activity and called for an end to raids and online restrictions targeting LGBTI+ organizations and human rights defenders.

The statement, published by Turkey-based Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR), was signed by organizations including the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), CIVICUS, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA), PEN Norway and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organizations and activists.

The groups objected to what they described as the use of organized-crime provisions and broadly defined concepts such as “obscenity,” “morality” and “family” to criminalize LGBTI+ identities, visibility and advocacy.

The appeal follows a nationwide operation that began September 13 with police raids on LGBTI+ organizations, activists’ homes, gay bars and nightclubs, a day after Turkish authorities restricted access to social media accounts belonging to more than a dozen groups.

Organizations targeted in the investigations include the Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (Kaos GL), the Families and Friends of LGBTI+ People Association (LİSTAG) and the Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD), as well as several other LGBTI+ and HIV-related groups.

According to Turkish media, 116 people had been detained in the raids and 82 were jailed pending trial. The cases include LGBTI+ activists and members of rights organizations as well as people accused of prostitution, drug offenses and other crimes, meaning not everyone detained or jailed in the operation was accused of activity connected to LGBTI+ advocacy.

More than 450 groups from 65 countries urge Turkey to end criminalization of LGBTI+ movement

https://www.omct.org/en/resources/urgent-interventions/turkey-mass-arbitrary-detention-of-lgbtqi-human-rights-defenders

https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/tuerkiye-global-unions-express-their-unwavering-solidarity-with-lgbti-organisations-activists-and-human-rights-defenders

Amnesty urges Turkey to drop charges against 11 LGBTI+ rights defenders

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Open letter by NGOs to forthcoming EU-CELAC ministerial meeting on Security

September 23, 2026

To the leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union,

As you gather in the forthcoming EU-CELAC ministerial meeting, security will be in everyone’s minds: security of your populations; international security in the context of a growing number of armed conflicts around the world; as well as transnational security challenges, such as transnational crime and drug trafficking.

This security framing is not baseless.The deterioration of the security situation in the continent results from the complex interplay of state policies, corporate interests, transnational criminal groups, high levels of corruption and geopolitical dynamics. Latin America and the Caribbean remains one of the most dangerous regions of the world to be a human rights defender. According to data from the HRDMemorial, a global consortium of human rights organisations coordinated by Front Line Defenders dedicated to verify and document killings of human rights defenders, 274 human rights defenders were killed in 2025 in the Americas.

However, the undersigned organisations share the concern that the securitisation of politics and policies, rather than achieving safer societies and lowering levels of violence, is being misused to unduly target human rights defenders and civil society, undermine the rule of law as well as to push through an economic agenda of extractivism without proper consultation and safeguards nor a popular mandate.

The instrumentalisation of counter terrorism and other security legislation is nothing new and has been extensively documented, including against indigenous communities in the Americas and pro Palestine peaceful protesters in Europe. Human rights defenders have long been accused of being part of “extremist” or criminal organisations; and the finances of leading human rights organisations on both regions have been hit with false accusations of money laundering, financing of terrorism, foreign influence or tax evasion, weaponising the international security and financial normative architecture to cripple their legitimate and peaceful human rights work.

From these trends we are seeing a model emerge and grow rapidly across the Americas. This model, perfected and championed in El Salvador by the government of Nayib Bukele, follows a similar pattern: successive states of emergency justified under guise of security for the population, growing militarisation that enables arbitrary arrests, prolonged pretrial detention, violation of fair trial rights, harsh penalties, high-lethality police, deaths in custody, torture, sexual violence and enforced disappearances in what international jurists and experts have concluded may constitute crimes against humanity.

At the last EU-CELAC summit, on 9 November 2025, both sides jointly recognised “the role of civil society organisations and human rights defenders” and committed to combat “transnational organised crime and drug trafficking […] in full compliance with international law”. We note with alarm that the reality on the ground seems to be very different, as a slate of punitive measures and restrictive legislation, including foreign agents laws modelled on Russian legislation, is adopted across the region.

Human rights defenders are targeted and stigmatised as pawns of criminal groups – while boundaries between state institutions, private economic interests and criminal networks are often blurred and go unexamined. In this context, securitisation is not only a response to crime, it is used to facilitate economic interests by enabling governments and private actors to gain access to land, suppress resistance to projects, and concentrate power without transparency or oversight.

Security narratives become a justification for militarisation, restriction or closure of civic space and criminalisation of defenders, silencing them and ultimately clearing the path for extractive and infrastructure projects so they can move forward with little to no opposition. Too often, the international community reads this dynamic as a necessary trade-off between human rights and security and progress, which in turn reinforces the narratives used by these governments to sell this choice to their voters.

Respect for human rights and the rule of law have been jointly and repeatedly endorsed by all participants in successive EU-CELAC summits and other forums. The forthcoming EU-CELAC ministerial meeting thus presents an important opportunity for partners from both sides of the ocean to push back on this narrative of security versus human rights and democracy.

As both sides deepen their cooperation on security and strategic investment, through the Global Gateway and partnerships on critical raw materials and other sectors, all cooperation must be firmly anchored in values that both regions share: rule of law, human rights and respect for international norms and standards. To accept restrictions on civic space and attacks on human rights defenders as necessary for security and economic development is a cold and false trade off that betrays those values.

The leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union must be clear: there can be no sustainable security, responsible value chains and sustainable development goals without human rights and democratic institutions. Human rights defenders and civil society are not enemies, but play a crucial role in their societies, and must be allowed to carry out their legitimate human rights work.

Therefore, the undersigned organisations call on EU-CELAC leaders to issue a joint declaration dedicated to protect civic space and human rights defenders, and the rule of law committing to:

  • End the misuse of anti-terrorism and financial laws against civil society and publicly reject the criminalisation of human rights defenders;
  • ensure the rule of law and human rights safeguards in security and investment frameworks and in region to region cooperation, including under the Global Gateway and in any cooperation on critical raw minerals;
  • Condemn the indiscriminate and prolonged use of states of emergencies,and the creeping militarization of multiple aspects of public life, including military ownership of infrastructure and resources;
  • Develop policies to combat organized crime that are grounded in human rights, address the root causes of socio economic conflicts, and integrate anti-corruption measures;
  • Condemn the adoption of “foreign agent” laws and legal instruments designed to restrict civic space and foreign funding for human rights and non-governmental organisations.

In parallel, we urge you to act for mutual accountability in upholding the international human rights commitments of EU and LAC states by:

  • Maintaining continued international scrutiny for violations in EU-LAC exchanges and in multilateral forums, and promoting relevant structural reforms;
  • Condition cooperation and technical assistance on issues of security and justice on compliance with human rights standards and judicial guarantees;
  • Pro-actively and publicly support human rights organizations, journalists, defenders and families of victims through joint public declarations, robust diplomatic efforts and concrete cooperation; on protection programmes, psychosocial support, legal assistance and sustainable financing;
  • Promote effective legislation and policies for the protection of human rights defenders and ensure adequate funding for their implementation.

Download the Joint Letter

On behalf of the following organizations:

  • ActionAid
  • Amnesty International
  • Asociación Nacional de Centros (ANC) del Perú
  • CELAC – EU Civil Society Working Group
  • Coordinadora de la Mujer
  • Coordinadora de ONGs Española
  • Esquel
  • EU – LAT Network
  • European Network OIDHACO – International Office for Human Rights- Action Colombia
  • International Federation for Human Rights – FIDH
  • Foro para las Relaciones CELAC-UE
  • Front Line Defenders
  • Protection International
  • World Organisation Against Torture – OMCT

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/re-securitization-militarization-and-its-impact-human-rights

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24 September 2026 in Geneva: panel on the role of women human rights defenders and environment

September 21, 2026

This event brings together women human rights defenders who live at the intersections of gender, climate and conflict and whose stories show that these issues need to be tackled in a coordinated, holistic way. On 24 September 2026; 1:00PM – 2:00PM CEST. Address: Room XI, Palais des Nations.

The climate crisis and conflicts are often addressed as separate global issues, however, these crises are deeply interconnected, as both are driven by the same extractive and political dynamics. Climate change compounds existing social and economic inequalities, including gender inequalities, intensifying pressures on natural resources and communities, and contributing to displacement, poverty and insecurity. At the same time, conflicts can destroy ecosystems and livelihoods, and leave communities less able to endure climate change impacts. Human rights defenders often work in contexts where environmental degradation, resource extraction, land dispossession and violence are deeply intertwined, shaped by political and economic interests that determine who controls resources, who benefits from their exploitation, and who bears the costs. In these contexts, violence and conflict become tools for maintaining unequal systems of power and access to land and natural resources, placing those who challenge them at particular risk.

Despite the accumulated risks, women defenders continue to organise and protect their communities and the environment in the face of extreme violence, war and State and non-State armed groups. 

On the occasion of the WHRD Advocacy Week organised by ISHR and partners, women human rights defenders whose stories embody these struggles – from defending the rights of fisherwomen in West Papua, to protecting the rivers of Serbia, or the wetlands in Mexico – have gathered in Geneva. These women live at the intersections of gender, climate and conflict and show us they cannot be tackled separately. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/09/21/from-21-to-25-september-women-human-rights-advocacy-week-in-geneva/]

With more armed conflicts raging worldwide than ever, and the climate crisis churning out natural disasters and extreme weather events with increasing frequency, learning the lessons from the work of these women human rights defenders has never been more urgent.

Speakers:

  • Astrid Puentes Riaño, Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
  • Women human rights defenders from Latin America, Africa and Asia-Pacific

Moderation: International Service for Human Rights

Interpretation in English, French and Spanish.

This event is co-organised by Amnesty International, Front Line Defenders, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), WHRD Middle East and North Africa Coalition (WHRD MENA Coalition), Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC), Peace Brigades International (PBI), the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism (UAF), and Asia Pacific Forum on Women (APWLD).

https://ishr.ch/events/gender-conflict-and-environmental-justice-the-role-of-women-human-rights-defenders

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From 21 to 25 September Women Human Rights Advocacy Week in Geneva

September 21, 2026

Women Human Right Defenders (WHRDs) from around the world will be gathering in Geneva from 21 to 25 September, to learn about the UN Human Rights Council, advocate for their rights and amplify their own stories.

The week-long training, known as the Women Human Rights Advocacy Week, is co-organized by nine human rights organizations including Amnesty International (see below for full list). It is aimed at providing participants with practical tools to understand the Human Rights Council, while offering guidance on how to engage with it strategically and advocate for change in their communities.

“The women attending are risking their lives every day to protect their communities from climate change, greedy corporations and land theft,” said Lisa Maracani, Amnesty International’s researcher on human rights defenders. “Their knowledge is crucial to ensuring bodies such as the Human Rights Council remain effective, while the WHRD Advocacy Week is designed to provide these women with the tools and strategies to advance their advocacy on this global stage.”

The women attending [this meeting] are risking their lives every day to protect their communities from climate change, greedy corporations and land theft.Lisa Maracani, Amnesty International’s researcher on human rights defenders

Participants attending are WHRDs working at the nexus of gender, climate and conflict, and includes activists protecting the environment, the rights of women migrant workers, Indigenous land rights, as well as the rights of communities impacted by businesses activities.

The training aims to facilitate participation for activists who face multiple barriers to accessing the UN, to equip participants with a broad knowledge of the human rights system, to foster networks among them as well as between them and human rights experts, and to amplify their voices and calls for international accountability.

Participants will be able to speak before the Human Rights Council, and meet with, lobby and inform UN officials, diplomats and Council-mandated independent experts. Several participating defenders will also speak at a public event at the UN headquarters on Thursday 24 September alongside the UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

“The UN human rights system must be open to and informed by those who have most to contribute to it: human rights defenders,” said Fabiana Leibl, programme manager for the International Service for Human Rights. “With this training, we seek to make sure the perspectives of women human rights defenders are effectively represented at the Human Rights Council’s and across its key mechanisms.”

This event has been organized by: Amnesty International, Asia Pacific Forum on Women (APWLD), Front Line Defenders Rights, International Service for Human (ISHR), Peace Brigade International (PBI), The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC), WHRD Middle East and North Africa Coalition (WHRD MENA Coalition), Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism (UAF).

https://www.tolerance.ca/ArticleExt.aspx?ID=611397&L=en

https://ishr.ch/events/gender-conflict-and-environmental-justice-the-role-of-women-human-rights-defenders

https://www.oikoumene.org/events/womens-human-rights-advocacy-training-will-help-hone-strategies

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Amnesty International opens Virtual Museum exploring six decades of human rights activism

September 6, 2026

On 3 September 2026 Amnesty International presented ‘Stories That Resist‘, its first Virtual Museum—an immersive 360° experience that allows visitors to explore 65 years of campaigning, research and collective action in defence of human rights around the world. Developed in the Americas, the initiative aims to introduce the movement’s history to new audiences and inspire more people and future generations to join the defense of human rights. More than a digital archive, Stories That Resist is a space for memory, education and participation that demonstrates what can be achieved when thousands of people organize and act in the face of injustice.

The museum is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese, includes accessibility features for all visitors and can be explored free of charge from anywhere in the world.

Across five thematic galleries, visitors can explore more than 50 historical items, including emblematic objects from Amnesty International’s archives, campaigns that defined generations, photographs, videos, awards and testimonies from people who chose to act in the face of injustice.

“The history of Amnesty International is made up of people who refused to remain indifferent. This museum allows us to honour their courage, preserve the memory of our struggles and remind ourselves that every action, however small it may seem, can help transform a life,” said Ana Piquer, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Americas.

The museum offers visitors a closer look at some of the most significant moments and honours in Amnesty International’s history, including the story of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the organization in 1977 for its contribution to the defence of human rights. It also features individuals and movements honoured with the Ambassador of Conscience Award, Amnesty International’s highest distinction, presented to those who have confronted injustice and used their voices and actions to inspire millions of people. Recipients include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Ai Weiwei, Alicia Keys, Greta Thunberg and the Fridays for Future movement. SEE ALSO: https://trueheroesfilms.com/equip/digest/?sort=most

“Every campaign, every investigation, every object and every person who chose to act is part of this history. Today, that legacy has a new space where it can continue to inspire,” said Ana Piquer, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Americas.

Explore Amnesty International’s Virtual Museum, Stories That Resist**:** https://www.museoamnistiainternacional.org/

https://www.museoamnistiainternacional.org

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Chinese artist Gao Zhen sentenced to the maximum of 3 years prison over satirical Mao statues

August 27, 2026

On 25 August 2026 it was reported that a Chinese court has sentenced artist Gao Zhen to three years in prison for “infringing upon the reputation of heroes” through his satirical art

U.S.-based Gao, who was part of an artistic duo known internationally as the Gao Brothers, was arrested while visiting family in China in August 2024. He has been in official custody since then.

The charges against Gao relate to artistic works that China’s authorities claim insulted revolutionary figures, including a 2009 statue called Mao’s Guilt, which shows the former leader and founder of modern China as kneeling in repentance. Others include as series called Miss Mao, which shows a caricatured version of Mao with breasts and an engorged nose.

Shane Yi, a researcher at Chinese Human Rights Defenders, who has been advocating for the case, described the sentence as “a very clear case of a violation of a person’s freedom of expression.” Yi noted that the artworks in question were created before the law Gao was sentenced with had been passed and said the artist plans to appeal the sentence.

“The lengthy pre-trial detention and, ultimately, decision to convict Gao Zhen and sentence him to the maximum three-year prison term under this offense illustrate the authorities’ determination to deter others from engaging in independent artistic expression,” said Amnesty’s China Director Sarah Brooks.

Zhao said she hopes to be reunited with her husband and be able to return to the U.S., where the family had immigrated to.

“I felt two years was my limit, and I was really disappointed and sad. I haven’t been able to catch my breath,” she said. She had prepared clothes for her husband hoping that he would be released. Chinese courts often count the time of a sentencing from the date a prisoner is taken.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/08/25/china-artist-sentenced-mao-statues/85a353c6-a07e-11f1-8606-1d40ad00172e_story.html

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinese-dissident-artist-jailed-3-years-over-mao-sculptures-family-rights-group-2026-08-25

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Amnesty International reports 31 wins for human rights in last 6 months

June 30, 2026

On 29 June 2026, Amnesty published a roundup of what can be achieved when we stand together in solidarity. Despite the increasingly fractious state of the world, governments and civil society have come together to pass important laws and resolutions to tackle human rights harms, following protests and petitions from activists and campaigners.

Here a few examples but the list is worth reading in total:

In January, human rights defender Sean Binder and 23 others connected to a Search and Rescue NGO were acquitted in Greece after years on trial. Amnesty International has been campaigning in support of Sean’s case since 2018.

Eleven members of the Istanbul Bar Association’s executive committee were acquitted on 9 January, after facing charges for “spreading terrorist propaganda” and “publicly disseminating misleading information”. The 11 had been on trial over a statement issued by the Bar Association on 21 December 2024 about the killing of two journalists in northern Syria and the arrest of journalists and lawyers at a related peaceful protest in Istanbul the day before.

Human rights defenders who had been arbitrarily detained in Venezuela were released between January and May 2026. They included Javier Tarazona, Rocío San Miguel, Kennedy Tejeda, Carlos Julio Rojas and Eduardo Torres, Darío Estrada, Rosa Chirinos, and Yevhenii Trush.

Eight years after the murder of human rights defender Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes  in Rio de Janeiro, and the attempted murder of Fernanda Chaves, a press officer working for Marielle, those responsible for orchestrating these crimes have finally been convicted. The conviction is a major step forward in the fight against political violence and impunity in Brazil. It is also a testament to the persistence of Marielle’s family, social movements and civil society organizations, such as Amnesty International, in demanding truth and justice over the years. Amnesty International Brazil is continuing to call for broader measures to prevent political violence and ensure effective protection for human rights defenders, especially Black leaders, women and those who challenge entrenched systems of inequality and discrimination.

Adamu Oseni (aka Hussaini Oseni) was released on 18 February 2026 after years of campaigning by Amnesty International Nigeria. Oseni had been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Ondo State High Court, for possessing a phone linked to an armed robbery, despite evidence he was not involved in the crime. After Amnesty International Nigeria submitted a pardon request on his behalf in 2024, his sentence was reduced to 20 years before he was finally released.

Million Beyene, a journalist and managing editor at Addis Standard, was abducted from the newsroom in on 15 April, by three men wearing plain clothes. It is believed he was targeted because of his work as a journalist. Amnesty International launched an Urgent Action on 27 April and he was released to his family on 28 April.  Upon his release, he said: ”I am currently receiving medical treatment and doing my best to recover. The experience has been difficult, and I am still coping with its impact, but I remain strong. I am deeply grateful for all your support and efforts on my behalf. It truly means a lot to me.”

A Norwegian court rejected Greece’s request to extradite Tommy Olsen, founder of the NGO Aegean Boat Report, who is wanted on criminal charges connected to his work documenting human rights violations against refugees and migrants at Europe’s borders. Following his initial arrest in Norway, Amnesty launched an Urgent Action calling on Norway to reject his extradition and stating that the charges against him were not supported by evidence and were an abuse of anti-smuggling legislation. Olsen still faces criminal proceedings against him in Greece and is subject to a European arrest warrant. Amnesty International will continue to campaign against the criminalization of solidarity with refugees and migrants.

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Kajeem, the Ivorian reggae-man who celebrates human rights

June 22, 2026

Amnesty International

On 22 June 2026, Amnesty International wrote about the inspiring Ivorian reggae artist/ human rights defender Guillaume Konan, known as Kajeem,

Guillaume Konan, known as Kajeem, is a singer and songwriter who grew up in Abobo, a neighbourhood of Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d’Ivoire. Now 57, he began his career in the 1990s in rap music before moving on to reggae. Kajeem is committed to defending rights and freedoms, and speaks out against restrictions on civic space in his country, particularly the right to freedom of expression. He has been working with Amnesty International for over a dozen years as a human rights ambassador.

Following the song “Osons le courage” (Let’s be brave) in 2023, which called on youth to resist injustice, he released in June 2026 the song “En toute liberté” (In total freedom) with artists Didier Awadi from Senegal and Soum Bill from Côte d’Ivoire, and the support of Amnesty International.

“I made my first visit to prisoners when I was 12, as a Catholic boy scout. It was a very formative experience for the young boy I was. I couldn’t understand how people could be put in those terrible conditions, no matter what they had done. So, when I started playing music as a teenager, I gravitated toward genres that stand up for the underdog. Freedom of expression was one of the first rights I sought to assert. Nowadays, the laws in Côte d’Ivoire regarding the internet are so vague that they have become pretexts for imprisoning whomever the authorities please. There is no worse oppression than the one carried out under the guise of the law. Being able to speak out against injustice is a fundamental right, and until the day I die, I will fight for it…. I write songs that denounce a system, not individuals.Ivorian singer Kajeem

I’ve faced various forms of pressure. Today, radio hosts are pressured not to play certain songs, and sponsors are pressured to stop supporting certain artists. The first song of mine which provoked threats was “Sergent 2 togos” (Sergeant 2 togos) released in 2006, which exposed police extortion at roadside checkpoints. I often joke that in other countries, when you’re threatened, you go to the police for protection. But I was being threatened by the police! I had to leave the country for six months.

When I released the song “Tu tournes film” (You’re shooting a movie) in 2023, I faced the same issues, but in a much more intense way. The song “Tu tournes film,” meaning “You’re just blowing hot air”, is about broken promises. An election pledge is a social contract made with the voters, but if you remind those guys of their promises, they get upset!

I woke up one morning to over 1,600 hate messages, including death threats. But I’ve never been very scared by that kind of thing, I think it’s counterproductive because a song has a life of its own, even if its author is dead! People shouldn’t see me as an enemy. I write songs that denounce a system, not individuals.

People may feel that human rights are a luxury they cannot afford because they have basic needs to meet. But how many people earn a lot of money while living under total oppression? We cannot prioritize our needs by saying, “Let’s eat first and worry about that later.” Human rights do not apply only to a certain category of countries or individuals, they are universal.

For me, the future is bright, as every day we see youth getting engaged despite all the distractions offered to them. I think of myself as a sad optimist, unlike the cheerful pessimists who seem happy but no longer believe in anything and just want to enjoy the moment. When you become aware of the realities, it makes you a little sad, but it motivates you because it shows you the work that needs to be done, and every morning, you head back into the fray.

Watch the video clip “En toute liberté” (In total freedom) with artists Kajeem, Didier Awadi and Soum Bill

In 1988 I was in Abidjan for the historic Human Rights Now! world tour concert organized by Amnesty. After that I kept running into the Amnesty team in the field, whether I was working with the Red Cross, visiting detainees, or organizing events at the university to raise awareness of human rights. We were working on the same issues, so I felt less alone. To me, Amnesty is truly like family.   Our song “En toute liberté” is for all those fighting for human rights, so they have a rallying cry.”

To mark the release of the song “En toute liberté” and as part of the campaign Resist run by Amnesty International, Kajeem and Amnesty International Côte d’Ivoire are organizing a digital campaign, as well as discussions on the right to freedom of expression at universities across Côte d’Ivoire.

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Surfshark joins forces with Amnesty International to train digital human rights defenders

May 23, 2026

Surfshark is supporting the Digital Forensics Fellowship of Amnesty International to help activists and journalists combat advanced mobile threats worldwide.

Surfshark VPN app on mobile phone
(Image credit: Surfshark)

As the threat of state-sponsored spyware and digital tracking continues to escalate, one of the VPN providers on the market is supporting efforts to protect the world’s most vulnerable internet users. Surfshark has officially announced it has become a supporting partner of Amnesty International’s Digital Forensics Fellowship (DFF). Run by Amnesty International’s Security Lab, the DFF is a highly specialized training program designed to teach human rights defenders how to conduct advanced mobile device analysis.

For the everyday user, a virtual private network acts as a shield against casual snooping and data harvesting. However, for journalists, activists, and civil society organizations, the threats are often more targeted and sophisticated. This partnership is geared toward equipping these individuals with hands-on skills in threat research, malware traffic analysis, and device forensics.

Ultimately, this initiative matters because it helps decentralize digital security. By teaching regional activists how to detect digital surveillance on their devices, Amnesty and Surfshark are helping to build a global network of experts capable of exposing human rights abuses without relying entirely on Western tech hubs for forensic analysis.

The DFF was born out of necessity following explosive revelations about global surveillance. Instead of just teaching theoretical cybersecurity, the program provides practical, hands-on experience in analyzing both Android and iOS environments. “The Digital Forensics Fellowship, or DFF, is a training program geared toward upskilling human rights defender-technologists in mobile device forensics.” A key pillar of the fellowship is its reliance on “consensual” forensics. This means that the analysis is only conducted with the informed consent of the individual or organization that has been targeted, putting the victims back in the driver’s seat.

“Our team is focused on consensual mobile device forensics, which refers to analysis and research that is done with a person or an organization,” Cyr told Surfshark. This model allows those targeted by highly sophisticated tools to understand exactly what compromised their devices, empowering them to decide on the best course of action.

While Surfshark is best known for its consumer VPN and antivirus products, the company does not build or sell digital forensics tools. However, the provider views the partnership as a necessary step in securing the broader digital ecosystem.

The reality is that securing the most at-risk internet users eventually benefits the everyday consumer. When organizations research and expose sophisticated campaigns targeting activists, it forces the broader tech industry to adopt higher security standards, increasing awareness and accountability for everyone online.

https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/surfshark-joins-forces-with-amnesty-international-to-train-digital-human-rights-defenders

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