Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for human rights. Our work is based on careful research and on the standards agreed by the international community. We are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion.

Amnesty...
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Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for human rights. Our work is based on careful research and on the standards agreed by the international community. We are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion.

Amnesty International mobilizes volunteer activists — people who give freely of their time and energy in solidarity with those whose rights have been abused. At the latest count, there were more than 1.8 million members, supporters and subscribers in over 150 countries and territories in every region of the world. We come from all walks of life, with widely different political and religious views, united by our determination to work for a world where everyone enjoys human rights.
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Amnesty International works independently and impartially to promote respect for all the human rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Amnesty International believes that human rights are interdependent and indivisible – all human rights should be enjoyed by all people at...
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Amnesty International works independently and impartially to promote respect for all the human rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Amnesty International believes that human rights are interdependent and indivisible – all human rights should be enjoyed by all people at all times, and no one set of rights can be enjoyed at the expense of other rights. It concentrates on ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination.

Historically, the main focus of Amnesty International's campaigning has been:

to free all prisoners of conscience
to ensure a prompt and fair trial for all political prisoners
to abolish the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
to end extrajudicial executions and "disappearances"
to fight impunity by working to ensure perpetrators of such abuses are brought to justice in accordance with international standards
Over the years Amnesty International has expanded this mandate to encompass human rights abuses committed by non governmental bodies and private individuals (non state actors). It opposes abuses by armed political groups (in control of territory or operating in opposition to governments), such as hostage taking, torture and unlawful killings. It opposes human rights abuses against civilians and non combatants by both sides during armed conflict. Amnesty International has also targeted abuses in the home or community where governments have been complicit or have failed to take effective action.
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Amnesty International (AI) works to improve human rights through the actions of ordinary people around the world. We have a record of real achievement. Prisoners of conscience are released. Death sentences are commuted. Torturers are brought to justice. Governments are persuaded to change their...
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Amnesty International (AI) works to improve human rights through the actions of ordinary people around the world. We have a record of real achievement. Prisoners of conscience are released. Death sentences are commuted. Torturers are brought to justice. Governments are persuaded to change their laws and practices.

Sometimes our solidarity keeps hope alive. Hope is a precious weapon for prisoners battling to survive, relatives trying to obtain justice or human rights defenders bravely continuing their work despite danger and isolation.

The people we have been trying to help often let us know that our pressure has had some effect and led to improvements. Some of their stories are told here. They show that, however bleak the situation, the actions of AI’s members and supporters can make a difference.

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