“Two and a half months after the Ebola disease outbreak was declared, the situation in eastern DRC is more critical than ever. The outbreak is spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate, despite the tireless efforts of frontline medical teams.
According to the WHO, 3,605 confirmed cases had been reported by 1 August, making this the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC, surpassing the 2018 epidemic. In just 11 weeks since it was declared, nearly 1,500 people have died. That is a far higher death toll than in comparable periods of previous outbreaks; the devastating 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa caused 279 deaths over the same timeframe.
Even more concerning, the outbreak shows no sign of slowing down. New suspected cases are being reported almost daily in new locations, outside already identified transmission chains. To prevent further loss of life, the response must outpace the current rate of transmission. The international medical response must scale-up without delay, and many critical gaps still need to be addressed.
Undeniable progress has been made in screening and contact tracing, but these efforts remain very insufficient to contain the epidemic. In the MSF Ebola treatment centre in Bunia, 90 per cent of admitted patients were not traced contacts, while in the whole of Ituri province only 59 per cent of contacts were traced. There is an urgent need for improved community engagement. A successful response can only be achieved if it is built with and led by local organisations. Without communities at the centre of the response, surveillance and contact tracing will continue to miss cases. Better integration of local communities is essential to ensure cases are detected as early as possible and followed up rigorously.
This outbreak is aggravating an ongoing humanitarian crisis. Malaria, measles, cholera, malnutrition, and other preventable and treatable conditions continue to cause significant illness and death. Continued support for health facilities is also critical so they can keep providing vital healthcare services throughout the response and protect health workers.
Access remains a critical issue, particularly in remote areas where the onset of the rainy season will make movement difficult and risk disrupting operations. Providing medical supplies, as well as incentives and support for frontline health workers, is essential. Clear assurances are needed that border restrictions, sanitary measures, or administrative burdens will not impede humanitarian staff rotations, medical referrals, or the delivery of supplies. For now, the situation remains uncertain.
Strengthening epidemiological surveillance, improving community engagement, and guaranteeing access for humanitarian personnel are top priorities.
The response is expanding but is still not reaching communities quickly enough to break transmission chains. Immediate action is needed. Every day lost allows the virus to stay one step ahead and more lives to be needlessly lost.”
Russian fertiliser companies gained an estimated £500m in additional revenues during the first three months of the US-Israel-Iran war as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent global prices soaring, an investigation by Greenpeace Unearthed has found.
Russia is already the world’s leading nitrogen fertiliser exporter but analysis of official trade data [1] by Unearthed confirmed that Russian companies earned an estimated additional £5m a day from urea between March and May this year. This was during Iran’s initial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The strait normally handles a third of global seaborne fertiliser trade and 20% of natural gas shipments, needed to make nitrogen fertilisers such as urea. It is the key export route for major producers in the Gulf. Russia’s Baltic export routes are largely unaffected by the closure of the strait, allowing its producers to cash in as the price of urea – the world’s most widely used nitrogen fertiliser – almost doubled between late February and late April.
While Russia’s energy sector and many other parts of its economy have been subjected to price caps and sanctions since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in 2022, fertiliser exports have continued.
The UK imported around 33,900 tonnes of Russian urea between March and May, generating an estimated £8 million in additional revenues. And the EU’s imports generated around £11.5m. [2]
European governments have aimed to reduce their farmers’ reliance on Russian and Belarussian fertiliser through introducing tariffs. Last year the EU introduced staged tariffs, rising every year until 2028, aiming to reduce dependence on Russian and Belarussian fertiliser. The UK, whose initial 2022 tariffs had levied 35% on Russian fertiliser but excluded nitrogen products such as urea, closed that gap in July 2025.
Almost half of the estimated windfall came from the United States. US imports of Russian urea reached record levels during the early months of the conflict, generating an estimated £226 million in additional revenues for Russian producers.
The price shock has also intensified fears over global food security and rising food prices. The United Nations has warned that rising fuel, fertiliser and food costs could push millions more people into hunger, with African countries likely to be hit hardest.
Elena Polisano, Co Head of Biodiversity campaigns at Greenpeace UK, said: “This crisis shows how dangerously exposed our food system is to war, volatile gas prices and fossil fuel-based fertilisers. Farmers are already battling extreme weather caused by climate change. This summer’s extreme heat and drought have damaged harvests, and now global conflict is driving up farm costs too.
“To make farming more resilient to future shocks, strengthen the UK’s long-term food security and allow wildlife to recover, the UK government needs to provide proper funding and support for farmers to reduce fertiliser and pesticide use over time and shift to nature-friendly farming.”
Nitrogen fertilisers remain central to global food production, but campaigners say farming must become less dependent on them through nature friendly farming measures including cover crops, crop rotations, nitrogen-fixing plants and more efficient nutrient use.
Russia exported at least 2.48 million tonnes of urea during the three-month period. The estimated £500 million represents additional revenue, not profit, and does not account for changes in production or transport costs.
A full briefing and methodology is available on request.
[2] European governments have aimed to reduce their farmers’ reliance on Russian and Belarussian fertiliser through introducing tariffs. Last year the EU introduced staged tariffs, rising every year to reach €430 per tonne by 2028. to reduce dependence on Russian and Belarussian fertiliser. The UK, whose initial 2022 tariffs on Russian fertiliser had excluded nitrogen products such as urea, closed that gap in July 2025, and will climb to 35% from 2027.
UK imports of Russian urea have fallen significantly since the invasion of Ukraine, but the UK still imported 33,900 tonnes of Russian urea during March-May 2026, producing an estimated £8m in additional revenues for Russian producers.
However, Russia’s increasing exports of fertilisers to other countries such as Brazil, India and the US have made up for decreasing exports to the EU and UK. In fact, Russia has placed limits on the volume of fertilisers that can be exported, to protect domestic supply.
Filipino domestic workers reveal the abuses they faced in Saudi Arabia
A number of Filipino women working in private households in Saudi Arabia are being overworked, exploited and subjectedto inhuman and degrading treatment, including sexual assault, all of which is being enabled by the country’s abusive labour system and a lack of effective protections.
Amnesty International is calling on the Saudi Arabian government to immediately investigate all allegations of abuse and bring perpetrators to justice as well as ensure proper, proactive labour inspections.
Gloria* took on the role of a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia for two years
I decided to take a job in Saudi Arabia when I was 44. My son was in college and my husband’s salary couldn’t cover the bills. I’d worked in Kuwait previously and I’d had a positive experience.
I found a legitimate recruitment agency on Facebook who processed my papers, arranged a medical as well as training for no fee. The agency told me to read my contract properly to ensure I understood everything. It stated I would work eight hours a day.
But when I arrived, the working hours didn’t ring true. After eight hours of work, the family would knock on my door, telling me there was further work in the house. It was continuous. I would get 15 minutes’ rest [for the whole working day], if I was lucky. I wasn’t allowed a day off, instead the only time I would go outside was during a family picnic when I had to look after one of the family members.
For five months, I worked from 6am – 8pm. I didn’t even have time to go to the toilet. Seven people lived in the house and they always wanted something.
I told them what was stated in my contract, but they told me to go back to the agency if I had an issue.
One of the family members had a disability, so while I was working, I had to keep an eye on her too, ensuring I was extra vigilant.
I did everything – cooking, cleaning, sorting the clothes and looking after the teenagers.
In total, I was paid $400 a month, but each month I would be left with nothing, after paying for [my son’s] university and accommodation.
Over Ramadan I thought my body was going to collapse – I was so tired, stressed and barely sleeping.
*Gloria, domestic worker
After five months I spoke to my agency who told me to check in again within one month – I think they may have spoken to my boss, as they told me to speak up for myself.
Things did get better for a time, and when I went to rest, I would try and stay there for an hour, however they would still come knocking, giving me work to do.
Over Ramadan I thought my body was going to collapse – I was so tired, stressed and barely sleeping.
At one point, I started to get paid later and later. In fact, I wasn’t paid in full until I went home. You must fight for yourself, because otherwise they’re not going to give you what you deserve.
After two years I was ready to go home. I had already collapsed; my blood pressure was sky high. I was hospitalized for a night and when I went back to the house, I was made to work even though I was dizzy.
As well as issues with the hours, one of the sons would shout at me and sometimes he would rub up on me and touch me like he was testing whether I would flinch or fight, or if I would just laugh it off. I was worried I would come to harm if I stayed longer.
At the end, they were trying to convince me to stay, and I knew that the only way they would let me leave was if I went on vacation and signed a contract saying I would come back after four months. After the time passed though, I blocked them and cut all contact. My decision to leave was for my own safety.
A Filipino domestic worker cleans a glass door during a government-mandated crash course in domestic duties in Manila.
“I was afraid of what might happen if I stayed longer… I feared I would be raped”
Isabelle* was a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia for three months
Like many others, I decided to work overseas so I could provide a better future for my family. I have five children. During the pandemic, my husband lost his job, and even after that he couldn’t find another one. At that time, I was working in a bar [in the Philippines], but it wasn’t enough.
I wanted to earn more. That’s why when someone offered me a job abroad, I grabbed the opportunity — not knowing it would become my worst nightmare. After everything that happened, I told myself I would never go through that again.
When I arrived in Saudi Arabia in July 2023, the agency was already waiting for me. They took me to their accommodation, and that same day, my employer came to pick me up — the one listed on my contract. At first, she was nice. When we got to the house, she gave me food and told me to rest. She said that the next day we would go to her mother’s house.
That’s when things became really difficult for me. Her mother was very strict, especially when it came to food. There were nine people in the household. I worked there for five days a week, and then for two days I worked at my employer’s own house, where there were seven people. But my contract said I would only work for a household of five.
I would wake up at around 5am and only sleep at around 2am. I was getting about two hours of sleep every night.
*Isabelle, domestic worker
I did everything — all the cleaning, all the work. When they had visitors, I would not stop working until everyone had gone. Even on normal days, I had to do everything, including taking care of my employer’s baby and sleeping beside the child.
Food was very limited. I could only eat rice once a week. Most days, I only ate instant noodles and eggs. And I was only allowed one egg, because the mother counted them. She was very strict about it. I would wake up at around 5am and only sleep at around 2am. I was getting about two hours of sleep every night.
What I feared most was when my female employer would ask me to clean their room, because her husband would be there. One day, I pulled up the comforter and there he was under it in the bed, masturbating and calling me to lie beside him. I ran out of the room and went to the rooftop. I would hide there because I could lock it and he wouldn’t be able to reach me. Sometimes I felt like I preferred staying at the mother’s house. The work there was too much and very difficult, but at least I felt safer.
I called my husband and told him I really wanted to come home. I couldn’t take it any more. But I stayed for three months because I was trying to find a way to escape safely. I was afraid of what might happen if I stayed longer… I feared I would be raped.
Other Filipinos living nearby helped me. They brought me to the embassy in a windowless van in October 2023. It was a seven-hour trip, and it was very hot. I didn’t bring anything with me because they told me I could be accused of stealing, even if the things were mine. When I arrived at the embassy, my employer also came later and returned my belongings, including my phone and passport and begged me not to file a case against her husband.
*Names have been changed for protection purposes. Photos used are stock images.
SYDNEY, Wednesday 5 August 2026 — Greenpeace has welcomed Minister Chris Bowen’s commitment to expanding Australia’s solar discount at his National Press Club address today, a move it says unlocks the potential of Australia’s commercial rooftops, and underscores how homegrown renewables strengthen energy security and affordability in an increasingly volatile world.
The announcement comes three months before Minister Bowen is due to take the reins of UN climate negotiations, and shortly ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum and Pacific Pre-COP — two moments that will test Australia’s determination as incoming COP31 President of Negotiations and bring global attention to Australia’s fossil fuel exports.
Dr Simon Bradshaw, COP31 Lead at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “Homegrown, decentralised renewable energy is the path to energy security, affordability, and to protecting communities from escalating climate disasters.
“We commend Minister Bowen for building on Australia’s world-leading progress in shifting homes and businesses beyond fossil fuels. Now the Australian Government has a responsibility to help drive stronger progress globally, and to tackle Australia’s burgeoning fossil fuel exports.
“Right now, as the northern hemisphere burns and Australians grow anxious at the prospect of another dangerous El Niño summer, all efforts of Australian families and businesses in shifting to renewable energy are being undone by the pollution from Australia’s exported coal and gas.
“COP31 is a unique opportunity for Australia to work with its big energy trade partners like South Korea and Japan towards a prosperous shared future beyond fossil fuels.
“Continuing to approve new fossil fuels, like Woodside’s mammoth Browse gas project, would be an historic act of recklessness at a pivotal moment in the world’s energy transition and response to the climate crisis.
“Australia must get squarely behind longstanding Pacific leadership on climate change, fight to protect the all-important goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C, and ensure that COP31 builds further momentum in the global transition away from fossil fuels.
“As we heard today, Australia is making real strides in its own energy transition. It’s time to match that domestic resolve with the kind of global leadership the Australian Government has promised, and that communities here, in the Pacific and worldwide are depending on.”
Twenty years after 17 aid workers from the French humanitarian association Action contre la Faim (ACF) were killed in Muttur, eastern Sri Lanka, the authorities must finally deliver truth, justice and reparations, Amnesty International said today.
On 4 August 2006, 17 Sri Lankan employees of ACF – 16 Tamils and one Muslim – were found shot dead at close range at the organization’s office. Despite repeated investigations and commitments by successive governments, no one has been brought to justice for the killings. This prolonged failure has denied victims’ families their right to truth and justice, and undermined confidence in the rule of law and the authorities’ commitment to justice for war crimes.
“Twenty years is far too long for families to wait for justice. For two decades, those who lost their loved ones have carried the burden of grief while the Sri Lankan authorities have failed to deliver accountability,” said Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia.
Twenty years is far too long for families to wait for justice
Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia
“The twentieth anniversary must not become another milestone marked only by remembrance. It should mark the moment when the authorities finally demonstrate that no one is above the law and that crimes under international law and serious human rights violations will no longer be met with impunity.”
The ACF employees had remained in Muttur to provide humanitarian assistance to communities affected by the armed conflict and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, despite escalating hostilities between the Sri Lankan government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Over the past two decades, despite repeated official commitments, domestic investigations (which included a magisterial inquiry, a human rights commission probe, and a commission of inquiry), no accountability for the killing has been established.
Amnesty International reiterates calls made by ACF and urges the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure a prompt, independent, impartial and effective criminal investigation into the killings, consistent with international human rights law and standards. Any renewed investigation must be capable of identifying and prosecuting those suspected of criminal responsibility in fair trials before civilian courts. Victims’ families and witnesses must be able to meaningfully participate in the process and must be guaranteed full protection.
The authorities should also publicly explain the steps taken to date and set out how they intend to overcome the long-standing obstacles that have prevented justice up to now.
In 2008, ACF observed that the investigations set up at the time had “little or no chance of establishing officially the persons criminally responsible for this war crime (direct perpetrators and chain of command)” and considered that they “proved ineffective and unproductive.” Afterwards ACF decided to end its mission in Sri Lanka and called for an international investigation. Ending impunity for the Muttur massacre is essential not only for the victims’ families, but also for restoring confidence in Sri Lanka’s justice system and signalling a decisive break from the longstanding impunity for crimes under international law and grave human rights violations.
Background
Ahead of the twentieth anniversary, Action contre la Faim and other human rights organizations renewed calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure an effective investigation into the killings and deliver truth and justice for the victims and their families.
Adolescents and young people in Mombasa, Kenya, continue to face significant barriers in accessing healthcare. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) supported access to healthcare through a youth-friendly model between 2022 and April 2026. Here are five facts about the project which has now been handed over.
1. The project addressed major barriers preventing young people from accessing healthcare.
Many adolescents and young people in Mombasa face challenges in accessing healthcare that is confidential, affordable, non-judgmental, and responsive to their needs. These barriers are even greater for key and vulnerable groups, who often experience violence, discrimination, and stigma, from routine health services. To respond to these gaps, MSF supported the Mombasa County Department of Health in implementing the County Adolescent and Youth Health Strategy, through a Youth Friendly Services (YFS) model in Bamburi, Junda, and Ganjoni dispensaries from 2022 to April 2026.
2. The model offered integrated, peer-led healthcare tailor-made for young people.
The YFS model combined multiple services provided in the health facilities and mobile clinics including basic healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services, mental healthcare, HIV and hepatitis-related services, health promotion, peer support, social work, and referral pathways. Young people accessed care in an environment designed to be welcoming and relevant to their needs, with peer educators playing a central role in service delivery and engagement.
3. More than 100,600 consultations were provided over four years.
Between 2022 and 2026, the project delivered 100,678 consultations to adolescents and young people:
72,480 facility-based consultations;
28,198 consultations through medical outreach activities.
Community outreach, mobile clinics, and moonlight activities helped extend services beyond health facilities and reached marginalised and hard-to-reach young people.
100,678
100,678
consultations
72,480
72,48
facility-based consultations
28,198
28,198
consultations through medical outreach activities
4. The service model contributed to measurable improvements in young people’s health and well-being.
Evidence from the multi-year Mombasa Youth Study showed that the YFS model was associated with significant positive health outcomes. These demonstrate the value of integrated, youth-responsive healthcare in improving both physical and mental health outcomes:
33% increase in healthcare access;
20% reduction in depression;
12% increase in HIV testing;
40% increase in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake;
23% increase in help-seeking among survivors of sexual and gender-based violence;
While beneficial for all young people, the youth-friendly approach was especially valuable for people who in engage in sex work, people who use drugs, and transgender and gender non-binary people, who face more social marginalisation, violence, and barriers to healthcare. By providing a safe and welcoming environment, the approach helped improve their engagement and retention in care.
5. The project has been handed over to the Mombasa County Department of Health.
After four years, MSF has transferred the project to the Mombasa County Department of Health, following close collaboration with health authorities, healthcare workers, peer educators, and communities. The project generated valuable lessons to support future adolescent and youth health programmes, while ensuring continued care for young people in Mombasa. Our teams remain engaged in Mombasa and keep investing in alleviating the suffering of vulnerable groups in Mombasa.
Ahead of the third anniversary of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ongoing detention, Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for South Asia, said:
“For three years, Pakistan’s authorities have systematically denied Imran Khan the right to a fair trial, subjected him to prolonged solitary confinement, and limited his access to medical care and visitation rights. He has not been allowed to meet his family for more than eight months and his vision has reportedly deteriorated significantly. Both he and his wife, Bushra Bibi Khan, have now been denied regular access to legal counsel since December 2025.
“Amnesty International urges the Pakistani authorities to unconditionally restore Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Khan’s right to see their family and lawyers. Both must be given access to adequate medical care and their solitary confinement, which is unlawful, should end immediately.
Amnesty International urges the Pakistani authorities to unconditionally restore Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Khan’s right to see their family and lawyers
Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for South Asia
“Ahead of planned gatherings by Imran Khan’s family, party and supporters to mark the anniversary, the authorities must facilitate the right to peaceful protest and ensure there is no repeat of the unlawful and arbitrary crackdowns on protesters so frequently witnessed in the country and against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.”
Background
Imran Khan, 72, was elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2018 and ousted from power in April 2022 following a vote of no confidence from parliament. Since then, his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has faced severe restrictions in its political activity and was barred from the 2024 general election. Imran Khan was first arrested on 9 May 2023, which resulted in mass nationwide protests, and again on 5 August 2023. He has been under detention since then. Key members of his party and supporters were subjected to mass and arbitrary arrests after protests on 9 May 2023 and 26 November 2024. Many remain detained under anti-terrorism charges while 85 have been convicted by military courts.
In 2024, Amnesty International analysed cases against Imran Khan and concluded that his imprisonment was unlawful and politically motivated. Since then, in January 2025 he was acquitted in cases involving official secrets and his marriage to Bushra Bibi Khan. However, Imran Khan is currently serving a 14-year sentence related to corruption allegations. Bushra Bibi Khan was also sentenced to seven years in the same case. In December 2025 both were sentenced to an additional 17-year imprisonment in a case involving state gifts.
In December 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture raised concerns that the Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s detention conditions were below international norms and standards. In 2024, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Imran Khan’s detention was arbitrary and in violation of international human rights law.
Jonas Ndayisenga, co-founder and Executive Director of Umoja Refugee Creative in Kenya, knows all too well what it takes to survive. He first fled Burundi with his mother and young siblings at age three, survived the Rwanda genocide and moved on to Tanzania where he started his primary schooling before moving back to Burundi, only to flee violence again as a young man in 2015. Struggling to find work as a refugee in Kenya, he founded a community organization that now provides training and creates opportunities for hundreds of people. This is his story.
My name is Jonas Ndayisenga. I’m a refugee from Burundi and have been living in Nairobi, Kenya, for 11 years. I fled political violence targeted at young protesters. I was with my parents, who suggested I should leave when the violence escalated, and a few days later, the government came and raided our house.
When I first arrived in Nairobi in 2015, I had just finished a bachelor’s in hospitality and hotel management. I tried to get work, but everything was very difficult in this big city. So, I did an extra course and then started working as a cook. But the jobs I was able to get would pay me less than people who were working under me, because they were citizens and I wasn’t.
Many refugees face issues in terms of access to dignified jobs and being able to contribute to policy making and influence how things are decided.It was then that I had the idea of starting the Umoja Refugee Creative. The inspiration came from the need to do something that would actually help our community and bring people solutions for the long term.
In response to the violent clashes in parts of Tigray – Ethiopia’s northern region – between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) on 1 August, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa Tigere Chagutah said:
“The resumption of violence in Tigray region puts residents at renewed risk of human rights violations, even as communities continue to grapple with the devastating legacy of past atrocities without justice or accountability. The renewed fighting, combined with the ongoing armed conflicts in the Amhara and Oromia regions, where Amnesty International continues to document serious human rights violations and abuses, calls for urgent action to restore regional and international human rights investigative mechanisms in the country.
“During the armed conflict in northern Ethiopia from November 2020 to November 2022 when the cessation of hostilities agreement was signed by the parties, Amnesty International documented grave human rights violations, including many that likely amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Ethiopia must never normalize the absence of credible investigations and prosecution of perpetrators.
“Amnesty International calls on both Federal and Tigrayan authorities to respect and comply with international human rights standards including on the protection of civilians. We call on them to also allow unhindered access for independent human rights monitors and humanitarian actors. We renew our call on the international community to urgently engage with authorities in both Addis Ababa and Mekelle to restore access for independent media and human rights monitors across conflict-affected areas of Tigray.”
Background
Regional and international human rights monitoring in Ethiopia collapsed following the termination of mandates of key investigative mechanisms, including the UN International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Commission of Inquiry on the Situation in the Tigray Region. This was followed by the Ethiopian government’s abandonment of the so-called transitional justice initiative, which it had relied upon to counter international accountability efforts in the country.
Over the past two months, human rights organizations have documented a growing pattern of repressive measures by Tigrayan authorities, including the silencing of independent media, forced conscription campaigns affecting thousands of people, and restrictions on freedom of movement.
Ahead of tomorrow’s meeting of European countries’ ministries of interior on the European Union’s (EU) response to the situation in Ceuta, Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe said:
“As they prepare to meet, we call on European leaders to respond humanely and with solidarity to the situation in Ceuta, as well as any increases in arrivals across the EU external border. The initial response from many European states to the events in Ceuta has been deeply troubling and dangerous. The recent events must not be exploited for political gain to further shut down or externalize borders, nor as a cynical tool to legitimize the EU’s new deportation-first agenda.
The unconscionable rhetoric describing the situation in Ceuta as an ‘invasion’ and reinforcing racist stereotypes must be firmly rejected
Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International
“Tragically, at least 72 people have lost their lives whilst trying to enter Europe to seek a better future. European leaders must ensure that their response to the situation in Ceuta does not perpetrate discrimination. The unconscionable rhetoric describing the situation in Ceuta as an ‘invasion’ and reinforcing racist stereotypes must be firmly rejected.
“The scenes we see are the result of Europe’s continued attempts to close and externalize its borders rather than invest in safe and regular pathways.
“Moreover, the political efforts to attribute the surge in arrivals to Spain’s regularization scheme, which closed on 30 June, are unfounded and a shameful attempt to spread fear about migration policies that do not focus on containment and deportation. Regularization schemes are an important and commonly used tool of migration management used to ensure affected people’s continued access to rights and services. They have been implemented by governments of various political colours in several European countries over many years.
“States have a responsibility to manage their borders humanely and avoid putting people in harm’s way. Spanish and Moroccan authorities must ensure access to the asylum system for those who request it, refrain from collective expulsions which are always unlawful, provide urgent humanitarian assistance to those in need and uphold their human rights irrespective of their mode of arrival, without discrimination.”
Background
Ceuta authorities stated that over 60,000 people are estimated to have crossed, with 48,000 estimated to have returned to Morocco. Spain has deployed army units in Ceuta to support the police and the Guardia Civil.
Reports indicate that thousands of people are sleeping on the streets.
Amnesty International will continue to monitor the situation for any evidence of human rights violations, such as excessive use of force or violations including in the obligation of non-refoulement.
On 31 July, Amnesty International Spain issued this statement.
