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Group Newsletter May 2020
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Europe at a Crossroads
Last year we had a talk by Ulrike Schmidt “Shrinking Spaces for Human Rights in Europe“. She gave us an excellent overview on human rights infringements in Europe, with some actions we could take. Our group has continued to follow developments in Europe, particularly human rights infringements that don’t make the headlines.
Amnesty International published a document Europe at crossroads in the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak. Amnesty International does not take a position on the type of public health measures governments should take. But the document spells out that governments should ensure that all such measures are consistent with their human rights obligations. It lists eleven “Dos” and “Don’ts”. We have copied them below with some key quotes from each:-
DO FULFIL THE RIGHT TO HEALTH FOR EVERYONE
“All European states have committed to fulfilling the right to health and have signed international and regional human rights treaties to that purpose. However, in recent years, many European governments have adopted austerity measures that resulted in cuts to the funding for public health systems, some of which have jeopardized the right to health. These cuts have often had a disproportionate impact on people with lower incomes, people accessing mental health care, survivors of gender-based violence, people with disabilities and with chronic health conditions.”
DO ENSURE THAT ALL EMERGENCY MEASURES ARE NECESSARY AND PROPORTIONATE
“Public health emergency and attendant emergency measures should never be used by governments as a pretext for repressive measures, including to target particular groups, such as racial and ethnic minorities, refugees and migrants, political opponents, journalists, and human rights defenders.”
DON’T DISCRIMINATE
“In particular, they must ensure that the measures do not have a disproportionate impact on specific groups, including for example people living in informal settlements or people who are homeless. Governments should ensure that these groups can effectively protect themselves from contracting COVID-19.”
South America Newsletter May 2020
This month’s newsletter includes good news regarding the release on bail of a Venezuelan journalist, an urgent action for Colombia, two regarding Venezuela and a petition regarding the response to Covid-19. The Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on human rights is discussed in relation to several countries. In Colombia, the killings of human rights defenders and social leaders is on the rise, while the displacement of indigenous peoples and the lack of basic services for them is a major concern. There are also reports on indigenous people in Brazil, the effects of a cap on public expenditure and allegations that the Brazilian President is interfering in the Marielle Franco case. In Venezuela, attacks on opposition members are reported plus news about an addition to the Individuals at Risk portfolio. We report on prison riots in Peru and the findings of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights regarding the arbitrary detention and rape of a transgender woman. We also report on developments in Ecuador, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia.
COLOMBIA
Amnesty International has issued an Urgent Action asking for protection for the human rights defender Jani Silva. On 17 April, Jani Silva heard 6 gunshots at less than 30 metres from her residence in Putumayo (South West), Colombia. On 22 April, she heard again three gun shots at less than 50 meters from her residence and noise from the movement of people and a motorcycle around her house. These two incidents occurred after a confidential source provided information to the Inter-Church Commission for Truth and Peace in late March about an ongoing plan to kill Jani Silva. We are urging the Ministry of Interior to provide appropriate protection for her.
Colombia has reported 5,949 cases of coronavirus and 269 deaths, a very low proportion of its 46 million people. By taking confinement measures early, the outbreak has been contained at a low level, at least for the moment. However, the first cases of infection among indigenous communities have been identified, which is a major concern as it is believed indigenous communities are particularly at risk.
In a press release Amnesty International calls for the authorities to ‘urgently take appropriate measures to guarantee the rights of Indigenous Peoples, including their rights to health, water and food’. While indigenous communities have followed the strict lockdown measures imposed from 25 March, rural indigenous communities in the departments of Casanare, Vichada and Meta informed Amnesty International that they have received no support from government authorities. Unable to access their sources of food, they face starvation. The level of risk is also a concern for indigenous peoples living in settlements on the outskirts of towns and cities, as they have no way of growing their food and survive by working in informal jobs, which they are currently unable to do. Many of these communities do not have access to clean water or hygiene products, making personal cleanliness to prevent COVID-19 infection impossible.
The UN Verification Mission in Colombia reported that it had received 56 complaints of the killing of social leaders and human rights defenders between 1 January and 24 March, of which 4 had been verified. ‘Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities continue to be affected by pervasive violence, including attacks, mass displacements, confinement and recruitment of children, in several departments, in particular Cauca, Chocó, Nariño and Antioquia.’
23 April Amnesty International adds, ‘Since President Iván Duque declared a national quarantine on March 24, at least 14 people who defend human rights and social leaders have been killed, 3 of them while they complied with the quarantine in their homes. Additionally, the State protection protocols for human rights defenders have been reduced. Amnesty International has received information that the National Protection Unit (UNP) has reduced the number of escorts of at least two defenders and ceased their night patrols. Both defenders fear attacks from armed groups that have threatened them because of their work in defence of human rights.’
Fighting between three armed groups, the National Liberation Army (ELN), the Gaitanista Self-Defence Groups (AGC) and FARC dissidents, triggered most of the 139,000 conflict displacements recorded in 2019. ‘The figure is a small decrease from the 145,000 recorded in 2018, but a sign that insecurity remains high,’ according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre . 393 people were forcibly displaced in Chocó between 1 and 15 April and another 969 people remained in forced confinement due to clashes between these armed groups. [Read more…]
Group Newsletter April 2020
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