African Union’s Post

🚨 Our 2023 Annual Report is available! Discover how MENA Rights Group is advancing human rights in the region: -Documenting human rights violations and litigating on behalf of victims -Advocating for victims' rights and freedoms at the United Nations -Conducting unprecedented research on transnational repression in the MENA -Analysing MENA countries' repressive counterterrorism and cybercrime laws -Launching awareness and advocacy campaigns to amplify the voices of victims and highlight abuses -Assessing the independence and effectiveness of national human rights institutions in the region -Organising webinars, press conferences and panel discussions that group experts to discuss improving the human rights situation in the MENA & so much more impactful work that can you read about in our annual report! https://lnkd.in/dsmQeZPc #humanrights #humanrightsviolations #civilsociety #annualreport

On 29 July 2024, a stabbing attack in Southport killed three young girls and injured ten more. The resultant riots spread based first on anti-Muslim misinformation and then wider anti-migrant hate. The level of violence offline and extremist material online has highlighted extreme right-wing (ERW) hate in the UK, and the changing landscape that this threat poses to public safety and democracy. ISD’s explainer covers: ➡️ The ways in which the ERW has adapted online, moving away from the hierarchical, top-down structures which characterised earlier iterations towards more nebulous and decentralised networks which are harder to track and counteract. ➡️ The normalisation of a generalised anti-migrant mobilisation, which manifested during the August 2024 riots in attempts to burn down two hotels housing asylum seekers and alleged ‘race checkpoints’. ➡️ The sharp rise in anti-Muslim hate, a longer-standing trend which was supercharged following the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas, the Israeli military response and the pro-Palestinian protest movement. https://lnkd.in/dNmJypYE

#Colombia #GenderAndCrime | The armed conflict in Colombia left 35,178 victims of gender-based violence (GBV) between 1957 and 2016. The JEP has just opened “macro-case 11” to investigate these crimes. But the case faces important challenges like the under-registration of victims and how to design a justice process that provides truth and reparation to victims of this violence. This case is even more relevant under the current government’s Total Peace framework, because dissidents and other armed groups continue to use GBV to control communities. Within its preliminary investigation, the JEP found that post-demobilization groups from the AUC and guerrillas such as the ELN have been implicated as perpetrators in a large number of cases. Read the full analysis at https://bit.ly/3EVmjB1

FBI Statement on Israel-HAMAS Conflict During the Israel-HAMAS conflict, the FBI is continuing to monitor threats both in the United States and overseas. As the conflict continues, the FBI has seen an increase in reports of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and institutions. We take all potential threats seriously and are working closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate investigative action. As always, we encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement. #FBIfieldoffices across the country are communicating not just with our #lawenforcementpartners but also with #faithbasedorganizations and the #privatesector, among others. To #helpkeepourcommunitiessafe, we are talking with leaders of #allfaiths, including #Jewish and #Muslim #leaders, #sharing #information, and asking them to let us know if they see anything concerning. Through our #LegalAttaché office in #TelAviv, we are working with our #Israeli and #USEmbassy #partners to #identify #allAmericans who have been impacted in #theregion, including those who remain unaccounted for, and our #victimservicesspecialists are working closely with victims and their families here and abroad. #Counteringterrorism remains #theFBI’s number one priority, and we will not tolerate violence motivated by hate and extremism. We will continue to do #everything in our #power to #protect #theAmericanpeople and #pursue #justice for the #victims and their #families.

To all of the women (and anyone) talking about how #VAW should be considered acts of "terrorism" against women (which we agree) — and yet have not uttered a peep about the women and children in Palestine. Please read this: "Palestinian women and children have been subjected to these egregious crimes against humanity and war crimes. Because they are Palestinian but because they are women also." ―"We know that 30,000 estimated Palestinians have been killed, 70% of them are women and children. It's really unacceptable that this situation of an unfolding genocide is allowed to continue." "But make no mistake, what happens in Palestine will not remain confined to Palestine. Perpetrators of violence against women and children have taken note of the absolute impunity with which Israel has been able to carry out its crimes - day in and day out, in broad daylight, for all to see, using the most sophisticated weapons. If the world can watch in real time a full-blown genocide unfolding against Palestinian civilians, what hopes for attention and justice do women and children have in other parts of the world that do not even register on our screens or our collective conscience?" "The complete disregard for women’s and children’s lives during times of war cannot be delinked from the violence they are increasingly facing in times of  “peace”. We often speak about continuums of violence, and in many countries, the rise of femicide, along with moves to control and exploit women, pose ongoing serious challenges." "With regards to the violence inflicted on women and children in Gaza, the silence and selectivity of some national and international organisations has been both deafening and an eye-opener." "Collectively, the way we treat women and children can contribute to their dehumanisation and to legitimising the onslaughts against them." - Reem Alsalem, UNSR Violence Against Women and Girls

⚠️ It’s time to recognize the English Defence League (EDL) for what it truly is—a threat to public safety and social cohesion. The EDL promotes hate and incites violence against communities, meeting many criteria used to define terrorist organizations. By designating the EDL as a terrorist organization, we can take stronger legal actions to prevent its harmful activities and protect our society from its divisive and violent rhetoric. ⚠️ As the EDL carries out a series of hate marches across the UK, it’s crucial to stand in solidarity with those targeted. Here are a few tips on how to be a good ally: ✔️ Educate Yourself: Learn about the issues and history of the communities targeted by hate groups. ✔️ Speak Out: Use your voice to condemn hate speech and violence whenever you encounter it. ✔️ Show Up: Participate in peaceful solidarity events to show your support. ✔️ Support Affected Communities: Offer help and resources to communities targeted by hate groups. ✔️ Report Hate: Inform authorities and organizations about any hate speech or violence you witness. ❤️ Together, we can create a safer and more inclusive society. #PublicSafety #EndHate #FightTerrorism #EDL #HumanRights #CommunitySafety #Allyship #StandTogether

It is unfortunate that with every conflict, whether international or non- international armed conflict, sexual violence is used as a weapon of war to instill fear and terror, to subjugate the society. It is important that prosecutors in international courts and tribunals recognize rape as a crime against humanity or a war crime, or even genocide, as was decided in the case of Akayesu at the ICTR. National prosecutors should also look into sexual terrorism, and rape as stand alone crimes in counter - terrorism, robbery with violence and murder cases. Victims of these atrocious crimes want justice, and for them, accountability for sexual violence matters more than all other crimes. We should always be deliberate and keen to hear the survivor's voice. #investigate&prosecute the use of sexual violence as a tool for war/conflict.

🌍 The Chad-Cameroon-Central African Republic tri-border is one of the least-studied borderland areas of West Africa despite its growing strategic importance. This report, by Eleanor Beevor, PhD and Alexandre Bish, presents a snapshot of arms trafficking and the violence that follows in these countries. 🔍 The paper incorporates in-person and remote interviews with 36 stakeholders, a visual component showcasing clandestine arms, and meticulous analysis of current weapons available in the region. ⬇