Amnesty International sends 'strongest warning ever' on Trump day 100

Amnesty International sends 'strongest warning ever' on Trump day 100
Credit: AFP / Belga

Amnesty International has issued its "strongest warning ever" on day 100 of US President Donald Trump's second mandate, warning that the "Trump Effect" has accelerated an already dire global human rights situation.

In its annual State of the World's Human Rights report, Amnesty International signals the destruction of the international rules-based order and calls on political leaders to stand for their values, "not cut deals".

"Now is not the time to negotiate, capitulate or even cut deals," Secretary General Agnès Callamard told reporters at a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday. "Now is the time to resist."

Her appeal drew attention to Gaza and Ukraine. "Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, its unlawful occupation in the West Bank and its violent system of apartheid are the bloody culmination of years of increasingly brazen rule-breaking and dehumanisation of Palestinians, perpetrated with complete impunity," she said. "So too is Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. It killed more Ukrainian civilians in 2024 than in the year before. It continued to destroy civilian infrastructures, torture and disappear."

She also highlighted the brutal repression of women by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Secretary General Agnès Callamard (C) speaks at an Amnesty International press conference in Brussels on Monday 28 April 2025. Credit: The Brussels Times

'Trump Effect' and EU inaction

On top of this, "Trump's first 100 days have been disastrous for human rights in the US and internationally...But let us be clear: this sickness runs much deeper than the actions of President Trump. For years now, we’ve witnessed a creeping spread of authoritarian practices among states the world over."

Callamard's colleague Deprose Muchena added that world leaders have a duty to victims of "forgotten conflicts" in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Myanmar and Yemen.

Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Wednesday 19 March 2025. Credit: Belga / Hatim Kaghat

As international law breaks down, the European Union is "not stepping up as it should", says Callamard. "It is not standing up to Donald Trump as it should, [and] it is not standing up to its own internal violators such as Hungary. It is reluctantly protecting the International Criminal Court (ICC), but there are still some voices, including in Belgium, that from time to time suggest that if a war criminal were to come to Belgium, we could not act."

This alludes to Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever's comment that Belgium "would probably not" arrest Benjamin Netanyahu despite the ICC arrest warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister and Belgium's obligation to comply with such rulings.

Belgium no exception

Respect for human rights has scaled back across the board in Belgium.

An increased crackdown on the right to protest included the use of water cannons and tear gas to disperse a protest outside the Israeli Embassy last May. In September, around 70 people who had participated in or sympathised with a university campus occupation for Palestine were summoned for questioning, facing charges of "segregation and racism" according to Amnesty.

Thousands of refugees were left homeless in violation of international law last year. Despite a clear inability to return to their country of origin, only 39% of Afghani asylum seekers were granted international protection.

Belgium's reception crisis has resulted in thousands of asylum seekers being left in the cold. Credit: Belga / Laurie Dieffembacq

Overcrowding in prisons got worse, with the majority of detainees living in subhuman conditions.

Political parties – namely CD&V – continued to block an amendment to abortion legislation that would extend the period a woman may access the procedure.

Amnesty notes some positive developments too. A law passed in April created legal safeguard for sexual abuse survivor care centres and ensured better cooperation between hospitals, police and the Federal Public Prosecutor.

In December, the Belgian State was ordered to pay reparations to five Métis children who had been abducted and racially segregated under Belgian colonial rule in the DRC. Belgium's actions were classed a crime against humanity.

Call to 'courage'

Callamard implores world leaders to show "courage" in the face of multiple crises.

"Despite daunting challenges, the destruction of human rights is far from inevitable," she said. "History abounds with examples of brave people overcoming authoritarian practices."

She applauded South Africa for its case against Israel in the ICC and noted that "the people of several nations rejected anti-rights leaders at the ballot box while millions around the world raised their voices against injustice".

"Our vast, unshakeable movement will be forever united in our common belief in the inherent dignity and human rights of everyone on this planet."

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