Amnesty annual report: world leaders deny principles, citizens pay the price

More and more governments are throwing the international legal order overboard and artificial intelligence offers fertile ground for racism, discrimination and division. These are the main conclusions from Amnesty International’s annual report.

As conflicts increase around the world, international law is under great pressure, human rights organization Amnesty International says in its annual report. It examines human rights in 155 countries. Due to the neglect of international legal rules, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is also faster and less regulated, the report warns.

“Many leaders of powerful countries no longer seem to care about the fundamental values ​​of humanity and universality, as laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” says Wies De Graeve, director of Amnesty International Flanders.

‘For example, it is astonishing to see how the international community is failing to prevent the deaths of thousands of civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip, including large numbers of children. This makes it once again clear that the institutions established to protect citizens and uphold human rights are no longer able to meet their obligations.”

Amnesty’s annual report highlights the ‘shameless’ use of the US veto in the UN Security Council. As a result, a crucial ceasefire resolution was not reached for months. It also criticizes the double standards of several European countries. They protest against war crimes by Russia and Hamas, but at the same time support the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza.

Artificial Intelligence

The report warns that rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) threaten to accelerate the breakdown of the rule of law. They therefore pose an ‘enormous threat’ to human rights. Regulation is therefore essential, says Amnesty.

New and existing technologies are increasingly used to spread disinformation, pit groups against each other and oppress minorities.

“There is a large gap between the risks of the uncontrolled development of technologies on the one hand and regulation and protection on the other,” says Wies De Graeve. ‘The future will only become more threatening if the unlimited spread of unregulated technology is not curbed. Lawlessness, discrimination and impunity are made possible by the uncontrolled use of new and existing technologies, which are routinely weaponized by militaries, politicians and corporations.’

All kinds of technologies are already being used that discriminate against people, says Amnesty. The report refers, among other things, to migration management and border enforcement technologies that work with biometrics and algorithmic decision-making systems.

The annual report also highlights the increasing use of existing technologies to reinforce discriminatory policies. States such as Argentina, Brazil, India and the United Kingdom are increasingly using facial recognition technologies to surveil public protests and sporting events and to monitor minority groups. Migrants and refugees in particular are discriminated against.

The report finds that governments in many parts of the world are increasing aggression against women, LGBTI+ people and marginalized communities, using those groups as scapegoats.

New and existing technologies are increasingly used to spread disinformation, pit groups against each other and oppress minorities.

Spyware

Despite much evidence of human rights violations caused by spyware, regulation of this malicious software is still lacking. Exile activists, journalists and human rights defenders are usually targeted. In 2023, Amnesty International revealed the use of Pegasus spyware against journalists and activists in Armenia, the Dominican Republic, India and Serbia, among others, while EU-available and regulated spyware was simply sold to countries around the world.

‘In an increasingly insecure world, the unregulated spread and deployment of technologies such as generative AI, facial recognition and spyware is a serious threat. The number of violations of international law and human rights is therefore increasing,” says De Graeve.

Belgium is also one of the countries that Amnesty International examines in its annual report. The organization points in particular to the reception crisis of asylum seekers and the disastrous situation in prisons.

‘Both the reception crisis and the appalling situation in prisons are the responsibility of our authorities and the result of political choices. It is all the more painful that these choices are made at the expense of people who may have little electoral interest, but who have exactly the same rights as all people.’