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About Amnesty International

Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights to be respected and protected.

AI’s vision is for every person to enjoy all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.

AI’s mission is to conduct research and take action to prevent and end grave abuses of all human rights – civil, political, social, cultural and economic. From freedom of expression and association to physical and mental integrity, from protection from discrimination to the right to shelter – these rights are indivisible.

AI has 2.2 million members and supporters in more than 150 countries and territories. Funded largely by its membership and public donations, AI is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. No funds are sought or accepted from governments for investigating and campaigning against human rights abuses.

AI is a democratic movement. Major policy decisions are taken by a two-yearly International Council made up of representatives from all national sections. The Council elects an International Executive Committee which carries out its decisions.

The Committee’s members elected for 2005-7 were Soledad García Muñoz (Argentina), Ian Gibson (Australia), Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You (Netherlands, Chair from September 2006), Petri Merenlahti (Finland), Claire Paponneau (France), Vanushi Rajanayagam (New Zealand), Hanna Roberts (Sweden), and David Weissbrodt (USA). AI’s Secretary General is Irene Khan (Bangladesh).

About the Amnesty International Report 2007

The Amnesty International Report 2007 documents human rights issues of concern to Amnesty International (AI) during 2006.

AI’s approach to tackling human rights abuses is informed by both the challenges and opportunities for change in a given country or region. The strategic goals that AI identifies in a country or region determine AI’s work. As a result, AI addresses particular issues in specific countries. Its coverage of individual issues, as reflected in the content of this report, is focused rather than comprehensive.

If an issue is not covered in a country entry, this should not be taken as a statement by AI that abuses within this category did not occur. Nor can the absence of an entry on a particular country or territory be taken to imply that no human rights abuses of concern to AI took place there during 2006. In particular, the length of individual entries cannot be used as the basis for a comparison of the extent and depth of AI’s concerns.

Contact Amnesty International