ABOUT AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
“I can tell you – without exaggeration – that were it not for Amnesty International, its dedicated staff and members; I would not be talking to you tonight.”
— Maher Arar, Canadian citizen detained without trial and tortured in Syria in an address to Amnesty friends, 2008.
Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 10 million people who volunteer to take action against injustice.
Since 1961, Amnesty International has campaigned for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. We speak out for anyone and everyone whose freedom and dignity are under threat.
Amnesty International is a people’s movement based on global voluntary membership. Amnesty doesn’t accept funding from governments for our research and campaigns. Instead, we rely on people like you to power our work in building a world in which every person enjoys the rights included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.
Amnesty International takes action to stop grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination.
We campaign to free prisoners of conscience, protect refugees, support the rights of Indigenous Peoples, call for climate justice, seek equity for all people, abolish the death penalty, end political killings, ‘disappearances’ and torture, and more.
Amnesty International seeks to expose human rights abuses accurately and quickly. We systematically and independently research the facts of individual cases and patterns of human rights abuses. These findings are publicized, and members, supporters and staff then mobilize persistent public pressure on governments, armed political groups, companies and others to prevent and stop these violations.
Amnesty International promotes public awareness and understanding of the full range of human rights, and we work with a global community of organizations to ensure broad support and respect for all human rights.
Amnesty International is governed by its members; we are independent of all governments, political persuasions and religious creeds. We are funded by our members and donors.
No funds are sought or accepted from governments.
