Many countries are misusing the Coronavirus crisis for repression, according to Amnesty | right Now

Many countries in North Africa and the Middle East are using the Corona crisis to increase repression, but the pandemic is also increasing inequality elsewhere. Amnesty International wrote on Wednesday that this has dire consequences for refugees, migrants, prisoners and minorities Annual Report.

The Human Rights Watch lists how governments in North Africa and the Middle East are escalating their attacks on freedom of expression. Egypt and Iran sanctioned health workers who criticized Corona’s policy.

Amnesty also criticized Israel for not providing Corona vaccines to five million Palestinians in the occupied territories. The already precarious situation of guest workers in countries such as Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia has also come under further pressure from the epidemic. After being fired, many of them lost their income.

Freedom of expression and the press were also under pressure in Hungary, where a five-year prison sentence was imposed for “spreading false information” about the Corona virus. In China, doctors and bloggers who raised the alarm about the emerging coronavirus have disappeared at an early stage.

‘The crisis has been ruthlessly exploited’

Amnesty International believes that leaders around the world have relentlessly exploited the crisis to continue their attacks on human rights. Recovery is hampered by undermining international cooperation. The organization speaks of “an astonishing contempt” by leaders for “our collective humanity”.

According to Amnesty International, the crisis has shed light on how states are intentionally dividing and maintaining policies that lead to inequality, discrimination and oppression.

“We are reaping the benefits of years of neglect on the part of government leaders. Under the pressure of the epidemic, health care has been put on the final line and people are in a financial free fall,” said Amnesty International’s new Secretary General, Agnes Callamard.