Following reports that Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States of America, Amnesty International USA’s Interim Executive Director, Bob Goodfellow, released the following statement:
“As an organization dedicated to defending everyone’s human rights in the U.S. and around the world, Amnesty International USA calls on the new Biden administration to act immediately to end human rights violations perpetrated by the U.S. government, including the detention and separation of children and their families seeking safety.
“While the current administration has committed numerous human rights violations, many violations preceded Donald Trump. In order to begin to turn the tide on the long history of U.S. human right violations, President-elect Biden and Congress must prioritize a bold human rights agenda. We have developed eleven key human rights priorities and will be working with our members to ensure they are implemented and upheld, including police violence, gun violence, refugees, gender, arms sales, and free expression.
“We’ve been defending freedom from dictators and bullies around the world for six decades–and we’re not about to stop now. We will work to build momentum around these changes we are demanding of the U.S. government and hold the Biden administration accountable to U.S. human rights obligations.”