What is Amnesty International?

Human Rights are the basic freedoms and protections that belong to everyone, everywhere.  They are the rights that allow each person to be treated equally, and to live in freedom and with dignity.  

Human rights are: 

• Universal – They belong to everyone, regardless of race, religion, country of origin or residence, gender or sexuality, age, ethnicity, or abilities. 
• Indivisible, interrelated and interdependent – Everyone has all the rights defined in international human rights law.  No one right is more or less important than any other. If one right is violated, it can have a negative effect on the enjoyment of other rights. 
• Inalienable – No person, corporation, government or other organization can take away anyone’s human rights. 

The core rights are set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948. 

There are many international treaties and conventions that define and expand upon these human rights principles.  To learn more, go to the Office of the High Commission on Human Rights (OHCHR). 

Visit our international website to learn about different human rights issues, read our research and media documents on these, and learn more about how we are working for change. 

After World War II, the international community accepted that national sovereignty cannot be used as an excuse for human rights violations, or as a cover to protect people who are guilty of human rights abuses. Under international agreements and treaties, developed and approved by the world’s governments, individual governments are accountable to the world for how they treat their people. The cornerstone of the modern international human rights system is the duty of all governments to advance human rights and protect them wherever they are under attack.

We recognize that governments have an obligation to protect the security of their citizens, just as they have an obligation to protect people’s human rights. However, human rights should not be compromised in order to protect our security, and they do not have to be. In fact, lasting security can only be based on respect for human rights. Governments should be responding to security challenges by upholding the values, including human rights values, they claim to defend. 

In some countries around the world, governments are using the current ‘war on terror’ as an excuse to ignore human rights, or to justify the repression of their political opponents. Many other countries have introduced laws that erode the human rights of their people. We campaign to promote security with human rights. 

We have several campaigns and activities that focus on Canada. These include: 

Indigenous peoples: Our work in this area includes pressing the Canadian government to sign the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (which finally happened in late 2010), working with Indigenous communities who are fighting to enforce their right to free, prior and informed consent where there is major logging, gas and oil exploration, and other commercial ventures on their lands, and working with Sisters in Spirit and other organizations on our Stolen Sisters campaign which demands that Canadian government and security forces address the high incidence of missing and murdered Aboriginal women. 

Corporate Accountability: We press for legislation and enforcement mechanisms that will hold Canadian extraction companies operating overseas to uphold human rights standards. We also directly put pressure on corporations with activities in other countries to respect the human rights of all people affected by their mining operations. 

Security: We hold the Canadian government accountable for human rights violations such as complicity in torture and advocating for and protecting the rights of Canadians detained abroad. 

Refugee Protection: We take action to prevent or change harmful legislation that denies refugees in Canada their rights. We also work to stop deportations of refugees who face a high risk of human rights violations if they are returned to their countries of origin.

We do not help people outside Canada who want to find protection in Canada.  Information about the immigration and refugee process in Canada can be found on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. 

We have a limited capacity to help refugees who need information about human rights in their country of origin and the risks they may face if they are required to return to their home country. In most cases we need to work directly with the lawyer who is representing the refugee. For more information you can contact: refugees@amnesty.ca.

You could either put down your information in an email or send a letter directly to the International Secretariat in the UK. If it does not jeopardize your safety, it is helpful to include details such as name, age, address etc. and to specify if you are willing to be contacted. 

Due to the volume of such complaints and reports, the International Secretariat is unable to reply to every message or investigate every case, but you can be sure that your email or letter will be forwarded to the relevant research team. The staff in Canada will not have access to the information you submit, and are unable to follow up on your behalf. 

Please also note that we do monitor human rights situations around the world through different methods, and we are aware of cases that are already being reported in the media and in online and offline forums. 

If your concern relates to something happening in Canada, please take note of the following guidelines for what Amnesty International might be able to assist with. 

• We are unable to assist with individual complaints relating to prison conditions or police conduct in Canada.  If you have concerns or questions about the penal system or security forces in Canada, you can talk to someone at the relevant oversight body (see below). 
• As a human rights organization, we only focus on civil matters relating to international human rights law.  We do not have capacity to assist with matters of family, criminal, employment or another area of law. 
• We do not provide legal advice, representation or referrals of any kind. 

• We can only take reports from individuals who are experiencing human rights violations themselves, or who are relatives of the person experiencing the violations.  Please give us a brief description of the key concerns.  We will follow up with you if we require more information.  Our capacity is limited and we are not able to respond to all messages, and we are not able to investigate every situation brought to our attention. 

Useful resources for pursuing human rights concerns in Canada 

The Canadian Human Rights Commission administers the Canadian Human Rights Act and is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Employment Equity Act. Both laws ensure that the principles of equal opportunity and non-discrimination are followed in all areas of federal jurisdiction. 

There is also a human rights agency in each province and territory that oversees non-federal human rights legislation and complaints.  Find your Provincial or Territorial Human Rights Agency. 

All police and security forces in Canada are subject to oversight processes.  You can find the one for your province and the RCMP at the Office of Independent Police Review Director. 

In most cases, you can contact a lawyer who specializes in the area of your concern for advice and options.  Each Province and Territory has a Law Society which offers a lawyer referral service so you can find a lawyer who has the right expertise. Find your relevant Law Society. 

Canadians detained abroad 

In exceptional circumstances, Amnesty International intervenes in a small number of cases of Canadian citizens detained abroad facing grave human rights violations (eg. torture, death penalty). These are evaluated on a case by case basis, with close relatives and legal counsel, about the appropriate role (if any) the organization may undertake. Please provide a brief overview of the situation as well as relevant contact details for follow-up. Note: Anyone with a relative detained abroad should contact Consular Services at the Department of Foreign Affairs for assistance before contacting Amnesty International. We cannot act a go-between between lawyers/relatives and the Dept of Foreign Affairs.