Katharine Derderian
kderderian1.bsky.social
Katharine Derderian
@kderderian1.bsky.social
Working @amnestyeu.bsky.social for human rights in EU foreign policy (Africa, Asia, Americas).
Posting on all things human rights and humanitarian.
Nomad happily landed in Belgium.
“It’s appalling that international diplomats including from the US, European Union and African Union, are shirking their moral and international obligations by not applying direct & consistent pressure on Rwandan & DRC leaders to stop supporting abusive armed groups"

@amnesty.org's Tigere Chagutah
Amnesty Eastern Africa on X: "The upcoming signature of the peace deal between the presidents of DRC and Rwanda in Washington takes place as the violence continues in eastern DRC. Months of discussions & the signing of multiple agreements have had no tangible impact on the lives of Congolese civilians. https://t.co/dWWEtzS9DX" / X
The upcoming signature of the peace deal between the presidents of DRC and Rwanda in Washington takes place as the violence continues in eastern DRC. Months of discussions & the signing of multiple agreements have had no tangible impact on the lives of Congolese civilians. https://t.co/dWWEtzS9DX
x.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan was sentenced to another 4 years in prison on 19 September for the charge of “picking quarrels & provoking trouble.”

After her appeal in late September, reportedly neither her family nor her lawyer was allowed to visit her.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ASA17/0539/2025/en/
t.co
December 4, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
👉Ensure the UN Human Rights Council's Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan has the necessary resources & support to document, report & preserve evidence of crimes under international law
👉Exercise universal jurisdiction over crimes under international law committed in Sudan
(4/4)
December 3, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
👉Protect & support people fleeing Sudan
👉Call all countries-including UAE-to respect the UN Security Council arms embargo on Darfur & refrain from transferring weapons & ammunition to Sudanese Armed Forces, RSF & others
👉Work to expand the UNSC arms embargo to all Sudan
(3/4)
December 3, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
What can the EU do?

👉Call all conflict parties to end all attacks on civilians & civilian infrastructure now, and ensure unrestricted & immediate humanitarian access
👉Increase emergency funding for humanitarian response in Sudan & refugee camps in neighbouring countries
(2/4)
December 3, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
A new @amnesty.org report documents how Rapid Support Forces attacked Zamzam camp in Darfur, Sudan in April.

RSF killed civilians, took hostages, pillaged & destroyed civilian structures including a mosque, school & clinic.

These violations must be investigated as war crimes.
(1/4)
RSF's attacks on Zam Zam IDP camps should be investigated as war crimes
The relentless assault caused around 400,000 people to flee the camp between 13 and 14 April alone.
www.amnesty.org
December 3, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
The EU has long championed human rights in Cuba.
It's time for the EU to demand concrete protection measures & urge Cuba to:
👉End harassment, arbitrary detention & violence against women rights defenders
👉Urgently work toward a comprehensive law against gender-based violence
November 27, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
“Women defenders are punished not only for speaking out, but also for being mothers, journalists & community leaders” says @anaamancay.bsky.social.

“The state wields gender-based violence as a tool of repression, seeking to break their dignity, their families & their collective strength"
November 27, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
A new @amnesty.org report reveals how the Cuban state systematically targets women activists, journalists & rights defenders.

Arbitrary detention, unlawful surveillance, enforced disappearance & other institutional violence - amid impunity & a lack of judicial safeguards.
Cuba: The State represses women human rights defenders
The Cuban government must put an end to institutional gender-based violence against women human rights defenders, journalists, and activists.
www.amnesty.org
November 27, 2025 at 1:53 PM
🚨So much at stake as #EPlenary discusses human rights in Tanzania this week

Former ambassador & gov't critic Humphrey Polepole was abducted 6 Oct by unidentified security forces

Authorities must disclose his whereabouts & if he is in their custody, release him now.

www.amnesty.org/en/documents...
Tanzania: Whereabouts of government critic unknown: Humphrey Polepole - Amnesty International
Humphrey Polepole was abducted in Dar es Salaam on 6 October 2025 by unidentified security forces. He is an outspoken government critic who has criticized President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the ruling ...
www.amnesty.org
November 25, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
Drawing on exchanges between 20 civil society experts, our paper points to the potential of the EU and the AU to positively shape human rights agendas, policies & practices in Europe & Africa

And to effectively protect human rights and all those who defend human rights.

@amnestyeu.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
In Europe & Africa, civil society is witnessing
➡️Cuts in funding to civil society & human rights institutions
➡️Mis- & disinformation about civil society & its work
➡️Active undermining of norms & institutions including international human rights law
➡️Authoritarian practices
November 21, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
African and European leaders meet next week for the AU-EU summit.

Civil society from both continents urges them to act for human rights in a rapidly changing global landscape.

Read our joint paper issued today 👉 www.fiacat.org/representati...
The changing global human rights landscape: A challenge to the African Union (AU) -European Union (EU) partnership
www.fiacat.org
November 21, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
👉Uphold the rights of refugees & migrants
👉Champion justice for rights violations, supporting the work of the ICC & regional courts
👉Defend the international human rights system with its crucial norms & safeguards that protect people on both continents
November 24, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
The AU & EU should deliver on their shared human rights commitments, working together toward principled positions & consistent action:
👉Respond to conflict & crisis in line w/int'l human rights standards
👉Protect rights defenders, activists, civil society & their important work
November 24, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
Conflict & crises. Authoritarian practices & closing civic space. Attacks on the international human rights system.

At 25 years of their partnership, leaders at the EU-AU summit must rise to challenges in both regions & worldwide.
EU-AU summit must rise to challenges on human rights – European Institutions Office
Dear African and European leaders, As the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) meet for a summit on 24-25 November in Luanda, Angola, both institutions are confronted with burgeoning conflic...
www.amnesty.eu
November 24, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
And as European and African leaders meet at next week's EU-AU summit, the human rights and humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC must be high on the agenda.

The time to act is now! www.amnesty.org/en/latest/ne...
DRC: Warring factions in eastern DRC commit horrific abuses including gang rapes, summary executions and abductions
Both the Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement (M23) and the Wazalendo, a loose coalition of armed groups backed by the Congolese army, have gang raped women and committed widespread human rights abuses aga...
www.amnesty.org
November 20, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
@amnesty.org documented gang rapes, summary executions, torture & attacks on health facilities by #M23, Wazalendo & the Congolese army.

100,000s of lives are at stake.

The EU must demand accountability for abuses & ensure all armed groups prioritize protection of civilians.
November 20, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
EU inaction in DRC kills!

Today activists from LUCHA RDC & @amnesty.org
gathered outside the European Council to demand EU act to end horrific abuses in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
November 20, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
At UN HRC Sp. Session on #Sudan, UN Human Rights chief calls all States to "take urgent concrete action to ensure protection of civilians in El Fasher"

#EU FAC conclusions said no less. @eudiplomacy.bsky.social should step up efforts & mobilize EU's partners to act.

www.ohchr.org/en/statement...
High Commissioner at Special Session on Sudan: The international community has a clear duty to act
Mr. President, Excellencies,The atrocities that are unfolding in El Fasher were foreseen and preventable – but they were not prevented.  They constitute the gravest of crimes.My Office has issued more...
www.ohchr.org
November 14, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
On Thursday EU ministers will debate their #Sahel strategy, as civilians pay cost of conflict & repression.

@eudiplomacy.bsky.social: make clear there'll be no security & stability unless protection of civilians is at the center.

Our take 👇
euobserver.com/africa/ard19...
#Mali #Niger #BurkinaFaso
After three military coups, EU must focus on civilians in Sahel
Since a series of military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, most EU military and capacity-building missions have been closed, development aid has been largely frozen, and diplomatic relations w...
euobserver.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
Crisissituaties zoals in #Darfoer vragen onmiddellijke actie. België, als ondertekenaar van het Genocideverdrag, moet het voortouw nemen om de genocide te voorkomen en te stoppen. Onverschilligheid == medeplichtigheid. België moet nú handelen. #Sudan #Darfur #HumanRights
De burgers in Darfoer: eens te meer vergeten verliezers
Réginald Moreels, Wim Van Damme, Lut Lynen, Rodrigo Moreno-Reyes, Mit Philips en Stefaan Van der Borght zijn humanitaire artsen die in Darfoer met Artsen Zonder Grenzen (AZG) gewerkt hebben. Ze zijn o...
www.demorgen.be
November 17, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
European and Latin American states must act now for *all* those forcibly disappeared and arbitrarily detained in Venezuela.

And support consistent international scrutiny and mechanisms that can deliver justice for these crimes.

9/9
November 7, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
Enforced disappearances & arbitrary detention are part of a widespread, systematic attack on real or perceived dissent in Venezuela.

The targeting of foreign or dual nationals seems aimed at exerting political pressure on governments worldwide in pursuit of impunity.

8/9
November 7, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by Katharine Derderian
Spanish citizens Andrés Martínez & Jose María Basoa have been detained since September 2024 and accused of unsubstantiated charges.

Their precise whereabouts & situation were unknown for over a year and they remain detained.

7/9
Amnistía Internacional España on X: "Hoy, en el Parlamento Vasco, las familias de José María Basoa Valdovinos y Andrés Martínez Adasme agradecen a @PVasco_EuskoL el apoyo institucional y recuerdan que llevan más de 13 meses injustamente detenidos en Venezuela. Pedimos su liberación inmediata. @amnestyeuskadi https://t.co/Od8hUcRUlu" / X
Hoy, en el Parlamento Vasco, las familias de José María Basoa Valdovinos y Andrés Martínez Adasme agradecen a @PVasco_EuskoL el apoyo institucional y recuerdan que llevan más de 13 meses injustamente detenidos en Venezuela. Pedimos su liberación inmediata. @amnestyeuskadi https://t.co/Od8hUcRUlu
x.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:41 PM