Helen Drew

The death penalty kills people, not crime. Amnesty International has been campaigning against the death penalty for nearly 50 years. Together, we have achieved a global progressive trend towards abolition. Executions in 2025 soared to the highest figure recorded by Amnesty International since 1981 – and a small, isolated group of states were responsible. Iran executed more people in 2025 than any year since 1981. For the 17th year the USA was the only country in the region to execute people. Death penalty should be a thing of the past. A world without the death penalty is possible. And we won't stop fighting until we abolish it. Read on: amn.st/6011BBNjpU

URGENT: Parliament is having a debate on the genocide in Gaza THIS Thursday The UK government must prevent and punish genocide but hasn’t done all in its power to end Israel’s genocide in Gaza. TAG YOUR MP to urge them to speak in Thursday’s parliamentary debate and call on the government to immediately take action to end Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. In December 2024 Amnesty International found Israel was committing genocide in Gaza. In November 2025 Amnesty confirmed that despite a so-called ‘ceasefire’, the genocide continues. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that since the so-called ceasefire began, 449 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 100 children (UNICEF). By January 2026, 81% of structures were destroyed or damaged. Most of Gaza’s population remains displaced. At least 77% face crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity, according to OCHA’s January 2026 update. By restricting food, medical supplies, electricity and medical evacuations, Israel is deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction, prohibited under the Genocide Convention. All States have a duty to prevent and punish genocide. Despite ICJ warnings of plausible risk and a UN Commission finding of genocide, the UK still refuses to accept even the risk. MPs should ask: what evidence does the UK require to accept genocide risk? Why were the ICJ interim ruling and the UN Commission of Inquiry not enough to trigger action? The UK argued in the Myanmar case that acts against children and forced displacement show genocidal intent. Over 64,000 children have been killed or injured in Gaza. Why the double standard?