Removal of: Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International

On August 4th 2022, the Secretary General of Amnesty International (Agnès Callamard) approved the publication of an article accusing Ukrainian forces of using public spaces to conduct military operations thereby endangering the local civilians.

In this report, it is detailed that hospitals, schools, and populated civilian areas were used to conduct strikes against opposing Russian forces. The article mentions eye-witness testimony, ground observations and weapons analysis as evidence for their claims.

However, the organization failed to mention in the report the repeated attempts by the Ukrainian government to evacuate citizens, the countless missions to remove citizens behind enemy lines, and the complete lack of alternative circumstances in which the Ukrainian military found itself. The article falsely identifies the availability of “viable alternatives”. Suggesting that Ukrainian forces could have positioned themselves in “military bases or densely wooded areas nearby, or other structures further away from residential areas”. (Ukraine: Ukrainian Fighting Tactics Endanger Civilians.” Amnesty International, 4 Aug. 2022)

This claim is incredibly shortsighted and not an accurate reflection of the battle conditions in which the Ukrainian military found itself. It is completely opinionated and should not be passed as factual in any way, shape, or form. There is no evidence to corroborate the claim of alternative availability, their claims are based on substandard recommendations and non- circumstantial evidence. Again, I would like to re-iterate that there is no factual information so far provided that Ukrainian units had alternative options in which they could have conducted their operations. Simply pointing to open areas or spaces away from civilian settlements does not make those said spaces viable defensive nor offensive positions to hold military operations. It begs the question, who at Amnesty International has the ability to judge the comprehensive movements of military personnel usually administered by officers, generals, or other high- ranking military officials? Amnesty International’s loose opinions on how to wage a war are not a reflection of professional military strategy.

The article neglects to reference the positions of opposing forces and if those opposing forces shelled the area before or after the arrival of Ukrainian forces. It therefore implies that Russian units shelled the areas because of the presence of Ukrainian forces rather than implying that those forces were defending said areas from already occurring Russian attacks. The article underpins Ukrainian forces as the aggressor rather than the defender, in which again we have no evidence provided that this was indeed the case. We have seen agreement from several international private and government entities that the Russian Federation has indiscriminately shelled civilian areas, tortured innocent civilians, and destroyed billions of dollars’ worth of private and public property. Based on gathered evidence it is far more likely that Russia was acting as an aggressor thereby forcing Ukrainian units to defend its people and territory. Instead, the article makes an accusation inferring the opposite.
Furthermore, the smaller branch of Amnesty International Ukraine tried to reason with the upper leadership of the organization in an attempt to include more encompassing opinions and analysis about the information gathered. These requests were denied and the article was published anyways. Due to the refutation, the Chief Executive Director Oksana Pokalchuk resigned in protest. Citing a “split over values” among other reasons. (KyivPost, 6 Aug. 2022)

The basis of this petition is not to demonstrate an opposing point of view, nor to point out the lack of circumstantial evidence. It is being used to begin the process of immediately ceasing the spreading of this publication at the very least and to seek the resignation of Agnès Callamard as General Secretary from her position at Amnesty International due to the potential threat and justification of terroristic acts of violence her publication may cause in the near future. The publication sets a dangerous precedent that could be used as an excuse and as validation to increase violent acts on innocent Ukrainian citizens. It is currently being used as propaganda by the Kremlin and other state entities within Russia as well as its supporters internationally to encourage their false narratives. Within hours of the report the Russian Federation linked the publication onto its U.K Twitter feed, immediately capitalizing on the narrative with the quote “-exactly what Russia has been saying all along”. It is deemed highly offensive by the Ukrainian parliament, military, journalists, and citizens alike. Many more innocent people may die due to the precedent set forth in this publication. And this frankly is irresponsible and unacceptable. Agnès Callamard’s lack of forethought on the potentially hazardous effects of her published article should be used as just cause for her immediate removal as General Secretary.

This petition was penned by an individual citizen of the United States of America representing the point of view of the signees. It is not affiliated with any government, private corporation, LLC, limited partnership, organization, or public entity.