Image Source: SABC News
World – As governments grow bolder in their disregard for international law, the world is entering a dangerous new era of impunity, according to a Campaigner at Amnesty International South Africa, Cassandra Dorasamy. Her remarks came as Amnesty International released its latest State of the World’s Human Rights report, which documents a sweeping deterioration of rights protections across multiple regions.
The report points to ongoing atrocities in Gaza, Sudan, Venezuela, and Iran as evidence of a growing disregard for the international rules-based order. What makes this era particularly alarming, Dorasamy said, is not just the violations themselves but the brazenness with which they are carried out by those in power.
“The world is entering a new era of complete impunity and lack of accountability, and complete respect for international law and the international rule-based order. And we see that in multiple areas of the world. We’re seeing it continuously in the genocide in Gaza, we’re seeing it in Sudan, we’re seeing it in Venezuela.”
Walking the Talk?
South Africa has received measured praise from Amnesty International for its stance on the genocide in Gaza, including its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. However, the organisation has been clear that this cannot be used to deflect from serious failures on home soil.
Dorasamy said corruption entrenched within government institutions has hollowed out the state’s ability to deliver on the rights that South Africa’s own Constitution guarantees. The gap between what the law promises and what people actually experience remains wide.
“The Madlanga Commission has put on full display the types of corruption that’s going on within our institutions that prevents the South African government from being able to deliver on things like justice. We see it throughout our government departments. We saw widespread corruption in the Department of Social Development, for example, that prevented people from accessing their basic grants.”
Defenders Under Threat
Among the most pressing concerns in South Africa is the threat facing activists, whistleblowers, and community leaders who speak out against injustice. Dorasamy said there is currently no formal tracking system or dedicated legal protection for human rights defenders in the country.
Amnesty International has been documenting these threats alongside other partners, calling on the state to formally recognise human rights defenders, put legal protections in place, and keep an official record of attacks against them. The pattern, Dorasamy said, runs deeper than isolated incidents.
“A human rights defender is anyone who stands up and advocates for human rights for themselves or for their communities, and it also includes people like whistleblowers who expose corruption. At the moment, we’re seeing whistleblowers and professionals who are working on corruption cases being killed.”
