detention in police custody for more than 24 of electoral irregularities, which destabilized hours. the peaceful transfer of power in January through the encouragement of violent 1. “Covid-19: Big Pharma fuelling unprecedented human rights crisis – political protests aimed at overturning the election results. New report”, 21 September 2. “UK: Afghanistan resettlement scheme is ‘too little, too late’”, 18 August LGBTI PEOPLE’S RIGHTS 3. “UK: Napier Barracks Covid outbreak shows Home Office ‘just doesn't The Biden administration took steps to repeal the previous administration’s discriminatory care’ about people seeking asylum”, 12 August 4. “UK: MPs should vote down ‘dystopian’ policing bill”, 4 July policies towards LGBTI people, including 5. “UK: NGOs condemn appointment of William Shawcross and overturning a ban on transgender people serving in the military and restoring announce civil society-led review of Prevent”, 16 February 6. “Northern Ireland: Mother and Baby Home public inquiry welcome protections for students against step towards truth and accountability”, 15 November discrimination based on sexual orientation 7. “US/UK: ‘Drop the charges, stop the extradition and free Julian and gender identity. Nonetheless, hundreds Assange,’ says Amnesty Head”, 25 October of state-level bills were introduced that would 8. “UK: Europe’s top court rules UK mass surveillance regime violated curtail the rights of LGBTI people. Multiple human rights”, 25 May states enacted anti-LGBTI rights laws, including a ban on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors in UNITED STATES OF Arkansas. AMERICA SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS The Biden administration repealed the Global United States of America Gag Rule, a policy limiting US foreign aid to Head of state and government: Joseph Biden (replaced foreign organizations that provide Donald Trump in January) information, referrals or services for legal abortion. The Biden administration stated its State governments continued intensified intention to restore the US human rights efforts to curtail sexual and reproductive record, but the results in policy and rights by seeking to criminalize abortion and practice were mixed. While it re-engaged limit access to reproductive health services, with UN international human rights enacting more abortion restrictions in 2021 institutions and multilateral efforts to than in any other year. combat climate change, the administration In Texas, a law was enacted criminalizing failed to adopt human rights-respecting abortion as early as six weeks into pregnancy immigration and asylum policies on the – before most people know they are pregnant USA-Mexico border or realize its human – and privatizing enforcement against rights-related agenda on the domestic level. abortion providers or anyone “suspected” of assisting the person in obtaining an abortion.1 BACKGROUND In September, the US Supreme Court Domestic politics continued to hinder declined to enjoin the Texas law, and allowed effective government action to address it to enter into force. In December, the Court climate change, discriminatory attacks on heard oral arguments regarding a Mississippi voting rights, or unlawful state-level law which bans most abortions after 15 restrictions on rights, including the right to weeks, directly challenging existing federal freedom of peaceful assembly and protections of abortion rights under Roe v. 2 reproductive rights. Some opposition Wade. politicians continued to challenge the 2020 election results with unsubstantiated claims Amnesty International Report 2021/22 390