#UK #England – Amnesty International UK issued an apology and withdrew a controversial report after it branded the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and dozens of other Christian and pro-life organizations as part of an “anti-rights movement.”
The report, titled “A Growing Threat: the Anti-Rights Movement in the UK,” was published on July 8. It listed approximately 117 organizations that Amnesty claimed were undermining the rights of women and homosexuals through advocacy on abortion, gender-critical beliefs, and traditional Christian teachings.
Among those named were the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW), the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), the Evangelical Alliance UK, the Christian Institute, Christian Concern, CARE, the Catholic Medical Association, the Catholic Herald, and Beira’s Place — a sexual violence support center founded by author J.K. Rowling. The document described these groups as fostering a “moral panic” and working to roll back human rights protections.
It called for the Charity Commission to review the charitable status of many listed organizations and suggested increased scrutiny or monitoring of their activities and funding.
he report sparked immediate backlash from Christian leaders, pro-life advocates, and gender-critical campaigners, who accused Amnesty of ideological bias and of equating mainstream religious beliefs with extremism. Critics noted the absence of any Islamist organizations from the list despite documented concerns around issues such as forced marriage and female genital mutilation in some communities.
In response, Amnesty International UK removed the report within days. On July 10, the organization stated that the document had been uploaded “without the usual checks” and expressed regret over its content, particularly the inclusion of the Catholic bishops’ conference. It said an internal review was underway.
Image: Amnesty International UK headquarters at Easton Street, London, UK.
