On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic and called on states to take urgent actions to tackle it. Most European countries have introduced strict measures to stop the spread of the virus and to cope with the increasing pressures on their public health systems.
In this unprecedented health emergency, Amnesty International urges authorities to ensure that their responses to the COVID-19 outbreak respect international human rights law and standards, take into account the specific needs of marginalized groups and people, and mitigate and address specific human rights risks associated with particular measures.