The 29 January vigil will follow an important milestone—the one-year anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling on 26 January 2024, which found that Israel must take all measures within its power to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Amnesty Switzerland has been invited to attend the weekly vigil hosted by Basel for Palestine on 29 January 2025. Basel for Palestine has been holding weekly vigils since the start of the genocide in Gaza, standing in solidarity with its victims and calling for justice. The 29 January vigil will follow an important milestone—the one-year anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling on 26 January 2024, which found that Israel must take all measures within its power to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, displaced the overwhelming majority of Gaza’s population, and caused catastrophic humanitarian conditions. The ICJ ruling was a historic moment, formally recognising the plausibility of genocide and ordering Israel to prevent further violations under the Genocide Convention.

Basel for Palestine has consistently organised weekly vigils to demand accountability for Israel’s ongoing genocide and apartheid, as documented in Amnesty International’s 2022 report on Israeli apartheid and its 2024 genocide report.
This vigil will serve as an important opportunity for communities to gather, reflect, mourn, and reaffirm their commitment to justice, human rights, and accountability. Amnesty Switzerland supports these efforts in line with its mission to advocate for human rights worldwide.

We encourage all Amnesty members and supporters to attend and show their solidarity.

A Ceasefire, but No Justice yet

On 19 January 2025, a ceasefire tookplace between Israel and Hamas, which was tragically long overdue but it does not end the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel’s continued blockade has left people starving, with no access to medical care or essential aid.
Human rights monitors must be allowed into Gaza to investigate war crimes and genocide.

Justice and reparations must be given to victims and survivors. Switzerland must act without delay to demand justice and reparation and an end to apartheid and occupation. Click here for Amnesty Switzerland's new petition.
Israel must end its apartheid system and the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories to achieve lasting peace.
Basel for Palestine alongside Amnesty urges the international community to act, ensuring Israel complies with international law and ends its impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Disclaimer for Amnesty activists participating in a protest

Amnesty International Switzerland is committed to upholding the right to protest. According to international human rights law and the Swiss constitution, peaceful protests are protected by a combination of the right to peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of expression. In case of doubt, this applies regardless of whether they violate a national law or not. In this Demo-Guide you will find a guide with the most important information on how to exercise your right to protest.

If you join a protest, make sure you know what the demands of the protest are and whether or to what extent they are in line with the demands and positions of Amnesty International. We are a global movement that strives to speak with one voice. Precisely because we are global, the actions that activists, group members and staff take in one place can have real and lasting consequences for other Amnesty members in crisis situations, for Amnesty chapters in war and crisis zones and for Amnesty International's work in these situations. We therefore ask you to only be visible with Amnesty flags and logos if the demands of the protest are in line with those of Amnesty International.

For example, for the vigil in Basel on January 29, 2025, we encourage Amnesty activists to participate. You can find Amnesty International's demands on this topic here. Please adhere to these demands when making statements during the protest.

If you are visible as a member of Amnesty International, it is important that you are aware of Amnesty International's position and only represent it.

If, for example, journalists ask you about something you are unsure about, it is better to refer them to the Secretariat in Bern, which will be happy to answer their questions.

If you have any questions, you can contact the Amnesty Switzerland secretariat at any time.

Thank you for your commitment to human rights!