Press Releases

Open letter to the Responsible Jewellery Council

The Responsible Jewellery Council’s new standard requiring supply chain due diligence by all its members is a step forward for responsible sourcing in the jewellery industry, but significant gaps remain.

Marange diamond industry is the litmus test of Zimbabwe’s reform

The new government’s handling of the Marange diamond industry will be a clear indication of whether its commitments to economic reform and anti-corruption go beyond lip service.

Diamond industry fails to clean up its act

Reforms to diamond industry guideline on human rights and responsible business practice fail to meet international standards.

Zimbabwe’s vast diamond riches exploited by secretive political and military elites, report shows

Powerful military and political elites and security forces have controlled and secretly exploited Zimbabwe’s once promising diamond sector, while concealing the scale of the loss to its people, a new report from Global Witness reveals.

European companies able to reap rewards from deadly conflict mineral trade

[French version available here] The European Union is failing to stifle a deadly trade in conflict minerals, a coalition of rights groups including Global Witness and Amnesty International warned today, weeks before new legislation will be discussed in Parliament.

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor to serve war crimes sentence in UK

Global Witness criticises easing of EU diamond sanctions

Global Witness today responded to news that the EU has agreed to lift sanctions on the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation.  “The EU has rushed its decision to delist ZMDC before the dust has settled on Zimbabwe’s flawed elections. Our research indicates that ZANU PF and the military have siphoned revenues from ZMDC’s diamond ventures and that this may have financed the alleged rigging of the recent poll,” said Senior Campaigner, Emily Armistead.

全球见证指出津巴布韦恐利用钻石收入操纵选举

English version 监督组织呼吁南部非洲发展共同体对津民盟违法行为的指控进行彻底调查 全球见证呼吁南部非洲发展共同体（SADC）对关于罗伯特·穆加贝的津民盟企图操纵7月31日大选的指控进行彻底调查。监督组织警告称，有力的证据表明津民盟从该国利润丰厚的钻石矿中获得了大笔资金，如今这些资金可能被用于篡改选民册等非民主手段。 尽管大选准备阶段大体平稳，但人们仍然十分担心选举中存在缺陷。对津巴布韦党派性的安全部门进行彻底整顿等宪法规定的急需的改革并未实施，且津巴布韦政府对于公民社团和维权人士的压制愈演愈烈。

Diamond revenues could be funding Zimbabwe election-rigging, says Global Witness

简体中文 Watchdog calls on SADC to fully investigate claims of wrong-doing by ZANU PF Global Witness today called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to fully investigate claims that Robert Mugabe’s ZANU PF party is attempting to rig the country’s elections, due to be held on Wednesday.

Global Witness welcomes EU decision to maintain sanctions against Zimbabwean diamond sector

Global Witness today welcomed news that EU foreign ministers have agreed to maintain restrictive measures against state-owned Zimbabwean diamond mining company, ZMDC, but warned that gaps in the sanctions list could mean Mugabe’s forces still receive off-budget revenues from diamond sales.