Amnesty International has issued an apology to the founders of JK Rowling's rape support center, Beira's Place, after a report inaccurately labeled the organization as 'anti-rights'. The charity stated that the report, titled "A growing threat: the anti-rights movement in the UK," should not have been published and was removed from its website within 48 hours of management being notified.
Amnesty International UK's briefing also previously categorized Beira's Place, a female-only service for victims of sexual violence, as an 'anti-trans' organization in a separate report. The charity clarified that the labeling of groups as 'anti-rights' in the retracted briefing did not represent its institutional position.
"We apologise for its inclusion. In particular, we apologise to Beira’s Place and other groups, which we categorised as gender-critical organisations, which we should not have collectively labelled as anti-rights," Amnesty International said in a statement. The organization has initiated an internal investigation into the publication's origins and will commission an external review.
Legal letters were sent by organizations including Beira's Place, threatening litigation unless Amnesty issued a public apology. Following the apology, JK Rowling commented on social media, calling the retraction a "nice birthday present" and congratulating other women's and LGB organizations that were also wrongly characterized by Amnesty.
Beira's Place acknowledged the apology but stated it does not fully rectify the reputational damage caused. The organization noted that while the apology extended to groups classified as "gender critical," many other organizations were also defamed for upholding the belief that sex is immutable and important. Beira's Place asserted that these other organizations also deserve a written apology.
Amnesty International confirmed that another earlier briefing, "Like a Snowball: The Growth and Impact of the Gender Critical Movement in the UK," which also referenced a wide range of organizations, had been taken down. The charity affirmed its commitment to defending the human rights and dignity of all marginalized groups, including women, girls, and the trans community.