On September 12, 2024, a solitary protest took place outside Amazon’s office in Luxembourg. Gints Saveļjevs, director of Wallprofit OU, staged a peaceful and authorised demonstration, demanding the return of funds and goods that had vanished from his company’s accounts following a blockade by Amazon. Despite repeated attempts to seek clarification, the whereabouts of these assets remain unknown, and Amazon continues to maintain its silence, offering neither explanation nor evidence, seemingly shielded by the walls of its multi-million dollar headquarter.
Amazon Tramples the Rules of the Civilised World
This protest sought to highlight a grave injustice. However, instead of the anticipated dialogue with corporate representatives, Saveļjevs was met with complete indifference. No employee from Amazon stepped forward to explain the fate of the missing funds. From their office windows, Amazon staff observed the protest, indifferent to the concerns of entrepreneurs whose livelihoods had been affected.
As the protest unfolded under the banner “Amazon, Give Back Our Money and Goods,” the situation escalated when Amazon, working alongside its security personnel and the Luxembourg police, unilaterally revoked the protest permit. This action constitutes a direct infringement of fundamental human rights, specifically the right to freedom of assembly and expression, as protected by both the Constitution of Luxembourg and international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. Amazon has shown a disturbing willingness to disregard not only its commercial and legal obligations but also the core tenets of democracy.
Amazon’s Violation of Property Rights
The right to property, enshrined in Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is foundational to any business. Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention further stipulates that no one shall be deprived of their possessions except in the public interest and under the conditions provided by law. Despite this, Amazon has blocked Wallprofit’s access to its own funds and goods without offering any form of justification or proof, a move that constitutes a blatant and systematic violation of international principles. This case exemplifies the misuse of corporate power, as large multinationals exploit bureaucratic loopholes to undermine the rights of smaller enterprises.
Amazon: The Fight is Far from Over
The events of today’s protest have made it clear that Amazon is unwilling to engage in any meaningful dialogue, instead opting for aggressive tactics to stifle lawful demonstrations. Nevertheless, Wallprofit remains undeterred. The next step will be to pursue legal action. The fight for justice will continue, as Wallprofit seeks to recover its funds and goods and hold Amazon accountable for its actions.