Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire
Promoting human rights from Salisbury UK
We attach the monthly death penalty report, this time for 2 months, prepared by group member Lesley. China doesn’t figure in the report as its executions are a state secret but is believed to be the world’s leader in the numbers executed.
The group meets this Thursday 9 June at 7.30 at 4, Victoria Road as usual. The agenda is below:
1 Apologies
2 Minutes of last meeting
3 Treasurer’s report
4 Update on Campaigns
5 Social Media
6 Market Stall (Saturday)
7 Monthly Action
8 Arts Centre Film (15/12)
9 School Citizenship day (October)
10 Other forthcoming events (inc possible venue for coffee morning, barbecue)
11 AOB
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The Campaign Against the Arms Trade CAAT, has recently shared with the Observer some research it has done into the record level of arms sales to countries with dubious human rights records (Britain sells record £3bn of weapons in a year to regimes that violate human rights, 29 May 2016). We have over recent months posted several blogs concerning these arms sales to countries such as Saudi Arabia and also the involvement of British Service personnel in the bombing of civilians in Yemen.
We have also highlighted the government’s steady watering down of its human rights policies to enable more arms sales to take place. The CAAT’s statistics show that more than £3bn of British-made weaponry was licensed for export to 21 of the Foreign Office’s 30 ‘human rights priority countries’ that is countries where the worst of the human rights violations take place.
Countries such as Saudi and Bahrain are familiar to us but less attention has been paid to the Maldives which does have a Salisbury connection. The first elected leader of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheen (pictured) – who went to school in the city – has been sentenced to 13 years in prison allegedly for terrorist offences. Amnesty has said the sentence was ‘politically motivated’. It released a report in February which said that the government had been:
effectively undermining human rights protection by failing to strengthen the independent institutions of the state.
A local NGO, Transparency Maldives, issued a statement expressing concern about ‘irregularities’ in the legal process.
The MP for Salisbury Mr John Glen has also been busy making speeches, writing in the Salisbury Journal and on his blog about the situation there. He says that Nasheed’s sentence was ‘illegal’ (Time to promote freedom in the Maldives, 17 May 2016). He goes on to say:
Last year, Nasheed was put on trial on politically-motivated and completely false charges of “terrorism”, found guilty and sentenced for 13 years. In the course of his trial Nasheed was prohibited from presenting any evidence or calling witnesses, with the court pre-emptively concluding that no testimony could refute the evidence submitted by the prosecution.
Another 1,700 people face criminal charges for peaceful political protest or speech, and journalists have been assaulted, arrested or disappeared. Attacks on the Maldives’ independent press have intensified in recent weeks to the extent that the Maldives’ oldest newspaper, Haveeru, has been prohibited by court order from publishing its daily print edition.
He concludes his blog by arguing that pressure should be applied to the Maldivian government:
Pressure must be increasingly and continually applied to compel the Maldives Government to release its political prisoners and allow freedom of the press. I hope that CMAG [Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group] will be able to greatly improve the situation but if not we should not be afraid to countenance targeted sanctions, such as travel bans and asset freezes, on the leadership of the Maldivian Government.
All this is commendable and it is good to see an MP arguing forcefully for human rights in a place such as the Maldives. The problem however is the arms sales. As the Observer article makes clear, quoting Andrew Smith of CAAT ‘These arms sales are going to countries that even the Foreign Office accepts are run by some of the most brutal and repressive regimes in the world.’
So while we may praise Mr Glen for raising this matter in Parliament and in the Journal and on his blog, the fact remains that the department granting these licenses is the Department for Business Innovation and Skills in which Mr Glen is the PPS to the Minister. The Ministry simply says that the department
The Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export controls regimes in the world.
Some may argue that Mr Glen’s position is inconsistent: making speeches about human rights violations in the Maldives while working for a department which is busy allowing the sale of arms to them. Others may choose to use a harsher word.
Every year the group runs a jumble sale to raise funds and this year it will be in the market square starting early on Saturday 11 June. Early indications are that we have a decent amount of material after a lean couple of years. If you have anything to contribute or can come along to buy or even help, that would be appreciated. Generally books are not needed and nothing electrical please.
The minutes of the May meeting are available and can be accessed below. Thanks to Fiona for preparing them. The meeting contained general updates and a discussion on the film evening.
Interim International Update (from 14.4.16 – 28.4.16)
Date format: day/month/year
UK –
o 14.4.16 – Mya Foa, Death Penalty Director of Reprieve stated, ‘
It is easy for Ministers to condemn the death penalty from Foreign Office briefing rooms. But if the words are to mean anything, the UK must be willing to engage in targeted ways on specific cases, including making its concerns public where appropriate. The countries driving a global surge in executions are amongst the country’s closest allies. This gives us a voice and we should use it in service of our values.
She highlights Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and also Iran, where the recent resumption of diplomatic relations demonstrates how we can make a difference. She quotes the instance of how David Cameron’s intervention in 2013 in the cases of three young men who had faced torture and abuse, and were given death sentences, had contributed to their pardon and release.
o 24.4.16 – Catherine Dunmore, a young lawyer from Swindon, who supported Amnesty while at secondary school, is about to spend 3 months in Florida, working as an unpaid volunteer for Amicus. This organisation provides legal representation for those on death row – For anyone who might wish to support her, please go to Crowdfunder appeal The Salisbury Group wishes Catherine well.
o 14.4.16 – Non Profit Quarterly have reported on the steady decline in executions since 2009 – from 52 
to 28 in 2015. They attribute this in part to changing public opinion and increased media scrutiny, but also to the activism of death penalty opponents which has led to the limited availability of drugs essential in the use of the lethal injection.
The review shows that, while 31 states have the death penalty, only 4 are actively executing prisoners using lethal injection – Missouri, Texas, Alabama and Georgia. Florida are currently reviewing their procedures, while Louisiana, Virginia, Arizona and Arkansas have, or are about to, use the last of their supplies. Ohio have had to re- schedule their executions, and Nebraska are looking for a legal source of drugs.
The Danish Company Lundbeck were exposed as the suppliers of phenobarbital by Maya Foya of Reprieve, and the campaign against its supply and use was joined by Amnesty International. One of Lundbeck’s straplines on its UK site is: ‘Improving human life for almost a century.’ Although a number of states are considering alternative methods of execution, it is hoped that the delays and setbacks will provide sufficient time for the Supreme Court to consider the constitutionality of the death penalty.
o Texas –
United Nations – 19.4.16 – The first special session held in nearly 20 years to address drug policy resulted in tensions between countries as to whether criminalisation and punishment, or health and human rights, should be the main focus. AI reported that 30 countries have laws supporting the use of the death penalty for drug related offences, with at least 685 executions in 2015.
The outcome adopted by the member states included no criticism of the death penalty, stating only that countries should ensure punishments were ‘proportionate’ with the crimes.
UK/Indonesia –
o 19.4.16 – AI called on Mr Cameron to challenge the President, Mr Widodo, on his decision to re-implement the death penalty for drug related offences, and to raise the case of the British woman, Lindsay Sandiford.
o 28.4.16 – The Guardian reports that, a year after the execution of eight people convicted of drug trafficking, there are rumours of preparations for further executions, which could take place in the next few weeks. Prisoners on death row include two Britons – Lindsay Sandiford and Gareth Cashmore, and a young man – Yusman Telaumbana – believed to have been a minor at the time of the crime, and to have been tortured. (Note: Indonesia was booed at the United Nations session on drug policy).
Nigeria – 21.4.16 – It was reported in the Nigerian media that prosecutors in Kaduna were seeking the death penalty for members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) for the killing of a soldier in the course of two days of violence in December 2012 in the northern city of Zaria.
Iran – UA 65/16 – Alireza Pour Olfat was scheduled to be executed on 16.4.16 for a fatal stabbing committed at 16 in the course of a group fight. His execution was postponed to allow more time for seeking a pardon from the victim’s family. (Circulated to DPLWG 15.4.16).
Iran – New Zealand Amnesty petition – an online petition from Amnesty New Zealand calling on the Iranian Authorities to cease the execution of those who were children at the time of their sentences.(Circulated to DPLWG 27.4.16 and on the website)
Campaigning
China remains the country with the highest level of executions – believed to be in the thousands – but the statistics are a state secret.
Thanks to group member Lesley for compiling this report.
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Iran, in addition to its position as the world’s number two country after China for the execution of its citizens, also executes individuals who were minors at the time of their alleged offences. Our colleagues in New Zealand have been doing sterling work on this and the link below will take you to a petition on their site. Children as young as nine can be caught in policy. International protest is slowly having an effect.
There are facts and background information on the link. We hope you will spare a few moments to sign it.
Theresa May, the Home Secretary said in a speech today that the UK should leave the European Convention on Human Rights. We have been waiting for some time now for this announcement – or something like it – and it was expected to be made by the Justice Secretary.
Rachel Logan, Amnesty’s legal programme director, said:
Mrs May’s proposal to tear away from the European Convention on Human Rights would strike at the very architecture of international protections, and betray the British people who built the convention at the end of the Second World War.
The Convention has done so much for the rights of the free press, gay people, women, people with disabilities and other ordinary people here and across Europe.
Some see this as part of Mrs May’s pitch to become prime minister if and when David Cameron quits the scene. There is considerable media pressure to quit the convention often based on misleading information. We shall have to see how this develops and we still await the Bill of Rights long promised but slow to appear.
As one of the countries which promoted the convention after the war it would be a tragedy if we left it. As the Amnesty spokeswoman says it has done so much to promote rights not only in this country but elsewhere in Europe. It is a surprise to many people when told what a beneficial effect it has had in countries such as Russia.
A spokesman from Liberty called the speech ‘desperate’.
Illustrated left is the tapestry made by Amnesty groups in the south region currently on display in the Cathedral Chapter House, which shows the clauses of the Un Convention on Human Rights on which the ECHR was based.
Members of the Salisbury; Mid Glos and Ringwood groups met on Sunday 17 April to view the tapestry in the Cathedral and to take part in a video being put together by the Salisbury group, further details of which can be found in the minutes. The group is grateful for the two groups taking the time to come all the way to Salisbury for this.
Minutes of our last meeting in April are now available thanks to group member Lesley for doing them. We discussed the death penalty report; social media statistics; filming of Fiona Bruce MP and Clare Moody MEP for the North Korean video; Arts Centre film; future events including the stall in June, and the HRA
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 