Category: “Amnesty International”

A time to be reaching out to those in great need


The following piece was published in the Salisbury Journal (8 December 2016)

Each year thousands of people in the UK write letters or send cards in solidarity with those suffering humans rights abuses around the world pas part off Amnesty’s Write for Rights campaign.

As a result, people have been freed after having been unfairly imprisoned, human rights defender who have been threatened and harassed by authorities have been able to live freely without intimidation and forced evictions have been halted.

Sending a message of support to those whose rights are being abused and also to the authorities on that person’s behalf is powerful.  Imagine drowning in thousands of letters of encouragement and solidarity – in fact, imaging the officials who will see and deliver thousands of cards to the victims and their families.  The effect on both is priceless.  It shows the authorities that that individual is not alone and that all over the world thousands of people are standing up for them.

People featured this year include:

  • Fomoseh Ivo Feh a young man in Cameroon who faces 20 years in prison for forwarding a sarcastic text message
  • a photojournalist from Egypt, named Shawkan who was beaten, arrested and then held without trial following a demonstration in Cairo
  • a British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who was arrested in April at Tehran
    Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Picture: Iran Human Rights

    airport as she was about to board a return flight to London with her 22 month old daughter.

Salisbury Methodist Church is hosting a Write for Rights event from January 4th to 15th and people are invited to see the exhibition and send a message of support.  The church will be open from 10 am to noon.

We hope local readers will be able to support this initiative and come along at some time on those 2 days and sign something.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook  @salisburyai

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November minutes


November 2016

The minutes of the November meeting are now available thanks to group member Lesley for compiling them.

November minutes (Word)

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook – Salisburyai

If you are interested in joining us then a good moment would be to come along to the Arts Centre on December 15th at 7 o’clock or so when we will be hosting a film (you don’t have to stay for the film); card signing in Salisbury on 10 December in the morning or Evensong at the Cathedral on 21 November (if you are not religious you do not have to stay for the service).  Details will be on the web site and on Twitter @salisburyai.  We will be wearing Amnesty tabards at all events (except the Cathedral).

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Walk


The Southampton group of Amnesty is organising a walk starting in Whiteparish on Saturday 25 June starting at 10am.  Then meeting for lunch at the Parish Lantern [SP5 2LA] followed by a further walk starting at 13.30.  Total distance around 9 miles but you are free to do the morning or afternoon half if you wish.  Some parts are muddy so come with suitable footwear. Food menu is at menu

If you would like to take part then contact Stephen on stephenedwards12@gmail.com to reserve a place.  Please order your food ahead.

 

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Death penalty report


No to the death penaltyWe 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.

May – June report (pdf)

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Amnesty’s Annual Report


Amnesty publishes annual review of human rights around the world

Amnesty’s annual report contains elements which will be very familiar to readers of this blog.  Overall the picture is bleak.  The use of torture and other forms of ill-treatment is still used in 122 countries around the world many of which will have signed the UN convention against its use.

Countries are using the threat of terrorism to clamp down on free speech and to arrest those who disagree or oppose them.  A culture of impunity is developing where human rights infringements go unpunished and have no effects on trade or government dealings.

Grim reading.

 

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