We attach minutes of the September meeting thanks to group member Lesley for preparing them.
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Three year report
Three year report on the group’s activities is published
The three year report, prepared by our chair, is published and shows what we have achieved over this time. It is always interesting to look back and review progress and for a small group, we have done a lot in the last 3 years.
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Death penalty report
The death penalty report is now available thanks to group member Lesley for the work in putting it together. The report covers several countries but it must always be remembered that China leads the world in executing its citizens.
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Death penalty report- August
We attach the latest monthly death penalty report with thanks to group member Lesley for compiling it. A fairly full report with a big section on Turkey which is contemplating reintroducing the death penalty following the recent failed coup.
Executions in Indonesia
There is something of an execution spree going on in Indonesia at present with a number of people already executed by firing squad and more likely to follow. This is a message sent out by Amnesty UK: –
I’m getting in touch with sad news. Last night, Indonesian authorities killed four prisoners by firing squad. All four had been convicted of drugs crimes, their families only told yesterday morning that their loved one would be killed that night.
Indonesian Fredi Budiman, and Nigerian prisoners Humphrey ‘Jeff’ Jefferson Ejike, Michael Titus Igweh, and Seck Osmane had their right to life taken from them in the depth of night in the middle of a raging storm. They were shot dead by a firing squad on Indonesia’s infamous ‘execution island’.
But ten more prisoners received a last-minute stay of execution.
The lives of ten more people hang in the balance. And we need to make sure the Indonesian authorities do not go ahead with these executions.
Thanks to [Amnesty supporters] contacting the Indonesian authorities and sharing the story, the tragic execution of four people last night made headlines around the world. All we can do now is keep calling for justice and for an end to the executions – with the hope that pressure from around the world will save the ten lives at stake.
Do please share our action to stop the remaining executions. Go to the Amnesty UK site for more details on how to take action.
action@amnesty.co.uk
July meeting minutes
The minutes of the July meeting are available here thanks to group member Lesley for preparing them. A full meeting in which we discussed the death penalty report; the results of the stall; the film at the Arts Centre; social media statistics; the meeting at the Cathedral and the BBQ in August. We also discussed the letter sent to John Glen about the Maldives (reply awaited).
Death penalty report published
The group’s death penalty report for June – July 2016 is now available thanks to group member Lesley for compiling it. USA features strongly where there are a number of struggles going on. The Maldives appear and we have written to our local MP Mr John Glen, who has a special interest in the country, to intercede.
China remains the country which executes the most followed by Iran and Saudi Arabia. Details of executions in China are a state secret.
Maldives: use of death penalty
UPDATE 23 JULY
The following letter has been sent to John Glen MP concerning the imminent use of the death penalty in the Maldives. Mr Glen has spoken and written often about the human rights situation there.
[…] You may remember that, when you came to speak to our Group about HumanRights, you told us of your particular interest and involvement in the issuesaround Human Rights in the Maldives.I am sure, therefore, you will have been concerned, as was our Group, to readof the Maldives Government’s confirmation of the sentencing to death of ayoung man found guilty of the killing in 2012 of a lawmaker. I understand that,days before this ruling, the Government had amended the rules to allowexecution by lethal injection or hanging. This would bring the Country’sdecades-long moratorium on capital punishment to an end.I would be grateful if you could let me know whether our Government will bemaking any intervention in this man’s case, and expressing their concerns atthis change of policy. You will also, I am sure, be aware that the decision iscontroversial, and has resulted in the resignation of the Country’s ForeignMinister, Dunya Maumoon. We would like to ask whether you would be ableto use your influence with any of the Government contacts you will have madein the course of your work in relation to the Maldives to support thecommuting of this man’s death sentence to a term of imprisonment, and areversal of the new policy.[…]
[UPDATE]
Mr Glen has replied:
[..] I do remain closed involved with monitoring the situation in Maldives and I believer that there are number of issues there give give cause for grave concern.You may have seen reports about the recent return to Salisbury of Anni Nasheed, the democratically elected president of the Maldives, who has recently been imprisoned in his home country on entirely spurious grounds. I am pleased that I was able to see him while he was here and bring myself up to date with the latest developments.As you will know, the UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle and the government continues to call on all countries around the world that use the death penalty to cease its use.As you say, this apparent selective reintroduction of the death penalty is deeply worrying. A group of colleagues and I are committed to keeping the Maldives in forefront of the minds of Foreign Office ministers and I will certainly ensure that specific pressure has been brought to bear around this case.[…]
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Urgent Action: USA
Execution set after 34 years on death row
It seems hardly credible that someone who has spent 34 years on death row should now be at risk of execution but that is the case with John Wayne Conner in Georgia. The details are below and if you are able to write we would be grateful. This is URGENT however.
Amnesty is opposed to the death penalty. China remains the country which executes more than any other country. See our monthly report.
Group minutes available
The minutes of the June meeting are now available thanks to group member Lesley for typing them up. We discussed the stall on Saturday; the film at the Arts Centre; the video based on North Korea and the death penalty among other things. The full minutes can be read below:
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 