Scottish Human Rights

I recently visited Pakistan where I worked with a human rights organisation called Aware Girls, founded more than a decade ago by two sisters called Gulalai and Saba Ismail. Aware Girls is based in Peshawar, a sprawling city in the...

Whatever your thoughts on the Scottish Independence Referendum – and whether you have chosen how you are going to vote, are undecided, or you are just over the whole thing, there is one thing, one incredible thing that we can all take...

Guest blogger Hyemin Yoo breaks for the Borders to judge a youth protest song competition As an Amnesty International student activist, I was invited by Amnesty Borders Group to attend (and judge!) the finals of the Voices for Change...

Amongst the great variety of quality films recognised during this year’s awards season, themes relating to human rights and social justice have received a strong and encouraging place in the limelight. The most notable example is ‘12...

Richard Hamer is Amnesty Scotland's Interim Programme Director. Oil, defence, the economy, the European Union and the Pound – a glance at the headlines would give the impression that these are the subjects which matter most to the...

Guest blog by Campaigns volunteer Robin Sukatorn. With Hollywood’s annual summit of showbiz on the horizon once more, you would be forgiven for not eagerly anticipating a moving and inspiring evening of human rights-themed cinema. Yet...

Guest blog by Amnesty Scotland volunteer coordinator Risga Carson. With only one day left until Christmas, many of us will be rushing out to do some last minute shopping. In between all the holiday mayhem, why not take a moment to...

Scotland celebrated International Human Rights Day last week by launching the first ever plan to tackle human rights in the country – Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights (SNAP). The national plan aims to kick-start a...

MSPs vote overwhelming in favour of equality A first step in a long road for the Scottish Parliament. On Wednesday 20 November, the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill underwent its first vote in the Scottish Parliament and passed with...

Our Campaigns volunteer Jana Lopusna is in myth-busting mode to celebrate the United Nations International Day for Tolerance Scottish Gypsy Travellers are subjected to misleading articles in the media and have even been called the last...

The Commonwealth Games is coming to Glasgow next year and it's shaping up to be a truly momentous occasion. I recently attended the conference Responsibility and Rights: Glasgow Commonwealth Games which explored the human rights...

Guest blog by Jana Lopusna, campaigns volunteer for Amnesty Scotland. I recently spent a weekend in the beautiful Edinburgh City Chambers, at an event run by the Edinburgh Peace Initiative , learning about national and international...

Guest blog by Amnesty Scotland volunteer coordinator Risga Carson Student groups are a vital part of the work that we do. Active and enthusiastic, many of our members first started in these groups and continued a lifelong association...

There are as many ways to champion human rights as there are human rights defenders. From donning a Guantanamo-orange jumpsuit in a crowded square to signing a petition, every little bit counts and, happily, much can be accomplished...

Guest Post by Amnesty Scotland volunteer Katie Cunningham Last week, one of my friends made a rape joke. There was an awkward silence as the group tried to gauge each other’s reaction, and the joker took offence. We had, my friend said...

It’s Banned Books Week and I am reminded of events in Turkey earlier this year. On 17 June, Erdem Gunduz stood silently in Taksim Square for eight hours with his hands in his pockets. His strong but peaceful act of resistance made...

The countdown has begun! In a year’s time, the question of Independence will be put to the people of Scotland. As the Referendum looms ever closer on the horizon, we at Amnesty Scotland are holding a series of debates around the...

On September 11 1973, a military coup in Chile ousted the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende, installing a dictatorship in its place. General Augusto Pinochet presided over 16 years of state-sponsored torture, murder...

Rea Cris is the Parliamentary Office Administrator at Scottish Environmental LINK and Communication Co-ordinator at the International Union for Conservation of Nature. You can find her on Twitter @MeecoYoueco Scottish Environment LINK...

Risga Carson has been volunteering for Amnesty Scotland during the Edinburgh Festival for several years. This year, she was Festival Co-ordinator. Every year, at least 30 volunteers work with Amnesty Scotland at the Edinburgh Festival...