Manchester Amnesty Fortnightly Action and News
Manchester Amnesty Fortnightly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
On 9 March US immigration authorities unlawfully arrested and arbitrarily detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and student organizer who recently graduated from Columbia University. He is a lawful permanent resident in the USA. Mahmoud was targeted for his role in student protests at Columbia University, where he was exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peacefully assembly. He has not been charged with a crime. He is being held in a detention centre and authorities have informed him that they have "revoked" his permanent residency status and placed him in deportation proceedings. We demand authorities release Mahmoud immediately and respect his rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and due process.
Appeal-writing drop-in session TOMORROW, Saturday 22nd March, 2-4pm
Manchester Central Library, next to the café.
Come and meet your Amnesty colleagues while we write appeals on behalf of human rights defenders and political prisoners supported by Amnesty International!
All materials and instructions will be provided. If you prefer to email or tweet, please bring your own device. Wifi is available. You are welcome to stay for the whole 2 hours, or to drop in for however long you want. We hope to see you there!
***THIS EVENING*** MANCHESTER AMNESTY SILENT VIGIL for Palestine and Israel
St Peters Square, Manchester, Friday 21stth March, 5-6pm.
Please do not bring placards, banners or flags.
We will provide placards with Amnesty’s messages. Feel free to bring your friends.
The minutes of our AGM (held on 10th March) and a review of some of our campaigning activities over the past year, have now been placed on our web page, here.
Non Amnesty events and actions
Manchester Freedom from Torture support group
will be hosting a one woman show by Susie Miles. Susie lived in Eswatini and in Mozambique during the apartheid era, and her show describes events in Southern Africa at that time.
First performed to an enthusiastic audience at the Edinburgh Fringe, the show is now coming to Manchester Central Library on the 8th April, 6 - 6.45 pm followed by a discussion to 7pm.
No need to book. Donations to Freedom From Torture will be taken on the door.
Launch of the new Trailblazers banner celebrating the role of women in trades in Manchester. Thursday, 27th March, 5.30-7pm, Station South, 975 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, M19 3NP.
With a Manchester Amnesty stall. No need to book, just turn up.
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations
Stop Gaza genocide. Stop arming Israel!
Demonstration and rally, Saturday 22nd March, 12 noon, Piccadilly Gardens
Whalley Range Peace and Justice Stand with Palestine
Each Wednesday 4.30-5.30 at Brooks Bar M16 7RN
Didsbury against genocide, rally, every Wednesday, 5.30-6.30pm outside the Library.
Levenshulme Peace and Justice for Palestine All out for Palestine
Each Thursday, 5-6pm, Levenshulme Village Green, junction of Stockport Rd & Chapel St
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine Fundraising event
Monday 7th April, 7.30-9.30pm, (doors open 6.45) Carlton Club, Whalley Range, M16 8BE
Screening of the film The Big Lie III: Censoring Palestine
A powerful documentary exposing the most outrageous attack on free speech in modern times.
As a genocide unfolds in Palestine, mainstream media and social platforms suppress the truth while those speaking out face censorship, arrests, and persecution
Reserve your place here
Good news
Egypt - On February 25, 2025, the Court of Cassation upheld Badr Mohamed's appeal and ordered his release. He had been sentenced to five years in prison in January 2023, at the end of an unfair trial, for taking part in a protest on August 16, 2013.
Israel - On March 4, 2025, conscientious objector Itamar Greenberg was released from prison after spending five consecutive periods of detention for a total of 197 days. He had refused to join the army for the first time in August 2024.
Philippines - On March 11, 2025, authorities arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte, wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. Duterte’s "war on drugs" policy, in force 2016-2022, resulted in thousands of people, mostly poor and marginalized, being killed by the police or killers linked to the police.
Lebanon - On March 12, 2025, the Shura Council, the highest administrative justice body, ordered the government to compensate the actor Ziad Itani for failing to investigate and prevent him from being tortured. Itani had been arrested in 2017 on false charges of spying for Israel.
Turkey - On March 14, 2025, 45 members of the Saturday Mothers, the group of family members of people who disappeared in the eighties and nineties, were acquitted of charges of "participation in an unauthorized gathering" and "refusal to disperse despite warning". They had been arrested on August 25, 2018 on the occasion of the 700th consecutive nonviolent protest in Galatasaray Square in Istanbul.
UK – On March, 14th, 2025, the High Court found that the government had been acting illegally in detaining asylum seekers at former RAF base Wethersfield, by failing to take into account their individual circumstances as required under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
The next Fortnightly Action and News will be on 4th April
Manchester Amnesty issue and campaign coordinators
Anti-racism –Hazel Errey hazelerrey@gmail.com
Human Rights in the UK volunteer needed
Individuals at Risk bi-monthly drop in anne.walker9@ntlworld.com; lizcarter64@yahoo.co.uk
Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians - Mike Reed mikewreed101@gmail.com
LGBTQ+ and Pride – Fynn Kawe fynnkawe@gmail.com
Press freedom and Julian Assange – Lima Al-iskalachi limazakoor@gmail.com & Danny Jones dannyj644@gmail.comsu
Prevent campaign – Tom Milnes thomashmilnes@gmail.com
Refugees - Caroline Glendinning caroline.glendinning@york.ac.uk and Alison Wearden
UAE - Kathryn Fletcher bussk@btinternet.com
Our website Manchester | Amnesty International UK [amnesty.org.uk] (managed by Alison Wearden)
X/Twitter @amnestymanc [twitter.com] (managed by Steve Lindsay – stevenjameslindsay@gmail.com)
Facebook Manchester Amnesty Group [facebook.com] MANAGER NEEDED!
Instagram @amnestymanchester [instagram.com] Lucy Downing lucy.dow@outlook.com is looking after this until we can appoint a permanent manager.
Digital design coordinator Fynn Kawe fynnkawe@gmail.com
Alison Wearden
Communications Secretary
Manchester Group of Amnesty International
Please contact me with items for our Weekly Action and News email, or with ideas for longer articles for the quarterly Manchester Amnesty Group Bulletin.
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