Manchester Amnesty Fortnightly Action and News 07/03/2024
Manchester Amnesty Fortnightly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
Pakhshan Azizi and Verisheh Moradi, both from Iran’s oppressed Kurdish minority, are at imminent risk of execution in Iran.
Pakhshan, a humanitarian aid worker, is being punished just for helping women and children displaced by ISIS. Verisheh, a member of the group East Kurdistan Free Woman Society, is facing the death penalty following a grossly unfair trial.
In 2023 alone, the Iranian authorities executed at least 853 people—the highest number in eight years. Now Pakhshan and Verisheh’s lives are at grave risk.
This AIUK petition demands that the Iranian authorities stop these executions and release Pakhshan and Verisheh immediately. It will be delivered to the Iranian Embassy. You can sign it by clicking the link below.
The next monthly group meeting, which will take place online at 7pm on Monday 10th March, will be our Annual General Meeting. Papers for this meeting (Notice/draft agenda, Minutes of last AGM and Treasurers report) have been sent out in a separate email – please let me know if you want them sent again alison.wearden@gmail.com. The zoom link will be emailed before the meeting.
***THIS EVENING*** MANCHESTER AMNESTY SILENT VIGIL for Palestine and Israel
St Peters Square, Manchester, Friday 7th March, 5-6pm.
Please do not bring placards, banners or flags.
We will provide placards with Amnesty’s messages, and tea-lights. Feel free to bring your friends.
The next appeal writing drop-in will be on Saturday March 22nd
next to the Café in Central Library, 2-4 pm. All welcome!
Non Amnesty events and actions
***This coming Sunday, 9th March***
CASTLEMERE BANQUETING HALL, 8 CASTLEMERE STREET, ROCHDALE OL11 3SW
Jeremy Corbyn in conversation with Myriam Francois (journalist) and Prof Marion Roberts (Jewish voice for Labour) to launch the Peace and Justice project book Monstrous anger Of the Guns: How the Global Arms trade is ruining the world and what we can do about it.
Starts at 4pm with the Open Voice Choir. A meal will be served at 6pm, included in ticket price.
THE EVENT WILL BE RAISING FUNDS FOR AID IN GAZA:
Tickets £17.25, book online here
Rethink Rebuild Society is pleased to invite you to
The Home I Worked to Make (2024) - Book launch with Author Wendy Pearlman
Understanding Syria through Syrian voices: Stories of Revolution, Home and Hope.
Sunday 16th March 2025, 2-4pm.
Rethink Rebuild Society, First Floor, Discovery House, Crossley Rd, Manchester, SK4 5BH
More information and book your seat here.
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.
We have been approached by the charity Refugees At Home, which facilitates temporary placements for refugees. They will be holding an information session for potential hosts in the Manchester area online on Wednesday 19th March 7-8pm.
Follow this link to register.
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations
Join the Palestine bloc on the International Women’s Day Annual Demonstration,
Saturday, 8th March, at 12 noon, St. Peter’s Square.
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
Tuesday 11th March, 7.30pm, Carlton Club, Whalley Range, M16 8BE
Screening of the film “No Other Land”
Directed by Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, the film documents their five-year struggle against the mass expulsion of Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta. It offers an unflinching account of their fight for justice and the complex bond they share amidst extreme inequality. Read the five-star Guardian review here.
Entry is free; all monies collected will be donated to projects in Masafer Yatta.
Reserve your place here
Good news
Morocco - On February 14, 2025, Idris Hasan, a Uyghur activist wanted by the Chinese authorities, was released more than three years after his arrest on arrival from Turkey. Amnesty International had asked the Moroccan authorities not to extradite Hasan to China, where he would face certain persecution.
Turkey - On February 20, 2025, Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Professor of forensic medicine, was acquitted of the charge of "denigrating the Turkish state", a crime punishable by Article 301 of the Criminal Code. She had been arrested on October 26, 2022 after she called for an independent investigation into the possible use of chemical weapons by the Turkish army during an offensive in Iraq in an interview abroad. Her case was included in the 2024 Amnesty Write for Rights campaign.
Serbia - On February 24, 2025, the Israeli company Cellebrite decided to suspend sales of its products to Serbia, following a report by Amnesty International denouncing the illegal use of its software by the Serbian authorities.
United States of America - On March 1, 2025, the governor of Alabama commuted Rocky Myers' death sentence, after more than 30 years on death row and already two execution dates stopped in 2004 and 2012. Myers, a Black man with a learning disability, had been convicted in 1994 at the end of an unfair trial. Amnesty International had been supporting Mr Myers’ campaign for years and his case was included in the 2023 Write for Rights campaign.
Israel / Occupied Palestinian Territory - On March 2, 2025, "No other land", directed, produced, written and edited by an Israeli-Palestinian collective formed by Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor and Hamdan Ballal on the forced evictions of the Palestinian community of Masafer Yatta and sponsored by Amnesty International Italy, won the 2025 Oscar for Best Documentary.
The next Fortnightly Action and News will be on 21st March
Manchester Amnesty issue and campaign coordinators
Anti-racism –Hazel Errey hazelerrey@gmail.com
Europe/ Turkey Fatih Segmen - fsegmen@yahoo.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 – Zoe Song weiyi.zoe.song@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 Whatsapp group – Alison Wearden alison.wearden@gmail.com
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.
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.
0 comments