Weekly Action and New 02/08/2024

Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News

Please do this action and make a difference

Toomaj Salehi is a vocal supporter of the Woman Life Freedom protests in Iran, sparked after 22-year-old Mahsa Zhina Amini was killed after being arrested and beaten by the authorities enforcing the country’s abusive forced veiling laws. Through his music, Toomaj has called for freedom and an end to the violent repression of protestors by Iranian authorities. 

As a result of his music and posts on social media denouncing the unjust practices of the Iranian government, Toomaj has been in detention for over a year. Originally sentenced to death, on June 22nd, his death sentence was overturned, but he still remains in prison, where he now faces new false charges.

We all have the right to speak out without fear when we see injustice. Amnesty are calling for the immediate release of Toomaj. You can add your voice by clicking the link below.
 

TAKE ACTION

Manchester Amnesty August in-person group meeting

Monday, 12^th August at 6pm, Third floor meeting room, Manchester Central Library.

We will be focusing on the UK protest laws, with a particular focus on Pride as protest. There will also be an update on all of our other campaigns. We hope to see you there!

Manchester Amnesty fundraising event – Human Rights Walk.

Saturday 10^th August 10:45 for 11:00, lasts about 2 hours.

Please find attached a flyer for a guided walk around Manchester city centre looking at our city’s human rights history.  Steve Roman (Radical history walk leader & a member of Manchester Amnesty) has generously offered to lead our walk.  Those of you who have been on Steve's guided walks previously will know that he has a vast knowledge of our city as well as an in-depth understanding of its radical and grassroots history.

You are guaranteed an informative and interesting morning!

Please help us by publicising this walk widely among your friends. Tickets (donations) can be purchased here:   https://www.wegottickets.com/event/626676 [wegottickets.com]

Manchester Pride Parade 2024

Thanks to all those who attended the special meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss our participation in the Pride Parade. As you may know, the Parade this year is sponsored by booking.com, a company which promotes and profits from properties in illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. After a full discussion, we decided that regretfully,

Manchester Amnesty will not be participating in the official 2024 Manchester Pride Parade. There is an alternative event planned, and we are looking into participating in this, and/or taking another action to publicise our reasons for withdrawing from the Parade.

***THIS EVENING*** MANCHESTER AMNESTY SILENT VIGIL

Silent vigil calling for a permanent ceasefire

and the protection of all civilians in Palestine and Israel

St Peters Square, Manchester, Friday 2^nd August, 5-6pm. This will be our 40^th vigil.

Please do not bring placards, banners or flags.

We will provide placards with Amnesty’s messages. Feel free to bring your friends.

We will continue with the weekly vigils until further notice.

Non-Amnesty events

Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Two commemorative events

Commemorate Hiroshima

Tuesday 6^th August, 1pm prompt-2pm, Lincoln Square Peace Garden, Central Manchester.

1 minute silence at about 1:15pm

Commemorate Nagasaki

Friday 9^th August, 10:45 prompt-11:45am, The Western Pleasure Grounds (next to Farm Centre), Heaton Park. Refreshments available at Stables Café.

1 minute silence at 11:02

Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations

Demonstration, Saturday 3^rd August, 12noon, St. Peter’s Square.

300 days of genocide in Gaza! Full arms embargo on Israel now!

Whalley Range Peace and Justice Stand with Palestine

Each Wednesday 4.30-5.30 at Brooks Bar (junction Upper Chorlton Rd/Moss Lane East/Withington Rd)

Please support these events but please do not take Amnesty banners.

Good news

UK – On 31^st July, we were delighted to learn that all 7 of the young Black men who had sought leave to appeal against their convictions for conspiracy to murder/ commit GBH (the “Manchester 10” case) have been granted leave to appeal. Our group have been supporting these young men since their court case in June 2022, during which racist gang narratives were employed. More details of the case can be found here

Egypt - On July 22, 2024, Mazen Ahmed Daraz and Ziad al-Basiouni, two activists from the Students for Palestine movement, whose cases had been taken up by Amnesty International, were released from prison. They had been arrested in May and charged with "joining a terrorist group" and "spreading false news."

Poland - On 25 July 2024, following a campaign by Amnesty International and local women's rights organisations, parliament approved an amendment to the penal code introducing the definition of rape based on consent.

Manchester Amnesty issue and campaign coordinators

Anti-racism –Hazel Errey hazelerrey@gmail.com

Craftivism – Lima Al-Iskalachi limazakoor@gmail.com

Europe/ Turkey Fatih Segmen  - fsegmen@yahoo.com

Human Rights in the UK Iona Bruce – ifbruce99@gmail.com

Individuals at Risk (bi-monthly appeal writing drop ins and Write for Rights in Nov/Dec) – Anne Walker anne.walker9@ntlworld.com

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.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]

Instagram @amnestymanchester [instagram.com] (managed by Sara Baptista -  sarabm6@gmail.com)

Alison Wearden 

Communications Secretary 

Manchester Group of Amnesty International 

alison.wearden@gmail.com 

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.