Weekly Action and News 05/05/2023
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
The Illegal Migration bill is back in parliament next Wednesday, when it will start its journey through the House of Lords, having been rushed through the Commons with little time for proper consideration of its deplorable contents. Amnesty have brought out a new action in the form of an email to Rishi Sunak, which states:
“This bill takes a sledgehammer to the UK’s obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and European Convention on Human Rights. It disapplies human rights protections from people that need them the most and the Home Secretary herself has openly admitted that she cannot declare its compatibility with Convention standards.”
Please click on the link below and let the government know your views on this cruel and immoral bill. And if you can, attend the demonstration in Manchester on Wednesday too! (details below).
Manchester Amnesty Local Group meeting for May
Our group meeting this month is on the TUESDAY, 9th May, 7pm, online.
We will have a talk by our vice-chair, Rebecca Shaw, about the work of the Omega Foundation. This will cover the Foundation’s research on the use of weapons for torture, a recent joint report with Amnesty on “rubber bullets”, and the international campaign for a Torture-Free Trade Treaty. PLUS news of all of our other campaigning work. All are welcome, including new members.
We will email the zoom link to members nearer the time.
Stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP)!
On Thursday, 11th May, from 9am, Manchester BIBA conference, Manchester Central Convention Complex, Windmill St., M2 3GX
PROTEST against EACOP. As well as its devastating environmental impacts, if constructed this pipeline will displace up to 100,000 people.
More information here: HOME — #StopEACOP
Monday 15th May is the 75th Anniversary of the “Nakba” or catastrophe which befell the Palestinian people in 1948. To mark the event, Manchester Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and others are staging a Regional Demonstration on Sunday 14th May, in Platt Fields Park, Manchester, M14 5LL, 12.30pm. More information here: (18) Nakba 75 Demonstration & March | Facebook
Dates for upcoming campaigning events. We have a very busy schedule for June!
Please put the following dates on your calendar, and volunteer to help out if you can!
Saturday May 27th – letter-writing drop in, 2-4pm, at Manchester Central Library
Sunday June 4th – Refugee month event at Burnage Open Gardens
Saturday June 10th – UAE/Craftivism event – climate and human rights, COP28, at Didsbury Festival – more volunteers needed for our stall!
Saturday June 17th – Steve Roman’s birthday event in support of Saddleworth Palestine Women’s Scholarship fund. More details next week – https://www.wegottickets.com/sct/Gkfp3kRzRW
Saturday, June 24th Amnesty International UK Section, AGM, London/online. More details to follow.
Sat/Sun June 24/25 – Refugee week events at Chorlton Open Gardens.
Sunday July 16th- UAE/Craftivism event – Arab Arts Festival, Sefton Park, Liverpool.
Good news
Iran - On April 24, 2023, Samaneh Asghari, an engineering student and children's rights activist, was released from prison. She had been arrested on 11 October 2022 and sentenced on 6 March 2023 to six years and three months in prison for offences arising from her human rights activism.
Iran - On April 24, 2023, by lifting a travel ban issued in 2010, authorities allowed director Jafar Panahi to leave the country. He had previously been sentenced to six years in prison for "propaganda against the system", but released in February 2023 after starting a hunger and thirst strike.
Kenya - On April 27, 2023, after spending more than 10 years on death row following an irregular trial, Ali Kololo obtained the annulment of the conviction issued in 2011 for a pirate assault against a British couple on their honeymoon. The assault resulted in the death of David Tebbuth and the six-month abduction of his wife, Judith, who then led the campaign for the annulment of the sentence.
Russia - On 28 April 2023, the European Court of Human Rights ordered Russia to pay compensation of more than €129 million to Georgian victims of torture, unlawful arrests, forced displacement, and other crimes under international law committed by Russian forces during the 2008 conflict with Georgia and the occupation of South Ossetia.
Manchester Amnesty Subgroups and other work
If you would like to join any of our subgroups, please contact the current convenors for joining details.
UAE – Next meeting tbc, contact Kathryn Fletcher for joining link, bussk@btinternet.com
Refugees – Next meeting Wednesday, 10th May, 6pm, zoom please contact Alison Wearden, if you would like to join alison.wearden@gmail.com
Anti-racism – Next meeting Tuesday 23rd May, 6-7pm, zoom, please contact Hazel Errey if you would like to join hazelerrey@gmail.com
Craftivism –Next meeting tbc, please contact Kathryn Fletcher if you would like to join bussk@btinternet.com . Kathryn will be stepping down as craftivism coordinator so if you would like to take on this role, please let her know.
Individuals at Risk (bi-monthly letter writing drop ins) Next session, Saturday, 27th May 2-4pm, then 4th Saturday in July, September, November. Manchester Central Library, café area. Contact Anne Walker for more information anne.walker9@ntlworld.com
Other areas of work are led by:
Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians Mike Reed mikewreed101@gmail.com
LGBTQ+ and Pride coordinator – Zoe Song weiyi.zoe.song@gmail.com
Europe/ Turkey, Fatih Segmen, fsegmen@yahoo.com
Human Rights in the UK, Lancine Sacko, sacko10@hotmail.co.uk
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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