Weekly Action and News 06/01/2023
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
According to Amnesty International, gender-based violence and the disappearance of women and girls is a particularly serious problem in Mexico, and these cases often go uninvestigated. In a regressive act, on 15 November 2022, the Attorney General of the State of Mexico cancelled (for the third time) the issuing of a public apology to four victims of feminicide and disappearance in Mexico. Amnesty International urges the Attorney General's Office of the State of Mexico to issue a public apology, recognising the shortcomings of the investigations and the extent of the problem of gender-based violence. The apology would also fully guarantee the rights of victims and their families to justice and full reparation. You can read more details about this action, and add your name to Amnesty’s call, by clicking the link below
Happy New Year to all our members!
January Monthly Online Group Meeting, Monday 9th January, 7.00-8.30pm.
We will show the Channel 4 documentary film “Jailed over a group chat” which is about the case of Ademola Adedeji. He is one of the young men from Manchester who were jailed last June for conspiracy to murder or cause grievous bodily harm, after a trial which employed a racist gang narrative to show the defendants in a bad light. Our anti-racism sub-group attended a solidarity demonstration organised by Kids of Colour that highlighted the injustice and racism experienced by Ademola and other black young people.
You will, of course, also be able to catch up on all our other campaigns and news.
Everyone is welcome, including new members. We will email an agenda and joining link before the meeting, so keep an eye out for it!
Some of you may remember hearing from AIUK’s Tom Southerden about the assault on Human Rights in the UK, at our meeting in May last year. Those who missed it or who want to hear Tom again, can do so by attending an online Dacorum Green Party meeting on 16th January at 7:30pm, to which our members have been invited.
Zoom link to register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtceqtqT4jHdVJ-ooBpgMKY2j2k4qLo_kn
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Any queries, please contact Leslie Tate: lstate@btinternet.com
Rethink Rebuild Society have recently received a
“Making A Difference” award from BBC Radio Manchester.
Read about this, and all the work that Rethink Rebuild Society have been doing, in their recently published newsletter: RR: Quarterly Newsletter (rrsoc.org)
Date for your diary
Following the fantastic success of our Acoustic Amnesty fundraising event in November, we are pleased to announce our next Acoustic Amnesty event, in conjunction with our friends from Women Asylum Seekers Together (WAST) and featuring 5 choirs, 3 poets, a singer and a band. It will take place on Friday 17th February, 7pm, at Sacred Trinity Church in Salford. For those who want to get their tickets early, they are available here:
WeGotTickets | Simple, honest ticketing | Acoustic Amnesty - choirs and friends
Good news
Yemen - On 7 December 2022, Younis Abdelsalam, a 28-year-old journalist, was released from prison after 15 months of arbitrary detention by the Houthis for posts deemed critical of the authorities and offensive from a religious point of view.
Zambia - On December 23, 2022, an amendment to the penal code came into force that abolishes the crime, dating back to colonial times, of defamation against the president. On the same day, President Hakainde Hachilema signed Amendment No. 25 of 2022 to the Penal Code, thus abolishing the death penalty in the African state.
United Nations/Myanmar - On 21 December 2022, the Security Council adopted a resolution, long urged by Amnesty International, calling on Myanmar's military junta, in power since 1 February 2021, to end the violence and immediately release all unjustly imprisoned people.
Argentina - On December 22, 2022, and then again on 28th December, the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo announced the discovery of the 131st and then the 132nd person out of about 500 who had been kidnapped or “disappeared” during the dictatorship of the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Nigeria / United Kingdom - On December 27, 2022, following a British court ruling from 2021, the oil company Shell agreed to compensate, to the tune of about 16 million dollars, four Nigerian farmers who had reported damage caused by pipeline spills. Shell, which had pleaded not guilty to causing the damage, signed the agreement on the condition that it will "resolve all claims and end any pending spill disputes."
United Nations/Israel - On 30 December 2022, the General Assembly passed a resolution asking the International Court of Justice for an opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation, annexation and colonization of Palestinian territories. The resolution passed with 87 votes in favour, 26 against and 53 abstentions. The United Kingdom voted against the resolution.
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 – Kathryn Fletcher, bussk@btinternet.com
Anti-racism – Hazel Errey, hazelerrey@gmail.com
Refugees – Next meeting, Monday 16th January, 7pm, online. Alison Wearden, alison.wearden@gmail.com
Craftivism – Next meeting Saturday, 7th January, Studio room at Manchester Art Gallery. Kathryn Fletcher bussk@btinternet.com
Other areas of work are led by:
Crisis and Tactical Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen Rebecca Shaw, r.h.shaw.7@gmail.com
Europe/ Turkey, Fatih Segmen, fsegmen@yahoo.com
Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians Mike Reed mikewreed101@gmail.com
Individuals at Risk (quarterly letter writing) Manchester Central Library, café area. Anne Walker anne.walker9@ntlworld.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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