Weekly Action and News 06/09/2024
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
In the four days following the 28 July presidential elections in Venezuela, the authorities carried out mass arbitrary arrests of demonstrators. According to the Attorney General, as many as 1,062 people have been detained. Local NGOs claim that at least 700 people have been charged with “terrorism”, inciting hatred, and other arbitrary offences. Credible information indicates that detainees are being held incommunicado, have no access to legal counsel, and are being transferred to maximum security prisons, where they are at high risk of ill-treatment and torture. Amnesty demands that the authorities cease detaining those exercising their rights and call on the Attorney General to ensure that all detainees are provided access to lawyers of their choice and all due process guarantees. Please click the link below where you will be taken to a letter which you can either print and post, or copy and email to this address: ministeriopublico@mp.gob.ve
Our next monthly group meeting will be online on Monday, 9th September, at 7pm.
Following on from the Amnesty Futures resolutions at the AIUK AGM, the AIUK activism team have started a consultation process with local groups. Alison has had a very constructive preliminary meeting with our local group coordinator, Thea, and will report back on this. She will also provide information about an associated survey which we need to complete by 18th October. There will be updates and discussions on other areas of our work, including the weekly vigil, refugees, the UAE and other topics. All are very welcome, including new members. A zoom link will be emailed nearer the time. We hope to see you there!
***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 6th September, 5-6pm.
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.
Thursday 12th September, please arrive at 7:45 for an 8pm start.
In her role as researcher for the Omega Foundation, our vice-chair Rebecca Shaw will be giving a talk on the Torture-Free Trade Treaty to the Stockport Amnesty Group
All members of the Manchester Group are welcome to attend.
The Friends Meeting House, 91, Station Road Cheadle Hulme SK8 7BG.
We plan to rearrange the fundraising walk that we had to cancel recently for a date in October (exact date to be confirmed). We are looking for a person to take on the role of publicising the walk. Please let alison.wearden@gmail.com know if you are interested in taking on this role.
The next meeting of the Scrap Prevent working group will take place on
Thursday 12th September at 7pm.
Please let alison.wearden@gmail.com know if you are interested in joining the group.
The United Nations has recently recognised human rights violations in the government’s Prevent strategy. You can read about this development here.
Date for your diary
Saturday, November 23rd 10am-4pm,
Amnesty North West Regional Conference will take place in Manchester,
at the Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, M2 1NL. All welcome. More details to follow.
Note: The bi-monthly individuals at risk session scheduled for this date will be re-arranged.
Non-Amnesty events and actions
Show your support for environmental activists who have been imprisoned.
22 climate activists have been jailed or remanded in custody for non-violent protest since the new government came into power. You can see who they are here.
Please write an email and offer support to the people in prison for their peaceful climate actions with Just Stop Oil. This email will be forwarded to all the people currently in prison for their climate activism. Please keep the message short. Time available to read emails is often very restricted.
Send an email to: emailallprisoners@gmail.com
Rethink Rebuild Society invites you to
CHANGE EVERYTHING: A Conversation with Baroness Natalie Bennett
Sunday, 8 September at 7pm First Floor, Discovery House, Manchester, SK4 5BH
More information, and reserve your place here.
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations
S
Stop the Gaza genocide. No Schools in Gaza this year!
Demonstration, Saturday, 7th September, 12 noon, Piccadilly Gardens.
Whalley Range Peace and Justice Stand with Palestine
Each Wednesday 4.30-5.30 at Brooks Bar M16 7RN
Please support these events but please do not take Amnesty banners.
Film Showing: “Shanshula” directed by Musheir El Farra from Gaza.
A 33 minute film documenting the struggles of the Gazan fishing community.
Wednesday 18th September, 6:30 for 7pm, Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, M2 1NL.
Good news
Egypt - On August 26, 2024, Mahmoud Hussein, an activist arrested several times for wearing a T-shirt with the words "For a nation without torture", was released from prison. He had been the subject of an AI Urgent Action after being sentenced in June to three years in prison. Mahmoud was released after the period of 2 years 10 months pre-trial detention was taken into account.
Bangladesh - On August 29, on the eve of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance, the government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus signed the United Nations Convention, the first formal act pending ratification.
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
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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