Weekly Action and News 09/02/2024
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
Together with Refugees (TwR) is a coalition of community and refugee-led groups and charities calling for compassion towards people fleeing war and persecution. On Valentine’s Day, February 14th, this year, TwR is launching “Fair Begins Here,” a campaign for fairer, safer and more effective ways of treating refugees in the UK. Our actions this week are related to the campaign.
- If you are attending the group online meeting on 12th February, and are willing to be photographed, bring a large (A4 sized) orange heart OR write “Fair Begins Here” in big letters on a sheet of white A4 paper. We will do a screenshot at the meeting, which we will place on Manchester Amnesty social media (Twitter & Facebook) on 14th February.
- Write valentine card(s), messages of support for refugees on orange hearts, or messages about the “Fair Begins Here” campaign, photograph them, & post on your own social media pages, or display in your community. Please do this on 14th February. Some ideas for what to write and how to display your cards can be found here.
- Sign this petition by Freedom from Torture which calls for an end to the plan to fly refugees to Rwanda, or anywhere else. It can also be reached from the link below
Our next monthly group meeting will be on Monday, 12th February at 7pm, online.
Do not miss the talk at our online meeting on Monday 12 February by Pete Weatherby KC. Pete is a leading barrister with an outstanding record in human rights. He has led many cases for bereaved families including Hillsborough, Grenfell Tower and Covid. He has led many cases against miscarriages of justice. He advises governments on law reform. Pete will speak about the recent case for genocide brought by South Africa to the International Court of Justice, and about the “Hillsborough Law” which will impose a duty on public authorities to disclose the truth.
As always, there will be a brief update on our other campaigning work, plus we will be taking an action in support of Together with Refugees “Fair Begins Here” campaign (see Weekly Action above for more information). The full agenda will be sent with the zoom link.
All are very welcome, including new members.
***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 9th February, 5pm to 6pm
Meet in front of Central Library
Please dress warmly, wear black/dark colours
and please do not bring placards, banners or flags.
We will provide placards with Amnesty’s messages and tealights. Feel free to bring your friends.
We will continue with the weekly vigils until further notice.
Julian Assange has been in Belmarsh Prison under threat of extradition to the USA for 5yrs.
His final appeal against extradition has now been scheduled to be heard on 20/21 February.
To mark this, on Tuesday 20th February, from 12.00-3.00pm, Manchester Amnesty will hold an event in St Peter’s Square in support of Assange,
with artwork, banners, speakers, poets, music.
***TOMORROW***
If you want to help making the artwork etc., you can do so on Saturday 10th February 1-5pm Methodist Central Hall, Oldham Street, M1 1JQ
There is still time to volunteer to help on our stall highlighting human rights abuses in the UAE,
at the People’s History Museum, on Wednesday 21st February, 2024
Contact Kathryn Fletcher on bussk@btinternet.com to volunteer for one of these slots:
10:20-12:30; 12:30 – 2.00; 2.00- 3.30pm. Thank you!
Two FREE events relating to International Women’s Day/Week celebrations.
Saturday 2nd March 12-4pm at the Mechanics Institute on Princess Street, M1 6DD
to mark 100 years since Mancunian Ellen Wilkinson was elected to the Commons
Ellen24: Parliament’s Fiery Particle.
Featuring the Margaret Ashton lecture by Rebecca Long-Bailey, MP.
Tickets here
Saturday 9th March, 10am-12 noon, Manchester Central Library
Prior to the Walk for Women through Manchester City Centre
Trailblazers Celebration: Women of Greater Manchester
Tickets here
We will have Manchester Amnesty stalls in the foyer at the Mechanics Institute from 12-4pm on 2nd March, and in the Library from 10am-12noon on 9th March.
Please let alison.wearden@gmail.com know if you can help out at either of these stalls (even if only for a short time)
Subscriptions to the group due now, please!
Voluntary subscriptions to the group are now due. We suggest £20 per year for those who receive a wage or a pension, and £5 (or whatever you can afford) for others. We do not want to discourage people from taking part in our meetings or activities because they cannot afford to pay subs.
In order to make a payment to the group, either do so directly by bank transfer to our account:
Manchester Amnesty Group, 68177527, 05-05-73, preferably with the reference “subs”,
or contact our treasurer Sean Dunne (sean.a.dunne@btinternet.com) for other ways to pay. You might consider setting up a standing order, so that you don’t need to think about subs each year.
Non-Amnesty events
****TONIGHT****
Friday 9th February 7.30pm, Birch Community Centre, Rusholme, M14 5JT
Greater Manchester Community for Palestine
MAKING ACTIVISM WORK
Come together to review recent Palestine campaign successes and to strategise together about future actions. Presentations, discussions, breakouts.
Presenters include Amplify Gaza Stories, Palestine Forum, Global Voice for Palestine, Whalley Range Peace and Justice, Creative Kindness, Stop the War, Trafford4Palestine, Big Ride for Palestine, Consumer Boycott… and more!
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations
Saturday 10th February, 12 noon, Platt Fields Park, Rusholme, M14 5LL
STOP ARMING ISRAEL, STOP THE GENOCIDE
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
United States of America - On January 22, 2024, the Federal Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal of Richard Glossip, who was sentenced to death in Oklahoma in 2014 for murder. The state prosecutor’s office said that his original trial was flawed by the false testimony of a person involved in the murder.
United States of America - On January 26, 2024, the Louisiana Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Darrell Robinson because the one that ended with the death sentence, in 2014, for a quadruple murder, was found to be unfair due to the misconduct of the prosecutor, who relied on a testimony negotiated with a reduced sentence, circumstance kept hidden from the jury.
Kenya - On January 29, 2024, an appeals court commuted the death sentence of Jospath Machiwa Okoko, who was found guilty of murder during a robbery in 2007, to 20 years in prison.
United Kingdom - On February 2, 2024, Greta Thunberg and four other defendants were acquitted of failing to comply with the order to move from the middle of the street to the sidewalk during a peaceful protest organized in September 2023.
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 Lancine Sacko - sacko10@hotmail.co.uk
Individuals at Risk (bi-monthly appeal writing drop ins) - Anne Walker anne.walker9@ntlworld.com
Manchester Central Library café, 2-4pm 4th Saturdays January, March, May, July, September, November
Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians - Mike Reed mikewreed101@gmail.com
LGBTQ+ and Pride coordinator – Zoe Song weiyi.zoe.song@gmail.com
Press freedom and Julian Assange – Lima Al-Iskalachi limazakoor@gmail.com
Refugees – Alison Wearden alison.wearden@gmail.com
UAE – Kathryn Fletcher bussk@btinternet.com
Our website Manchester | Amnesty International UK
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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