Weekly Action and News 09/06/2023
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
Guillermo Zarraga, a 59-year old Venezuelan engineer and former oil industry unionist, was arbitrarily detained in November 2020 at his home by officers from the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence. He has been charged and tried for criminal association and revealing national security information, although there is no evidence to support these allegations. Guillermo’s health has suffered badly as a result of inhumane detention conditions and inadequate nutrition and he is now in need of urgent medical attention. Amnesty is calling for his immediate release, and pending that, for him to receive the medical care he needs. A letter has been written for you, and can be obtained by clicking the link below.
Important news about June monthly group meeting
Manchester City will be holding a parade through town on 12th June, which means that we have had to make a late change to our plans for the June monthly group meeting.
This will now take place online on Monday, 12th June at 7pm.
A zoom link will be sent to all members ahead of the meeting. We will be discussing our plans and campaigns, including campaign strategies, for the coming busy summer months. All are welcome, including new members. We hope to see you there.
We are looking for members to help at a
Manchester Amnesty stall at the Sparkle weekend. Our stall will be on Sunday 9th July.
Sparkle is billed as the world’s largest free-to-attend celebration of gender diversity – see this link: https://www.sparkle.org.uk/
Everybody is welcome, whether members of the LGBTQ+ community or not.
Please contact Zoe Wong if you can help or want more information weiyi.zoe.song@gmail.com
Wednesday 14th June, 5.30-7.00pm
The Network for Police Monitoring invite you to a webinar entitled:
The New Public Order Act: Where are we now?
Presented by a team of legal experts from Garden Court Chambers, the webinar will explain the new laws and police powers, and what they mean for campaigners.
Book your place on the Garden Court website.
Rethink Rebuild Society is pleased to invite you to
Refugees, the Lived Experience
A Conversation with Professor Vicki Squire, in English with Arabic translation
Wednesday, 21 June, 8.00 - 9.15 pm, online.
Zoom Meeting ID: 833 2956 2257 Passcode: 009314
Dates for upcoming campaigning events. We have a very busy schedule for June!
Contact alison.wearden@gmail.com if you want more information about any of these events, or if you want to volunteer to get involved.
Friday June 16th – stall at Manchester Metropolitan University summer sustainability fair.
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.
Saturday 1st July – Israeli Apartheid Street Exhibition, Manchester
Sunday 9th July – Amnesty stall at the Sparkle weekend celebration of gender diversity.
Sunday July 16th- UAE/Craftivism event – Arab Arts Festival, Sefton Park, Liverpool.
Apologies – the June quarterly bulletin will be published approximately 10 days late, due to holidays. It will arrive in your inbox some time next week!
Good news
South Sudan - 30 May 2023, the United Nations Security Council renewed the arms embargo on South Sudan, imposed for the first time through resolution 2428 of 2018.
European Union – 1 June 2023, the EU ratified the Council of Europe Convention (Istanbul Convention) on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
China – 2nd June 2023 Hong-Kong human rights lawyer and labour rights advocate, Chow Hang-tung, who has been imprisoned for her commemoration of the Tiananmen Square massacre, among other “offences”, was awarded the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights.
Türkiye – 6th June 2023 – After 12 court hearings over 6 years, the convictions on various baseless charges of Taner Kilic, Amnesty Türkiye’s Honorary Chair; Idil Eser, Amnesty Türkiye’s ex-director; Ozlem Dalkiran and Gunal Kursun, were finally quashed. These four human rights defenders were originally arrested in 2017 and have spent many months in prison.
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 –please contact Kathryn Fletcher if you would like to join, bussk@btinternet.com
Refugees –please contact Alison Wearden, if you would like to join alison.wearden@gmail.com
Anti-racism –please contact Hazel Errey if you would like to join hazelerrey@gmail.com
Craftivism –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, 22nd July 2-4pm, then 4th Saturday in 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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