Weekly Action and News 15/03/2024
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
2 years ago this week, 81 men were killed in Saudi Arabia’s largest mass execution. Around half of these men were convicted of protest-related offences. 43 people have already been executed this year, and the rate of execution is continuing to increase.
Shockingly, among those still at risk of execution are child defendants Abdullah al-Derazi and Youssef al-Manasif. The death sentence is wrong in all cases, but it is especially egregious when applied to children.
The petition at the link below comes from the UK based organisation Reprieve which campaigns on behalf of and represents people whose human rights are being abused in legal systems worldwide. It calls on the Saudi Arabian authorities to spare the lives of all child defendants on death row and stop sentencing child defendants to death once and for all.
Saudi Arabia: Stop executing child defendants (reprieve.org)
After our AGM, we are looking for members to take on the roles below.
We are very grateful for volunteers and recognise the calls on people’s time.
Role descriptions are just a guide – you can make the role fit with your time and interests:
Individuals at Risk/Write for Rights co-ordinator – Anne Walker wishes to step down. The role would involve organising bi-monthly stalls in the Central Library throughout the year, organising our Write for Rights campaign in November and December each year and providing brief updates for the quarterly bulletin. Anne.Walker9@ntlworld.com for more information.
Human Rights in the UK coordinator – The role would involve keeping an eye on HR in the UK issues as they arise, suggesting actions for the newsletter or other actions we can take, attending the nationally run Amnesty HR in the UK collective, which meets about 6 times per year online, and providing brief updates for the quarterly bulletin. Alison.wearden@gmail.com for more information.
Manchester Amnesty Facebook lead – keeping our facebook group page up to date.
Fundraising coordinator – we’ve not had one recently, but the role would involve suggesting and organising fundraising activities
***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 15th March, 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.
All are welcome to attend this meeting organised by the Amnesty Central England Network
Israel-Gaza: impacts, human rights and routes to peace.
Thursday 21st March, 7.00-8.30pm
Online panel discussion with Q&A. Panellists include Dr Marwan Darweish, Coventry University; Dr Samah Jabr, Palestinian Ministry of Health; Prof Lynne Segal, University of London.
Chaired by Prof Alan Kessedjian, consultant clinical psychologist, Chair Bournville Amnesty group.
Register to join the event here
Our next bi-monthly appeal writing drop-in session will take place on
Saturday 23rd March, Manchester Central Library, near café area, 2-4pm
As always we will have details of current cases and all the information you need to write an appeal letter. However, if you prefer you can also send emails and tweets (wifi is available in the Library). Do drop by for as long as you can spare - all are welcome.
It’s a great way to get involved in Amnesty work.
MANCHESTER LAUNCH OF AMNESTY’S PREVENT STRATEGY
Amnesty International UK in conjunction with Manchester Amnesty
Saturday 6th April 2-4.30pm Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, M2 5NS
LAUNCH
Amnesty UK’s new report “This is the Thought Police” on the government’s Prevent strategy
Relevant stakeholders will be invited. More information, and tickets available here. If you plan to attend, please let us know by emailing alison.wearden@gmail.com so that we can gauge numbers. If you would like to discuss inviting a representative of your community or faith group, union, civic society, or other campaigning organisations you are involved with, get in touch.
You can read the Prevent report here
Non-Amnesty events
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations
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.
Thursday 28th March, 2024, 6-8.30pm, Whitworth Gallery, Manchester,M15 6ER
Music Action International and Stone Flowers (a collective of refugee survivors of torture in the North West) will present a special screening of the award winning film
“Stone Flowers – songs of Hope and Defiance”
Book your tickets here
Good news
Switzerland - On 20 February 2024, the European Court of Human Rights condemned Switzerland for failing to assess whether racial discrimination had played a role in the actions of the police who detained Swiss citizen Mohamed Wa Baile in Zurich in 2015. Amnesty International intervened as a third party in the proceedings, providing information on ethnic profiling during police checks.
Mexico - On February 24, 2024, Miguel Lopez Vega, a representative of the Nahuatl native community and a well-known radio voice, was acquitted of all charges brought against him following his participation, on October 30, 2019, in a peaceful protest against the construction of a water discharge system from the textile industries of Huejotzingo that allegedly polluted the Metpapanapa River, in the state of Oaxaca.
Trinidad and Tobago - On March 1, 2024, eight former death row inmates were released after 22 years in prison. The eight men were sentenced to death in 2001 and then had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment and, subsequently, a lighter sentence.
Malaysia - On March 5, 2024, an appeals court commuted the death sentences of a woman and two men who were found guilty of murder in 2018 to 35 years in prison.
France – On 4th March, the French parliament voted to amend the country’s constitution to enshrine “guaranteed freedom” to access an abortion
Russia - On 5 March 2024, the International Criminal Court issued two arrest warrants against General Sergei Kobylash and Admiral Viktor Sokolov, accused of war crimes of directing attacks against civilian targets and causing excessive incidental harm to civilians as well as damage to civilian objects, as well as the crime against humanity of inhumane acts.
UK – On 11 March 2024, the government said it will drop its opposition to a statutory inquiry into complaints of insanitary conditions, assaults and mistreatment of people seeking asylum and detained at the Manston processing centre in 2022. This change of heart by the government took place after several of the detainees sought judicial review of the governments prior opposition to the inquiry.
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 We need someone to coordinate our work in this area. Please contact alison.wearden@gmail.com if you are interested.
Individuals at Risk (bi-monthly appeal writing drop ins and Write for Rights in Nov/Dec) – Anne Walker is stepping down. Please contact her if you are interested in taking over the role 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
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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