Weekly Action and News 18/08/2023
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
As we approach Manchester Pride, it is worth reminding ourselves of the appalling conditions under which members of the LGBTQ+ community live in different parts of the world. This week’s action is simple. Watch this short video from Human Rights Watch about the plight of LGBT people in Afghanistan and then pass the link on to a friend or group of friends to raise awareness.
Guaranteed fun day out- and we have ordered good weather!
Manchester Pride Parade – Saturday 26th August
We still have spaces for members and their friends to walk with the Amnesty banner in Manchester City Centre. We would love to see more of you there!
All are welcome – you don’t have to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Join the parade to show your solidarity not only with LGBTQ+ people in the UK, but with those in all the countries where gay and trans people are persecuted or don’t have their rights respected. T shirts, placards etc. will be provided.
Zoe Wong is coordinating our efforts -please let her know if you will be coming along and she will tell you where to meet and pick up your parade wrist-band weiyi.zoe.song@gmail.com
IT’S NEARLY HERE!
ACOUSTIC AMNESTY 10TH ANNIVERSARY GIG
10 years on from Acoustic Amnesty’s first gig, we are delighted to announce this celebration, which will include some of the performers who were at that very first gig. Over the course of 22 events with 67 different performers, Acoustic Amnesty has raised over £7500 for Amnesty and other charities. Proceeds from the anniversary gig will go to Amnesty and the charity Forever Manchester, which supports Manchester community groups.
Friday, 8th September, 2023. Door time 7:00pm, Start time 7:30
At Sacred Trinity Church, Salford.
Get your tickets here.
WeGotTickets | Simple, honest ticketing | Acoustic Amnesty 10th anniversary gig
Good news
As reported in the Guardian, Liberty and Manchester based organisation Kids of Colour succeeded in getting Greater Manchester Police to desist from the racist practice of sending letters to individuals banning them from attending the Manchester Caribbean carnival because they had been identified as “either a member of a street gang, affiliated to a street gang” or “perceived by others to be associated to a street gang”.
On August 8, 2023, a majority of voters in the state of Ohio voted no to a referendum proposal that would have raised the quorum needed to make constitutional changes by referendum. The proposal was intended to hinder the possible favorable outcome of the November referendum for the introduction in the Constitution of new protections for those who want to terminate the pregnancy.
On August 11, 2023, after a strong social media campaign, Ahmed Souleiman aka Gika, a former prisoner of conscience in 2016, reappeared in front of a prosecutor after 58 days of enforced disappearance.
On August 8, 2023, the Supreme Court commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence of General Ferdy Sambo, who in February was found guilty of the murder of his bodyguard, which took place in 2022.
On August 9, 2023, an appeals court commuted to 35 years in prison the death sentence of a Nigerian citizen who had been found guilty of murder in 2019.
On August 9, 2023, a court in the state of Ohio issued a new sentence against Caron Montgomery, replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment. Montgomery was on death row in 2010 for the murder of his girlfriend and two children. Montgomery's defense had repeatedly raised the issue of his client's mental health condition.
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 area, 2-4pm 4th Saturdays 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
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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