Weekly Action and News 19/04/2024
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
Ahmadreza Djalali, a Swedish-Iranian medical doctor and academic, was on a business trip to Iran when he was arrested on 26 April 2016. He is being held in the notorious Evin prison, where he was tortured and forced to “confess” to being a spy. On 1st December 2020, in a two minute phone call to his wife in Sweden, he told her that he was being transferred to another prison for his execution to be carried out. There was a global outcry, and his execution was halted. In May 2022, May 2023, and December 2023, execution again appeared to be imminent. Amnesty are calling on Iran to immediately stop this mental torture and rescind the execution order. Ahmadreza’s conviction and sentence must be quashed and he should be released. You can email the Iranian authorities and add your voice to Amnesty’s demands by clicking the link below.
***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 19th April, 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.
Non-Amnesty events
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations
Saturday, 20th April, 12 noon, Piccadilly Gardens
Demonstration: Free All Palestinian Political Prisoners
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.
Poetry & Prose for Palestine, Sunday 21 April, 7pm, at The Peer Hat
An evening of poetry and prose from local writers in aid of MAP (Medical Aid for Palestinians).
This is not an Amnesty International event but it features a brief introduction from Mike Reed that covers Amnesty's report on Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people.
There will be a raffle and DJ set.
The event is free but attendees will be asked for evidence of their donation on the door.
See https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-prose-for-palestine-tickets-866621717887 [eventbrite.co.uk] for further details and tickets.
VOICES OF RESILIENCE - HOME, Manchester, Monday, 22nd April, 7.00pm
A performance by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Maxine Peake and others of Palestinian writings.
As you will be aware, this event was cancelled following an objection and has now been reinstated (on the original date and time) and moved to Theatre 1 to accommodate extra demand. The event has sold out but tickets have been reserved for 24 hours for those who booked originally.
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine & Hebron International Resource Network
Presentation with Q&A
Surviving during an all out war. Thursday 25th April at 7pm, Cross St Chapel, M2 1NL
More details and tickets here.
Rethink Rebuild Society
Invites you to a screening of the acclaimed film
Freedom to Run
which follows two groups of runners while one group runs the Palestine Marathon and the other runs the Edinburgh Marathon. The runners discover that they are not so different, but that they live very different lives.
Saturday, April 27th, 7.30pm, First Floor, Discovery House, Crossley Road, SK4 5BH
Tickets (pay what you can) available here
Socialists against the Hostile Environment present
The Hostile Environment and the Right to Protest
Tuesday 30th April, 5pm, online
Details of speakers and tickets available here
Manchester Palestine Film Festival
10th-31st May, The Savoy Cinema, Heaton Moor
The Teacher (10/5); Gaza Fights for Freedom (18/5); 200 metres (31/5).
More information and Tickets available here
Good news
Afghanistan - On April 6, 2024, Manizha Sediqi, a member of the Afghan Women's Spontaneous Movement, was pardoned and released. She was arrested in September 2023 at her home in the capital Kabul.
Iran - On April 8, 2024, Niloufar Bayani, Sepideh Kashani, Morad Tahbaz, Amirhossein Khaleghi, Houman Jokar and Taher Ghadirian, six environmentalists arrested in 2017, were pardoned at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. They had been sentenced to several terms in prison for the crimes of espionage and collaboration with an enemy power.
Saudi Arabia - On the occasion of the twenty-seventh night of the holy month of Ramadan, Ati al-Maliki has decided to pardon the murderer of his son Abdullah, Dhaifallah al-Harithi, whose execution was scheduled for April 17. The pardon was granted without seeking compensation.
European Union - On 11 April 2024, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for Article 3 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights to be amended to state that "everyone has the right to decision-making autonomy over his or her body, to free, informed, comprehensive and universal access to sexual and reproductive health and all related health services without discrimination, including access to safe and legal abortion."
Poland - On 12 April 2024, the parliament approved four amendments at first reading to overcome strict limitations on access to abortion.
Germany - On April 12, 2024, the lower house of parliament approved the Self-Determination Act, which will make it easier to change gender identity and name at the registry office. Trans and non-binary people will be able to request to change their gender and name on documents through self-certification and no longer after the opinion of a court or the issuance of specific medical certificates.
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 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 (managed by Alison Wearden)
X/Twitter @amnestymanc (managed by Steve Lindsay – stevenjameslindsay@gmail.com)
Facebook Manchester Amnesty Group
Instagram @amnestymanchester (managed by Sara Baptista - sarabm6@gmail.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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