Weekly Action and News 23/03/2023
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Actions and News
Please do this action and make a difference
The government’s aptly named “Illegal Immigration bill” is due for its third reading in the House of Commons early next week. This cruel bill will effectively deny the right to seek asylum in the UK to almost all of the vulnerable people arriving here, thereby breaching our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. There has been overwhelming condemnation of the bill by human rights organisations, for example from Freedom from Torture , Care4Calais , Detention Action and Refugee Action . It is well worth looking at all these sites and taking the actions they suggest, but if you do nothing else, please click on the “take action” button below. This links to an Amnesty International UK action which provides you with a template email to send to your MP (ideally before Monday) asking them to vote against this truly awful bill. You can also find social media actions on the AIUK twitter and Instagram accounts.
Appeal Writing Drop-in tomorrow!
Tomorrow, Saturday 25th March from 2-4pm at Manchester Central Library
(behind the café area – look out for the Amnesty banner).
We will be sitting down with a drink from the café to write appeals for the cases featured in the Spring Real Lives leaflet, including UAE, Malta, Cuba, Russia and more.
See http://email.amnestyuk.org.uk/files/amf_amnesty/project_58/Real_lives_Amnesty_2023.pdf
Information, materials and guidance for appeal writing will be provided.
Bring a device if you prefer to email or tweet – free Wifi available.
It’s always a great afternoon, so do drop in when you can. All welcome.
Please note that, due to bank holidays, the April and May online group meetings are both one day later than usual. They are on Tuesday 11th April and Tuesday 9th May.
Human Rights Iftar, April 1st from 4pm, Academy 2 Students Union.
Thanks to the efforts of our member Lancine Sacko in conjunction with Nabila Hanson, AIUK country coordinator for China, we will have an Amnesty presence at the University of Manchester Human Rights Iftar on Saturday April 1st, at Academy Two, Students Union.
The purpose of Amnesty’s presence at the event is to raise awareness of human rights abuses against the Uyghurs, and also to inform people of the work of Amnesty locally. These activities will take place in the hour before the breaking of the fast, which will be at about 18:40.
There will be a speaker from AIUK, and we have two volunteers to help at the event, but we would ideally like to have a few more members to represent Manchester Amnesty. Your presence would be required from about 16:30 for two hours. Please let Lancine Sacko know if you are able to help
***TOMORROW ***
Saturday 25 March, Piccadilly Gardens, 11am.
Manchester Palestine Action, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Youth Front for Palestine, and
Oldham Peace and Justice.
Join us to commemorate the 85 Palestinian martyrs murdered so far this year, and to demand an end to Israeli complicity on our streets.
Demand that Barclays Bank stops investing in companies supplying Israel with weapons and military technology.
More information here: (13) Barclays: Don’t Bank on Apartheid – Day of Action! | Facebook
Forthcoming events
Acoustic Amnesty!
The next fabulous Acoustic Amnesty event will be on
Saturday 15th April, 2023, doors open 7pm, start 7:30
At the King’s Arms, Bloom Street, Salford
5 great acts will be playing to raise money for Amnesty and other charities
Get your tickets here:
WeGotTickets | Simple, honest ticketing | Acoustic Amnesty at the Kings Arms
A date for your diary
To celebrate his 75th birthday,
and in conjunction with the Saddleworth Palestinian Women’s scholarship fund (SPWSF)
our member Steve Roman invites you to a magnificent evening of entertainment entitled
“Paul Robeson – the giant in a nutshell”
at the Birch Community Centre in Rusholme on Saturday 17th June at 7:30pm.
Featuring Tayu Aluko, the Obsidian Rock Band, and with a global buffet supper and pay bar.
Proceeds to the SPWSF. More information and get your tickets here:
https://www.wegottickets.com/sct/Gkfp3kRzRW
Good news
Iran - On March 13, 2023, human rights activist Saeed Eghibali was released from Rajai Shahr prison. He had been in prison since May 2020 serving a six-year sentence for "meeting and collusion against national security" and "propaganda against the system". During his detention he suffered torture and hunger strikes.
Iran - On March 13, 2023, LGBTQIA+ rights activist Elham Choudbar was released on bail. Arrested in 2021, she was initially sentenced to death and then obtained annulment at the end of 2022.
Iran - On March 16, 2023, journalist Kasra Nouri was released from prison, after serving five years and one month of a six-year and three-month sentence for "meeting and collusion against national security". Before his arrest he had directed "Majzooban e-noor", an information portal on the activities of the Gonabadi dervishes, a Sufi religious order.
Lebanon - On March 13, 2023, the government set up a toll-free hotline to denounce pharmacies that illegally sell medicines at prices higher than those set by the authorities. This illegal practice had been denounced a few weeks earlier by a report by Amnesty International.
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 – Next meeting Wednesday 22nd March, 6pm, contact Kathryn Fletcher for joining link, bussk@btinternet.com
Refugees – Next meeting 29th March 6pm on zoom please contact Alison Wearden, if you would like to join alison.wearden@gmail.com
Anti-racism – Next meeting in April, date tbc, please contact Hazel Errey if you would like to join hazelerrey@gmail.com
Craftivism –Next meeting Saturday 29th April, Manchester Art Gallery studio room, 1-4pm, 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.
Free Press, Free Assange – new subgroup – first meeting tbc – please contact Lima Al-Iskalachi limakazoor@gmail.com if you would like to join
Individuals at Risk (bi-monthly letter writing drop ins) Next session, Saturday, 25th March 2-4pm, then 4th Saturday in May, July, 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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