Minutes of Amnesty International Medway Group June 10^th 2013

Present:  Mary Smith, Carol Gravestock, Ian Gray, Rosemary Osgood

Apologies: Ted Wilcox

Correspondence: Zimbabwe action on the 2013 elections – members of group signed postcards to be to sent to Jacob Zuma (President) via AI activism team  more leaflets will be ordered – see campaign on website

AIUK sent update – in brief the next International Council Meeting will take place in Berlin 18 – 24^th August – delegation of 6 from AIUK – two resolutions being taken to the meeting. One on Sport and Human Rights and the other on restricted fundraising. In addition  emergency resolutions on finance and accountability. Please see www.amnesty.org.uk/uplaods/documents/doc23198pdf for further information

Leaflet on Amnesty International 2013 pamphlet to be obtained for the group – this is a summary of rights and abuses and triumphs of the year.

Treasurer’s report and fund-raising

Balance of £ 568.00 Ian reported there were £ 11.50 in donations from the Dickens Fair

Street Collection is on the 20^th July in Rochester – please spare some time to help from 10am

Reports on CAPS

None

Poverty and Human Rights Campaign

None

Report on Death Penalty actions

Mary Smith asked for more names for DP actions

Report on Action File

None but discussion on whether to take on a new case – Ian to investigate further

Action from AIUK

Individual at Risk is Mahdi ‘Issa Mahdi Dheeb in Bahrain -  former President of Bahrain Teacher’s Association has been sentenced to 10 years in prison – this was his call for a strike for teachers  -  letters to be sent to Bahrain Ambassador – see www.amnesty.org.uk/groups for further information and to take action

Any other business: Dickens Festival saw many signatures for the Afghanistan Women’s network and gave us the opportunity to highlight what we do.

Date of next meeting: 8^th July 2013.