Atena Farghadani is a 29 year old Iranian artist; she was jailed this summer for over 12 years for her art and her peaceful activism. Since then she’s faced further charges: she shook her lawyer’s hand when he visited her in prison and is now facing charges of ‘illicit sexual relations falling short of adultery’.
We sent cards to Atena and wrote to the Iranian President urging her release. There is also a petition to sign on the AIUK website here.
Members had written letters and cards, which we all signed, on behalf of people imprisoned or facing the death penalty in Morocco, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
We’re taking part in the annual Christmas Tree Festival in the Taunton United Reform Church, held from 11–13 December. Trees are displayed and decorated by groups in the town, which makes a thought-provoking and seasonal display. We hope you can go along and see our tree!
Another annual event for the Christmas period is Amnesty’s Write for Rights campaign, when we send cards worldwide to those persecuted and write on their behalf to their Governments. Done on a national scale this campaign has a considerable impact. We’ll be writing cards at our meeting on Tuesday 8 December at 8pm in the Silver Street Baptist Church. Do join us to write cards and enjoy some Christmas nibbles.
Our next monthly meeting is on Tuesday 10th November at the Silver Street Baptist Church, Taunton, TA1 3DH. 8pm start.
In Japan, Matsumoto Kenji could be hanged any day now, and he does not know why. He has been on death row for over 20 years. He was sentenced to death in the early nineties for robberies and murders committed with his brother (who killed himself in detention). Matsumoto has had a mental disability and low IQ from birth, allegedly caused by mercury poisoning. Despite this, he was ruled mentally competent and his sentence confirmed in 2000. 
In spring 2016, the Taunton Amnesty Group plans to host a debate about the Human Rights Act involving local schools. We hope the event will happen in the last 3 weeks of the spring term, and so far King’s College, Queen’s College, Taunton Academy, Taunton School and Richard Huish College are interested in taking part.
Our next monthly meeting is on Tuesday 13th October at the Silver Street Baptist Church, Taunton, TA1 3DH. 8pm start.
Following the release of peaceful activist Dr Tun Aung earlier this year, our group now has new prisoners of conscience in Burma that we will be campaigning to have released. 
From the 15-18 September the biennial DSEI Arms Fair returns to London. At past DSEI Fairs, Amnesty has uncovered torture equipment being illegally traded. At the last DSEI Fair in 2013 for example, Amnesty uncovered two companies advertising a variety of torture equipment, including electric shock batons and leg irons. Previous fairs have all seen a variety of illegal weapons including cluster bombs, leg irons and electric shock weapons advertised for sale. 
Our next monthly meeting is on Tuesday 8th September at the Silver Street Baptist Church, Taunton, TA1 3DH. 8pm start.
Amnesty International Taunton Local Group 