Tag Archives: take action

Stop execution and flogging of pregnant mother in Sudan

17 May

27-year-old Meriam Yehya Ibrahim is being held in prison with her 20-month-old son and is heavily pregnant with her second child.  

Meriam was first arrested in August last year because her husband is Christian. One of her relatives had claimed that Meriam was committing ‘adultery’ for marrying outside of Islam, and reported her to the authorities.

When Meriam appeared before the courtroom in Khartoum, Sudan, on 15 May and refused to renounce her Christian religion, the judges sentenced to death by hanging for ‘apostasy’. She has also been sentenced to 100 lashes for being married to a Christian man.

Meriam has committed no crime. She is a prisoner of conscience and should be released immediately.  

Please follow this link to send an email to the Sudanese government, or write to the following addresses:

  • Minister of Justice Mohamed Bushara Dousa, Ministry of Justice, PO Box 302 Al Nil Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan  moj@moj.gov.sd
  • Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Ahmed Karti, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 302, Republic Street, Khartoum, Sudan Fax: + 249 183 772941
  • Minister of Interior Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamed mut@isoc.sd

 

 

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Protect the lives of refugees and migrants

12 May

From Amnesty UK:

Refugees and migrants are risking their lives to reach Europe. If they make it to Europe’s borders, they are often met with violence and ill-treatment and turned away without question.

‘Somebody showed them the baby, asking for help but the coastguards swore at us instead of helping us… when the coastguards cut the rope and tried to move away we started sinking.’

These are the words of Sabur Azizi, an Afghan refugee who lost his wife and son last year when the boat they were travelling in ran into trouble off the coast of Greece.

No matter how high European countries build their walls, no matter how much pressure countries like Greece come under to push people back at their borders, men, women and children will still be compelled to flee persecution, conflict & poverty by coming to the EU.

Recently, you persuaded the UK government to offer sanctuary to some of the most vulnerable refugees from the conflict in Syria. The first families are now rebuilding their lives here.

Now we must build on this progress, and make sure that the lives of all refugees and migrants headed for Europe are protected, whatever their route or reason for coming.

On 26-7 June, EU leaders meet to agree the future direction of asylum and migration policies across the EU. Please make sure it is a future in which no more refugees and migrants risk losing their lives to get here.

Ask your MP to call on David Cameron to protect lives on Europe’s borders at the EU this June.

 

 

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Nigeria: Find and protect abducted schoolgirls

10 May

Over 240 schoolgirls are still missing, weeks after they were abducted from their school by armed militant group Boko Haram.  The group kidnapped eight more girls this week.

We now know that Nigerian security forces had more than four hours warning, but did not do enough to stop their abduction.

Take Action: Call on the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK to demand authorities do everything in their power to secure the girls’ release.

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Amnesty Taunton group meeting Tuesday 13th May @ Silver Street Baptist Church

6 May

Our next monthly meeting is on Tuesday 13th May at the Silver Street Baptist Church, Taunton, TA1 3DH.  8pm start.

All are most welcome to join us for campaign updates, news and actions and to find out more about human rights and the work of Amnesty International. 

This month we will also be hearing from Rebecca Pow, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Taunton Deane, about her views on human rights.

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Take Action: Pakistan: Drop Charges Against 69 Year Old On Death Row

19 Apr

69-year-old Mohammad Asghar is physically and mentally frail. He was arrested under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws in 2010 and sentenced to death in January.

Mohammad was arrested for allegedly writing letters claiming he was a prophet. However, his lawyers maintain it was never established that he posted or even intended to post the letters.

He is both physically and mentally frail. He suffered a stroke in 2000 and has been diagnosed by an expert in Scotland as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. He attempted suicide in 2010.

His appeal has been lodged, but it could take up to five years to be heard. He remains in detention in Adiala jail, Rawalpindi.

Text ‘SAVE1’ and your full name now to 70505 to sign our petition to the Pakistani authorities. Over 14s only please.

OR

Write/Email/Fax the authorities in Pakistan, before 30 April 2014, at the following addresses:

  • Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Room 404, 4th Floor, R Block, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan. Fax: +92 51 920 2624. Email: ministry.interior@gmail.com. Salutation: Dear Minister Khan
  • Chief Minister Punjab Mian Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister’s Office, 7 Club Road, GOR I Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92 42 9920 3310. Salutation: Dear Chief Minister Sharif
  • Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights Pervaiz Rashid, Room 305, S Block, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan. Fax: +92 51 921 0062. Email: contact@molaw.gov.pk

Sample letter:

I am writing to call on your to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Mohammad Asghar, and that he has immediate access to appropriate medical and/or psychiatric treatment. I also ask that you provide his lawyers with all medical records made during his detention.

Mohammed Asghar’s lawyers maintain that it has never been established that Asghar posted, or even intended to post, letters claiming he was a prophet. In addition he is mentally frail and an expert in Scotland has diagnosed him as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. The charges against him should be dropped.

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Act for 529 Egyptians sentenced to death

8 Apr

PeacefulPeteD's avatarAmnestyBrum

Last month 529 people sentenced to death in Egypt in the biggest single batch of death sentences seen in recent years.

Amnesty described the ruling as ‘grotesque’ and called for it to be quashed.  Meanwhile there is an AVAAZ petition asking for the death sentences to be overturned.

Unfortunately AVAAZ did attempt to present this petition on Friday and were blocked.  However, this demonstrates that the authorities are worried about petitions like this, which is all the more reason to add your signature and show that the pressure will not be dropped.

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Correction: Amnesty Taunton group meeting Tuesday 8th April @ Silver Street Baptist Church

6 Apr


Sorry for the incorrect date on the title of our earlier post! To confirm:

Our next monthly meeting is next week, on Tuesday 8th April, at the Silver Street Baptist Church, Taunton, TA1 3DH.  8pm start.

All are most welcome to join us for campaign updates, news and actions and to find out more about human rights and the work of Amnesty International.

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Call on the Egyptian authorities to release journalists held for “airing misleading news”

4 Apr

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Australian journalist Peter Greste was arrested last December alongside his Al Jazeera colleagues Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed.

Their crime? Airing ‘misleading news’ about Egypt’s political situation.

If convicted, they could face life imprisonment.

Peter’s arrest is part of an increasingly disturbing and violent crackdown by the Egyptian authorities. Journalists, protesters, and anyone seen as a threat to the government are targets.

Thousands have been killed in the streets. And in a single shock ruling last week, 528 people were sentenced to death after only two hearings.
If Egypt has any chance at a peaceful future, it must be built on respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Journalism is not a crime. Call on the Egyptian authorities free Peter and his colleagues immediately

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Read all about it! Report from our February meeting

18 Feb

AI LogoIn March 2010, Darius Evangelista was arrested by police in the Philippines, on suspicion of theft. Fellow detainees saw him brought back to their cell badly injured. “Get rid of him” a policeman ordered. They never saw him again. Neither have his family. 

No one has been brought to justice for his torture, enforced disappearance and possible extrajudicial execution. As part of Amnesty’s focus this year on victims of torture, we wrote to the Director General of Police in Manila. Find out how you can join us in appealing for justice for the Evangelista family.

The Group held their AGM this month. Highlights have been Laura’s development our new website, our campaign for Dr Tun Aung of Burma, Barbara’s untiring efforts on the Death Penalty and Pat’s very successful Write for Rights day.

National feed-back on Write for Rights (where people are asked at Christmas to send greetings & appeals for those imprisoned or persecuted) has been encouraging. Ihar Tsikhanyuk of Belarus wrote: “When I feel left with no hope to fight, I’ll get a letter and it inspires me. The light of hope appears again.”

At our March meeting Ann Marcus of Amnesty UK will speak on the Middle East and North Africa. All are extremely welcome to attend at 8pm on Tuesday March 11th 2014 at the Silver Street Baptist Church, Taunton.

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Demand Afghanistan scrap a law silencing survivors of domestic violence

16 Feb
Teenager Sahar Gul recovers in hospital after being beaten and tortured by her in-laws © AFP PHOTO/ SHAH Marai

Sahar Gul recovers in hospital after being beaten and tortured by her in-laws © AFP PHOTO

Afghanistan is set to pass a law that will allow people to attack their wives, sisters and daughters without fear of punishment, because relatives won’t be allowed to testify as witnesses to these crimes.

An estimated 87% of women in Afghanistan have experienced at least one form of physical, sexual or psychological violence or forced marriage. In a country blighted by ‘honour killings’ and child marriage, we know that most of this violence takes place within the family – that’s why this law will be so devastating.

But it’s not too late.  Enough international and local pressure could turn this situation around. Just last November, we were successful in stopping the approval of another proposed law which would have allowed death by stoning for ‘adultery’.

Click here to stand with the women and girls of Afghanistan and help us stop this outrageous law from becoming reality.

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