PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE, FEMI PETERS, RELEASED!
 We are proud to share the news that Femi Peters, one of our 2010 Write for
Rights cases, has been released!
 Femi Peters is the Campaign Manager for a Gambian political opposition party. The Gambian government, in efforts to stifle political and social dissent, sentenced Femi to a mandatory jail term of one year and a hefty fine. He was released on December 10th.

 More than 75,000 people participated in this year's Write for Rights event and generated more than 240,000 letters on behalf of Femi Peters and eleven other cases.

This is the kind of remarkable difference we can make when we join together for human rights.
Watch Femi Peters’ video thanking Amnesty International for the support.
~ ~ ~

'We must learn to live together as brothers or we are going to perish together as fools.'
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Activists in Nepal make inroads

against servitude for girls

L.A. Times, Wednesday, Dec 29, 2010

Asha Chaudhary, right, 12, one of 7 children in her impoverished Tharu family. She was recently freed from the Kamaiya system of indentured servitude, a feudal practice of near-slavery that civic groups are making progress in wiping out.

(Mark Magnier / Los Angeles Times)    

2010 CNN HEROES

        Everyday People Changing the World

Anhurada Koirala, 2010 CNN Hero of the Year is fighting to preventthe sexual exploitation and trafficking of Nepal's women and girls. Since 1993, she and her group, Maiti Nepal, have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 victims.

The Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation has been one of the major activist force focused on freeing girls in servitude in the last 10 years. Janis Olson with NYOF spoke at our Candlelight Walk last October www.nyof.org

~~~

 

November 13, 2010

"The release of political prisoners

is the most important thing for all those

who truly wish to bring about change in Burma."
— Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi was freed today!

Suu Kyi, a human rights and pro-democracy leader who has been held in detention or house arrest in Myanmar for 15 of the last 21 years, spoke with a crowd of supporters outside her home shortly after her release.

Amnesty International has been advocating for this Nobel Laureate over the course of two decades. Although she was recently barred from participating in the first elections her country has held in 20 years, we welcome the news of her freedom today.

Thank you for your work on Suu Kyi's case — your letters, public demonstrations, phone calls and discussions with friends, family, and colleagues.

Suu Kyi's release is welcome news for a country that routinely imprisons people who engage in peaceful political dissent, but others are still at risk.

~~~

July 24, 2010

We are thrilled to report that earlier this week Congress passed the Tribal Law and Order Act as an amendment to H.R. 725, a groundbreaking and long-overdue piece of legislation that tackles violent crime against Native American and Alaska Native women.

A huge thank you to the thousands of Amnesty supporters like you who took action to make this human rights victory possible.

Because of you, Native American and Alaska Native women will no longer be trapped in a mindboggling, jurisdictional maze that allows perpetrators to rape with impunity.

Every Native American and Alaska Native woman will be given the chance to:

• get a police response,
• have access to a rape kit,
• have the opportunity to see her case prosecuted, and
• see justice served for crimes committed against her.

Spurred by our hard-hitting 2007 report, Maze of Injustice, Amnesty's millions-strong, global human rights movement has worked tirelessly to ensure this legislation became a reality.

People like you have set the stage for reversing the devastating rate of sexual violence that Native American and Alaska Native women have endured for much too long.

This is what we can accomplish when we work together.

THANK YOU!!!

July 7, 2010

We’re happy to share the good news that Indonesian prisoner of conscience Yusak Pakage was released from prison today! Thank you so much for taking action with us demanding his release.

Pakage, along with fellow political prisoner Chosmos Yual, was released this morning from the Doyo Baru prison in Indonesia. Pakage was sentenced to a 10-year jail term for raising the Morning Star flag in December 2004. He, along with Filep Karma, was found guilty of “rebellion” for flying the outlawed symbol of Papuan independence as a sign of peaceful protest of Indonesian government policy.

Pakage has expressed his thanks to Amnesty International for all the work put towards demanding his release. Amnesty supporters like you took action by petitioning the Indonesian government, holding vigils, and standing in solidarity on his behalf.

While we welcome this great news, fellow prisoner of conscience Filep Karma still remains in prison. We will continue to take action demanding Karma’s release as well.

Thank you for all you do for human rights. Together we CAN make a difference!

~~~ 

Viet Nam, December 2009

We have just recently received confirmation from our source in Viet Nam that Dr. Pham Hong Son has now been released from house arrest.

 

We are not aware of any further restrictions so far placed on him, or whether local authorities are maintaining a watch on his activities.

 

We are likely to become aware of any future attempts to target Dr Pham Hong Son, or if it seems possible that he is at risk of re-arrest at any time.

 

Many thanks to all for following his case so closely and consistently and for all the actions taken and letters written!

 - see summary of Dr. Son's case.

 

Despite the strong attacks on freedom of expression and recent arrests in Viet Nam, we do believe that it is very important to continue focusing on individual cases and sending a very strong message to the authorities that the detention of prisoners of conscience like Dr Pham Hong Son will always bring condemnation and will achieve nothing.

~

Teheran, May 11, 2009

 

When Roxana Saberi, a 32-year-old American journalist was sentenced to eight years in prison on trumped-up charges of espionage, you and thousands of other Amnesty supporters immediately responded by sending over 26,000 letters to the Iranian government in less than 24 hours.

Your letters worked!

Roxana was just released from prison today after an appeal court in Tehran reduced her sentence to two-years, which was then suspended.

Senator Byron Dorgan from Roxana's home state of North Dakota credited the happy outcome to the international pressure generated by the case.

Amnesty International worked closely with other human rights organizations in a world-wide effort to obtain justice for Roxana.

Thanks for standing up for Roxana!

Special Focus Cases

Rebiya Kadeer, our 'adopted' Prisoner of Conscience

– NOW FREE!

Rebiya Kadeer is greeted with flowers as she is reunited with her family in the USA after her release from prison in China. © Amnesty International, all rights reserved

Rebiya Kadeer has been released!

China, March 17, 2005

Rebiya Kadeer, a prominent business woman, was arrested and jailed in 1999 for calling attention to discrimination and other violations against the China's Uighur ethnic group. The release of prisoner of conscience & Nobel Peace  Prize nominee Rebiya Kadeer is a joyful victory, and our joy is only tempered by thoughts of the many others who remain unjustly jailed in China, including those jailed after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Rebiya's release demonstrates that no government is immune to the persistent pressure applied by dedicated human rights activists worldwide, and Amnesty International will redouble its efforts to win further releases.

'I don't believe that I would be alive today without the support of Amnesty International.' - Rebiya Kadeer

At AI Group 471 we are very honored and excited to have Rebiya Kadeer join us and speak about her experience at our

20th Anniversary Candlelight Walk for Human Rights on Sunday, October 19, 2008 in Oceanside, CA

Attention by the US government and the scores of Members of Congress who had called for her release was critical to winning Rebiya's freedom.

Rebiya Kadeer, Uighur activist and former AI prisoner of conscience, holds an Urgent Action that was issued on her behalf, whilst visiting AI Switzerland. © Amnesty International, all rights reserved

Her release indicates that consistent pressure can win concrete progress on human rights, and underscores the need for the US to maintain such pressure. The effectiveness of the US-China human rights dialogue will continue to be measured by the resolution of remaining individual cases and by advances toward the overall protection of fundamental freedoms in China.

Rebiya's daughter Akida Rouzi issued the following statement on behalf of the family:
"We are beyond happy. We have waited for this moment for five and a half years and want to thank everyone who worked toward this joyful day."

* Local Amnesty Chapter toasts another release!
~

GOOD NEWS FOR MEXICO!!!

 

Thanks in large part to the overwhelming number of Amnesty members who took action; we are happy to report that human rights protections were included in Congress' first installment of the Merida Initiative.

US funding to Mexico and Central America to help fight drug cartels and organized crime was signed into law by President Bush last week and the most significant debate about the aid package was the human rights component.

While some in the US and Mexico advocated to completely strip the aid package of human rights safeguards your voices were heard and the final legislation requires that 15 % of the total funds for the Mexican military and police forces may be made available only after certain human rights conditions have been met.

These conditions include:

• Civilian Judicial officials are investigating and prosecuting members of the federal police and military forces who violate human rights
• Testimony obtained through torture is not used in the justice system
• Mexican human rights and civil society organizations are being consulted with by the Mexican government on the implementation of the Merida initiative
• Improved police accountability and transparency

Thanks for playing a part in this victory for human rights. Amnesty will continue to monitor the situation in Mexico including the implementation of the Merida Initiative. 

Stay informed by visiting our website regularly
and continue to take action for human rights!
Thank you!
~~~
Here below are a few of Amnesty International most recent victories in the cause of human rights. Enjoy!

Freedom, Finally

©2002 Getty Images

Myanmar should never have arrested

Aung San Suu Kyi or other prisoners of conscience

in the first place, locking them out

of the political process.

Help Amnesty fight to free

prisoners of conscience worldwide.

 

Marvyn Perez

Our focus guest speaker and success story at this year's

SAN DIEGO CANDLELIGHT

WALK FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Sunday, October 18

Arrested in 1982 by the Guatemalan military for protesting violence by the junta against social leaders, Mr. Perez was continually subjected to torture, in the course of 4 months of interrogations. Amnesty International's letter writing campaign on behalf of the disappeared contributed to Mr. Perez' release. Three students arrested with Mr. Perez disappeared forever, along with countless others. Soon after, Mr. Perez and his family left Guatemala; they were granted Political Amnesty by the United States in 1989.  His story will be of great inspiration for the 700+ students attending. 

Marvyn is available for interviews

at 818 277 1880

or via e-mail marvyn7@yahoo.com   

***

GOOD NEWS!

In June '08, the United Nations Security Council issued a Presidential Statement urging the government of Sudan to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Court (ICC).  
Thank you all for writing to the U.S. Ambassador to the UN urging the Security Council to take action to advance justice in Darfur.  Your letters made a difference.  
The statement is available at: http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/unsc_pres_
statements08.htm.

~~~
Watch videos of Amnesty Int'l memorable moments of
2007
2008: Holding Hope

 Since Amnesty International was founded in 1963, more than 44,000 individuals have been freed from prison,
protected from torture and ...

Here's where all of your hard work writing letters and sending emails pays off!