Sunday, September 29, 2019

SAUDI ARABIA: Report on Death Penalty - NEWS

Death Penalty Project, Sept 5, 2019.

At the time of writing the report, Baroness Kennedy states that Saudi Arabia was already known to have carried out at least 134 executions this year.

Her report, titled "A Perverse and Ominous Enterprise: The Death Penalty and Illegal Executions in Saudi Arabia" is a deeply troubling read.








Thursday, September 26, 2019

USA: 17 Prisoners Released - GOOD NEWS

Amnesty International, USA, September 24, 2019.

Because of you, 17 people are no longer living in harsh conditions behind bars—that’s simply amazing!  This includes:  Johan Teterissa from Indonesia, Shawkan an Egyptian photojournalist, released after 5 years and Aziza al-Yousef, Iman al-Nafjan and Dr. Ruqayyah al-Muharib, 3 Saudi women human rights activists, who spent more than 10 months in prison.

Good news like this is only possible because of the thousands of people who take action.


IRVINE, CA: Peace Day - EVENT

“PEACE DAY” 

An ongoing project of the Anti-Violence Campaign for Peace 

WHAT:

The International Health & Epidemiology Research Center (IHERC) will be hosting the 
25th Annual PEACE DAY, with the goal of violence prevention and intervention. 

After being educated about the hazards of real and toy guns, children will turn in their toy guns and violent video games for a certificate and a reward at this event.

The collected weapons will then be used by the children, themselves, to create works of art. Those who draw or write something peaceful and toward non-violence will also receive a peace certificate. Previously created art will be on display, as well. 

This event will take place at the Kids' Village, as a part of the 2019 Irvine Global Village Festival; 
Orange County's Largest Multicultural Festival, which is attended by over 20,000 people. At this 
festival, more than 100 cultures will share their music, food, and art with visitors from throughout 
Orange County and beyond. 

WHEN: Saturday, October 12, 2019 and Sunday, October 13, 2019, 10 am -5 pm 
WHERE:Orange County Great Park. 8000 
Great Park Blvd., Irvine, CA 92618 
*Our booth is located in the Kid's Village; Booth # TBA 
COST:$5 festival entry fee; Peace Day is FREE 

Local Supporters: America Medical Imaging Center (Burbank), KIRN-670AM, Iranianhotline.com, 
08 Iranian & 50-50-100 Iranian 

For info about IHERC, please contact Janet: 818-244-4674, 818-788-2662, info@iherc.org, www.iherc.org 

For info about Irvine’s Global Festival 2019: cityofirvine.org//globalvillage or (949)724-6606 


Sunday, September 22, 2019

BANGLADESH: Let Rohingya Student Return to School - ONLINE ACTION

Amnesty International, Canada, September 20, 2019.

University student Rohima Akter Khushi has been suspended from classes in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh just because she is Rohingya.

Rohima was in her second semester of studying law at the International University.


After an international news agency featured the 20-year-old woman in a video story as one of the very few Rohingya young women to have been able to achieve academic excellence, the private university suspended her from continuing further education at the institution on September 6th, 2019. The university authorities told Amnesty International that they suspended her education because no Rohingya can study in any public or private university.


Thursday, September 12, 2019

INDIA: Let Kashmir Speak - ONLINE ACTION

Amnesty International, USA, September 11, 2019.

On 5 August the Government of India stripped the Kashmir region of its special autonomy and shut down all phone and internet access. The government now has near-total control over the information coming out of Kashmir, a place which has witnessed serious human rights violations in the past. 

The blackout affects the daily lives of Kashmir’s people: their emotional and mental well-being, as well as their access to medical care, basic necessities and emergency services. 

Now with reports of mass arrests and detentions, torture of civilians and the soldiers using tear gas, rubber bullets and pellet guns against protesters, we have grave concerns of human rights violations happening without the world’s knowledge.




CHINA: Execution Pending of Uyghur Academic - URGENT ACTION

Amnesty International, USA, September 9, 2019.

Fears are mounting that the Chinese authorities will imminently carry out the execution of Tashpolat Tiyip, a prominent Uyghur academic who was convicted in a secret and grossly unfair trial. Subjected to an enforced disappearance in 2017, he has been arbitrarily detained since then. No information has been made available about charges and proceedings against him and his current whereabouts remain unknown.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

IRAN: Outrageous Sentences - PRESS RELEASE

Amnesty International, September 9, 2019.

 From the Press Release:  “These outrageous sentences are just the latest to be meted out by Iran’s cruel justice system and expose the authorities’ complete disregard for journalists and workers’ rights. 

We call on the Iranian authorities to quash these unjust verdicts and cruel sentences and immediately and unconditionally release all seven individuals.”

Sunday, September 8, 2019

IRAN: 111 Years Imprisonment for Rights Workers - NEWS

Iran Human Rights, September 8, 2019.


Iran Human Rights (IHR) once again urges the international community to react to the Iranian authorities' intensified crackdown of the civil society and human rights defenders in recent months. 


IRAN: Executions Increase - NEWS

Iran Human Rights, September, 2019.


According to the Iran Human Rights statistic department, at least 38 people were executed in August 2019 in Iran, including two public hangings and 36 executions inside prisons. 

Most of those executed (30), were sentenced to qisas (retribution in kind) for murder charges. Six others were executed for drug-related charges and 2 for Moharebeh (waging war against God).

Iranian officials or media have only announced 13 executions in August 2019. The rest were confirmed by Iran Human Rights (IHR). Only unannounced executions confirmed by two independent sources are included in our reports. Therefore, the actual number of executions may be even higher than reported.


The number of executions in August 2019 shows a rise compared with the same period last year. In August 2018, at least 20 people were executed in Iran. Moreover, 185 people have been executed between January 1 and August 31, 2019. This figure also shows a rise compare to the same period last year which 165 executions were recorded.


Tuesday, September 3, 2019

HONG KONG: Stop Extradition Bill - ONLINE ACTION

Amnesty International Australia. August 30, 2019.

Democracy campaigners in Hong Kong are not backing down. They are demanding their freedoms. Like you and I, they want to be able to peacefully protest without fear of violence or arrest. They want to know they can live safely, without the threat of being sent to abuse, even torture, in China.
Now, with news outlets reporting on the Hong Kong authority’s heavy-handed crackdown, we have a chance to dial up the global pressure and support protesters at this critical time.

Monday, September 2, 2019

USA: Amnesty International Banned Books - NEWS

Amnesty International, USA, Sept. 2, 2019.

Each year during Banned Books Week the American Library Associaon (ALA) calls attention to books that have been challenged in US Libraries. At the same time Amnesty International groups draw attention to people around the world who have been imprisoned, threatened, or murdered because of what they wrote or published or because of their work in the publishing or media industries. This year we look a small sample of many hundreds of worldwide cases while we continue to acknowledge and take action on unresolved cases from past years.