Update from Angie Hougas 11/29/2014

1) Amnesty Intl's University of Chicago's Write-A-Thon will features Hadiya Pendleton's Mother & Aunt speaking.

Chicago; on 29 Jan 2013, Hadiya was shot and killed at the age of 15.  She just finished her final exams and went to Chicago's Vivian Gordon Harsh Park with her friends.

This Write-A-Thon case is asking to pass the Youth P.R.O.M.I.S.E. Act to address gun violence

(Youth Youth P.R.O.M.I.S.E. Act = Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support, and Education)

2) Update on execution of former WI resident Scott Panetti

3) Update on Myanmar's Unity Journalists (raid of their newspaper happened in Feb of 2014)

Thanks you, Angie, one of our AI Madison Group #139 members!

Click here for entire update and details. 

Saudi Arabia Free Raif Badawi, an Online Activist Deadline: ASAP - ONLINE PETITION

Saudi Arabia Free Raif Badawi, an Online Activist Deadline: ASAP

Raif Badawi has been jailed for 10 years after starting a website for social and political debate in Saudi Arabia. Raif’s charges relate to articles he wrote criticising religious authorities in Saudi Arabia, as well as pieces written by others that were published on his website. The prosecution first called for him to be tried for apostasy (when a person abandons their religion), which carries a death sentence in Saudi Arabia. Then, in May this year, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, a fine of over $300,000 AUD and 1,000 lashes. On release, Raif faces a 10-year travel ban – which would keep him from his wife and three young children in Canada. Click here to call on the the King of Saudi Arabia to release Raif Badawi immediately and unconditionally.

Iran: Commemorating Ali Akbar Sa'idi-Sirjani - Pioneer of Civil Right Movement in Iran

On 13 March 1994 the renowned author and social critic Ali-Akbar Sa’idi-Sirjani, was arrested on charges such as “distributing drugs and alcoholic beverages”. He was kept incommunicado during his detention, and his lawyer was never allowed to meet him. Nine months later the authorities announced that Mr. Sirjani had “died” of a “heart attack” while in custody. According to his family, Mr. Sirjani had a healthy heart. 

Click here for entire article from Human Rights and Democracy in Iran.

Amnesty International | IRAN - Urgent Action - DEATH SENTENCE FOR ‘INSULTING THE PROPHET’

Photogrpaher Soheil Arabi, 30, was sentenced to death on 30 August 2014 for “insulting the Prophet of Islam” (Sabbo al-Nabbi) by a five-judge panel of Branch 76 of the Criminal Court of Tehran: three of the judges ruled in favour of the death penalty. The charge stems from postings Soheil Arabi made on eight Facebook accounts, which the authorities said belong to Soheil Arabi. The Supreme Court upheld the sentence on 24 November. In a separate case stemming from the same Facebook posts, Soheil Arabi was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for “spreading propaganda against the system” and “insulting the leader”, by a Tehran Revolutionary Court on 4 September.

Click here for entire Urgent Action information and addresses.

Daily Urgent Actions for the Week of Nov 26 to Dec 4, 2014

Click here for link to entire list of Daily Urgent Actions for the week of Nov 26 to December 4, 2014.

Countries for this week's Urgent Actions include: Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Dominican Republic, China, U.S.A., Kuwait, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, India, and Turkey. .
 

Note: Most Urgent Actions require a written letter. See our guidelines for writing letters. 

AI Madison Group #139 Weekly Update - Nov. 26, 2014

​Greetings Everyone!

     We invite you to read Steven Hawkins', the Amnesty International USA Executive Director, comments regarding the demonstrations and the news from Ferguson, Missouri. We also encourage you to read the Amnesty International Report, "On the Streets of America: Human Rights Abuses in Ferguson," that was published October 24, 2014. Group #139 hopes that the anger, frustration, and heartbreak felt by many throughout the U.S. will be expressed in peaceful and constructive actions. Stay safe.

     Some other ongoing Group #139 actions include: Write for Rights 2014, the 14 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence (25 Nov 10 to Dec2014), online petitions, and urgent actions. Join us and take action today!

     This week we have an abbreviated and "early" Weekly Update. Our website, Facebook, and Twitter posts may be delayed as I will be traveling and visiting with family over the holiday. However, keep sending your links and suggestions to our email address at group139@aiusa.org.We want to hear from you!

     Peace to All,

     -Debbie, Weekly Update Editor

Click here for entire Weekly Update. 

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence - Day 2

United Nations Population Fund article
     "Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. It knows no social, economic or national boundaries. Worldwide, an estimated one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.

     Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. Victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and even death."

Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. It knows no social, economic or national boundaries. Worldwide, an estimated one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.
Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. Victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and even death.
- See more at: http://www.unfpa.org/gender-based-violence#sthash.4Nmp7CZ7.dpuf

Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. It knows no social, economic or national boundaries. Worldwide, an estimated one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.
Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. Victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and even death.
- See more at: http://www.unfpa.org/gender-based-violence#sthash.4Nmp7CZ7.dpuf

Click here for complete article which includes news and resources about gender based violence. 

News on Gender-based violence

Art for Amnesty Facebook Post 11/25/2014

"As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him."

 Thank you, Art for Amnesty.

Write for Rights 2014: Nadya and Masha of Pussy Riot show their support for Write for Rights.

                                                        Published on Nov 24, 2014

                                                   Write a letter. Change a life. Click here!

Write for Rights 2014: Bring Raif Badawi home to his family - Video

Published on Nov 13, 2014

10 year old Doudi writes to his dad Raif Badawi in prison in Saudi Arabia.
Raif Badawi was jailed for 10 years and sentenced to 1,000 lashes after starting an online forum for social and political debate in Saudi Arabia. Demand his immediate release – write to the King of Saudi Arabia today.

Join Amnesty International's global letter writing marathon, Write for Rights 2014.
Every December, Amnesty supporters like you write millions of messages for people whose human rights are under attack. Your words will help release prisoners of conscience. Bring torturers to justice. And change laws to protect people’s freedom.

Click here for Write for Rights information and addresses for Raif Badawi.

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence - Starts TODAY

From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women
(25 November -- 10 December 2014)
The 16 Days campaign is an opportunity to show international solidarity in the fight to end violence against women. This year's theme--From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World--highlights the link between militarism and gender violence, as well as the role of women as peacemakers in their own homes and nations. Amnesty International joins with the 16 Days Campaign and with organizations and people all over the world to promote women's rights to peace and freedom from violence. Join with us these 16 days to stand against gender violence and help us end violence against women!

Click here to learn more about what YOU can do. 

UW Madison Event: Primer Minister of Tibetan government in exile to speak - Monday, Dec. 1, 2014

Dr. Lobsang Sangay, prime minister of Tibet's government in exile, will be on campus Monday, Dec. 1, to give a public lecture, "A Solution for Tibet?" The lecture will begin at 10 a.m. in the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery's DeLuca Forum, 330 North Orchard Street. Dr. Sangay, the first Tibetan to earn a doctorate in law (which he received from Harvard in 2004), was elected in 2011 to serve as the political leader, or "sikyong," of the Tibetan government in exile, which is based in Dharamshala, India. Dr. Sangay is the political successor to His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet. UW-Madison Professor Emeritus of Political Science Edward Friedman will introduce Dr. Sangay, who is on a tour of Tibetan communities across the U.S. and Canada.

U.S.A. Ferguson: Call for Peaceful Protests by Steven Hawkins, Amnesty International USA Executive Director - Nov. 24, 2014

 From Amnesty International Human Rights Blog, Steven W. Hawkins, Amnesty International USA Executive Director

Tue, 25/11/2014

      "Today, we learned that a grand jury in Ferguson decided not to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown - an unarmed 18-year-old - in August.

      I’m headed to Ferguson on behalf of people like the one pictured in this post. This little boy reminds us that his life – and all lives – matter. While we can’t all be in Ferguson in this moment, we can stand in solidarity today. As you share this image in support of peaceful protest, we ask that you remember the human rights of boys like this one.
And as law enforcement officers head to work today, we ask that they do the same."

For complete blog entry, click here.  

From Amnesty International: USA: Respect the right to peaceful demonstration in wake of Ferguson decision, Steven W. Hawkins, Amnesty International USA Executive Director

Tue, 25/11/2014

     "Amnesty International USA laid out its concerns about the protests in the report On the Streets of America: Human Rights Abuses in Ferguson. The report detailed observations on the ground including analysis of policing methods, such as the refusal to let people gather peacefully.The report also outlined the organization’s concern regarding Missouri’s state statute which appears to broadly authorize the use of lethal force. Amnesty International notes that the statute is not in line with international standards as it goes well beyond the requirement that lethal force only be used when strictly unavoidable to protect life.     As a matter of organizational policy, Amnesty International does not comment on grand jury decisions. The organization has deployed a team of human rights observers to Ferguson to monitor any protests and law enforcement response."

Click here for entire article.  

URGENT ACTIONS for the week of November 21, 24, 25, 2014

Click here for complete list of Daily Urgent Actions for the week of November 21, 2014

Countries for this week's Urgent Actions include:Afghanistan,  Israel/Palestinian Occupied Territories, Ukraine, Bahrain, and Mexico.

Note: Most Urgent Actions require a written letter. See our guidelines for writing letters. 

Good News! - Afghanistan: Authorities Commit to Ensuring Brishna's Safety

 AUTHORITIES COMMIT TO ENSURING BRISHNA'S SAFETY

"Following the conviction of Brishna’s rapist on 25 October, the Afghan authorities have now committed to ensuring her protection. The 10-year-old girl from Kunduz province is receiving medical and psychological attention." (Photo is blurry for her protection.)

Click here for complete update.

AI Madison Group #139 Weekly Update - November 21, 2014

Greetings Everyone,

    From Amnesty International's statement on President Obama's immigration statements to new online and Urgent Action petitions, this week's Weekly Update is filled with information and action tools. Join us as we become "one more voice" for human rights.   Thank you to the many contributors who have sent emails, links, and videos. We rely on you to keep our group informed.

    For those interested in our AI Madison Group #139 history, we have updated our History Section on the website with pictures and an obituary of Connie Blanchard, our first Group Leader. If time, click through the archive of photos taken throughout our 36 years. Enjoy!

    -Debbie, Weekly Update Editor

Click here for complete Weekly Update. 

One More Voice for Human Right - video

Published Published on Nov 21, 2014

Amnesty International Statement on President Obama’s Immigration Executive Order - November 20, 2014

"Most of all, today’s executive order could prevent millions of people from being exposed to the human rights violations that Amnesty International has previously documented in the United States’ immigration enforcement, detention and deportation program." - Amnesty International

Click here for full statement. 

Transgender Day of Remembrance: November 11, 2014

From the UW-Madison Amnesty International Facebook post:
Transgender Day
"Transgender Day of Remembrance is today. Trans people experience hate crimes at alarming rates. According to GLAAD’s fact sheets citing the 2011 Hate Violence Report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects, of the increasing number of anti-LGBT hate crime murders from 2010 to 2011, 40 percent were transgender women. Transgender people of color were also 28 percent more likely to experience physical violence than people who were not transgender people of color. Today, we remember those who have lost their lives simply because they chose to express themselves for who they truly are by not conforming to strict binaries of gender expression.
- See more at: http://www.progressive.org/…/transgender-day-remembrance-co…

All 50 States in the U.S.: National Vigil for all Victims of Gun Violence — DEC. 11, 2014

From the Newtown Action Alliance:
     On December 11, vigils across the U.S. will be raising awareness about gun violence and commemorate the 2nd anniversary of Sandy Hook school shooting massacre. "By December 2014, the 2nd anniversary of the Newtown shootings, more than 60,000 Americans nationwide will have died from gunshot wounds. We must continue to shine a light on the epidemic of gun violence in our nation until these gun deaths are reduced.

Event: L. A. 
Click here for more information.
 In Los Angeles County, individuals and communities will participate in our #LightLA campaign. On December 11 at 7 pm, individuals will place candles in their windows and communities will gather in neighborhoods, schools, and places of worship to light candles both to remember those lost to gun violence and to commit to taking action to prevent future tragedies.

Event: Washington D.C.
Click here for more information.

The Newtown Foundation in partnership with the Washington National Cathedral, States United to Prevent Gun Violence and Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence will host a 2nd annual national vigil service of mourning and loving remembrance for all who have fallen victim to the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in America on December 11th in Washington D.C. -near the 2nd anniversary date of the Sandy Hook tragedy.  Please join families of victims of gun violence and special guests in honoring all Americans affected by gun violence."

Dominican Republic: PROPOSED REFORM PUTS WOMEN AND GIRLS AT RISK - URGENT ACTION

"On 18 November the Dominican Parliament adopted a comprehensive reform of the Criminal Code which maintains full criminalization of abortion. It is now with the President of the Republic to enact into law. If enacted, it would violate the rights of women and girls."

Click here for addresses and more information about this important issue. 

USA: Scott Panetti, TEXAS SET TO EXECUTE SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL MAN - URGENT ACTION & ONLINE PETITION

Scott Panetti, a 56-year-old man whose serious mental illness predated and contributed to the 1992 double murder for which he was sent to death row, and which infected his trial and persists to this day, is scheduled to be executed in Texas on 3 December.  

Click here Amnesty International Urgent Action addresses and information.

Click here for an online petition sponsored by his sister.