Amnesty International: Shine a light on refugee bashing

Amnesty International USA

Amnesty has been working on the front lines of the Syria crisis since it erupted over four years ago.

• We've sent crisis investigators into Syria to research human rights atrocities and we have released reports that have garnered widespread media coverage, calling attention to the severity of the conflict.
• We've been working in Greece, Hungary and Jordan documenting treatment of refugees and inspecting detention centers.
• We've been pressuring governments - like those of the Gulf States, the U.K., U.S. and Canada - to take in more refugees.
• We have lobbied Congress to robustly support resettlement programs in other countries where over 80% of the global refugee population is currently housed.

Burkina Faso: Denied the decision about whether to have children - ONLINE ACTION

Amnesty International UK

      Héléne didn’t know contraception existed until she already had three children – aged 22. Women and girls in Burkina Faso are being discriminated against by a system that won’t let them make their own decisions about education, healthcare and contraception.

Ask Burkina Faso’s next President to pledge to empower and enable women and girls to make their own choices about their bodies and their lives.

Click here for more information and ONLINE ACTION. 

Angelina Jolie Meets Syria's Lost Children - VIDEO (8:59 min)

Published on Mar 27, 2014

UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visited Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, to meet 11 year old Hala and her five siblings who arrived as orphans from Syria's war. After seeing their mother killed and their home destroyed they fled to Lebanon and now struggle to support themselves.

"If she came here for just one day I would never let her go. I'd fall asleep beside her. I'd tell her - I love you Mom. I miss you. Come back to us." Hala told us.

See 2015 video, when Angelina returned to visit Hala and her siblings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLpj9...

 

Iran: Salar Shadizadi, Juvenile offender, faces the gallows again #SaveSalar- URGENT ACTION before Nov 28, 2015

Amnesty International
Juvenile offender Salar Shadizadi has been rescheduled for execution on Saturday 28 November, despite the prohibition on the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders under international law and standards, and his right to be granted a re-trial under Iran’s own domestic law. 
 
Salar Shadizadi, now aged 24, was sentenced to death by Branch 11 of the Provincial Criminal Court of Gilan Province in December 2007 for stabbing his childhood friend. He was 15 years old at the time. The sentence was upheld by Branch 37 of the Supreme Court in March 2008 and approved by the Head of the Judiciary in May 2013. Since then, the authorities have twice scheduled the execution and later postponed it. They have, however, failed to take the steps necessary to ensure that Salar Shadizadi is granted a re-trial, even though the General Board of Iran’s Supreme Court has ruled that all those on death row for crimes committed when they were under 18 are entitled to receive a re-trial based on the new juvenile sentencing provisions of Iran’s 2013 Islamic Penal Code. 

Click here for ENTIRE Urgent Action.  

Iran: Authorities must stop execution of young man convicted of murder in unfair trial - NEWS

Amnesty International
Nov 23, 2015

     The execution of a 25-year-old man who has been sentenced to death after an unfair trial lacking basic safeguards would be both cruel and an aberration of justice, said Amnesty International today following an announcement that he will be hanged at Raja’i Shahr Prison in Karaj, near Tehran at dawn tomorrow.

     Alireza Shahi was sentenced to death in June 2012 under the Islamic legal principle of qesas (retribution-in-kind) for involvement in a fatal stabbing which took place during a fight among several young men in December 2008 when he was 18 years old. After his arrest he was placed in detention for two weeks where he says he was tortured and otherwise ill-treated to confess. He was also denied access to both a lawyer and his family.

Click here to read the ENTIRE NewsFlash from Amnesty. 

GOOD NEWS: Thanks to you Ablikim was released!

Amnesty International
     Last year, Amnesty supporters like you helped free human rights defenders unjustly imprisoned in China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia and other countries.
     On Thanksgiving Day last year, Ablikim Abdiriyim, the son of noted human rights activist Rebiya Kadeer was in jail. Like his mother, he had been peacefully championing the rights of Uighurs, an ethnic minority group that has been persecuted by the Chinese government for decades.
     He was thrown in jail, beaten and tortured. We feared for his life.

But despite the odds, Amnesty supporters rallied. We wrote letters. We called Chinese authorities in embassies around the world. We profiled Ablikim’s case in the media. We got the attention of leaders in the U.S. government.
     And now, he has been released.
     Ablikim - and his mother - are living proof that Amnesty's unique approach saves lives.

 In Solidarity,

Steven W. Hawkins
Executive Director
Amnesty International USA

USA: No Refugee-Bashing in My Name! I Demand a Fix to the Broken System - ONLINE PETITION

Amnesty International USA
     "Tell Washington to act to help protect refugees Worldwide. There are 60 million refugee and displaced persons. 19.5 million have sought asylum. All countries have an obligation to help, but most rich countries have left poorer, mainly Middle Eastern, African and South Asian countries to host 86% of the global refugee population."

Click here for more information and ONLINE PETITION. 

16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Violence - November 25 - December 10, 2015

Amnesty International USA Women's Human Rights Coordination Group
     Today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.  Visit www.amnestyusa.org/16days 

Violence against women and girls is a global epidemic. Gender-based violence affects women and girls in every country, in every community. But we can end gender-based violence!

This year's theme--Make Education Safe for All--highlights the relationship between militarism and the right to education in situations of relative peace, violent conflict, and a variety of other education settings.

Throughout 16 Days, we'll feature blogs and actions on each of the following themes-- check our blog for updated content and to stay connected all 16 Days!

Click here for more information. 

Amnesty International Daily URGENT ACTIONS - Nov 25 to Dec 4, 2015

Click here for entire list of URGENT ACTION for the week of Nov 25 to Dec 4. (This post is updated daily.) 

     Countries include: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Mexico, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Oman, Congo, Egypt, and Tunisia.

 Note: Most Urgent Actions require a written letter. See our guidelines for writing letters.  Countries are added to this list during the week. The link contains all Urgent Actions for the week.

Mexico: Yecenia Armenta beaten, sufficated, and raped - ONLINE PETITION

Amnesty International Australia

     Yecenia was hung upside down, suffocated, beaten and raped. Stopping at nothing, her attackers even threatened to find and kill her two children.
     After enduring 15 hours of this savage attack, a blindfolded Yecenia signed a confession that she never even read. Despite independent medical evidence proving that Yecenia was in fact tortured, her so-called ‘confession’ remains the only proof of her involvement in the murder. A crime she insists she did not commit.
     Yecenia has spent three years in prison and the prosecution has failed to present any evidence of the crime she is accused of. She should be at home with her children and not in a prison cell.

Click here for more information and ONLINE PETITION. 

El Salvador: Suffering a still-birth is not a crime. Free Teodora del Carmen Vasquez - ONLINE PETITION

Amnesty International USA
     Teodora del Carmen Vasquez called emergency services when she started experiencing increasingly severe pain at work. She went into labor, and was unconscious when she gave birth in the bathroom of her workplace. When she regained consciousness, bleeding profusely, her baby was stillborn. Police at the scene arrested her.  Does this sound like a crime to you?
      In El Salvador, an extreme abortion ban has created a culture of suspicion and criminalization of women - particularly poor women. It has created a climate of fear. Teodora was convicted in 2008 of "aggravated homicide" and sentenced to 30 years in prison. She has spent the last 8 years in jail.

Click here for more information and ONLINE PETITION. 

AIUSA: Amnesty International USA Statement on Reggie Clemons - PRESS RELEASE Nov 25, 2015

AIUSA
     "The Missouri Supreme Court yesterday threw out the first-degree murder conviction and death sentence of Reggie Clemons, who was sentenced to death in St. Louis as an accomplice to a 1991 murder of two young women. Steven W. Hawkins, executive director of Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), issued the following statement in response:
     “Reggie Clemons’ case has long highlighted many of the flaws in the U.S. death penalty system. The decision by the Missouri Supreme Court is an acknowledgement of the deeply flawed process that led to his death sentence. From the police investigation to the appeals process, his case was dogged by serious problems, allegedly including police brutality, racial bias, a stacked jury and prosecutorial misconduct."

Click here for ENTIRE PRESS RELEASE. 

AI Madison Group #139 Weekly Update -November 24, 2015 (Early because of the holiday!)

Greetings Everyone!

     Our website is so full of information. Our tabs will take you to Online Petitions, Urgent Actions, Human Rights News, Videos, Reports, Photos, and Our Blog, "Open Forum." Our sidebar includes: Contact information, Action Now Links, Upcoming Events, AI & Human Rights Links, and a search box. The newest addition to the sidebar is a link to the Action Toolkit: 2015 Amnesty International Syrian Refugee. We encourage you to check out our website and take action!

     As we join family and friends for the holidays, conversations may become passionate. Here are some practical tips from  Amnesty International Australia to deal with those "uncomfortable" situations. How to talk about human rights with anyone - ACTION

On a more humorous vein, here is a very funny and yet poignant sketch from Saturday Night Live. Enjoy "A Thanksgiving Miracle."
     From our Group Leader, Azam: "Wishing everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving weekend and be thankful to our freedom to celebrate as we wish without fear."   

     -Debbie, Weekly Update Editor

Click here for ENTIRE Weekly Update.

Write for Rights: Webinar - Dec 2, 2015 9:00 PM (GMT-5:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Amnesty International USA

Dear Amnesty Supporter, 

     Join us on December 2 at 9:00PM (Eastern)/6:00PM(Pacific) to have your questions about Write for Rights answered during this live, interactive webinar with Zeke Johnson, Senior Director of AIUSA’s Individuals at Risk Program. 

     Write for Rights is our movement’s largest annual grassroots campaign. In a nutshell, we write letters on 12 urgent human rights cases from around the world—people like Waleed abu Al-Khair, a human rights lawyer and prisoner of conscience in Saudi Arabia jailed for his work, including his efforts for Raif Badawi, the Saudi blogger sentenced to 10 years and 1,000 lashes for expressing his opinion.

     Learn how you can help free Waleed, just as the campaign helped free others last year, including Moses Akatugba, who walked free after spending 10 years on death row in Nigeria. After this webinar, you’ll feel confident in your ability to “Write a Letter and Change a Life.” 

     To sign up for Write for Rights, visit www.amnestyusa.org/w4r

     In Service,

     Zeke Johnson

US Congress: Block gun sales to suspected terrorists - ONLINE PETITION

Submitted by one of our AI Madison Group #139 members and may or may not reflect official Amnesty International policy: 

Tell Congress to stand up to the NRA and block gun sales to suspected terrorists http://every.tw/1OoqELu  #TerrorGap

AIUSA: Reject American SAFE Act of 2015 - CALL TODAY

 Dear AI Supporter:

 

We’re contacting you at a critical moment asking you to call your Senator immediately to vote NO on the upcoming bill limiting entry to the U.S. to Iraqi and Syrian refugees.

• Please, call your senator NOW.  Click here to find your Senators by state.  Ring both Senators to express your support for refugees and your rejection of this bill.

Sample Script:

Hi, my name is ______ and I am calling from (city/state) to urge Senator ________ to vote NO on the upcoming bill targeted at Iraqi and Syrian refugees.  

 

Refugees already face a lengthy and extremely detailed and well-vetted refugee screening and process.

 

For example, Syrian refugees to be considered for resettlement in the U.S. will have already been vetted by the UN, even before they go through a US vetting process led by the Department of Homeland Security.  Priority will be given to the most vulnerable refugees, including torture survivors, people with serious medical conditions, children and teenagers on their own and women and children at risk.

 

Please vote NO on the bill to impose more barriers to refugees.

• Want to do more?

Organize locally to support refugees in your community. Download the Amnesty International Syrian Refugee Activist Toolkit. 

 

Ernest Coverson, Field Organizer

1 N. Lasalle Ste 875

Chicago, IL 60602

312-435-6386 Office

@amnestyernest

We must not close our hearts to refugees – it won’t make us any safer - NEWS

Amnesty International UK
Nov 17, 2015

  "In the wake of callous acts of terror committed in Paris on Friday, now more than ever is a time to stand up for human rights and unite against the perpetrators of hate, violence and brutality wherever they are from and whomever they target.

   Those who commit acts of terror aim to inspire fear, cause division and cow us all into abandoning our most vital and cherished values. It is therefore critical that the response to such atrocities is grounded in human rights, the rule of law and justice. We must stand together in solidarity to oppose those that seek to attack these principles."

Click here for ENTIRE article.

How to talk about human rights with anyone - ACTION

Amnesty International Australia
Nov 19, 2015

    I recently had the pleasure of hearing renowned linguist Anat Shenker-Osorio speak on how we can get our messages to resonate with more people. It got me thinking about all the difficult, and sometimes awkward, conversations I’ve had with people on things I care about, and the error of how I handled their objections.
     My argument technique was simple: ‘logic’ them over to my way of thinking. Counter their words with the facts, because no one can possibly argue with cold, hard facts! (pro tip: they totes can).
The result? I have ‘agreed to disagree’ with racist cab drivers. I’ve found myself deep into the refugee crisis with pub pundits who didn’t realise what they were in for. I’ve been accused of pretentiousness and hypocrisy when championing a free-range meat selection at the supermarket.
     I’ve learnt the hard way something that Anat takes as a ‘yeah, duh’ moment: facts don’t sway people.
     I’ve also now found my friendship circles filling with ‘community organisers’ who mobilise everyday people to petition/rally/write to their MPs on important issues. A common conversational approach used in community organising is to ‘explore, equalise, elevate’.
Next time you feel your blood pressure rising, try this to get the outcome you want.

Click here for ENTIRE article.

Help End Child Slavery in Crisis Situations - ONLINE PETITION

WalkFree.org
    Yassan, a 14 year-old boy displaced to a city in the north of Jordan, works 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, earning less than $1 per hour. As a result of torture during the Syrian conflict, his father is paralyzed from the waist down. Yassan’s mother works as a maid to help contribute to the family unit but has a life-threatening blood condition and can only work a few hours daily.¹ With a lack of resources and no access to educational opportunities, Yassan suffers this exploitation to help his family survive.

    Yassan’s story is not unusual. As the world marks Universal Children’s Day, more than 20 million children living in conflict and disaster zones around the globe still have no access to education, making them extremely vulnerable to exploitation and child slavery. 
Please join us once again in helping children living in conflict zones by asking your friends and family to take action too.
     In solidarity,
     Alex, Joanna and the whole Walk Free team

Click here for ONLINE PETITION.

Amnesty International Daily URGENT ACTIONS - Nov 20 to Nov 27, 2015

Click here for entire list of URGENT ACTION for the week of Nov 20 to November 27. (This post is updated daily.) 

     Countries include: Lesotho, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.

 Note: Most Urgent Actions require a written letter. See our guidelines for writing letters.  Countries are added to this list during the week. The link contains all Urgent Actions for the week.

#RefugeesWelcome: Faith Resources to Counter This Week's Anti-Refugee Vote

National Religious Campaign Against Torture
Nov 21, 2015

Yesterday the House of Representatives voted for a bill that would shut the door in the faces of refugees who are fleeing violence in Syria and other locations.  That same day, hearings in the House and Senate focused on the need to “keep America safe” – suggesting that our country was not brave enough to help those who are victims of violence.

Some in the House stood up for refugees and voted against the anti-refugee bill, but far too many supported it.  Please write to your Representative now. 

As faith communities gather this weekend, we encourage you to stand up to the fear and hate that is rampant in this moment of heightened anti-Muslim bigotry as you’ve undoubtedly seen expressed on social media and cable news, and by governors and Presidential candidates.  Many faith groups and denominations have distributed statements and resources, and NRCAT will continue to update this resource list.  These include messages of welcome to refugees of all faiths, and talking points that can be used for sermons and prayers.  If you have a resource that should be added, please email me.

Sincerely,

T.C. Morrow
Director of Finance & Operations
Staff for NRCAT’s Addressing Anti-Muslim Bigotry Program

Amnesty International Canada: Human Rights News

Nov 20, 2015

•  A Syrian refugee's incredible journey to Canada
•  10 Ways you can change a life on December 10th!
•  Together, we can end the de-humanizing act of torture
•  GOOD NEWS! Arif Yunus released pending appeal hearing BUT HIS WIFE STILL NEEDS YOUR HELP!
• THANK YOU! Sudanese woman's conviction overturned
•  November Book Club Pick: The Inconvenient Indian

Click here for ENTIRE Human Rights News.

What does school mean to you - VIDEO (2:00 min)

A World at School

Published on Nov 20, 2015

What does school mean to you?

We asked children in countries impacted by conflict and natural disasters what school meant to them. We have heard from children in Gaza, Central African Republic, Malawi, Lebanon, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Nigeria. What do you think?

They're #UpForSchool - are you? Watch & then share your answer!

And join 10 million others around the world - sign the petition at upforschool.org

Iran: Campaign in support of children rights activists in Iran - NEWS

Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran
Nov 20, 2015

     In Iran, children rights activists do not get award, they get prison sentence!

Millions of children as young as four years old are working long hours to be able to survive in Iran. They grow up without being able to enjoy their childhood. They are deprived of their rights as a child and their dreams are shattered by poverty.  The Islamic regime has turned a blind eye on the misery of poor children.

     There are no supports for deprived children by the government in Iran and ordinary people find ways to support these children as much as they can.  There are many individuals who use their own time and resources and put their lives at risk to defend these children. They teach them how to read, write and draw; help them to keep their dreams alive; give them voice and hope. These individuals and the NGOs they work for have become the only support and hope for deprived children in Iran.

Click here for ENTIRE article. 

AI Madison Group #139 Weekly Member List of "Other" Links & Petitions - Nov 27, 2015

We have such a wonderful membership! Not only do we hold human rights dear to our hearts but there are also  other issues such as the environment, poverty, children's health, etc that can be related to human rights but may not be addressed by Amnesty International. 

Here are some of those links submitted by our members:

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign - Nov 25 to Dec 10, 2015

United Nations Women

Join us! 

• Share your photos, messages and videos showing how you orange your world at facebook.com/SayNO.UNiTE and twitter.com/SayNO_UNiTE using #orangetheworld. For more information about “Orange the world,” see poster and download toolkit.
• Facebook:  Orange your profile picture to say NO to violence against women and girls! http://j.mp/twibbon16days ‪#‎orangetheworld‬ ‪#‎16days‬

For more information about Orange Day, please contact Anna Alaszewski, UNiTE Campaign Coordinator, anna.alaszewski[at]unwomen.org

Join us! Share your photos, messages and videos showing how you orange your world at facebook.com/SayNO.UNiTE and twitter.com/SayNO_UNiTE using #orangetheworld. For more information about “Orange the world,” see poster and download toolkit.
For more information about Orange Day, please contact Anna Alaszewski, UNiTE Campaign Coordinator, anna.alaszewski[at]unwomen.org
- See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/take-action/16-days-of-activism#sthash.cmsPGgx4.dpuf

Click here for more information.