ARGENTINA: Mother Deported - URGENT ACTION

Amnesty International, USA, March 27, 2019.

On 4 February, Vanessa Gómez Cueva, a Peruvian citizen with residence status in Argentina for over 15 years, was deported along with her two-year-old Argentinian son. 

She was forced to leave behind her two other children (aged 5 and 14), who are also Argentinian. She was not allowed to say goodbye. 

The deportation order was based on a criminal conviction, for which Vanessa had served a sentence in 2014. The National Migrations Office must reverse this order, which violates the rights of the children under national and international law and reunite Vanessa and her children.

CLICK HERE to TAKE ACTION

BELARUS: Protect Rights of Juvenile Prisoners - URGENT ACTION

Amnesty International, US, March 21, 2019.

Emil Astrauko and Vasily Sauchanka are held in a juvenile prison in Belarus in conditions which violate their human rights and are subjected to harassment and discrimination by the prison authorities. Following flawed trials in 2018, they were sentenced to 10 years in prison each for minor drug offences. They were 17 years old at the time of their arrest. Their case is emblematic of thousands of teenagers imprisoned in appalling conditions following unfair trials for minor drug-related offenses.

CLICK HERE to TAKE ACTION

UK: Sign a Mother's Day card for Nazanin

From Ellie Kennedy, Amnesty International UK:

It truly saddens us to say that this Mother’s Day will be the third one that Nazanin and her daughter Gabriella will spend apart.

That’s three times more than they've spent together.
That’s why we want to do something special for Nazanin. We’re going to send a Mother’s Day card to the Iranian embassy – to remind them how this family has been broken apart.

Will you help spread the love by signing the card?

On Friday 29 March we’ll take our card to the Iranian Embassy with Nazanin’s husband, Richard. 

Along with us we’ll bring 155 bunches of flowers – 1 for every week she’s been in prison.

We want this to be the biggest Mother’s Day card ever – so we can show Nazanin just how many people have her in their hearts.

Will you join us by signing the card and asking others to do the same?

Click here to sign the card!

Nazanin's Story

This year Mother’s Day also falls just before the third anniversary of Nazanin’s arrest on 3 April 2016. Even though she has been offered diplomatic protection by the UK government, the Iranian regime continue to reject her dual national status, and show no signs of releasing her.

In fact, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Republic, the Supreme Leader has announced that he will pardon some 50,000 prisoners to mark the occasion – but Nazanin’s name is not on the list. 

That’s why we’re making this card – to remind them that we’re watching, and we demand that Nazanin should be immediately and unconditionally released. So that next Mother’s Day, Nazanin can spend it with her daughter. And receive these flowers in person.

Please help by signing the card today, and by sharing this page, so we can show Nazanin how many people are thinking of her this Mother’s Day.

UKRAINE: Women's Day Rally Protected - GOOD NEWS

Amnesty International, March 17, 2019.

The International Women’s Day rally organised by human rights defender Vitalina Koval in Uzhgorod, western Ukraine, on 8 March was a success. Participants were well protected by the police and able to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly safely.

This was a highly significant change, as Women’s day events organised by Vitalina Koval in 2017 and 2018 had been targeted by far-right groups and the police failed to protect participants. 

CLICK HERE to LEARN MORE

EVENT: Virgil for New Zealand Victims - Thursday, March 21 in Milwaukee

IRAN: Women's Rights Defender Sentenced - URGENT ACTION UPDATE

Amnesty International, USA, March 14, 2019.

Prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes after two grossly unfair trials. The charges against her stem solely from her peaceful human rights work, including defending women’s rights and her outspoken opposition to the death penalty.

CLICK HERE to TAKE ACTION

USA: Youth Climate Strike

ACTION NETWORK:

Students across the country and around the world will be striking to demand that action be taken to counteract global climate change.

We at MARCH ON have had the enormous privilege of supporting these inspiring students in their fight for the future of our planet. It’s up to all of us to take up the fight, demand action now, and support the youth of America.  

CLICK HERE to LEARN MORE

IRAN: Conservationists Face Death Penalty - URGENT ACTION

Amnesty International, US, March 12, 2019.

Eight detained conservationists could face the death penalty or long prison sentences, following a grossly unfair trial in which they were accused of trumped-up spying charges. Their charges stem solely from their conservation activities including carrying out research into Iran’s endangered wildlife. They have said they were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.

CLICK HERE to LEARN MORE & to TAKE ACTION

TAJIKISTAN: Activist Released - GOOD NEWS

Amnesty International, USA, March 6, 2019.

On 2 March Sharofiddin Gadoev was transferred without identification documents from Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital, to Frankfurt, Germany, and returned safely to the Netherlands the same day. He is the leader of Group 24, an opposition political movement banned in Tajikistan, who legally resides in the Netherlands.

Sharofiddin Gadoev was arbitrarily detained on 14 February by the authorities in Moscow, during a trip to meet representatives of the Russian Security Council. On 15 February, he reappeared in Dushanbe, and on 20 February he was transferred to an undisclosed place by officers from the Tajik Interior Ministry and special forces. The Tajik authorities did not disclose his whereabouts or lay official criminal or administrative charges against the activist.

CLICK HERE to LEARN MORE

AZERBAIJAN: Imprisoned Blogger Freed - GOOD NEWS

Amnesty International, USA, March 6, 2019.

Azerbaijani prisoner of conscience Mehman Huseynov was released on 2 March after having served two years in prison on trumped-up charges of defaming policemen.

Mehman Huseynov, is a blogger and anti-corruption activist, known for his journalism work denouncing corruption on the part of senior Azerbaijani officials. In March 2017, a Baku court sentenced Mehman Huseynov to two years in prison on charges of defaming an entire police station, after he gave a statement in front of the courthouse in which he described the abuses he had suffered at that police station.

On 26 December 2018, months before his scheduled release, Azerbaijani authorities brought new criminal charges against Mehman Huseynov with the aim to extend his stay behind bars. Following intense domestic and international pressure, the authorities dropped the charges, paving the way for Mehman Huseynov’s eventual release on 2 March.

CLICK HERE to READ MORE

IRAN: Human Rights Lawyer Faces 34 Years in Prison - URGENT ACTION

Amnesty International, USA, March 4, 2019.

Prominent detained Iranian human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, faces up to 34 years in prison and 148 lashes, after two grossly unfair trials. The charges against her stem solely from her peaceful human rights work, including her defence of women protesting Iran’s abusive forced hijab (veiling) laws, and her outspoken opposition to the death penalty.

CLICK HERE to TAKE ACTION

FILM SCREENING: "She's Beautiful When She's Angry" - Saturday, March 9th in Madison

In honor of Women's History Month 2019, the Barrymore Theatre is hosting a screening of the film "She's Beautiful When She's Angry" on Saturday, March 9th at 7:00pm. Tickets are $10 in advance $12 day of show with a special Student rate of $5. Film creator Mary Dore will be on-hand for a conversation following the film!

• Learn more about the film here
• More details about the film screening here
• Facebook event here

MADISON WISCONSIN: American Friends Service Committee - GAZA EVENT

American Friends Service Committee, March 2019.

Join AFSC in cities across the country to hear from Ahmed Abu Artema, a Palestinian writer and activist who believes in civil nonviolent struggle to achieve justice, freedom, and equality.

His visionary writings about nonviolence inspired the Great March of Return in 2018, and have appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, Journal of Palestine Studies, Middle East Eye, and other outlets. 

Madison Wisconsin Event is Sunday, March 3 from 2-4 at First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Dr.

See American Friends Service Committee Website for more information.