Jewish-Arab Jamming in Jerusalem - Video (3:35 min)

Reposting this video from Rhythm & Rights' Facebook page. Angie Hougas, the organizer of that group, is also a member of Amnesty International Madison Group #139. Thank you for this link.

Jewish-Arab Jamming in Jerusalem - Video

Published on Dec 18, 2014

     On 6 November 2014, over two thousand young people (and those who are simply young at heart) gathered near downtown Jerusalem to celebrate life. The "Simply Singing" initiative, which began at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, aims at bringing Jews and Arabs together through shared cultural events. For more information, click here. There is more information under the YouTube description.

USA: US Government Must End Solitary Confinement, a Cruel and Inhumane Practice - ONLINE PETITION February deadline!

 Over 80,000 people on any one day are held in isolation in US prisons. That’s 22-24 hours a day confined to a cell for months, years or decades in conditions of severe social and physical isolation. In February, Amnesty International will be delivering petitions to demand that Secretary Kerry take action.
  
My name is Dolores Canales, and when I think of solitary confinement, I think of my son. My son John Martinez is a Pelican Bay Security Housing Unit prisoner. He has been in solitary confinement for 14 years.


Sign this ONLINE PETITION today.

Click here for an Amnesty International article, "USA: Prisoners held in Extreme Solitary Confinement in Breach of International Law," July 16, 2014.

Nuclear Zero Lawsuits and Non-Proliferation Treaty Information - ONLINE PETITION

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) prevents the proliferation of nuclear weapons and obligates nations to negotiate for global disarmament. The treaty entered into force in 1970 and 190 countries have signed it – the most signatories of any arms control agreement. The Nuclear Zero Lawsuits challenge the nine nuclear-armed nations to keep their legal and moral obligations.

In this picture, the Foreign Minister of the Marshall Islands, Tony de Brum, explains in an interview the impact the nuclear tests had and still have for his citizens and what he hopes this lawsuit can achieve for the island state and the world community. (Huffington Post, "The Emotional and Psychological Trauma to our People Can't be Measured in Real Terms," by Lia Petridis Maiello Jan 7, 20115)

 Click here for more information and the ONLINE PETITION regarding Nuclear Zero.

Note: One of our members submitted the link to this ONLINE PETITION. Although nuclear non-proliferation is not specifically an Amnesty International issue, the Arms Trade Treaty and the spreading of peace certainly is.

Myanmar: Four Protesters Detained - URGENT ACTION

   On 30 December 2014, human rights activists Daw Naw Ohn Hla, Daw Sein Htwe, U Nay Myo Zin and Ko Tin Htut Paing were arrested for participating in a peaceful protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in Yangon. All four are currently detained in Insein prison, Yangon. Along with protesters Daw San San Win, Daw Mya Nyunt, and Ko Thant Zin, the four have been charged with protesting without permission and also with a series of offenses including: publishing or circulating information which may cause public fear or alarm and may incite persons to commit offenses "against the State or against the public tranquility," assaulting or preventing a public servant from the discharge of his duty, rioting, doing obscene acts in public, and “intimidation.”
    Amnesty International believes these charges to be politically motivated and without foundation. If convicted on all counts, they each could face more than eight years’ imprisonment. Their first court hearing is scheduled for 13 January 2015.

 Please consider writing a letter today!

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

Another news article link:

1. Mizzima Dec 31, 2014: "Activists Arrested," Min Min, Kyaw Soe Moe 

URGENT ACTIONS for the Week of January 3 to January 10, 2015

      Click here for entire list of Urgent Actions for the week of January 3, 2015.

      Countries for this week's Urgent Actions include: Myanmar, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Tunisia, and Sri Lanka.

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.

Chicago, USA: Book Event with Former New York Times Iran Correspondent Nazila Fathi - Jan 22, 2015 REMINDER

The Perils of Being a Journalist in Iran

Book Event with Former New York Times Iran Correspondent Nazila Fathi

Ms Fathi will talk about her new book The Lonely War: One Woman’s Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran which will be available for purchase and signing by the author. She was the longest serving correspondent for the New York Times based in Tehran and before that reported from the country for TIME and Agence France-Presse. She has written for the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, Vogue, and Harvard Nieman Report and has been a guest speaker on CNN, BBC, CBC and NPR.
The Book Cellar, 4736-38 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago January 22 at 7 pm. This event is sponsored by Amnesty International USA, the Association for Women Journalists, Chicago and the Committee to Protect Journalists

Click here for more information. 

Note:  Link to previous post on December 12, 2014

Egypt: Demand to Release 3 Al Jazeera Journalists - ONLINE PETITIONS

     On January 1, 2015, an Egyptian court called for a retrial of the three jailed Al Jazeera journalists. Baher Mohamed, Mohamed Fahmy and Peter Greste were charged with "airing case news” about the country’s political situation and alleged assistance to the Muslim Brotherhood movement and jailed for seven to ten years. While we welcome the news of a retrial, these three men should never have been imprisoned. Instead of prolonging their unjust detention, they must be freed immediately. Click here (Amnesty International Australia) to call on the Egyptian President to release Baher Mohamed, Mohamed Fahmy and Peter Greste immediately and unconditionally.

ONLINE PETITIONS include: 
1. Amnesty International Australia. Click here.
2. Amnesty International Canada. Click here.
3. Change.org (ONLINE PETITION). Click here.
4. Change.org (ONLINE PETITION). Click here for second petition sponsored by Change.org.
5. Reporters without Borders (ONLINE PETITION). Click here.

NOTE: Amnesty International News Update, Jan 2, 2015: "Egypt: Retrial of Al Jazeera Journalists Must Pave Way to their Unconditional Freedom."