USA: Time to Release Indigenous Leader Leonard Peltier

 It is time for the USA authorities to release Leonard Peltier, an Anishinabe-Lakota Native American and leading member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), who, as of February 2015, will have been imprisoned for over 39 years despite serious concerns about the fairness of proceedings leading to his conviction.

Leonard Peltier was arrested on February 6, 1976, in connection with the murders of two FBI agents, Jack Coler and Ronald Williams, during a confrontation involving AIM members on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota in June 1975.  While he admits to having been present during the incident, Leonard Peltier, who in 1977 was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murders, has always denied killing the agents as alleged by the prosecution at his trial.  All legal appeals against Leonard Peltier’s conviction have been exhausted; his most recent petition for release on parole was denied by the pardon board in 2009, and he will not be eligible for parole again until 2024, when he will be 79.  Leonard Peltier is now 70 and after 39 years in prison he is in poor health.

Click here for more information, sample letter, and address information.

Nelson Mandela Foundation: Living the Legacy

"The Nelson Mandela Foundation contributes to a society that remembers its pasts, listens to all its voices, and pursues social justice in order to promote peace, human rights and democracy." Click here to learn more about this organization.

Iran: Journalist Jason Rezaian ONLINE PETITION and INFORMATION

Help keep this momentum going! – Update on "His Excellency, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei: We request the immediate and unconditional release of Jason Rezaian from Iranian custody." Click here for ONLINE PETITION sponsored by Change.org.

 

• Amnesty International Press Release: 1 August 2014 - "Iran: New wave of attacks against journalists as repression escalates."
• Amnesty International URGENT ACTION, Dec 9, 2014: "Iran- Iranian-American detained for journalism"
•  Human Rights Now Blog, Dec 8, 2014: "A Timely New Book and the Precarious Situation of Journalists in Iran," by Elise Auerbach

 

A Call by American Astronomer and Author Neil deGrasse Tyson for Becoming a Global Citizen

     Improving life for the poor will take contributions from everyone. Becoming a global citizen doesn’t mean you have to dedicate your life to helping the poor. It does mean you follow an issue of global importance—whether it’s one we wrote about in this letter, or another, like human rights or governance. You take a few minutes once in a while to learn about the lives of people who are worse off than you are."In 15 years, we went from no space program … to boot prints on the moon. I remember the day, because that was made possible … everything else was possible as well.”

     So what will it take to make sure that the lives of the poor improves faster in the next 15 years than ever before? Click here to become a Global Citizen and watch the Video (1:40 mins) by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Egypt: Free the Al Jazeera staff - ONLINE PETITION

As you’ve no doubt heard, we received some truly wonderful news today. Australian journalist, Peter Greste, is finally free after 400 days in an Egyptian prison cell. Successes like this are thanks to the actions of human rights defenders like you. Thank you.

You can be sure that Amnesty will continue to campaign for the freedom for Peter’s al Jazeera colleagues, Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy.

Please sign our action to #FreeAJStaff and share with your friends.

Amnesty International Daily Urgent Actions for the Week of Jan 30 to Feb 6, 2015

Click here for entire list of Urgent Actions for the week of January 30 to Feb 6.

      Countries for this week's Urgent Actions include: Brazil, Egypt, USA, Indonesia, Dominican Republic, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, and China.
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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. 

Saudi Arabia: Amnesty International Statement - Saudi Arabia must immediately release four detained women

Four daughters of King Abdullah,who died few days ago are under house arrest for 13 years.

Published on Mar 31, 2014 (5:32 min)

Saudi King Abdullah's daughters LIVE interview while they are Locked Up in the Palace !!

Published on Mar 10, 2014 (5:50 min)

Exclusive: in her first television interview, the former wife of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia claims her four daughters have suffered years trapped in the royal compound in Jeddah.

Statement from Amnesty International.