to write letters but not as part of a team so am changing this one. Having a general tidy up this morning. 2 years ago

2 years ago

to education! 2 years ago

of yesterday’s vigil. not bad, not bad. 2 years ago

is an international day of action calling for an end to the segregation of Romani children in Slovakia’s schools.

you can read more and watch a short video here. it breaks my heart to see these children excluded from the outset, solely because of their origin.

and you can take action by mailing the Slovakian prime minister here

this is a brand new action, has only just gone online, so let’s take lots of actions and get that counter moving! 2 years ago

mine is, and i’m massively pd off about it.

i still have a pocket money account in the uk with HSBC (well, in my day it was the Midland, and i’m still nostalgic for the yellow griffin and my university bank bloke, Andy Fazakerly, who was ace), but according the report quoted by AI, HSBC provides the largest amount of investment banking services to cluster bomb producers totalling $657 million USD.

Plus Barclays is the 4th largest provider of loans to cluster bomb producers totalling $274 million USD
and RBS has provided loans to cluster bomb producers totalling at least $64 million USD

you can take action by writing to the Chief Executives here: amnesty action here

but i want out of the whole HSBC thing. so, UK people, who knows what about ethical bank accounts?

_{i probably won’t even be able to get an account without a UK address/electricity bill/whatever, but i’d like to try at least.}3 years ago

sending off cards of support to Patrick and Monica. 3 years ago

was in support of Patrick Okoroafor, whose been literally rotting in jail in Nigeria for 14 years—since he was 14 years old. more information here

the video features Patrick’s brother, Henry, a lovely, lovely man who walked with us yesterday.

please send appeals to the Nigerian authorities and letters of support to Patrick himself and to his mum, Monica! 3 years ago

If i make it a goal and join a team I will keep up the momentum. 3 years ago

i’ve been too despondent to post about this, but they executed Delara despite the stay of execution. her case is now getting some proper news coverage at last. too late, too late. 4 years ago

by two months according to the german amnesty site. see also here

jeez, it’s cruel and inhuman. 4 years ago

Delara’s execution is scheduled for today or Monday. For a crime she allegedly committed when she was 17. please fire off mails/faxes immediately!

Film on Delara’s story: http://scenews.blog.com/2698913/

Your Excellency,

I am greatly disturbed and saddened by the news that Delara Darabi is in imminent danger of execution for a crime committed when she was under 18.

Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which prohibit the use of the death penalty against people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18.

I urgently request that you halt the execution of Delara Darabi immediately and commute her death sentence.

Yours respectfully and sincerely,

Addresses here4 years ago

Yes, i’ve retired this goal to make room for others, but i just sent an e-mail to Condy Rice. This is where you can go, if you want to send an e-mail, too. 4 years ago

I believe in activism, but I also think I should make this list more realistic. Right now I think there are things at home I can do that might be more beneficial. I sign lots of petitions on Care2.com and a few of them even related to Amnesty (though I think this might be cheating a bit, which is why I am not marking this as done). Perhaps I will come back later and do this. 4 years ago

are still in prison in Zimbabwe. They were arrested on 28 May for having the audacity to exercise their right to peaceful demonstration. They are being held under harsh conditions and are in grave danger of torture and other ill-treatment.

I actually picked these ladies up from the airport when they visited Berlin a couple of years ago. And goodness only knows what they’re going through now.

Please send appeals for their release and solidarity messages to Jenni and Magodonga in prison.

I was just doing a bit of research on the price of a loaf of bread in Zimbabwe, am pasting it in here.

15 February 08: This week, the cost of bread shot up from Z$2.5 million (£42) per loaf to Z$4.5 million (£78). The lowest-paid worker for the state water authority gets just Z$34 million a month (http://news.scotsman.com/world/A-loaf-hits—78.3781428.jp)

4 April 08: A loaf of bread now costs 16 million Zimbabwe dollars (http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/252707)

16 May 08: Sources indicated that the NBA, whose new executive is led by Harambe Holdings operations director Bramwell Bushu, was pressing for a review of the bread price from $66 million per loaf to $290 million. (http://allafrica.com/stories/200805161046.html)

6 June 08: The price of a loaf of bread has skyrocketed to 350 to 700 million Zimbabwe dollars in many shops, the state-owned newspaper, The Herald, reported Saturday. Last month, the price was 100 million. In 2006, it was one million. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/world/africa/08zimbabwe.html?partner=rssnyt)

26 June 08: A loaf of bread now costs six billion Zimbabwe dollars, or 150 times more than at the time of the first round of elections on 29 March. (http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0626/zimbabwe.html)

The BBC today says that inflation is in the region of 9 million percent (last paragraph of http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7481857.stm). i can’t imagine what that means—probably that your loaf would cost more by the time you got to pay for it than it did when you entered the shop.

In an act of unparalleled cynicism, the Zimbabwean Embassy in Berlin is participating in the All Nations Festival with the theme of Breakfast this Saturday. It really makes me feel physically sick. 4 years ago

and the government of Myanmar (Burma) has the power to decide to minimize the ongoing damage by accepting outside aid.

We can ask the government of Myanmar to ensure that humanitarian aid is distributed to the victims of Cyclone Nargis and that they cooperate with international relief efforts.

Use this link to send a letter. 5 years ago

On 18 June 2007 three teenagers – Ruslan Bessonov, 19, Maksim Genashilkin, 17, and Dmitri Pavlov, 18 – were sentenced to 10 years in a strict regime prison after an unfair trial. Detained in March 2005, they have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment, and charged with the murder of another teenager. The boys deny the charge. take action here

here are the boys’ addresses in prison. you can send them cards and wishes directly. i’m going to do that today.

here’s a recent update:

When Dmitry Pavlov’s parents visited him in February, he asked her to pass on a huge thank you to all AI members who sent letters to him.

He is however still has aching leg following a breakage. His mother Natalia Pavlova has said “They told Dmitri they would break his leg a second time and then break his good leg. Then they would start work on breaking his ribs. Then they asked if he knew about electric shock treatment. He said no. They replied after we’ve given you electric shock treatment you’ll be a different person and you’ll give us the confession we’re after”.

Nonna Bessonova had the following to say about her son Ruslan:
“I was given access to my son two days after his detention. He was surrounded by five men to prevent him from saying too much… When I leaned forward to kiss him, he just managed to whisper “Mum, touch my head”. When I touched it, it didn’t have a single healthy spot on it. I started to stroke his hair on purpose and there were bumps all over the surface of his head. His trousers were torn, he was very dirty and his face was so fearful…

“Later, my child told me how they ill-treated him to make him
confess… They beat him in the most vulnerable place, tortured him, tied his legs with a rope, strung him up him and beat the soles of his feet with rubber sticks”

Their lawyer reports: “These boys were singled out (as scapegoats) because they were not of ethnic Azeri origin, two of them didn’t have fathers, they were low-income households and so these were vulnerable families with no one from ‘above’ to protect them.” 5 years ago

and receive e-mails. I just need to reduce the number of goals on my list a bit, it`s feeling a bit overwhelming at the moment. 5 years ago

some of you have already sent appeals on Delara’s behalf.

there’s a new 11-minute video on her story here (warning: it’s terribly sad).

more info at stopchildexecutions.com5 years ago

Child offender Behnam Zare’ is now facing execution within 72 hours. More information here
and here

TAKE ACTION VIA THEAMNESTY UK WEBSITE

Or mail off APPEALS IMMEDIATELY TO:
info@leader.ir
info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (Re: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)

Please mail copies to
dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
and to the Iranian embassy in your country

Your Excellency,

Behnam Zare’ – STOP CHILD EXECUTIONS

I am writing to express my concern at reports that, following the failure of his appeal, Behnam Zare’ is now facing imminent execution for a crime committed when he was under 18 years old. This is in contradiction of both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and also the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a state party to both of these.

I therefore call on you to immediately halt the execution of Behnam Zare’ and to commute his death sentence.

I recognise the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those found guilty of criminal acts. However, the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment. International condemnation of the use of the death penalty for those under 18 at the time of the crime is based on the knowledge of children and young people’s immaturity, and also the increased possibility of their rehabilitation.

Yours sincerely 5 years ago

If I can just write one letter every couple of days, it would help make a difference. It really is worth doing! 5 years ago

Below are some highlights of the e-mail i received from AI regarding this petition:

The people of Darfur continue to suffer rape, killings and displacement, and remain deprived of fundamental needs such as food, water, medical care and shelter—every day.

By signing, you will join hundreds of thousands of activists who are urging President Bush to guarantee the swift deployment of more than 26,000 peacekeepers and police – as mandated by the UN Resolution six weeks ago. You will also ensure that he lives up to his promises to get UN peacekeepers on the ground, fund peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance, and keep our attention on displaced persons in Chad and the Central African Republic as well.

On October 24, United Nations Day, Amnesty activists and staff will deliver this urgent petition directly to the White House. And with the strength of our extraordinary numbers, the President will not be able to ignore our call for full deployment of all UN-AU peacekeepers by early 2008 to finally ensure peace and human rights for the people of Darfur. But it will take each and every one of us signing our names and showing our unwavering support.

Sign the petition.5 years ago

The execution of child offender Hafez Ibrahim, which had been scheduled for 8 August, has been stayed for three days. President ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Saleh ordered the stay of execution following international appeals on behalf of Hafez Ibrahim. The child offender, aged about 16 at the time of the alleged crime, still faces being put to death.

More here

Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible
- urging the authorities to halt the execution of Hafez Ibrahim, scheduled for 11 August;
- calling on the president to commute his sentence, as he was aged about 16 at the time of his alleged crime;
- urging the President to commute all outstanding death sentences and establish a moratorium on executions, with a view to completely abolishing the death penalty, as called for by Paragraph 5(b) of resolution 2001/68 of the Commission on Human Rights.

APPEALS TO:

President
His Excellency General ´Ali ´Abdullah Saleh
President of the Republic of Yemen
Sana’a
Republic of Yemen
Fax: + 967 127 4147
Salutation: Your Excellency

Attorney General
His Excellency Abdullah al-Ulufi
Office of Attorney General
Sanaa, Republic of Yemen
Fax: + 967 137 4412
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Interior
His Excellency Dr Rashid Muhammad al-Alimi
Ministry of Interior
Sana’a
Republic of Yemen
Fax: + 967 1 332 511
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Human Rights
Her Excellency Houda ‘Ali ‘Abdullatif al- Baan
Ministry for Human Rights
Sana’a, Republic of Yemen
Faxes: + 967 1 444 833
Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO: diplomatic representatives of Yemen accredited to your country. 5 years ago

Please send this one by fax ASAP.
Background info here

His Excellency General ´Ali ´Abdullah Saleh
President of the Republic of Yemen
Sana’a
Republic of Yemen
Fax: 00 967 127 4147

STOP THE EXECUTION OF HAFEZ ABRAHIM!

Your Excellency,

I am writing to express my concern at reports that the death sentence against Hafez Ibrahim has been upheld and that his execution may be imminent. Hafez Ibrahim is 19 years old and is to be executed for a crime apparently committed when he was 16.

International law, including the Convention on the Right of the Child which Yemen has ratified, explicitly forbids the use of the death penalty for people who were under 18 years at the time of the crime. I appreciate the progress made in Yemen in the last few years in applying this prohibition in national law. However, I am extremely concerned that some courts continue to apply the death sentence for crimes committed by juveniles, and that the sentence against Hafez Ibrahim has been upheld, contrary to the Yemeni Penal Code, Article 37 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and Article 6 (5) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

I therefore urge you to intervene to stop the execution of Hafez Ibrahim, and call for the death sentence to be commuted into a penalty which is consistent with international standards for the administration of juvenile justice.

Furthermore, I call on you to commute all outstanding death sentences and establish a moratorium with a view to completely abolishing the death penalty, as called for by Paragraph 5(b) of resolution 2001/68 of the Commission on Human Rights.

Yours sincerely, 5 years ago

this is fun and easy to do. and may well make someone’s day: send a postcard
to support prisoners of conscience in china, el salvador, libya and mexico. 5 years ago

Please send this appeal now!

Amnesty International has just heard of the imminent execution of Sina Paymard, who was sentenced to death in Iran for a crime committed when he was just 16 years old. Sina may be executed within the next few hours.

According to reports, he has been moved from Reja’i Shahr prison in Karaj, to Tehran’s Evin prison, for his execution to be carried out.

EU statement on the death sentence of Sina Paymard
Date: 2007-07-17
>> The EU is deeply concerned by the news of the imminent execution of Sina Paymard, who was convicted and sentenced to death by a judge of the Teheran court for a crime perpetrated while he was a minor. The execution is scheduled for tonight.

The EU appeals to the Iranian authorities not to execute Sina Paymard. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Both these international binding texts clearly prohibit the execution of minors or people who have been convicted of crimes committed while they were minors. Moreover, according to the Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in its article 9, the international legal texts mentioned above should prevail, as they are as valid as the Civil Code. 5 years ago

You can go to this page to send an e-mail to GW (for US citizens) or to your US ambassador (for friends around the world) to close Guantanamo. 5 years ago

Delara Darabi is at risk of execution for a murder which took place when she was 17 years old.

Even though Iran has signed up to international treaties that prohibit the use of the death penalty for crimes committed by those under the age of 18, there are reported to be at least 24 child offenders currently on death row in Iran, and four child offenders were executed in 2006 alone.

Please send an appeal to the Iranian ambassador in the UK here5 years ago

on this one. but next year will be better.
this entry confirms just how important it is to keep those letters coming. thanks ruthg. 6 years ago

I was already writing letters for Amnesty, then I found this goal. Perfect. Can I join in? :o) 6 years ago