First some good news : Our Europe team has four country coordinators again : Lucja Jastrzebska has joined us and she will be taking over the work on Central Europe, while Ulrike will focus on the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean. Welcome Lucja! She will cover the Baltic republics, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Ulrike will focus on Romania, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia , Greece and the El Hiblu 3 case.

Türkiye

Saturday Mothers

Emblematic case in Protect the Protest Global Campaign.

Global day of action planned for 25 May

As  you will be aware, because of the increasing pressure on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly there, Türkiye is one of the 10 focus countries in Amnesty’s global Protect the Protest campaign. In respect of Türkiye the two particular areas for campaigning on this issue have been identified as supporting local Prides (the main focus in 2023) and the Saturday Mothers vigils.

Time and again, the Saturday Mothers have been met with brutal crackdowns and even prosecutions for taking part in peaceful vigils. What is most strange about this is that they are not actually protesting about anything the current regime has done but about historic injustices. The Turkish authorities have never provided a valid justification for their unlawful denial of the right to exercise freedom of expression and assembly.

For several years we have been campaigning on their behalf because of the prosecution of 46 of those indicted in 2021 following their brutal arrests 2018. They are still facing the charges of ‘refusing to disperse despite warnings.’ The prosecution continues and what is supposed to be the “final” hearing in the case is due to take place in Istanbul on 5 April.

In November 2023, and after several advocacy meetings with the Governor of Istanbul, the group secured a partial victory, that ten representatives would be allowed to meet in front of the barriers on the square for a brief statement. The blockade on the square was not lifted but the detentions ended. This is the current situation. Saturday Mothers/People continue to demand that the blockade on Galatasaray Sq is lifted and we continue to support their call.

However, now, 20 people who were detained as result of attempting to hold a vigil on 10 June 2023 are facing a new prosecution under the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations and the first hearing in the case took place on 27 February. As is all too often the case in these situations, this was inconclusive and we now await the date for further hearing.

Global Day of Action

The 1000th vigil of the Saturday Mothers will take place on 25 May, and Amnesty is hoping to stage a global day of action on or around that day to publicise this case. Ideas are being worked up in AI sections around the world and I would welcome any ideas you have for how we might draw attention to the Saturday Mothers in the UK.

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This month we bring you news from Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Chile. Highlights are:

  • Venezuela  – An Urgent Action calling on the government to release human rights defender Rocio San Miguel.
  • Venezuela – Another Urgent Action calling on the authorities to stop withholding medical care from detainees.
  • Venezuela/Argentina – Amnesty International’s submission with the Argentinean criminal court asking that it investigate crimes against humanity in Venezuela
  • Colombia – An Urgent Action calling on the Attorney General to bring to justice perpetrators of threats and bombing against members of human rights NGO CREDHOS.
  • Brazil – A Brazilian court has begun a trial of a Military Policeman for the 2014 killing of a Johnatha de Oliveira Lima, whose mother came to visit AIUK in 2015.
  • Argentina- The new President’s plan to dismantle the anti-discrimination watchdog.
  • Chile – Latest developments in disputes over fresh water, a scarce resource in the country.

VENEZUELA

Rocio San Miguel, arbitrarily detained on 9th February, has had no access to family members or legal representation.

On 9th February, Rocio San Miguel, a well-known human rights defender, was arbitrarily detained at the airport in Caracas, Venezuela. Her forced disappearance follows a widely documented pattern of disappearances in the country. Rocio San Miguel was a highly prominent expert and lawyer who had been monitoring the actions of the Armed Forces in Venezuela, including alleging cases of torture, murder, and arbitrary detentions perpetrated by the state authorities.

We are calling on all those who have not done so already to sign our Urgent Action, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Rocio San Miguel. The Action also calls for a definitive stop to the policy of repression against those considered to be opposing the government. Whilst the Attorney General’s Office publicly acknowledged her detention but has only recently provided information as to her whereabouts; her lawyers have received no response to their queries. Rocio San Miguel has had no access to family members or to legal representation.

We have issued a second Urgent Action calling for the Venezuelan authorities to stop withholding detainees’ medical care. The Action comes after the unexpected transfer of Juan Carlo Marrufo to a separate prison, almost three years into his politically motivated arbitrary detention. The authorities have continued to deny him testing and treatment. His health is declining. Juan Carlos’s wife, Maria Auxiliadora Delgado, and Emirlendris Benitez also require immediate medical tests.

Amnesty International has also filed a submission with the Argentinean criminal court asking that it investigate crimes against humanity in Venezuela. The lawsuit notes that the Venezuelan justice system has demonstrated that it has “neither the will nor the capacity to genuinely and adequately investigate, prosecute, and criminally punish the perpetrators of serious human rights crimes”. A previous lawsuit, filed in the Argentinean court in June 2023 by victims of crimes against humanity and the Clooney Foundation, had made similar allegations and was supported by Amnesty at the time.

On 15th February, the Venezuelan government announced that it was suspending the activities of the UN Office of the High Commissioner in Human Rights in Venezuela. The decision came soon after the Office expressed concern regarding the detention of Rocio San Miguel. Multiple news sources have noted a stepping up of repression ahead of the “free and fair” elections promised for later this year.

The decision also came a day after the publication of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food’s report on his recent visit to Venezuela. The UN Special Rapporteur had stated that the government food programme does not tackle the root causes of hunger and is susceptible to political influences. It had also highlighted the food security of detainees and prisoners in Venezuela, noting custody centres for those awaiting trial had become places of overcrowded, long-term detention, where detainees are not provided with any food, water, bathrooms, or healthcare. [click to continue…]

Group Newsletter February 2024

February 23, 2024

Our next meeting  is on Thursday 7th March 2024, 7.30pm – 9.00pm at Moordown Community Centre. We will catch up on campaigns, letter writing, and discuss new ideas about campaigning. We will also plan our involvement in next months Iftar, as explained below… Iftar in Bournemouth In conjunction with Feed our Community we will be hosting an Iftar […]

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South America Newsletter February 2024

February 5, 2024

This month we bring you news that: Colombia – The Colombian NGO Indepaz found that 187 social leaders and human rights defenders were killed in 2023, about the same number as in 2022 and 2021. There is still time to sign Amnesty International’s petition demanding that the Colombian Government improves its protection of human rights […]

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Europe Newsletter January 2024

February 3, 2024

The latest update from the AIUK Europe Country Coordinators Team; we wish you a happy 2024 and lots of energy: we will need it. There is a lot to do. On 14th December Amnesty International released the report into the causes of the shipwreck at Pylos, where hundreds of people died. It makes very disturbing […]

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South America Newsletter January 2024

January 8, 2024

This month we bring you news that: Regional – there is a new report by several NGOs on how armed criminal gangs have expanded their presence in the Amazon, threatening indigenous inhabitants. Peru – Amnesty has a petition calling for the perpetrators of the killings during last year’s protests to be prosecuted. Colombia – Amnesty […]

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Write for Rights Events 2023

December 15, 2023

Thanks to everyone who supported us for two events at Bournemouth Library and, for the first time, at The Social Canteen in Boscombe. One of our group also got her church involved – the Parish of Four Saints. Many thanks to the library staff for their help in facilitating the events, ensuring everything was in […]

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Write for Rights 2023

December 5, 2023

Write for Rights (W4R) is Amnesty International’s annual campaign, sending greetings cards to prisoners of conscience, their families and other human rights defenders around the world. In 2022, more than 5 million messages of support and appeal letters were sent during the W4R campaign. They made a big difference to the people and communities confronting […]

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South America Newsletter December 2023

December 5, 2023

This month we bring you news that: Regional – Amnesty has a new report focused on human rights defenders in the Americas, the world’s deadliest region for those defending land, territory and the environment. Colombia – Amnesty has a new report on the lack of a safe space to defend human rights in Colombia, calling […]

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Europe Newsletter November 2023

November 28, 2023

The latest update from the AIUK Europe Country Coordinators Team:- Introduction As the year 2023 nears its closure we can report some positive developments from Türkiye and Poland but there are still many Human Rights Challenges! Please find an Urgent Action for Türkiye. There are also leaflets for the 2 demonstrations we are organising: For […]

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