Dear Amnesty Activists and supporters
Please take urgent action to stop Eritrean asylum-seekers being deported to Eritrea, where they would face torture and imprisonment. Here is a sample letter. Please also look at our Write for Rights case from Türkiye. After the last elections in Poland the government changed, but there are no improvements for refugees stuck in the swampy forests between Poland and Belarus, violently pushed back from both sides. Just today, Donald Tusk, the new Prime Minister of Poland announced that he wants to suspend the right to asylum, a grave violation of European and international human rights law.  More details and reports below.

2 dates for your diaries : the Amplify Human Rights Festival on 7th December where we are contributing a workshop on Fortress Europe, and the screening of the  Film “Green Border” at the Human Rights Action Centre on 16th January.

Türkiye

Urgent Action:- Eritrean asylum seekers in Türkiye at imminent risk of forcible return home

by Chris Ramsey
Hundreds of Eritrean nationals are at imminent risk of forcible return from Türkiye to Eritrea where they would face a real risk of torture, arbitrary detention and other serious human rights violations. Reports indicate that around 300 Eritreans recently detained in Türkiye without adequate access to communication or legal support have been deported to Eritrea. Amnesty says the authorities must immediately halt any plans to forcibly return Eritrean nationals from Türkiye and grant them access to asylum procedures, in line with international law.
Türkiye is party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. However, Türkiye retains a geographic reservation to its ratification of the Convention, so that only citizens from Council of Europe member states are allowed to apply for refugee status. People who do not qualify for refugee status in Türkiye, can request conditional refugee status or subsidiary protection under the Law on Foreigners and International Protection of 2013. The conditional refugee status was created for people originating from “non-European” states and provides more restrictive rights than the ones granted to refugee status holders.

Amnesty International has found that the Eritrean authorities regard the act of applying for asylum abroad as evidence of treason, and a reason to detain anyone forcibly returned to Eritrea. Appalling detention conditions in Eritrea amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has noted that “Eritreans who are forcibly returned may, according to several reports, face arrest without charge, detention, ill-treatment, torture sometimes death at the hands of the authorities. They are reportedly held incommunicado, in over-crowded and unhygienic conditions, with little access to medical care, sometimes for extended periods of time” and that “For someEritreans, being outside the country may be sufficient cause on return to be subjected to scrutiny, reprisals and harsh treatment. Individuals may be suspected of having sought asylum, participating in diaspora-based opposition meetings or otherwise posing a (real or perceived) threat to the Government, particularly where they have exited the country illegally.”

Furthermore, in 2015, the UN Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry on human rights in Eritrea found that ‘’with a few exceptions, those who have been forced to return to the country have been arrested, detained and subjected to ill- treatment and torture.’’ According to a 2016 Amnesty International report, deserters are likely to face prolonged arbitrary detention, inhumane detention conditions and torture and other-ill treatment. National service is compulsory for all men and women between the ages of 18 and 40 in Eritrea, with additional mandatory reserve duties up to age 50. There is no limit on length of service. Initially 18 months long, it generally includes six months’ military service followed by 12 months’ deployment in military or government service. However, this is frequently extended indefinitely.

National service often involves forced or involuntary labour in state projects. Conscripts perform construction labour on government projects such as road building, work in the civil service or work for companies owned and operated by the military or ruling party elites. Conscripts are paid minimal salaries that do not meet the basic needs of their families. Much of the adult population of Eritrea is currently engaged in mandatory national service. There is no exemption from military service for conscientious objectors.

ACTION:

Use this model letter to the Head of Migration Management in Türkiye requesting that the country fulfils its international obligations with respect to refugees and desists from deporting people back to Eritrea. [click to continue…]

Welcome to the latest newsletter.
Our next meeting  is on Thursday 7th November 2024, 7.30pm – 9.00pm at Moordown Community Centre. We will catch up on campaigns, letter writing, and finalize planning for…

Friday 15th November  8pm

Yes, its back. Get ready for an evening packed with trivia, fun and friendly competition!  Test your knowledge on a broad range of topics –  from current events and TV, to history and everything in between. We always start with a picture quiz.  Enjoy a night head scratching, frustration, joy and  groaning out loud!

Our quizzes are informal but competitive! We are returning to one of our favourite venues, The Brunswick Hotel (199 Malmesbury Park Road, BH8 8PX)  Please help planning by reserving your tickets via Eventbrite. As ever you pay on the night, but we need to ensure we don’t exceed the room limit. Teams of up to 6, entrance £5 a person. If you aren’t in a team they can be adjusted/formed on the night to ensure no one’s on their own. As ever we will have a raffle (prize donations very welcome).
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/amnesty-international-quiz-night-tickets-1040456552557

Keith Dear, a founder member of our Amnesty group (in 1986!), singing with blues band For Pete’s Sake at Jamnesty

Jamnesty

This was a great success. It rained all afternoon, which curtailed outdoor performances, but didn’t dampen spirits. We raised over £1300. This couldn’t have happened without the generous support of all the musicians, poets, cake makers as well as raffle prize donators.
Special thanks are due to Nick Humphrey, Conrad Barr and the owner Harry Secombe, who made Chaplin’s and the Cellar Bar available, and to their lovely staff who couldn’t have been more helpful.
And thanks to everyone who came to the event and supported us. You can find more photos on our website.
https://amnestyat50.co.uk/jamnesty-september-2024

[click to continue…]

South America Newsletter October 2024

October 6, 2024

AIUK SOUTH AMERICA TEAM OCTOBER 2024 NEWSLETTER Dear Friends This month we bring you news from Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Peru.  Highlights are: Regional: Amnesty has called on seven South American Presidents to strengthen action to reduce the risk of wildfires after recent record fires had a devasting impact on indigenous territories […]

Read the full article →

Jamnesty September 2024

September 11, 2024

Thanks to everyone who supported our Jamnesty at Chaplin’s & The Cellar Bar last Saturday. We raised a fantastic £1300. Unfortunately persistent rain curtailed performances outside, and made for a slow start, but soon the Cellar Bar filled up. And we sold lots of cake! Many thanks to Nic, Connie, Geoff and all the staff […]

Read the full article →

Pierina Nochetti Video

September 11, 2024

This is a translation (by technology, rather than human);- “Well, my name is Pierina Nochetti.  Two years ago I was accused of asking “Where is Tehuel”,  a young trans man who disappeared. I am a municipal worker, and the municipality of Necochea are the ones accusing me of being the writer of this graffiti. I […]

Read the full article →

Urgent Action Argentina

September 10, 2024

A new Urgent Action for Argentina has been published. It’s not yet on the AIUK website, so please follow the link below to take action. President Javier Milei vetoed a bill that had been passed by Congress to improve pensions for older people. This was to adjust for the large loss of purchasing power they have suffered […]

Read the full article →

Please write to your Member of Parliament

September 7, 2024

Apologies to those living in Christchurch, but most of you are still getting used to having a new MP.  And, hopefully, one with a much more progressive outlook than the person they replaced. As an Amnesty International supporter you can help. Let your MP know you want them to commit to supporting and defending human rights […]

Read the full article →

South America Newsletter September 2024

September 5, 2024

Dear Friends, This month we bring you news from Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and Argentina.  Highlights are: Colombia: The UN’s Working Group on Business and Human Rights has found that ‘Colombia suffers from long-standing structural problems that have led to serious human rights violations’ Brazil:  Amnesty International has launched a petition to urge […]

Read the full article →

Group Newsletter August 2024

August 27, 2024

Welcome to the latest newsletter. Our next meeting  is on Thursday 5th September 2024, 7.30pm – 9.00pm at Moordown Community Centre. We will catch up on campaigns, letter writing, and finalize planning for… Jamnesty After lasts years success, we are holding another Jamnesty on Saturday 7th September at Chaplin’s Bar Last year was our first Jamnesty, but we still had a fantastic […]

Read the full article →

Europe Newsletter August 2024

August 9, 2024

Dear Amnesty activists and supporters. The Olympic games should be a time of celebrating diversity, but the French ban prohibiting Muslim women from wearing sports hijabs is excluding French athletes from taking part. Please join the on-line campaign to end discrimination in France. For any inquiries about France please contact our coordinator for Western Europe […]

Read the full article →