Keeping you up to date with information about our groups activities has usually been a fairly positive experience – helping to give uplift from the constant flow of news about prisoners of conscience, people under threat of execution and other human rights abuses we have long campaigned against.  We all feel the work of local groups like ours is important. Although we raise some funds that go to AIUK, we are a campaigning group and the heart of what we do remains sending letters (and now emails).

You may have been aware that there was an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held earlier this month. If this is all news to you, this link opens the letter all members should have received, which give the resolutions and background information (from the perspective of the Board of AIUK).

Its hard to summarise in a few sentences. At discussions at our local group meetings in December and January there was great concern at what the Board of AIUK were intending to do.  Some of our frustration was exacerbated by an absence of background information on the AIUK website about what exactly this money that is being diverted to “hubs” in the south and east will be used for.  And for an organisation like AIUK to make many of its staff redundant to facilitate this financial package beggars belief. [Read more…]

Just a quick update to say this event went off well. Getting Jo Public to pause from their Christmas shopping to sign a card is never easy, but we got some sincere people who did stop.

Thanks to everyone who turned out – remember, we will be doing a similar activity on Thursday (13th) at our meeting in Moordown.

For many years now Amnesty International has run a greetings card campaign in December. This has entailed groups and individuals being encouraged to send greetings cards directly to prisoners of conscience (as opposed to letters to governments, etc), sending them a message of hope. Usually to let them know they are in our thoughts (and actions) and not forgotten.

We have usually focused on this at our December meeting. But for a few years now we have gone to the square in Bournemouth and set up a stall for one weekend afternoon to ask the passing public to participate. Initially we combined with some carol singing, as a few of our group belong to singing groups and were able to encourage a decent turnout of folk able to sing in tune and further encourage participation.

Unfortunately in recent years the council has passed over the running of the Square to a private company. Whilst we can do street collections, with permission, setting up a stall even for charitable (and non profit making) now costs. We nearly got arrested after the then manager of Borders (a now deceased seller of books) called the police when we had the audacity to try and set up our stall outside their shop front.

Fortunately, for the past couple of years then manager of Debenhams has allowed us to use space outside their store – including for the 50th birthday celebrations in May 2011. We were all set to repeat this year, but the current manager declined and wouldn’t entertain any negotiation. However, we have now (thanks to Genevieve) the opportunity to run a stall at Castlepoint. The details are:-

Sunday 9th December 2012 2.00 – 4.00pm

“upper level outside Marks & Spencer, against the white balustrades (opposite the SKY pod.)”

The latter detail comes from the management at Castlepoint (writing as someone who has only been to Castlepoint twice, and not for several years, I hope this makes sense!?)
So please either join us to help encourage the passing public to sign/write a card – or take the opportunity to write a card yourself. If you are unable to do so, either join us at our Moordown meeting on December 13th, or follow up yourself via the AIUK site. The photo at the top is Ramze Shihab Ahmed – a 70 year old serving a 15 year sentece in Iraq. Find out more here.

What was the final score in this year’s Ryder cup?

For the first time we held our quiz at the Britannia Inn, Lower Parkstone. This proved an excellent venue – not only did they not charge us, but a comfortable (and clean!) environment with easily accessible bar goes a long way towards a successful quiz. With around 50 contestants, usual hosts David and Rosemary Brown, kept us entertained and baffled!

What was the name of Long John Silver’s parrot?

Including the raffle we made £215, which is an excellent effort – and far more fun than street collections!

Where are the Atlas Mountains? Who is Minister for the Arts? Where did you get those raffle prizes from?

Thanks again to David & Rosemary, and to the staff of the Britannia Inn, for a great evening.

Hakamada, who was sentenced to death in Japan in 1968 after an unfair trial, has spent much of the past four decades in solitary confinement. Under Japan’s death penalty system he could be executed any day, without warning. In recent years there has been little progress to report but in 2012, following many years of campaigning,  Amnesty have learned of important developments in the case.

Late last year the Shizuoka District Court commissioned experts from the prosecution and the defence to carry out new forensic tests on clothing Hakamada is alleged to have worn at the time of the crime. A series of tests have now been conducted and Hakamada’s lawyers believe the results may strengthen his appeal for retrial.

The Shizuoka District Court will start examining this evidence on 19 October and will judge the credibility of all the DNA tests. They are then expected to make a ruling as to whether or not to grant Hakamada a retrial. Amnesty International believe the next few months mark an important moment for the campaign. Please help us increase the pressure by taking action again at this important time for the campaign.

Our letters page has downloadable sample letters and further infomation on this case. Plus details of recent executions in Japan (after none last year) which brings added urgency to this case. The photo above translates to “do not execute Hakamada Iwao”