Turkey

Osman Cavala

As reported in the last Europe Team Newsletter, entrepreneur and philanthropist Osman Kavala who was arrested in 2017 and charged with involvement in the Gezi Park protests and plotting to overthrow the state was due back in court on 26 November. Regrettably, at that hearing the court refused to release him from pre-trial detention and has scheduled the next hearing for 17 January 2022.

In the meantime at their meeting between on 2 December the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers (COM) have voted to commence infringement proceedings against Turkey because of its failure to implement what is, theoretically, a binding judgement of the European Court of Human Rights that Osman Kavala should be freed. This is good news because such a decision is incredibly rare (only taken once in the history of the Council). If Turkey does not comply it will again be referred back to the European Court of Human Rights on 20 February 2022 and this process could leads to Turkey having its voting rights removed or even expulsion from the Council.

We wait to see the response of the Turkish Government to this ruling.

Poland

Human Rights Defenders

The trial against brave Human Rights Defenders: Ela, Anna and Joanna starts 8^th December.

Amnesty Poland will be following the trial , reporting on Twitter, we will keep the Facebook/AmnestyUKEurope page updated with the outcome.

Elżbieta, Anna and Joanna are outspoken activists and human rights defenders from Poland. They have stood against hate and discrimination for many years and are fighting for a just and equal Poland. They have been targeted by the Polish authorities just because of their peaceful activism. Their demand for justice continues. Now, they need you to fight for them, once again.

In March 2021, Elżbieta, Anna and Joanna were acquitted after spending months on trial accused of ‘offending religious beliefs’, simply for distributing posters of the Virgin Mary with a rainbow halo, the colours of the LGBTI pride flag. The ‘not guilty ‘verdict brought a moment of huge celebrations, but their relief was short-lived. The Polish authorities are now appealing against their acquittal, so the three women’s fight for justice continues.  Once again, they now face up to two years in prison, just for standing up for LGBTI rights in a climate of hate and discrimination in Poland. Sadly, their case is another example of the constant harassment activists and human rights defenders face in Poland for carrying out peaceful activism. The appeal against their acquittal shows the irrational determination of Polish authorities to use the criminal justice system to that end. Having, creating, or distributing posters such as these is not a crime; it is freedom of expression, a basic human right. [Read more…]

Welcome to the latest newsletter from your local Amnesty International group. We next meet at Moordown Community Centre on January 6th; but a week today you can join us at Bournemouth Library for…. Write for Rights 2021 We are delighted to announce that Bournemouth library have welcomed us back to hold Write for Rights (W4R) in their foyer.. We are booked on Saturday 11th December 2021 11am – 1.00pm W4R is Amnesty International’s annual campaign, sending greetings cards to prisoners of conscience and other human rights defenders around the world.  In 2019, more than 6.5 million messages of support and appeal letters were sent during the W4R campaign. They made a big difference to the people and communities confronting injustice and facing human rights violations. We have tried numerous venues around Bournemouth over past 20 years, most outside and invariably cold or wet, sometimes both. Our W4R in Bournemouth library in 2019 was by far our most successful. So after last years enforced break it will be great to be back. Please let us know if you would like to help, or just come and say hello and sign a card yourself. Bournemouth Library Entrance Foyer, The Triangle, Bournemouth  BH2 5RQ Imoleayo Michael – “I’m not a criminal. I only protested for the betterment of my fatherland.” Imoleayo Michael, featured in the  the W4R Campaign In October 2020, Imoleayo was among scores of young people who took to the streets in Nigeria to protest against violence, extortion and killings by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).As a professional computer programmer, Imoleayo used his skills to promote the protests on Twitter and Facebook, using the viral hashtag #EndSARS.Two weeks later, in the middle of the night, 20 armed men raided his home. They smashed his bedroom window and pointed a gun at him. After seizing his mobile phones and computer, they then locked his wife, elderly mother and seven-month-old son in a room and cut off the power supply to the streetlights around his house. They took Imoleayo to state security service headquarters where they held him in an underground cell for 41 days without access to a lawyer or his family. While there, he was cuffed, blindfolded and chained to a steel cabinet. He was also forced to sleep on the floor and security officers interrogated him a total of five times. [Read more…]

This month, we update you on developments in Colombia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Venezuela.

Amnesty International has released its latest report on the excessive use of force by Colombian authorities during the national Strike, where over 100 people suffered from eye trauma or got seriously injured. During November, military police and criminal gangs threatened and attacked indigenous people in various communities in the Amazon region in Brazil, organizations such as Amazon Watch and The Indigenous Missionary Council are monitoring the situation closely. Amnesty International has launched a new Urgent Action calling on the Peruvian authorities to allow humanitarian immigration status to asylum seekers. In Bolivia, where abortion is banned by law, an 11-year-old raped by a family member was allowed to discontinue her pregnancy. Guarani families have been evicted by the police in Paraguay. Amnesty International has expressed its concern on human rights violations suffered by Venezuelans seeking refuge. Chile is heading to the second run-off of presidential elections next month.

COLOMBIA

Amnesty International has released its latest report on the excessive use of force by Colombian police during the National Strike. Shoots on sight: eye trauma in the context of the National Strike documents the use of less-than-lethal weapons by the Anti-Riot Police (ESMAD). Over 100 people suffered from eye trauma, many losing an eye, while others were seriously hurt by teargas canisters aimed at their face and body. An action for Local Groups will follow.

Amnesty notes that ‘thousands of people in Colombia are risking everything for a better future. They go out to march in fear of losing their lives, being injured, detained, or even tortured, all to demand that the government guarantees their right to health and education.’ Take action and demand that the Colombian Attorney General’s Office investigates the human rights violations and crimes under international law committed in the midst of the National Strike.

In an update to the report on killings of human rights defenders (Why do they want to kill us?)

Amnesty asks why the state has not provided collective security for three communities under threat, a year after it was requested. “All three branches of the state have human rights obligations, so it is imperative that Congress makes the issue of defenders a permanent part of its agenda, including through the creation of a Commission for the Verification of Guarantees for Human Rights Defenders that can hold to account those officials in the Executive who do not fulfil their duty of protection”.

An Amnesty International delegation led by its Americas director has arrived in Colombia to engage in dialogue with the authorities about the grave human rights situation in the country. In a press release Amnesty affirms, ‘From impunity for police violence in the context of repression of protests, and the devastating consequences of the armed conflict on historically marginalized communities, to the grave situation faced by human rights defenders and community leaders these are issues that require a firm response from the government.’

On the fifth anniversary of the Peace Accord with the FARC, the Washington Office on Latin America has looked back to see what has and has not been achieved, according to the timing and content of the Accord. A Long Way to Go; Implementing Colombia’s peace accord after five years is a ‘must read’ for anyone interested in the success and failures and the reasons why, in general, the state is not meeting its commitments according to the agreed timetable to date. [Read more…]

Here is our November Newsletter with actions and updates. Please continue campaigning and organising. Refugees continue to drown in the Mediterranean sea, freezing to death in the forest at the border of Poland and are pushed back to countries where they suffer abuse. In the UK the Nationalities and borders bill will severely undermine the right to asylum. We have to continue campaigning, lobbying, writing, organising.

GREECE: DROP THE CHARGES AGAINST SARAH AND SEAN

Who are Sarah and Sean?

Sarah Mardini and Sean Binder are human rights defenders, who are currently facing an unfair prosecution in Greece after volunteering as trained rescuers to help refugees and migrants on the island of Lesbos. They face a number of very serious charges such as the facilitation of irregular entry of third country nationals which has the potential to put both Sarah and Sean in prison for 25 years if found guilty. This would be an extreme injustice to them, as all they sought to do was save innocent lives at sea.

If you have read Amnesty’s recent report on Greece, you will know that Greece has been reported to use a number of unlawful tactics that violate human rights, such as the use of violence in order to pushback asylum seekers and refugees. They have increased border control and even adopted a harsh and hostile approach towards activists by opening investigations and launching criminal proceedings to criminalize defenders who stand in solidarity in aiding refugees and migrants.

Last month, Amnesty became aware that the local prosecutor in Lesvos decided to bring forward a part of the charges, which if found guilty, Sarah and Sean could risk facing a sentence of up to 5 years. This trial is now set for the 18^th November 2021.

Saving lives is not a crime. Sean and Sarah should not have to face any of the charges brought before them. This tactic of prosecuting people like Sarah and Sean in order to dissuade other human rights defenders from showing solidarity with refugees and migrants and deterring them from continuing their work in providing assistance is chilling. Human rights defenders should not have to fear that their freedom will be restricted for doing the decent and moral act of saving lives. Greece should redirect their focus and pledge to stop allowing human rights violations towards refugees and asylum seekers to continue, instead of cracking down on people trying to reach safety and those helping them.

Sean and Sarah should not pay the price for Greece and Europe’s failure to manage migration. Greece should be attending the needs of those seeking safety and Sarah and Sean should not be prosecuted by Greece for simply doing the task that the authorities are obligated to do.

How can you support Sarah and Sean?

You can post solidarity messages on social media in support of Sean and Sarah, preferably on the 15^th or 16^th November. Make sure to include the hashtags: #Sarah&Seán #DropTheCharges #SolidarityOnTrial.

You can also send supportive messages to Sean and Sarah on social media by tagging them in any of your posts.

• Seán Twitter   Instagram
• Sarah Twitter  Instagram

We believe that if we can get people talking about the case and get international support calling on Greece to drop the charges against the two human rights defenders, we can demonstrate to Greece that public opinion does not support the prosecution of these two defenders. [Read more…]

This month we bring you news from Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Paraguay and Chile. Amnesty has issued two new Urgent Actions: the director of a Venezuelan NGO remains in detention and we ask for his release, while in Brazil we are asking the Attorney General to investigate the government’s mishandling of the pandemic.

Included are in-depth reports on the impact of US sanctions on Venezuelans, human rights abuses under Brazilian President Bolsonaro’s government and two reports on Colombia. One focuses on the continued aggression against human rights defenders, while a deposition to the Truth Commission describes in great detail how the lives of women and girls were upended by armed groups during 50 years of civil conflict.

We report on inter-familial sexual violence against women in Bolivia, an important ruling on Paraguay’s indigenous community and new evidence that Amnesty has compiled on 2019’s social uprising in Chile.

VENEZUELA

On 25 October, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court commenced an official visit to Venezuela to investigate crimes against humanity. The visit will last 10 days, and he will also visit Colombia. The ICC Prosecutor’s Office conducts independent and impartial preliminary examinations, investigations and prosecutions of the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

Amnesty has issued a new Urgent Action on behalf of Javier Tarazona. He is Director of local NGO FundaREDES and remains detained by the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN). Rafael Tarazona and Omar de Dios García, FundaREDES’ activists, were conditionally released on 26 October. Amnesty urge authorities to release Javier Tarazona immediately

Important note: Please take action immediately. Send a letter to the Embassy in London, because the mail in Venezuela does not work properly. President Nicolás Maduro c/o Her Excellency Mrs Rocío Maneiro, Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 1 Cromwell Road SW7 2HW Fax 020 7589 8887 ambassador@venezlon.co.uk reinounido.embajada.gob.ve Twitter: @NicolasMaduro

UN expert report emphasizes that US sanctions on Venezuela undermine human rights. UN Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan has reiterated her call for sanctions relief. The independent expert reiterated that the wide-reaching sanctions program against Venezuela has had a “devastating” effect on the entire population’s living conditions. economic and social crisis was exacerbated by the imposition of “sectoral sanctions on the oil, gold and mining industries” as well as ” the economic blockade

[Read more…]