South America Newsletter May 2021

May 6, 2021 by zarganar

Dear Friends,

This month we bring you updates on human rights issues in Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina, what the change in President for Peru could mean for human rights and which countries have not ratified the Escazú Agreement. Human rights abuses continue to mount in Venezuela and Colombia. Please sign the three Urgent Actions on Colombia and another on Venezuela. We have good news from a past Urgent Action on Colombia, a new ruling by Ecuador’s Constitutional Court on abortion and a UN deal with Venezuela which will provide it with much needed aid. We invite you to join us on 19 May at 8 pm for a panel discussion on the ‘Eyes on Chile report – details in the Chile section below.

REGIONAL

The first-ever regional treaty to protect the rights of environmental defenders entered into force on 22 April (World Earth Day), having finally reached the required number of ratifications. The Escazú Agreement was adopted by countries from Latin America and the Caribbean in 2018 but needed 11 ratifications to enter into force. Of the South American countries, the Agreement has been ratified by Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Uruguay. Chile initially promoted the deal, but the current government has declined to ratify it, describing the obligations as “ambiguous” and “imprecise”. Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela have also not yet ratified the agreement.

VENEZUELA

As of 1 May 2021, all Venezuelan civil society organisations must comply with abusive registration measures or face criminal prosecution. Such measures violate the rights to association, privacy, presumption of innocence, and puts civil society organisations and their beneficiaries at grave risk of criminalisation and reprisals. Amnesty International has issued a new Urgent Action to demand immediate repeal of this regulation.

Human rights defender Orlando Moreno was assaulted and detained by agents of Venezuela’s Scientific, Penal, and Criminal Investigation Service Corps (CICPC). Several organizations condemn the assault and arrest of Orlando on April 25 Venezuelan security forces, the latest in a series of escalating attacks against human rights defenders and organizations of the Venezuelan State.

According to Human Rights Watch, Venezuelan security forces have committed gross abuses against local communities in the conflict with armed groups on the Colombia border. Extrajudicial executions, torture, arbitrary arrests and prosecutions in military courts are the main concerns of the population. Those systematic abuses are similar with systematic violations that had led international investigations on human rights.

The United Nations food aid reached an agreement with the Nicolas Maduro government to develop the World Food Program (WFP) in Venezuela. The goal of this program is to support the supply of food for young people and children. This program will attempt to fight the humanitarian and health crisis. [Read more…]

Group Newsletter May 2021

April 29, 2021 by zarganar

Welcome to the latest newsletter.
Our usual newsletter schedule, like our meetings, has been somewhat disrupted of late. This issue flags up some pending dates and links to campaigns, talks and other events.
The newsletter is being sent out as we hear the awful news that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been sentenced to another year in prison – plus a further year unable to leave Iran. Having campaigned for her release over the past 5 years we feel desperately sad and angry. But she is one of many detained in Iran and around the world for unjust reasons. The work Amnesty International continues.

Join us on June 10th in Bournemouth Gardens

One of the worst acts of human rights violations took place at Tiananmen Square, China in early June 1989. Hundreds of people lost their lives at the hands of the Chinese military. On the first anniversary of those awful days the group planted a white flowering cherry tree in the lower pleasure gardens in Bournemouth. White is the Chinese colour of mourning.
In the immediate years afterwards we held vigils to mark the anniversary as part of our June meeting (we used to meet in Bournemouth Centre, a short walk away). This included poetry readings. We have had occasional revisits over the past 31 years, but none for some time.
We are planning to re launch our first “in person” gathering with a vigil early evening on Thursday June 10th. This is in the early stages of planning, and obviously dependent on events outside our control. But, as with previous events here, its likely to include readings and some form of action. More about this next month, but put the date in your diary.

Festival of Social Justice

Amnesty International Central Region have just launched a “Festival of Social Justice“. The various local Amnesty International groups are staging a host of predominantly online events through until the end of May. It appears a fabulous initiative. Unfortunately without a Regional Coordinator, we have long ceased to have any regional cohesion in the south. But hats off to the Central groups for putting this together, do check it out:-
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/groups/central-england/festival-social-justice-event-programme

Speaker on Modern Slavery

Slavery did not end in the 19th century. Today, there are more slaves in the world than ever before. The Freedom Ride is being undertaken by Simon John (Secretary of the Thetford Amnesty Group). He will cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats, to raise awareness of modern slavery, talking to many interested groups and organisations and fundraising for Anti-Slavery International.Modern slavery is the total control of one person by another for personal or commercial gain. It is enforced by violence or its threat. Modern slavery is all around us, but often just out of plain sight. Simon has some talks to Amnesty groups the week before he starts his ride (see the Festival of Justice link above). But we have arranged with him to join a talk he is doing on
Tuesday 11th May at 7.30pm
Please reply to this newsletter if you would like to attend so we can send you the link.

South America Newsletter

The April edition of the South America Regional Newsletter is on the website. It highlights that 177 human rights defenders were killed in Colombia in 2020, including Carlota Isabel Salinas Pérez, above.
Our group has focused on South America since its inception, which is also reflected in our case file, Marielle Franco, another human rights defender (and local politician) who was murdered alongside her driver Anderson Pedro Gomes.
The newsletter reports that Amnesty International delivered a petition signed by over a million people marking the 3rd anniversary of the murders. Also in Brazil there are reports on the tragic impact of the spread of Covid-19 and the debacle of their vaccination strategy, where their President continues to oppose vaccinations.
On 25 March, Amnesty launched a new report “Vaccines in the Americas. Ten Human Rights Musts to Ensure Health for All”. The report analyses the vaccination plans against COVID-19 and the implementation of these plans. Amnesty is calling on States to comply with international human rights standards. There is a link to this in the newsletter.
https://amnestyat50.co.uk/south-america-newsletter-april-2021

Europe Newsletter

The March edition is still very relevant and has a large update on Turkey. It also has a link to a petition for the release of three teenagers, referred to as the El Hiblu 3.
In Malta, three African teenagers stand accused of terrorism. They were among a group of migrants who fled Libya on a rubber boat on the 26th of March 2019. At risk of drowning, 108 people were rescued by the crew of the cargo ship El Hiblu 1. Instructed by an aircraft of the European military operation Eunavfor Med, the crew sought to return the rescued to Libya, a war-torn country where migrants live in appalling conditions.
The migrants protested their return and convinced the crew of El Hiblu 1 to steer north, to Malta. During the protest nobody was hurt and nothing was damaged. Yet three African teenagers – who had acted as interpreters – were arrested upon arrival and detained for 7 months. Now before a Maltese court, the El Hiblu 3 face serious charges of terrorism and could, if convicted, spend many years in prison.
https://amnestyat50.co.uk/europe-newsletter-march-2021

Group Newsletter April 2021

April 28, 2021 by zarganar

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Join us on June 10th in Bournemouth Gardens

Festival of Social Justice

[Read more…]

South America Newsletter April 2021

April 10, 2021 by zarganar

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

Amnesty International has delivered a petition signed by over 1 million people to mark the third anniversary of the murder of Marielle Franco in Brazil and has urged the Venezuela government to address the widespread human rights violations documented by an Independent International Fact-Finding Mission. We have two new cases on our Individuals at Risk portfolio for local groups to act: Joel Chipiaje (Colombia) and Gustavo Gatica (Chile). In Colombia, 177 human rights defenders were killed in 2020. Former Bolivian president Jeanine Añez has been detained and concerns over the impartiality of her arrest were raised. A new bill in Peru could jeopardise the rights of people with disabilities, including the right to consent to mental health treatment. A scandal over the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik in Argentina forced the Health Minister to step down. Chile postpones its elections to re-write their constitution due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.

REGIONAL- COVID-19 Vaccines in the Americas.

On 25 March, Amnesty launched a new report Vaccines in the Americas. Ten Human Rights Musts to Ensure Health for All. The report analyses the vaccination plans against COVID-19 and the implementation of these plans. Amnesty is calling on States to comply with international human rights standards, to allow vaccinations to be available to the entire population, to prioritise high risk groups, and to ensure complete transparency in the design and implementation of their vaccination plans and their dealings with pharmaceutical companies. We have written to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and to the UK Embassies of South American countries urging support for the recommendations.

COLOMBIA

Carlota Isabel Salinas Pérez, Women’s Rights Defender killed by gunmen 24 March 2020 in San Pablo, Bolivar

Frontline Defenders reports that 177 human rights defenders were killed in Colombia in 2020. This represents over half of all human rights defenders killed in the world. ‘2020 witnessed another rise in the level of violence directed against HRDs in Colombia, particularly those participating in the implementation of the peace process and engaging in voluntary drug crop substitution initiatives or those opposing the extraction of natural resources… At the same time, the number of defenders receiving protection from the National Protection Unit was reduced.’

A third wave of Covid-19 fuelled by the Manaus variant is underway in Colombia and threatens the country’s healthcare system. The Government, which has been criticised for its slow roll out of vaccines, is committed to vaccinating 30 million people by the end of the year.

To Amnesty International´s knowledge, Colombia is the only country in the region that opened its national vaccination plan to a consultation process. As a result the final plan includes a specific mention on indigenous peoples in the priority groups for vaccine rollout. Vaccination commenced in Colombia in late February 2021.

The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) joins calls for the Government of Colombia to return to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights hearing to determine the government’s responsibility in the rape and torture case of Jineth Bedoya Lima. On 25 May 2000, she was kidnapped while waiting for authorization to enter Bogota’s Modelo prison to interview inmates on paramilitaries and armed conflict in Colombia’s prisons. During the kidnapping, she was tortured and raped and told by her attackers that this was “punishment” for her journalism. Bedoya has sought justice in Colombia, investigating her own case when prosecutors failed to do so and facing additional threats seeking to silence her.

PBI Colombia warns that 170,500 people in the Pacific port of Buenaventura are at risk of forced displacement or death as two former paramilitary groups battle in the city. In January, more than 38 confrontations led to the forced displacement of over 2,000 residents and the killing of 22. In February the Bishop of Buenaventura indicated that in one district former paramilitaries had returned to use rudimentary cabins to torture and dismember people. [Read more…]