AmnesTea

Is on….

Sunday the 19th June 2022, 3pm to 5pm.

Our secretary, Lucy Freeman has offered to host this event again at her home in Southbourne.What is an AmnestyTea? Well you, and any friend come along – possibly bringing cake  – and drink tea (or coffee, or whatever your favourite beverage)
We will also have a book stall. So basically bring along (1) people (2) cake (3) books to donate (4) cash to spend..
June 19th also happens to be Fathers Day, so celebrate in style!
On a more serious note its at the start of Refugee Week. The theme for 2022 is ‘healing’. With the Nationality and Borders Bill now passed, the desperate situation with people crossing the Channel, the treatment of people seeking asylum in the UK including the appalling deal to send people seeking asylum to Rwanda and the war in Ukraine, now is a really important time to show support for refugees. We aim to have some action you can participate in at the AmnesTea.
Please respond to this newsletter if you would like to attend and want more details.

Algeria: Quash Whistle-blowers Death Sentence

Whilst there has been justifiable outrage at the death sentences passed on two British subjects last week,  thousands of people remain on death rows awaiting execution in prisons around the world. Many hundreds are still executed in a minority of states every year.
One man on death row in Algeria is Mohamed Benhlima (above). In 2019, Benlima posted a series of videos online exposing corruption among high-ranking army officials. He also participated in the Hirak protest movement calling for reform of the political system. At that time, he was informed that his name was on the military wanted list, and he fled to Spain, where he applied for asylum.
Unfortunately Mohamed Benhlima was deported back to Algeria in March. Last month he was told he had been sentenced to death in absentia, while still an asylum seeker in Spain, on charges of espionage and desertion. Email Algerian authorities and call on them to quash this death sentence.
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/quash-whistleblowers-death-sentence

Housing is a Human Right

Every person has the right to a safe and stable home – but in England, thousands of people remain homeless because they are denied their right to housing due to deep rooted government failings.
Research Amnesty has conducted  exposes how deeply rooted homelessness is in England, because of government failures to protect the rights of its people.
Decent housing is a basic human need, and every person has the right to a safe and stable home – no matter who they are or what life has thrown at them. Take action and email  Michael Gove calling on him to make housing a reality for all.
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/make-right-home-reality-all

South America Newsletter

The June edition is now on the website. There is news from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil and Peru.  When you thought behaviour of police in Brazil couldn’t get any worse,  there is the outrageous report on the death of a mentally ill black man who was bundled into the back of a police car by officers who then released a gas grenade inside the vehicle. And 26 people were killed in an operation by Federal and Military Police who entered the Vila Cruzeiro favela of Rio de Janeiro to detain leaders of a drug trafficking organization. Among the dead was a woman caught in the crossfire.
https://amnestyat50.co.uk/south-america-newsletter-june-2022

BourneFree 2022

BourneFree.is Bournemouth’s LGBTI Pride event, which has moved from Bournemouth Gardens to Meyrick Park. In many countries the LGBTI community are persecuted and, sadly, there are always cases we can feature. Unlike some events we do, its relatively easy to get cards signed and have conversations about Amnesty International and the work we do.
We will have a stall on

Saturday 8th July

so any help will be very welcome. More details nearer the time.