| Welcome to the latest newsletter. Our next meeting is on Thursday 4th May 2023, 7.30pm at Moordown Community Centre. We have a stall at the Boscombe Increase the Peace Festival on Sunday May 7th. You can find us in the High Street. Please come along and say hello, and participate in the campaign we’ll be featuring. |
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| Protect the ProtestRight now, our right to protest is under attack in the UK and around the world. Protest is a human right because it allows people to stand up for what they believe in. Throughout history, protest has been a powerful way to achieve change. This precious right is under attack and deserves to be protected from people in power who fear change and don’t want to be held to account. Together, we can keep this fundamental freedom safe. Add your voice to Protect the Protest, and see ways you can get involved – including a free online course coming soon. https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/help-protect-the-protest |
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| Europe Newsletter April 2023The latest newsletter is on our website. There is news from Türkiye, Western and Northern Europe and Spain:- On 24 June 2022, people attempting to cross into Melilla through a border crossing between Spain and Morocco were met with a shocking display of unlawful force by Moroccan and Spanish security forces. At least 37 Black people – mostly from sub-Saharan Africa – died unlawfully and 77 are missing. To date, Morocco and Spain have failed to even release information to loved ones about the dead and missing or to acknowledge any wrongdoing. The authorities have failed to adequately investigate these actions which constitute crimes under international law and human rights violations or to investigate racism and discrimination at the border. Join us to demand truth, that Morocco and Spain guarantee the right of victims and their families to truth, justice and reparations and take measures to ensure non-repetition. https://www.amnesty.org/en/petition/justice-for-dead-and-missing-at-melilla/ |
| South America Newsletter April 2023This month we bring you news from Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina and Chile. On 28 April 2021, thousands of people took to the streets in various Colombian cities to demand their rights. Women, young people, human rights defenders and LGBTIQ+ people led the protests with courage and determination, seeking a better future. Instead of listening to them, the Colombian state, through its security forces, used force to disrupt the protests. When dispersing demonstrations; as people in the crowd were fleeing and trying to protect themselves from tear gas and gunfire, they were molested and insulted.. There is a widespread call for a comprehensive reform of the police in Colombia. Please send a message to the Colombian government and demand that it move forward with police reform in a participatory and inclusive way so that people can raise their voices without fear and with rights. https://amnestyat50.co.uk/south-america-newsletter-april-2023 |
| Amnesty International Report 2022/23:The state of the world’s human rightsBoth the Europe and South America Newsletters make reference to this report and some of the issues relating to their countries. At over 400 pages its not a quick read, but its an excellent resource to dip into. And like all Amnesty reports its thoroughly researched and well regarded. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/5670/2023/en/ |
| Chow Hang-tung is back in prison. In March she and two colleagues were sentenced to four and a half month. Read more here. Chow Hang-tung is a courageous human rights lawyer and activist. On June 4, 2021, Chow asked people on social media to light candles in memory of the protesters killed in the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. Chow was arrested for daring to commemorate their lives. She served 22 months in prison on that occasion for her activism. |