Amnesty International Bournemouth Poole Christchurch Group

local news & events Amnesty International group for Bournemouth, Poole & Christchurch

South America Newsletter October 2025

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This month, we bring you news from Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina and Chile. We also welcome Carolina Beresford as the new Country Coordinator for Colombia and Brazil.

Highlights are:

  • Colombia: Two Urgent Actions are calling for the protection and ending of harassment of FEDEPESAN and its members, and for health authorities to control a severe health outbreak threatening the Bari people urgently.
  • Brazil: Brazil has passed a landmark law to protect children online.
  • Venezuela: Human Rights Watch has issued a new report outlining that dozens of political prisoners have been held incommunicado for weeks, months, and some for over a year.
  • Ecuador: A new Amnesty International report reveals how a massive deployment of the Armed Forces has facilitated enforced disappearances, leaving entire families in limbo
  • Argentina: Argentina has renounced its candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council.
  • Chile: A UN committee has questioned how the State will guarantee indigenous peoples’ rights to land and ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation

COLOMBIA

“Peace” – UN hails Colombia’s first convictions under its transitional justice system

Amnesty International has issued a new Urgent Action calling for the protection of the Federation of Artisanal, Environmentalist, and Tourist Fishers of Santander (FEDEPESAN) and its members, and to end the harassment suffered by the fisher community. Between June and August, 26 fisher families from the area of San Silvestre, Barrancabermeja, were forcibly displaced after threats to their safety. The FEDEPESAN president, Yuly Velásquez, received direct death threats to her phone. Despite ongoing legal actions, FEDEPESAN member Janeth Millán was evicted from her home and assaulted by police. The Urgent Action is now on the AIUK site.

Another new Amnesty Urgent Action calls on the Colombian health authorities to urgently control a severe health outbreak with measures that respect the Bari People’s rights to health and informed, prior consent. In the Bridikayra settlement of the Bari Indigenous People in Catatumbo, dozens are suffering from fever, pain and haemorrhages, and in August, a child died after showing these symptoms. Living far from urban centres and not being provided with health services puts them at further risk. The Urgent Action is now on the AIUK site. With both actions, please copy in the Colombian Ambassador to the UK. [Read more…]

Europe Newsletter October 2025

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We are living in dangerous and precarious times. The times of a consensus on the importance of universal human rights are seeming to become distant memory and the challenges at home and across the globe are huge. As human rights activists we have to hold on to the candle and defend the human rights of all. At the sharp end again are the most vulnerable: refugees who had to flee persecution at home and are dehumanised demonised in their host countries and at the borders. It is on us to defend the people and  principle against the tide of disinformation and hate.

Poland

by Lucja Jastrzebska

LGBTQI Rights Urgent Action 

Amnesty Poland are currently carrying out an urgent campaign action aimed at exposing and challenging X’s (formerly Twitter) failure to prevent and mitigate technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TfGBV), particularly targeting LGBTI communities.

Together, we can amplify the voices of those affected and demand that governments act to regulate Big Tech and uphold human rights online.

Campaign Overview

On 25 September, activists around the world,  including LGBTI advocates in Poland, took part in a coordinated Twitter storm. Participants posted campaign visuals or videos using the hashtags #MakeItSafeOnline and tagging relevant regulatory authorities. [Read more…]

Group Newsletter September 2025

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Welcome to the latest newsletter. Our next meeting  is on Thursday 2nd October 2025, 7.30pm – 9.00pm at Moordown Community Centre. We will have updates on campaigns, letter writing and planning future events.

South West England Amnesty Network

This is a new initiative that aims to enhance human rights activism and awareness across South West England, encompassing both national and global issues.  Local groups have been at the heart of Amnesty International UK from its inception and have been a vital part of its activism. Unfortunately, the number of local groups has declined gradually, leaving parts of the country without a means to connect with others and participate in campaigning. The Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch group is now the only local group left in Dorset. Find out more about the network. It will launch on…

Thursday, 14th October, 7.30, with a Webinar.

Luiz Aberbuj from Breaking the Silence will expose the reality of life for Palestinians in the West Bank.  Founded in March 2004, Breaking the Silence is an organisation of veteran soldiers who have served in the Israeli military since the start of the Second Intifada and have taken it upon themselves to expose the Israeli public to the reality of the horrendous conditions faced by the Palestinians in the West Bank. They endeavour to stimulate public debate in Israel about this and, through their work, aim to bring an end to the occupation. Free tickets to the webinar are now available.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1659755616729?
[Read more…]

South West Network

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A new initiative was launched in October 2025  –  Amnesty South West England Network. This aims to enhance human rights activism and awareness across South West England, encompassing both national and global issues.  Local groups have been at the heart of Amnesty International UK from its inception and have been a vital part of its activism. Unfortunately, the number of local groups has declined gradually, leaving parts of the country without a means to connect with others and participate in campaigning. The Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch group is now the only local group left in Dorset.

What are the benefits of being part of the network?

  • Being more informed about human rights issues
  • Meeting and working with people who also care about these issues
  • Gaining support for issues you already work on and care about
  • Feeling you can help to make a difference

Similar initiatives have already been successfully launched in Kent and Central England, primarily online, enabling potential activists to meet, listen to speakers, plan regional campaigns, and coordinate location-specific actions. As well as existing Amnesty members, these networks aim to attract people who may not be Amnesty members but who are interested in human rights issues and/or may not have the time or inclination to join traditional local groups or come to meetings. Networks are a response to societal and lifestyle changes, making it easier for more people to participate in a movement for positive change.

Amnesty South West England Network isn’t going to replace local groups. Apart from our group, there are currently twelve other Amnesty Local Groups across the South West. The network should enhance local groups as a way of publicising our campaigns and events. In both Kent and the Central Midlands, it has led to the establishment of new groups.

How will the Network work?

[Read more…]

South America Newsletter September 2025

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This month we bring you news from Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela

Highlights are:

  • A new study details how lithium mining in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile has caused severe and ongoing human rights impacts, especially for indigenous peoples and the environment.
  • In Chile, three police officers have now been convicted for the brutal beating of Moisés Órdenes during a peaceful protest in 2019, ruling they used disproportionate force but stopping short of labelling it torture
  • President Javier Milei has vowed to veto a $98 million increase in funding for the national public health system, passed by Congress.
  • In Peru, The amnesty bill, which was approved by the country’s congress last month, has been passed into law following signature by President Boluarte. The legislation prevents the criminal prosecution and conviction of former soldiers, police officers and self-defence committee fighters accused of serious human rights violations; Amnesty has strongly criticised the legislation.
  • In Ecuador, Human Rights Watch has reported that oil extraction is continuing in the heart of Yasuni National Park in the Amazon rainforest despite a vote by the Ecuadorian people in 2023 to halt all current and future oil drilling

ARGENTINA, BOLIVIA and CHILE

photo Gaston Brito Miserocchi Getty Images via AFP

A new study details how lithium mining in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile has caused severe and ongoing human rights impacts, especially for indigenous peoples and the environment. The report highlights failures both by states and companies to respect, protect, and fulfil rights, and calls for urgent structural reforms and international accountability. Otherwise, the surge in demand for lithium will be at the expense of those most directly affected by extractive activities on the Andean salt flats, which indigenous peoples have historically inhabited.

Environmental defenders are met with violent repression and harassment for denouncing the lack of consultation, information and compensation. In Argentina, the Jujuy province is within this lithium triangle and the subject of Amnesty’s recent report. Bolivia has the world’s largest lithium reserves, but its production is relatively low. In northern Chile, a lithium partnership between state-owned copper producer Codelco and lithium miner SQM was temporarily suspended in July. Two Indigenous groups filed legal challenges, arguing that the consultation process did not adequately seek their input on the partnership.

CHILE

Three police officers have now been convicted for the brutal beating of Moisés Órdenes during a peaceful protest in 2019, ruling they used disproportionate force but stopping short of labelling it torture. One officer was also found guilty of obstructing the investigation and falsifying records, while most of the original defendants were dismissed from the case. Amnesty International welcomes the verdict as a step toward justice but warned that impunity for human rights violations in Chile remains a serious problem. It calls on the state to ensure truth, justice, and full reparation while preventing future abuses during demonstrations. [Read more…]

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