Amnesty International Scotland

Amnesty's Scottish office provides a focus for our campaigning and fundraising in Scotland. We engage with Scotland's distinct political, education and media structures and take part in wider political and cultural life in Scotland.

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Contact details for Amnesty in Scotland

The Sweet Sound of Success - Scotland Schoolgirls Win at our Youth Awards

Isla Ratcliff, winner of our 2013 Power of Our Voices Award for Best Lyrics At a prestigious ceremony in London on Tuesday 30 April, two Scottish pupils were big winners.

Edinburgh Music School's Isla Ratcliff was awarded our 2013 Power of Our Voices Award for Best Lyrics.

Holly Gomez of Woodfarm High School in East Renfrewshire became the Sixth Form category winner of this year's Young Human Rights Reporter Award.

Holly Gomez, Sixth Form category winner of our 2013 Young Human Rights Reporter Award

And the shortlist had a good representation from Scotland too.

Young Adam Bojelian of Edinburgh's Forthview Primary School was shortlisted for his song Coming Out of the Ghetto while Genevieve Brown from Inverurie Academy and Louise Wylie from Knightswood Secondary School in Glasgow were shortlisted in the Upper Secondary and Sixth Form categories of the Young Human Rights Reporter respectively.

Holyrood Report finds Scottish Gypsy Travellers living in 'appalling' conditions

Gypsy Travellers On March 26, 2013 the Scottish Government's Equal Opportunities Committee released the report Where Gypsy/Travellers Live

Ministers are 'dismayed' that this, the fourth report the committee has published in 12 years, is alarmingly similar to its predecessors - it shows that Gypsy Travellers in Scotland still suffer appalling living conditions, barriers to health and education and systematic discrimination.

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Good news!

Arms Trade Treaty agreed

David Grimason outside the UN at the July 2012 talks to agree an Arms Trade Treaty. © Andrew Kelly

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people suffer because of the poorly regulated arms trade. This year, you helped change that.

On 2 April 2013, together, we achieved a great milestone for human rights. 154 governments voted to put lives and human rights above profits and for the first time place effective international controls on the billion dollar arms trade. They voted to adopt the Arms Trade Treaty. It couldn't have happened without you.

U Myint Aye released

Burmese Prisoner of Conscience U Myint Aye was released on 19 November 2012 after thousands of you joined our Edinburgh Festivals campaign and called for his freedom.

In 2008 he was sentenced to eight years in prison after helping to fundraise in support those affected by Cyclone Nargis. The Cyclone left thousands homeless and many more in need of food, but the government was heavily criticised for failing to let international aid in to help those affected.

Our researcher met up with him just days after his release and he asked us to send his heartfelt thanks to all of you that took the time to support him. Thank you. Read more about his release

Scotland takes steps towards legalising same-sex marriage

At the end of 2011, the Scottish Government held a public consultation around the potential introduction of religious ceremonies for civil partnerships, and the possible introduction of same sex marriage. We strongly support the proposal, which seeks to create a balanced relationship between same sex and mixed sex couples when it comes to civil partnerships and marriage. Read our response to the consultation

On 25 July 2012, the Scottish Government announced that it intended to legislate to allow same sex marriage, along with the findings from the consultation process. We wait to see when this intention will turn into a reality and continue to support the campaign for Same Sex Marriage in Scotland.

Unlawful Strathclyde Taser pilot finishes

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In October 2010, Strathclyde Police Force completed a six month pilot which issued Taser electro-shock weapons to ordinary officers on the beat.

Amnesty International campaigned against the lawfulness of the pilot and we continue to challenge any future policy which enables ordinary beat officers to be issued with these potentially lethal weapons.

In October 2012, the Strathclyde Police Authority finally published an evaluation of the pilot.