Timeline

• Peter Benenson launches an 'Appeal for Amnesty' with the publication of 'The Forgotten Prisoners' in the Observer
• Delegates from Belgium, France, Ireland, UK, USA and Switzerland meet in Luxembourg to establish a permanent international movement that will be known as 'Amnesty International'
• British artist Diana Redhouse designs the logo, inspired by the ancient Chinese proverb "better to light a candle then to curse the darkness"
• The first candle is lit on Human Rights day at St Martins-in-the-Fields parish, London

1962

• Amnesty's first mission to Ghana
• 152 political prisoners released in Ghana following Amnesty pressure
• Amnesty sends observer to Nelson Mandela's trial
• First annual report published

1963

• The International Secretariat (Amnesty's headquarters) established in London
• Sean MacBride, an Irish human rights advocate is elected Chairman of the International Executive Committee

1964

• United Nations gives Amnesty consultative status
• Eire releases 37 prisoners on UN Human Rights Day

1965

• The Council of Europe grants Amnesty consultative status
• Amnesty sponsors a resolution at the UN to suspend and abolish capital punishment for peacetime political offences

1966

• 1,000 prisoners of conscience, adopted by Amnesty, released since movement started

1967

• Amnesty represents over 2,000 prisoners in 63 countries

1968

• First Prisoner of Conscience Week
• Martin Ennals appointed Secretary General

1969

• UNESCO grants Amnesty consultative status
• Since Amnesty's founding, 4,000 prisoners have been adopted - half have been released

1970

• 520 prisoners released this year

1981

• Candle lighting ceremony to mark Amnesty's 20th Anniversary

1982

• Amnesty condemns apartheid as a doctrine or ideology. We also reaffirm policy regarding opposition to inhumane treatment of people who are open about their sexuality

1983

• More than one million signatures handed to UN on Human Rights day in appeal for universal amnesty for all prisoners of conscience
• Amnesty broadens its condemnation of inhumane acts by government to include acts done by anyone, whether armed groups, companies or individuals

1984

• Adoption of UN Convention Against Torture on Human Rights day

1985

• Amnesty broadens its statute to include work for refugees
• First educational pack Teaching and learning about human rights is launched
• Over half a million Amnesty members, supporters and subscribers in 50 countries
• Ian Martin appointed Secretary General

1986

• Amnesty members write to more than 10,000 members of state and people of influence in South Africa to protest against apartheid
• 'Conspiracy of Hope' rock concert with U2, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Neville Brothers and others

1987

• Amnesty reports that death penalty in US violates treaties, is racially biased and arbitrary
• Amnesty increases its mandate to include deliberate killings of people who are not prisoners and no longer distinguishes between political and non-political characteristic of sufferers of human rights abuses

1988

• 'Human Rights Now' campaign and concert tour in 15 countries raises awareness and membership. It is viewed by millions when broadcast on Human Rights Day to mark the 40^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

1989

• Amnesty membership hits 60,000 individuals in UK
• Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing: Amnesty members write 25,000 letters and telegrams to China within five days of the massacre on 4 June
• Amnesty publishes 'When the state kills', a report on the death penalty in the US

1990

• BBC2 series Prisoners of Conscience, presented by Lenny Henry broadcast in December
• Death penalty abolished in Hungary, Ireland, Mozambique, Namibia, Andorra, Sao Tome and Principe

1991

• 'No More Excuses' campaign launched for Amnesty's 30^th anniversary
• Mandate increased to include abuses by armed opposition groups, hostage taking and considers people imprisoned by the state due to their sexual orientation as prisoners of conscious

1992

• International membership hits one million with 6,000 local groups in over 70 countries
• Former Yugoslavia and Somalia human rights disasters are the focus of Amnesty campaigns. Twenty-nine thousand letters are sent from UK members to Geneva regarding the atrocities in former Yugoslavia
• The UK Section publishes 'Towards a credible asylum process' for parliamentarians
• Amnesty mug, t-shirt and badge included in permanent 20^th century design and lifestyle exhibit at the Victoria & Albert museum
• Royal Festival Hall concert for Amnesty includes Sinead O'Connor and David Byrne
• Pierre Sane from Senegal appointed Secretary General

1993

• Amnesty holds its first meeting with a British Prime Minister, John Major, regarding concerns in China, Former Yugoslavia and the plight of political refugees

1994

• Amnesty launches campaign on women's rights, 'Human rights are women's rights'
• Amnesty campaign on "disappearances" and political killings launched worldwide

1995

• Channel 4 Dispatches programme, 'The Torture Trail' is aired; Amnesty campaigns on 'Stop the Torture Trade'
• Amnesty starts campaigning on female genital mutilation

1996

• Amnesty campaigns for permanent International Criminal Court, adopted by the UN in 1998

1997

• The human rights of refugees is the focus of Amnesty's worldwide campaign
• Actress Helen Mirren leads Amnesty demonstration against electro-shock batons used for torture purposes. This follows a campaign on how the UK government allows trade in equipment used for torture and repression in countries with appalling human rights records
• Amnesty changes mandate to address human rights abuses by private actors rather then just government entities

1998

• UK parliament finally votes to abolish death penalty for treason and piracy, the last of the peacetime capital offences after significant pressure from Amnesty
• Amnesty launches 'Get up, Sign up' campaign in 124 countries to mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, collecting 13 million signatures in support of the declaration
• Amnesty campaigns against land mines and other weapons affecting children in armed conflict

1999

• Amnesty starts promoting measures to prevent the proliferation of small arms
• Amnesty campaign draws attention to 300,000 child soldiers taking part in hostilities around the world and treatment of refugee children in the UK

2000

• Amnesty joins forces with Oxfam to argue for tough new export laws on arms trade

• Over 170,000 of the one million worldwide members are based in the UK, including 950 local and youth groups and 900 affiliated organisations
• Amnesty has now covered more than 47,000 cases - only 2,000 are still open
• Peter Benenson is awarded the Pride of Britain lifetime achievement award from Cherie Blair
• Amnesty wins the Revolution Awards for 'best use of email' in its stoptorture.org campaign
• Amnesty, in a joint campaign with Oxfam, succeeds in first step of arms control: the UK Government publishes an 'Export and Non-Proliferation Bill'
• 'We know where you live!' - Amnesty's 40^th anniversary televised comedy gig at Wembley raises £200,000