Fortnightly Action and News 19/09/2025
Manchester Amnesty Fortnightly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
On 1st September the government removed the last safe route available to women and children fleeing war, torture and persecution, by temporarily closing applications for family reunification. As a result, many more women and children will be forced to take dangerous journeys, including the perilous crossing across the English Channel, in order to be reunited with family members who have been granted refugee status in the UK. Care for Calais have prepared a brief letter for you to send to your MP urging them to lobby the new home secretary in opposition to this cruel and immoral policy. You can generate the letter simply by putting your name, email address and postcode into the action at the link below.
***THIS EVENING***
MANCHESTER AMNESTY SILENT VIGIL for the people of Palestine
St Peters Square, Manchester, Friday 19th September, 5-6pm.
Please do not bring placards, banners or flags.
We will provide placards with Amnesty’s messages. Feel free to bring your friends.
Our next appeal-writing drop-in will take place on Saturday, 27th September at 2-4pm beside the café area at Manchester Central Library.
Bring your friends and do drop in for however long you can manage! All materials and information about the cases will be provided. If you prefer to send emails or tweets, please bring your own device – wifi is available. We hope to see you there!
Members may be interested in joining “Red Line for Gaza” an online group backed by many reputable charities and organisations, which, if you sign up, provides you each week with an email to send to your MP, all on different topics relating to Gaza. This week the focus is the illegal detention of children by the Israeli military. See this link.
6.30pm,Thursday, 25th September, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, M2 5NS
Stories from the Student Encampments, plus Q&A
Watch and discuss a series of short films made by and with student-activists from the Gaza encampments in the UK. Followed by discussion with panel. Book your tickets here.
Proceeds to Rivers of Mercy, an organisation providing life-saving health care to Palestinians.
Sandbar Withington, 437 Wilmslow Road, Withington, M20 4AF
Saturday, 27th September, 3pm-1am
Palestine Hands on Deck
A vibrant music and arts event in support of the charity “Reviving Gaza”
This is a “pay as you wish” event. More details here.
To commemorate 75 years of the European Convention on Human Rights,
2-4pm, Sunday, 5th October, Friends’ Meeting House, Mount Street, M2 5NS
Dreams of Peace and Freedom, a song-cycle by Sue Casson.
Reserve your place here
Please see attached pdf; feel free to distribute it.
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations
Whalley Range Peace and Justice Stand with Palestine
Each Wednesday 4.30-5.30 at Brooks Bar M16 7RN
Didsbury against genocide, rally, every Wednesday, 5.30-6.30pm alternates between outside the Library and outside the Coop. 24th September outside Co-op; 31st September outside Library.
Levenshulme Peace and Justice for Palestine All out for Palestine
Each Thursday, 5-6pm, Levenshulme Village Green, junction of Stockport Rd & Chapel St
plus Levenshulme Consumer Boycott stall
Every first Sunday, (5/10, 2/11, 8/12) 11:00-12:30, Outside Tesco on Stockport Road
Please see GMFoP website for up to date information about rallies, protests, events.
The World Transformed
A festival of people’s art and culture. A national gathering to strategize and coordinate.
Spread across venues in Hulme, Manchester
Full programme available here. Tickets now on sale here.
Good news
United States of America / Israel - On September 1, 2025, a U.S. court sentenced the Israeli company NSO Group to pay over $168 million to the company Meta, whose WhatsApp had been at the centre of a 2019 hacking operation. Amnesty International has denounced NSO for selling its "Pegasus" software to states that used it to spy on dissidents and journalists.
Burkina Faso - On September 1, 2025, the Transitional Legislative Assembly unanimously approved the new Code of the Person and the Family. The code sets the minimum age for marriage at 18, states that both parties must consent, and eliminates gender discrimination in inheritance.
Israel / Occupied Palestinian Territory - On September 5, 2025, Palestinian detainee Jamal Abu Hayt was released from prison after spending two years in administrative detention, without charge or trial, based on alleged evidence of a threat to national security that was not made public.
Belarus - On September 1, 2025, following an agreement with the United States, 14 foreigners and 38 Belarusians, including journalists, trade unionists and human rights activists, who had been held in arbitrary detention, were released
Spain / Israel - On September 7, 2025, as part of a series of actions against the ongoing genocide Gaza, the government in Madrid issued a decree prohibiting ships and planes carrying weapons or fuel destined for the Israeli army from docking in ports or transiting through Spain's airspace.
Israel / Occupied Palestinian Territory - On September 7, 2025, upholding an appeal by numerous Israeli and Palestinian non-governmental organizations, the Israeli High Court of Justice ruled that the state is not ensuring adequate nutrition for detained Palestinian people and ordered immediate measures to ensure their livelihoods and to end allegations of deliberate malnutrition.
European Union / Israel - On 11 September 2025, the European Parliament adopted a joint resolution calling on the European Union institutions to sanction members of the Israeli government and to suspend some trade aspects of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
The next Fortnightly Action and News will be on 3rd October
Manchester Amnesty issue and campaign coordinators
Anti-racism –Hazel Errey hazelerrey@gmail.com and Umbareen Siddiqi
Human Rights in the UK Richard Umpleby richump@live.co.uk
Individuals at Risk bi-monthly drop in Liz Carter lizcarter64@yahoo.co.uk
Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians - Mike Reed mikewreed101@gmail.com
LGBTQ+ and Pride – Fynn Kawe fynnkawe@gmail.com
Press freedom and Julian Assange – Lima Al-iskalachi limazakoor@gmail.com & Danny Jones dannyj644@gmail.comsu
Prevent campaign – Tom Milnes thomashmilnes@gmail.com
Refugees - Caroline Glendinning caroline.glendinning@york.ac.uk and Alison Wearden
UAE - Kathryn Fletcher bussk@btinternet.com
Our website Manchester | Amnesty International UK [amnesty.org.uk] (managed by Alison Wearden)
X/Twitter @amnestymanc [twitter.com] (managed by Steve Lindsay – stevenjameslindsay@gmail.com)
Facebook Manchester Amnesty Group [facebook.com] MANAGER NEEDED!
Instagram @amnestymanchester [instagram.com] managed by Hazel Errey (hazelerrey@gmail.com)
Digital design coordinator Fynn Kawe fynnkawe@gmail.com
Alison Wearden
Communications Secretary
Manchester Group of Amnesty International.
Please contact me on alison.wearden@gmail.com with items for our Fortnightly Action and News, or with ideas for longer articles for the quarterly Manchester Amnesty Group Bulletin (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec).
Group email address: manchestergroup@amnesty.org.uk
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