Fortnightly Action and News 31/10/2025
Manchester Amnesty Fortnightly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
Last week, Amnesty International and others reported on horrifying attacks on civilians in El Fasher, Darfur, by the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF). There is evidence that weapons sold by the UK to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have ended up in Sudan and have been used in the widespread killing of civilians by the RSF.
Please urgently send an email to your MP (find their email address here) asking them to speak out and act against the use of UK made weapons to commit war crimes. We have provided a template letter (attached as a pdf at the end of this post). Feel free to use this as it is or amend it as you wish.
There is also a petition action by Avaaz, which you can access on the link below. Please act today.
Our weekly vigil will continue to campaign for the rights of the people of Palestine.
***THIS EVENING***
100th MANCHESTER AMNESTY SILENT VIGIL for the people of Palestine
St Peters Square, Manchester, Friday 31st October, 5-6pm.
Please do not bring placards, banners or flags.
We will provide placards/banners with Amnesty’s messages and will have special messages to mark the occasion of our 100th vigil. Please bring your friends.
Our next group meeting will take place online on Monday, November 10th at 7pm.
We are pleased to welcome Manu Luksch whose film about the campaign to free UAE political prisoner Ahmed Mansoor comes out at the end of the year – we will consider how we can contribute to the campaign. Richard Umpleby will update us on the threat to human rights in the UK, including protest rights and rights of people with disabilities, and we will discuss actions we can take. There will be brief updates on our other campaigns and news of forthcoming events. All are welcome, including new members, and a zoom link will be emailed before the meeting.
NWest Amnesty Regional Meet-up
Saturday, 8th November, 11:00- 15:30 (doors open at 10:30).
Brewery Arts Centre, 122a Highgate, Kendal LA9 4HE.
All welcome, light lunch will be provided. More information and sign up here
https://wegottickets.com/event/679365
For your children and grandchildren!
Amnesty International UK Youth Festival
Thursday 20 November 2025, 10am - 4pm
Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH
FREE to attend. Lunch and snacks will be provided.
For current Year 10 - Year 13 students from across the UK. More info and sign up here.
From Balfour’s Promise to a Century of Complicity!
End British support for Israel’s Theft of Palestine.
Rally and Demonstration, Saturday 31st October, 12 noon, St Peter’s Square.
Whalley Range Peace and Justice Stand with Palestine
Each Wednesday 4.30-5.30 at Brooks Bar M16 7RN
Didsbury for Palestine, every Wednesday, 5.30-6.30pm location alternates.
5th November outside Coop, 12th November 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, (2/11, 8/12) 11:00-12:30, Outside Tesco on Stockport Road
Gaza’s Gravediggers. An evening with Professor Norman Finklestein
Saturday 15th November 2025, 6:30pm-9:30pm (Doors open from 6pm)
The Marquee Manchester, College Road, Whalley Range, Manchester M16 8BP
£21 early bird discount, £30 from 7th November 2025, no children under 7. Book here
Please see GMFoP website for up to date information about rallies, protests, events.
Good news
European Union / Belarus / Georgia - On 22 October 2025, the European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut and Georgian journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, both prisoners of conscience adopted by Amnesty International.
Syria - On 22 October 2025, Major Akram Salloum al-Abdullah, former commander of the military police from 2014 to 2015, was arrested on charges of having been directly responsible for torture and executions inside the notorious military prison of Sednaya, which was the subject of numerous complaints by Amnesty International.
United Nations / Israel / Occupied Palestinian Territory - On October 22, 2025, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel has an obligation to facilitate the delivery of UN aid to the Gaza Strip and denied allegations of non-neutrality by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugee persons.
Bangladesh - On 23 October 2025, 15 army officers were indicted on charges including enforced disappearances and torture, committed under the previous government during the university protests in summer 2024. This is the first time in the country's history that military personnel have been prosecuted for the crime of enforced disappearance.
The next Fortnightly Action and News will be on 14th November
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 (next one 22/11/25) 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
Text of email to MP
Dear [MP’s name]
I am writing as your constituent and as a member of the Manchester Amnesty group to ask you how The Labour party (substitute for your MP’s party) will respond to the evidence that weapons sold by the UK have been used by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan.
As detailed recently by Amnesty International (https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/sudan-horrifying-reports-el-fasher-rsf-attacks-civilians), there are reports from EL Fasher in Darfur of horrific attacks on civilians by the RSF. This is reminiscent of the genocide of non-Arab communities in Darfur committed two decades ago by the Janjaweed, the predecessor of the RSF.
UK-made components have been found in weapons used in the widespread killing of civilians. The UK sells weapons to the UAE even though it is known as a hub for arms diversion to Sudan and Libya.
Amnesty International has made a statement that “The Government must immediately suspend all arms to the UAE. It must also prove that, in light of this evidence, it has launched a full investigation into how this equipment ended up in Sudan, notified the UK company in line with its own enhanced military end-use controls and, taken firm, immediate action to stop this from happening again.”
What is your view on what the Government should do to prevent UK made weapons being used to commit war crimes and what action will you take to remedy this?
Yours sincerely
Please add your name, address and postcode so your MP knows you are their constituent.
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