Weekly Action and News 05/08/2022
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
***We still need volunteers to help Lima Al Iskalachi at the Amnesty Stall at a FREE music event in Levenshulme TOMORROW EVENING campaigning for Julian Assange, whistleblowers and press freedom. Information below the weekly actions.***
Please do this action and make a difference
Algeria: investigate torture of whistleblower Mohamed Benhlima
Mohamed Benhlima is an activist, former military official and whistleblower who exposed alleged corruption by high-ranking Algerian military officials online. He sought asylum in Spain but the Spanish authorities refouled him to Algeria in March 2022. The Algerian authorities subjected him to torture and ill-treatment and imprisoned him in El Harrash prison in Algiers before moving him to El-Blida military prison. He is undergoing trials on several cases before the military and civil courts. He was sentenced to death in absentia, while still an asylum seeker in Spain, on charges of espionage and desertion. Amnesty is calling for the immediate release of Mohamed Benhlima, and pending his release, that he be protected from further torture and ill treatment.
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/investigate-torture-whistleblower
Event this weekend
Can you help on the Amnesty stall at this FREE event
tomorrow evening ??
Contact
Lima Al- iskalachi
Forthcoming event
Sunday, 14th August, 2-3pm, St Anne’s Square, the refugee subgroup will be holding their final “orange heart” event to raise awareness about rights of refugees. We will be accompanied by some members of Women Asylum Seekers Together (WAST) who spoke at our April meeting. We will display our banner and hearts (which link to information about refugees) for an hour then take the hearts down and give them away to passers-by. Please join us. Alison.wearden@gmail.com
Group News
Manchester Amnesty had a presence at the Big Ride for Palestine event in July. Four group members participated in the ride over three days from Derby – Stoke – Manchester and around Manchester. They had a display and information stall at the evening social event, and at the final rally they gave a talk on Amnesty’s report and campaign: Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians.
Four members of our craftivism group met with Cllr Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, to discuss our shared interests in human rights. We presented Bev with a gift of some art representing our campaigning work.
Good news
Egypt - On 29 July 2022, the authorities announced the granting of presidential pardons to seven prisoners convicted of crimes of opinion, including journalist Hisham Fouad who was released the next day.
Italy - On 25 July 2022, the European Court of Human Rights condemned Italy for the inhuman and degrading treatment of Ousainou Darboe, a migrant from The Gambia who had been placed in an overcrowded reception centre for adults for four months despite being a minor. The Court ordered a total compensation of 11,500 euros.
United Nations - On 28 July 2022, with 161 votes in favour, eight abstentions and zero votes against, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming that access to a clean and healthy environment is a fundamental human right.
Manchester Amnesty Subgroups and other work
If you would like to join any of our subgroups, please contact the current convenors for joining details.
UAE – Kathryn Fletcher, bussk@btinternet.com.
Anti-racism – Hazel Errey, hazelerrey@gmail.com,
Refugees – Alison Wearden, alison.wearden@gmail.com
HR in UK – Matthew Sherwood, m.j.sherwood@outlook.com
Craftivism - Kathryn Fletcher bussk@btinternet.com.
Other areas of work are led by:
Crisis and Tactical Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen Rebecca Shaw, r.h.shaw.7@gmail.com
Europe/ Turkey, Fatih Segmen, fsegmen@yahoo.com
Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians Mike Reed mikewreed101@gmail.com
Individuals at Risk (quarterly letter writing) Anne Walker anne.walker9@ntlworld.com
LGBTQ rights – Manchester Pride 2022 coordinator – Steve Lindsay stevenjameslindsay@gmail.com
Alison Wearden
Communications Secretary
Manchester Group of Amnesty International
Please contact me with items for our Weekly Action and News email, or with ideas for longer articles for the quarterly Manchester Amnesty Group Bulletin.
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