Tag Archives: human rights

December 9, 2011 · 9:16 pm

Freedom of expression in Paupua province

English: Former U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosev...

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Today’s letter in the Amnesty International’s Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon addressed the situation of Filep Karma, who was arrested in December 2004 for his participation in a peaceful flag-raising ceremony in Papua province of Indonesia. Karma is serving a 15-year sentence on charges of treason.  Amnesty International considers him to be prisoner of conscience and is calling for his immediate and unconditional release.

My letter asked Amir Syamsuddin, Indonesia’s Minister of Justice and Human Rights to release Filep Karma and to make a public commitment that there will be no further arrests of individuals purely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression, assembly, or association.  It included a request that the Minister ensures that laws concerning “rebellion” (Articles 106 and 110 of the Criminal Code) are not used against people who have engaged only in peaceful activities. The request was rooted in the right to freedom of expression includes the right to peacefully advocate referenda, independence, or other political solutions.

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December 8, 2011 · 9:47 pm

On behalf of teachers

Today’s letter in the Amnesty International’s Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon  focused on teachers which comes close to my heart since my family contains a number of teachers over the generations.

Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi ‘Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, leaders of the Bahrain Teachers Association, appear to have been imprisoned because of the association’s calls for strikes during the protests earlier this year.

Amnesty International reports that authorities first arrested Jalila al-Salman on 29 March 2011, and reportedly ill-treated her in detention.   Mahdi Abu Dheeb was arrested on 6 April and reportedly suffered torture and solitary confinement.  Although civilians, the two teachers were tried before a military court, in breach of their right to a fair trial.  In September, Jalila al-Salman was sentenced to three years in prison, and Mahdi Abu Dheeb was sentenced to ten years.  Their appeal is to be heard by the High Criminal Court in December.

The request to the King asks for an investigation into the case and the allegations of torture and ill-treatment.  It asks that any who are found responsible for ill-treatment be held accountable. It further asks that if the investigation shows that Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi Abu Dheeb were arrested because of their leadership of the Bahrain Teachers Association and their peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly,  should be immediately and unconditionally released, and all charges against them should be dropped.  The King is asked to ensure that their appeal hearing meets international standards and that any evidence obtained through torture or duress not be used against them.  The King is also asked to uarantee that they receive appropriate medical care and are protected from ill-treatment.

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December 7, 2011 · 10:06 pm

For a Nobel Peace Prize recipient

Today’s letter in the Amnesty International’s Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon focused on Liu Xiaobo, 2010 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, who was given an 11-year prison sentence in December 2009 for calling for political and legal reform in China. The letter went to Premier Wen Jiabao of the People’s Republic of China.

Amnesty International notes that Liu Xiaobo’s imprisonment is a clear attempt to prevent him from carrying out his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities. Amnesty further notes that the detention, restriction, and harassment of peaceful human rights activists has increased in recent years, running counter to promises made by officials in China’s National Human Rights Action Plan 2009-2010.

My letter, guided by Amnesty, asked the Premier to release Liu Xiaobo immediately and unconditionally and to lift the surveillance and severe restrictions currently placed on his wife Liu Xia.  It called the Premier to see that Liu Xiaobo has access to his family and lawyers. It further addressed the systemic issue of the use of broad and vaguely defined charges to arbitrarily detain and prosecute activists, journalists and internet users.

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December 6, 2011 · 10:38 pm

Sri Lanka – Ragihar Manoharan

Letter three in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon went last night to the President of Sri Lanka. It focused on  Ragihar Manoharan. Ragihar was one of five students killed by security forces in the city of Trincomalee on January 2, 2006. The letter asks the President to tell his family the truth about what happened to their son. Amnesty International reports that a commission of inquiry examined the killing of Ragihar Manoharan. My letter and the Amnesty International Campaign ask for the release of the commission’s report.

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December 3, 2011 · 10:29 pm

Shine A Light on Freedom of Expression

I sent my first letter in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon today. I wrote to the President of Azerbaijan on behalf of Jabbar Savalan.

Here is how Amnesty describes Jabbar’s situation:

Hours after posting a Facebook message calling for protests against the government, Jabbar Savalan told his family that he was being followed. The next evening, police brought him to a police station, where they “discovered” marijuana in his outer coat pocket. Questioning him without a lawyer for two days, police reportedly hit and intimidated him to make him sign a confession. Jabbar Savalan maintained that he does not use drugs and that the marijuana was planted on him. Authorities in Azerbaijan have a history of using trumped-up drug charges to jail those seen as critical of the government. Amnesty International believes the charges against Jabbar were fabricated, and considers him a prisoner of conscience.

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Find resources for the Write-a-thon, including sample letters to adapt.

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December 2, 2011 · 11:33 pm

Words can save lives

Will you write a letter to save a life?

I will.

Tonight I signed up to participate in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon.

Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world will take part in the Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon; Amnesty International calls it the world’s largest human rights event:

Through letters, cards and more, we take action to demand that the human rights of individuals are respected, protected and fulfilled. We show solidarity with those suffering human rights abuses, and work to bring about positive change in people’s lives.

Words carry great power. Amnesty International helps us put our words to use in the cause of human rights. Our words can bring hope to a prisoner. They can expose the corners of torture chambers. They can offer courage to those who defend human rights. They can challenge the powers that be. They can set the oppressed free. They can save lives.

Sign up now to Write for Rights!

I will post about my writing. I invite you to let me know what you write.

And I will see you along the Trail.

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November 23, 2011 · 10:48 am

Give a gift for human rights

Looking for a stocking stuffer?

Consider a TassaTag.

TassaTags are 4″x6″ bright, hand-woven cotton luggage tags. TassaTags serve a larger purpose than simply helping you spot your luggage.

Each purchase of a TassaTag supports ECPAT-USA (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking), a non-profit children’s rights organization whose mission is to protect children in the US and abroad from commercial sexual exploitation. ECPAT-USA is a partner of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

TassaTags are fair trade products. Women at The Regina Center in Nongkhai, Thailand make the tags. This project enables women to stay in their villages and keep their children in school—two major strategies in reducing sex trafficking.

TassaTags help to raise awareness of the commercial sexual exploitation of children and they send the message that the sexual exploitation of children is not acceptable.

By buying and using a TassaTag you become a human rights worker for children!

Order TassaTags now for everyone on your Christmas list who uses a suitcase.

See you along the Trail (I’ll recognize you by the TassaTag on your bag!).

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October 11, 2011 · 9:51 pm

Four on the death penalty

From the United Nations News Centre:

11 October 2011 – The United Nations human rights office today said it is deeply distressed by the recent execution in Saudi Arabia of 10 men, eight of whom were foreign migrant workers, and called on the country to establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

From the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights:

“The death penalty is carried out in ways that violate international norms, such as the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as anti-discrimination standards,” said UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay in an opinion piece on the question of the death penalty.

From Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty (in Alabama):

Alabama has set October 20th 2011 as the execution date for Christopher T. Johnson. Christopher T. Johnson is what might be called a volunteer. At his trial he represented himself and asked the Court to impose the death penalty. The Court complied and in May Mr. Johnson filed a brief on his own behalf requesting that no further appeals should be filed for him.

Johnson has been convicted of killing his six-month old son – Elias Ocean Johnson. Reports are that he has admitted the crime. He has apparently refused to pursue any appeals and has filed court papers saying that he does not want anyone to file appeals on his behalf. My mind reels as I ponder his crime. And yet – his execution will not bring back Elias – his execution will diminish us as does any execution carried out by the state.

From the 190th General Assembly (1978), Presbyterian Church in the United States:

“Capital punishment is an expression of vengeance which contradicts the justice of God on the cross.”

See you along the Trail.

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