Student Activism

Dear fellow activists,

As you all know Amnesty International works on many important issues and there is always work to do for all of us! In 2004 Amnesty International launched its global Stop Violence Against Women Campaign to help the efforts in the Women's rights movement around the world. Violence Against Women is a human rights problem of epidemic proportions that exists everywhere, it cuts across all countries, social groups, ethnicities, religions and socioeconomic classes. At least one in every three women is physically or sexually abused at least one time during her lifetime. In some countries this number is as high as a shocking 70%.

Now we have an opportunity to get closer to the goal of protecting women and girls from human rights abuses around the world. On October 31, 2007 the bill International Violence Against Women Act, I-VAWA, was introduced by Senators Joseph Biden and Richard Lugar. They are now collecting co-sponsors to the legislation. The bill directs the U.S. government to create a strategy to fight violence against women and girls internationally. It would also mean a serious financial commitment to the fight against this major human rights problem.

Please CLICK HERE to help pass this important legislation. Sign AIUSA's letter urging Senators to co-sponsor the International Violence Against Women Act

Click here for more information on Violence Against Women and the I-VAWA

Thanks for your support!

~ Malin

Hey everyone!

For those who are interested, please check out "Taxi to the Dark Side."  It's a film by Alex Gibney which probes the issue of torture, and investigates how it and other "harsh interrogation techniques" came into practice.  It won an Academy Award at last night's Oscars for best feature documentary! !

It includes rare footage from Abu Ghraib, Bagram Air Force Base, and Guantánamo Bay, which makes it a little difficult to watch. Nonetheless, it's a film that everyone should see and it addresses a pressing human rights issue that we should all be concerned about.

So, check out the film's website for more information and see if it's playing in your area!

Hope you'll take some time out to watch it,

Michelle

Get ready for Lobby Week for Darfur! Check out this video from AIUSA's Instant Karma and learn more here

Hey guys,

Next week, February 25-29, is Darfur Lobby Week!

As you probably know, there is a humanitarian crisis occurring in Darfur right now.  With some two million people displaced and several hundred thousand dead, the UN/AU peacekeeping force is desperately needed to help mitigate the situation.

So far, only 9,000 of the pledge 26,000 troops are on the ground in Darfur.  The Sudanese government has been stalling further deployment of troops, while UN donor countries have failed to supply adequate funding and equipment for the force to fully function in the region.

It's time for us to turn up the heat on Washington and get them to apply pressure on the government of Sudan and other donor nations to stop the crisis in Darfur. Visit your legislators next week and demand action for Darfur!  See AI's website for further information on Darfur Lobby Week and to join delegations to visit your representatives and Senators.

If you can't make a legislative visit, you can use AI's online action center to advocate for Darfur.

Go activists go! We need you!

Thanks for all you do,

Michelle

On Wednesday February 13 the Senate sent President Bush an intelligence authorization bill that would bar a number of harsh interrogation techniques. A provision in the legislation would confine all agencies, including the CIA, to the September 2006 Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations and the interrogation techniques that are authorized by it. However, President Bush has vowed to veto the bill if the interrogation provision is included. Since the bill passed in the House on December 13 with the narrow margin of 222-199 it would be hard for them to overturn a potential veto for which they would need a two-thirds majority.

John McCain voted against the bill, which came as somewhat of a surprise since he has previously spoken up very firmly against torture. He explained his vote by saying that he thinks that they could have additional techniques as long as they did not violate international rules against torture.

But isn't that what the problem has been in the past - rules about interrogation techniques that have been too loose and therefore up for interpretation. With the history of use of torture in the war on terror wouldn't it be better to have very strict rules on what techniques are allowed and which ones are not?

This is yet another example of when our voices are needed to be heard in the fight against torture! Visit our web page www.amnestyusa.org/torture and learn more about torture in the war on terror, find out why this bill is needed and make your voice heard!

In Solidarity,

Malin

Dear fellow activists,

On Monday, United States military prosecutors formally charged six Guantánamo detainees with "murder and war crimes" in connection with the September 11^th terrorist attacks.  If the trial proceeds, prosecutors will seek the death penalty for all six men. 

Amnesty International has decried the move, stating that "charging six men with crimes relating to the September 11^th attacks and trying them in the military commissions system...will distract from the ultimate goal of accountability."  The military commissions system has long been criticized for its lack of due process protections, retention of habeas corpus, and allowance of "coerced" evidence. 

It's likely that all of the men endured the harsh interrogation techniques used notoriously at Guantánamo.  The CIA has confirmed that one of the men, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was waterboarded during an interrogation in a secret prison.  Another detainee, Mohammed al-Quatahni, was the subject of a Senate hearing on prisoner abuse in Guantánamo.  Confessions made under these conditions are inaccurate and should not be admissible in court.

It is unbelievable and unacceptable that the U.S. will seek such harsh penalties in an unfair legal system that doesn't conform to national and international laws.  It is unacceptable that the U.S. condones torture and brutality to extract information from suspects.  This is not an effective way to hold those responsible for 9/11 accountable for their crimes. Nor is this an effective counter-terrorism measure. This is certainly not the America I Believe In.

Please take action today and stand by the America You Believe In; the America that does not torture people. Click here to sign the America I Believe In pledge.      

Finally, you and other student activists can help Amnesty International close Guantánamo by registering for this year's National Week of Student Action.  Join hundreds of other student activists and Amnesty International in denouncing torture and demanding humane treatment for all detainees.

Take action today!! We need your time and your support!

-Michelle

Dear Activists,

Judges, lawyers and human rights activists remain forcefully silenced in Pakistan, as General Musharraf continues to refuse restoring the rule of law and to reinstate the judges who were dismissed during a "State of Emergency" (November 3 to December 15 2007).

Shamefully, the US government has failed to use its influential position as a major provider of military aid to successfully pressure General Musharraf to revoke the damage he has caused to human rights and civil liberties. A return to full rule of law is essential to restoring democracy, human rights, and stability in Pakistan.

Law students and professionals in the US and around the world have been among the most important and vocal advocates on behalf of their counterparts in Pakistan. Your voice is critical to maintaining pressure on the government of Pakistan and in shifting American policy.

There are many ways that you can become active with this issue.  Urge the US Government to pressure Pakistani authorities to reinstate judges and restore the rule of law in Pakistan.  Call on US Congress to speak out about ongoing harassment of judges and lawyers.  Express your outrage to Pakistani authorities over the ongoing shutdown of the independent judiciary.  Become educated about the recent developments in Pakistan and encourage others to take action. 

I am sure many of you are as outraged as I am.  It's time we took a stand.

In Solidarity,

Justin

take action here: http://www.amnestyusa.org/Pakistan/Action/page.do?id=YCA0966120000E&n1=3&n2=30&n3=966

Dear students,

This summer, AI is offering you a great opportunity to gain real world experience. See the information below if you're interested:

Make a difference this summer on the frontlines of human rights activism! The Reebok Human Rights Summer Fellowship offers students a unique opportunity to gain practical experience in the field of human rights. AIUSA is recruiting students to spend this summer working alongside human rights defenders. Now is your chance to take your activism into the field and work with organizations which share AIUSA's goals. Fellows will be assigned to human rights organizations in the United States and abroad. Students aged 18 - 25 are eligible to apply and fellows will receive funding of up to a maximum of $2,500 to use towards air travel and other expenses.

Develop your skills, broaden your human rights experience and join the fight against human rights abuses such as the death penalty, torture and violence against women. If you have a demonstrated commitment to upholding human rights, take action and apply now! Applications are available online and due on March 4, 2008. For more information and an application form visit: www.amnestyusa.org/reebok.

I hope you'll all consider applying. Thanks for all you do!

-Michelle

NEW AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT:

STOP HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN DETENTION FACILITIES IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

A new report from Amnesty International on human rights abuses in detention facilities in Bosnia-Herzegovina was published on Feb 6. You can read the whole report at:

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EUR63/001/2008

But for you who want to know what it's about first, here's a short version:

Prisoner interviews conducted by Amnesty International in Bosnia-Herzegovina have exposed a culture of impunity (exemption from prosecution) and intimidation that keeps information about ill-treatment away from the public eye. Many of the perpetrators are law enforcement officials.

Many abusers are not being charged, partly because victims rarely report abuses from fear of possible reprisals by law enforcement officials. In this way the abuses continue and the culture of impunity remains. One obstacle in the fight against impunity is the lack of effective systems addressing cases of police misconduct. Criminal investigations are rarely initiated in cases like these, and when they are, they are often not adequately handled because of the police's unwillingness or inability to ‘police itself'. Another obstacle is the fact that many of the prisons are understaffed and overcrowded with poor material conditions.

I think the first step one has to take to change situations like this is to learn about the issue and the general human rights situation in the country. That's why it's so important that Amnesty International does this research and publish their findings in reports so that you and I can learn about the issues that governments around the world is trying to hide from us. So if you want to learn more on the issue, definitely check out the report or go to our web page for more general information on Bosnia-Herzegovina.

For more background information on Bosnia-Herzegovina go to:

http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/europe-and-central-asia/balkans/bosnia-herzegovina

http://www.amnestyusa.org/By_Country/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina/page.do?id=1011121&n1=3&n2=30&n3=871

Dear fellow activists,

When applying to the International Olympic Committee, the Chinese Government promised to improve its human rights record but so far little has been done.  Next week, Amnesty International and the world will begin the 6-month countdown to the Beijing Olympics.  AI and other human rights groups will host speakers and a demonstration in front of the White House, Monday January 11th from 12:00 to 1:30, imploring China to keep true to its promises. 

The Olympics are China's chance to showcase its wonderful culture, creating a positive legacy that will last decades.  However, if the government does not fulfill its human rights commitments, China risks having its reputation stained.

We are urging the Chinese government to keep its promises through 4 actions:

• 1. Fair Trials for All: End arbitrary police detentions, arrests without trial, and forced labor programs.
• 2. Rights Respected: Allow human rights defenders to carry out peaceful actions in accordance with international law.
• 3. Freedom from Censorship: Provide full media freedom to journalists, both foreign and domestic, and end censorship of the internet.
• 4. Stop Executions: Lower the number of crimes punishable by death and ensure fair trials for the accused.

You can help by urging President Bush to make a public statement on human rights in China and visit the families of political prisoners by writing to him, your senator and your congressman!

Click here for a link to news and actions regarding China.

-Justin

For those who can come, here is some additional information-

When:     Monday, February 11^th

Time:       12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Where:    Layfayette Park,

                The White House

                1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Metro:     McPherson Square

p.s. There will be an upcoming Beijing Olympics page on the AIUSA website so keep checking!

Hello Student Activists!

Don't forget to register for this year's National Week of Student Action! NWSA will occur March 31 - April  4, 2008. If you haven't done so, please take a few minutes to register today. Click here to go to the registration page.

This year's theme is "Counter Terror with Justice: Close Guantánamo." Help Amnesty International and other activists shut down Guantánamo and demand humane treatment for detainees.  Registrants will receive an Organizing Kit with suggestions for activities and other events.

Also, Jumana Musa, Advocacy Director for International Justice and Domestic Human Rights for AIUSA, is currently observing the trials at Guantánamo. Check out her latest audio recording on AIUSA's homepage.

Don't forget to register for NWSA! We need your support! Please contact youth@aiusa.org if you have questions or concerns.

Cheers!
Michelle

In the War on Terror the US government has used numerous practices that are prohibited under international law, such as indefinite detention without charge, torture and other ill-treatment and enforced disappearances. The detention center at Guantánamo Bay today stands as a symbol for the Human Rights abuses that have taken place in the shadow of the War on Terror. The outrage in the international community against these injustices culminated on January 11 2008, a date which marked the 6 year anniversary of the first transfer of detainees to Guantánamo Bay.  

To mark this day Amnesty International activists gathered in 30 countries worldwide calling for the closure of Guantánamo and other US detention facilities. Activists in Chile, Paraguay, Poland and Greece performed different kinds of street theatres to demonstrate the injustices of Guantánamo. In Belgium and Italy activists were joined by parliamentarians in their protests outside of the US embassies. Former Guantánamo detainee Ruhal Ahmed participated in an action in Madrid, reading poems from the book Poems from Guantánamo, while in Luxembourg activists were accompanied by live music while reading poems on the main square of Luxembourg Ville. Poem readings were also organized by Amnesty International at a conference in Yemen.

In Washington DC we had a big rally at the National Mall and despite the fact that it was pouring down rain, almost 400 people showed up. Larry Cox, our executive director, was one of the many charismatic speakers on stage. We had people in orange jumpsuits kneeling on the ground and people with orange signs everywhere. To come back from the rally and see photos from similar actions from around the world was amazing. Seeing how much effort and thought that is put into the work towards closing Guantánamo makes the goal seem a little bit closer.

To hear Larry Cox's speech go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYK-ImnIwmU

To see pictures and read about the actions from around the world go to:

http://blog.amnesty.counter-terror-with-justice.org/

To get involved in AIUSAs Denounce Torture campaign, go to:

http://www.amnestyusa.org/Torture/Get_Involved/page.do?id=1031009&n1=3&n2=38&n3=1053

and

http://www.tearitdown.org/