We, at Riverside United, are part of Amnesty International’s Urgent Action Network. We receive cases about every 3 weeks and are asked to contact authorities quickly in the target countries and their ambassadors to Canada via email, fax or letter. We do not meet as a group; rather, the cases are passed on to the group’s members via email.
The Amnesty writing group writes on behalf of people whose human rights are being abused including prisoners of conscience, executions, killings of human rights workers, attacks against environmental defenders, use of chemical weapons, imprisonment and execution of LGBTQ people, sexual assault of women and girls in refugee camps, hunger strikes, first nations treaties.
We hold an Annual Write-for-Rights campaign, held on the Saturday closest to December 10, Human Rights Day.
We do receive some good news during the year involving the release of prisoners of conscience or human rights workers receiving protection. Amnesty believes that we have a positive influence in about 1/3 of the cases – which makes a difference to those people.
We can always use more letter writers. If you are interested in our activities, please contact us at pn.mcleod@sympatico.ca See also www.amnesty.ca
Living faithfully in the spirit of Christ to make a loving difference in the world.
