The featured image above is
Liu Xiaobo, (1955 – 2017) Nobel laureate and political prisoner who died in Chinese custody, may he rest in peace and may we be worthy of his struggle.
Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012
HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
EMBASSY FINDER
CHARITY CORNER
This week we call your attention to the birthday of Nelson Mandela and join Charity Navigator in proposing support for charities that serve to fight poverty in South Africa and around the world.
We recommend the following:
This year, the day is focused on taking #ActionAgainstPoverty in South Africa. In this spirit, consider volunteering with a charity in your area or supporting one of the awesome, highly rated charities below:
Matthew 25: Ministries Caring for a needy world with the things we throw away
CHOICE Humanitarian The end of poverty is building people, not projects
Concern Worldwide US, Inc. Targeting extreme poverty
CARE Defending dignity, fighting poverty
endPoverty.org Transforming lives through microenterprise
Oxfam America The power of people against poverty
KickStart International A systematic approach to the end of poverty
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Indigenous tribes do not simply die out. They are killed by the actions of so-called civilized nations. Survival International provides a long list of cases in which a letter from you can and will make a difference. Please open this link and write at least one letter. This link will be a permanent feature on our blog and we would be grateful if you gave it a bit of attention each week. We suggest going down the list in the order given. The letters are pre-written for you. All you need to do is send them. It would be nice also if a donation to Survival International could be forthcoming. Tribal people suffer from a variety of forms of discrimination, such as forced “development.”
Forcing “development” or “progress” on tribal people does not make them happier or healthier. In fact, the effects are disastrous. The most important factor by far for tribal peoples’ well-being is whether their land rights are respected.
Tell the UN to recognize that progress can kill
© Antonio Ribeiro/Survival
THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SLAVERY
We have added this section to the blog in order to join the struggle against slavery worldwide. This week we refer you to the the ILO’s Protocol on Forced Labor which is all about modern slavery. We call your attention to the anti slavery campaign. There you can sign up for action updates.The importance of checking your sellers’ supply chains cannot be overemphasized.
 |
| You can download this book |
Look for these logos:
Find a campaign to work for. Light must be made to shine in the darkest of places. We invite you to join Freedom United and to participate in the abolitionist movement against modern slavery. Call on your government to ratify Protocol of 20141 to Convention 29.
A child worker in Africa
URGENT ACTION CASES
EL SALVADOR
Urgent Action: Woman Convicted Under Unfair Anti-Abortion Law
While Salvadoran legislators have, for months, been postponing the debate on the Criminal Code reform that would decriminalize abortion, another rape survivor has been sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment for having suffered pregnancy-related complications.
TAKE ACTION
UKRAINE
Urgent Action: De-Facto Authorities Deny Holding Journalist
The self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” (DNR) in eastern Ukraine since 2 June. The pro-Russian separatist authorities in Donetsk deny having any information regarding his whereabouts but Amnesty International has heard from a confidential source that he is under the custody of the de-facto “Ministry of State Security.”
TAKE ACTION
VIET NAM
Urgent Action Update: Ten Years In Prison For Human Rights Defender
Nguyễn Ngọc Như Quỳnh, also known as blogger Mẹ Nấm (Mother Mushroom), was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment on 29 June 2017 for “conducting propaganda” against the state under Article 88 of the Penal Code. She is currently held incommunicado, preventing her lawyers from finalizing her appeal.
TAKE ACTION
IRAN
Haft Tapeh sugar workers in Iran are fighting for their wages, pensions and rights. Please click and support their struggle.
TURKEY
Update 18/07/2017: Idil Eser and all of the 9 others have been charged with assisting a terrorist organization.
Idil, and five others were remanded in custody a few minutes ago. The remaining four have been released on bail.
The accusations set out by the prosecutor are tragically absurd and referred to routine NGO activities – including some Amnesty letter writing actions.
Idil herself is accused of supporting multiple terrorist organizations despite the fact that they are all ideologically opposed to one another.
