Human Rights action update Dec. 22-28

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

CHINA

Falun Gong practitioner Li Shanshan (李珊珊) who is held in a re-education through labour (RTL) camp in northern China, is being threatened with an extended sentence for refusing to renounce her faith. She is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment. Please respond to this call for action. 

You will be asked to download the Urgent Action file. 

MAN FACES TRIAL FOLLOWING FORCED CONFESSION

Businessman Wu Wai Sing, a 54-year-old US national of Hong Kong residency, was reportedly tortured to make him confess. He has reportedly told his lawyers that he is "losing hope" and cannot stand up to the torture and other ill-treatment any longer. This is a case we have dealt with in the past, but obviously to no success.  Please act.  Again Google drives requires a download.

 
AVAAZ is calling for help in putting pressure on the Indian parliament to pass a strong child labor law.  Please join in.  In general, we recommend joining and supporting AVAAZ.

We wish you all a happy new year and much protection of human rights. Let us all be worthy of Miriam's legacy.

Avaaz - India: Schools, not sweatshops

Avaaz - India: Schools, not sweatshops

Human Rights Action update December 15-20

Miriam 1947-2012, Human Rights Defender

We start with a death penalty case in China.  Indeed, the condemned is apparently a recidivist drug dealer and we have scant patience or regard for such people.  Nevertheless, as people who oppose the death penalty in principle for all cases, we should protest and ask for clemency. You will need to click on the download button to get the text of the UA.  I have also provided a template letter.

In India we have a human rights defender in danger of torture.  Aparna Marandi, a long-time Dalit rights defender who has been repeatedly targeted by the state government for her activities, was arrested on 8 December.

MYANMAR
Days ago, 7 year-old Fatimah died of dehydration, cast out and neglected by her home country of Burma. And she’s not alone -- thousands of Rohingya Muslims are starving to death or even murdered because of their religion and ethnicity. But we can force Burma’s President to save the Rohingya.
Please act on the AVAAZ petition.

Now on to labor rights matters:
We start with a link that presents union busting activities in Turkey and Ecuador.  Please act, it just requires a few clicks..

In January 2012 a Make Fruit Fair appeal was launched in response to the sacking of Lester Freire Burgos, the newly elected General Secretary of the Los Alamos union, SITBA. Read more.

RUSSIA
An Uzbek man has disappeared in Russia under suspicious circumstances that indicate that he may have been abducted by Uzbek agents.  He is in danger of torture in Uzbekhistan.

The Miriam Shlesinger Human Rights Action blog

Miriam 1947-2012

On Tuesday we went to the cemetery to mark the 30th day since Miriam's death.  The magnitude of our loss is still sinking in.  For these who did not know her, we refer you to her biography/obituary.  She was famous as a translator/interpreter.  She also was a tireless fighter for human rights and justice for the oppressed and minorities. Along with her varied translation career, Shlesinger sought to use her professional skills to reduce social gaps and "promote a more just, egalitarian society," as she put it. Among other things, she launched a course that trained volunteer interpreters in various minority tongues. She was instrumental in advancing interpretation for people who needed signed languages.




We invite you to join the Amnesty International annual December  Write for Rights marathon.  The link contains a list of urgent cases of people in distress for whom you can choose to write.


It is not often that we find a human rights issue in the Netherlands.  Here we have a case of a union organizer denied access to home care workers.  Please act.

We call your attention to a labor union rights issue in Turkey as well.  Please click and act.

Happy Hannukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa to all in full solidarity.

Action Update Dec. 1-8

Miriam

We start for once with a few  positive items. We have a release of prisoners of conscience in Mexico, which is always good news.

Indigenous rights activists and prisoners of conscience, José Ramon Aniceto Gómez and Pascual Agustín Cruz, are finally free!

We also have a reversal of a ludicrous conviction of a labor activist in Egypt, Kamal Abbas.

Now on to the heavy stuff and the bad news.
In the US, we have a rape case of an 11year old girl in which the defense attorney claims that she seduced the rapists.  We need to get something across to this man.
Eleven year old girls are not partners in consensual sex!

In Thailand there is a severe problem with security for teachers and students in schools in the southern part of the country.  Please call on the Thai government to protect teachers and students from the insurgents who have been attacking them. The details of the Thai embassy in Israel are as follows:
Thai Embassy

21 Shaul Hamelech Blvd. Tel Aviv 64367 Israel
Phone	local: 09-954-8413 international:  +972.9.954.8413
Fax	local: 09-954-8417 international:  +972.9.954.8417
Email	thaisr@netvision.net.il
Web site	http://www.thaiembassy.org/telaviv

I have posted a template letter on my google drive.