Human Rights action update June 20-27

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

First, let us start with some good news from Australia.  Families of asylum seekers are being taken off Manus Island and brought to the Australian mainland.  Conditions there are terrible especially for children. Cheers to our friends from Amnesty Australia who organized the protests that brought this change about. It is not a total victory for human rights because politicians are still talking about offshore processing of asylum seekers.

A child on Manus Island draws of a better future. Images © OutofSight.org.au

VIOLENCE IN TURKEY
The uprising in Turkey continues and with it the brutal repression by the regime. Turkish citizens continue to be beaten, unjustly detained, and abused by police forces amid massive protests. Please take action. 
All over Turkey the masses are rising to defend the idea of a secular democracy as envisioned by the founders of modern Turkey. We recommend this analysis article. 

DANGEROUS PUPPETS
The Israeli government, to our great shame, has banned a children's puppet show festival  in East Jerusalem. Hundreds of Israelis and others have signed a petition calling on the Minister of Internal Security to back down. Please join. If the site comes up with my details, simply erase and put in your own. Sometimes these sites are overly user friendly.

Human Rights Action Update June 14-20

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

DISAPPEARANCE IN CHAD
The case of a "disappeared " opposition leader in Chad has been taken up by a group of Amnesty activists in the US and UK. You are invited to use their ready-made letter or send your own. Chad is under a vile dictator and the chances are few, but we must try.

VIOLENCE IN TURKEY
We link you to a video about the violence of the police in Turkey.  Please share it on Facebook and Twitter. In the Chad link above, there is also a ready-made letter to the Turkish authorities.

AFTERMATH OF THE STEUBENVILLE RAPE
You will remember the infamous case of the girl who was gang raped by members of a high school football time. The coach, school and town tried to cover it up. It was exposed on the Web by an activist who is now facing a jail sentence longer than that of the rapists.  Please join the call to stop this prosecution.

Deric Lostutter, also known as KYAnonymous

Human Rights Action Update June 7-13

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

Corrigendum--last week the link to the Nigerian death sentence post by Amnesty was left out by mistake. We have sent out a correction, but here it is again.
It comes from AI Switzerland and appears in German. There is a language button to switch to English or French.


VIOLENCE IN TURKEY
If you use Twitter, please click on this link to tweet your outrage and solidarity. Thank you, Eric Lee.

We have discovered that someone has apparently hacked the Urgent Action site of Amnesty International with respect to Colombia and the UA's that were lined up for this week have vanished. In the meantime, we refer you to a petition on behalf of the women of Afghanistan posted by AI Australia. Although we are not Australians (are there any Aussie readers here?), but we can all sign on to this action.

Human Rights Action update June 1-6

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

IMMINENT EXECUTIONS
Two prisoners on death row in Nigeria are in danger of imminent execution. Please act quickly on this case.  The link comes up in German by default, but there is a language button to switch it  to English. There is reason to fear that despite the appeals that are still before the courts the execution may take place very soon.

EXCESSIVE FORCE AGAINST PROTESTS IN TURKEY
We ask you to show solidarity with the trade unions of Turkey and also to protest the unreasonable use of force by the government against peaceful demonstrators.