Human Rights Action Update October 6-13

Miriam, human rights defender, 1947-2012

HE WHO PERMITS OPPRESSION PERMITS CRIMES.-Erasmus (1466-1536)

Desiderius Erasmus in 1523 as depicted by Hans Holbein the Younger. The Greek and Latin words on the book translate to "The Herculean Labors of Erasmus of Rotterdam".

  We wish all our Jewish readers a happy Succot holiday. 
חג שמח לכולם 

EMBASSY FINDER 

Survival International provides a useful tool for locating the embassy of any country in your country. http://embassy.goabroad.com/ You can also find embassies at https://embassy-finder.com/

CHARITY CORNER 

Hurricane Matthew has made landfall in Haiti. The crisis is catastrophic. We suggest helping by donating to Mercy Corps, the first on the ground as usual. Haiti is still reeling from the devastating 2010 earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced nearly 2.3 million more. Please open your heart and your pocket to help these most unfortunate people.

 

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. We send you to the campaign page and urge you to choose a cause to support.  View this video.

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.
Look for these logos:

 

 
Find a campaign to work for. Light must be made to shine in the darkest of places.

Please act on cotton harvest slavery in Uzbekistan.

CHINA 

Help Release Chronically Ill Falun Gong Practitioner 

Falun Gong practitioner Chen Huixia was unable to stand or walk after being tortured, according to a fellow detainee. Suffering from chronic illness and poor health, she currently has no access to her family or a lawyer. Please call for her release.  This is being republished because of a faulty link in a previous issue of this blog. We apologize.

 

RUSSIA 

Help Family Imprisoned For Selling Poppy Seeds

Four members of the Polukhin family were accused of drug trafficking in 2010 for selling culinary poppy seeds and each sentenced to eight years in prison after an unfair trial. They have appealed to the Russian Supreme Court. The hearing is expected within days. Please act on their behalf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THAILAND 

Help Express Grave Concern Over Thai Computer Crimes Act

Thailand’s National Legislative Assembly is considering amendments to the rights-restricting Computer Crimes Act (2007). Current proposed changes preserve the Act’s powers to violate the right to freedom of expression and the right to privacy including by enabling indiscriminate online surveillance and censorship. Please express your concern and disapproval.

ARGENTINA 

Help Protect Human Rights Defender From Threats and Intimidation

Human rights defender and social leader Rubén Ortiz is suffering from constant threats and intimidation related to his support for the rights of peasant farmer (campesino) communities and mission workers in Argentina. Please act for him.

USA

Report on torture ignored

This American Torture Story has been buried for far too long.

The CIA never intended for the public to learn it had "disappeared" more than 100 men between 2002 and 2008. And if it weren't for a new Senate report on torture, we wouldn't know some of the gruesome details: That the CIA used forced rectal feeding and 'hydration' to exert control over men; or that it literally left one man chained to a wall, forced to stand for 17 days straight.  Please click and send your protest to the Justice Department