Amnesty International, York

a reeent stall of amnesty york

Events of 2024 by York Amnesty International Group

  • January – Write for Rights stall on Bishopthorpe Road (which had been rained off in December 2023!)
  • February - Talk at Friends Meeting House about the situation in Ghana was given by Robert Wanjala, a protected fellow at the Centre for Applied Human Rights.
  • March – Women’s Day talk by Nabila Espamioly, a clinical psychologist, feminist and peace activist from Nazareth.
  • April 18th – Amnestea at Susan and Ian’s home, which raised £180.
  • April 27th – Turkey stall on Bishopthorpe Road with solidarity tulip cards for our 5 PoCs who are in prison for opposing the government, including Osman Kavala who has been sentenced to life in prison.
  • May – Display and public petition in the Amnesty bookshop on behalf of Alaa Abdelfattah, our PoC in Egypt.
  • June 1st – stall at York Gay Pride, producing fingerprints as a gesture of solidarity for gay rights activists in Africa.
  • June 11th - talk by Mohammad Aman Khan, a lawyer from India, on “Human Rights Litigation and Advocacy – lawyer’s perspective.
  • June 13th – York Festival of Ideas. Andrew’s talk on a reform of the House of Lords which would represent the needs/issues of “ordinary people” through the HoL membership of charities.
  • September – continued support by letters for Alaa Abdelfattah in Egypt
  • October – Public documentary film screening at the Friends Meeting House: a Turkish film “Kanun”/”The decree” which is banned in Turkey as it deals with the stories of thousands of Turkish people, teachers, civil servants, lecturers, doctors, who lost their jobs following the alleged failed coup in 2016. We had a full house.
  • November – Ceilidh fundraiser for our group, organised by Ena and Willy. Great fun and great success financially, raising £662.
  • December – Write for Rights on Bishopthorpe Road, supporting human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia, Canada, Turkey and Belarus. . Very successful and attended by Rachael Maskell, York Inner MP, and the mayor.

AND

Anne continues to manage the monthly letter-writing sessions either at The Winning Post or on-line in poor weather.

We have sent monthly solidarity cards to our 5 PoCs in Turkey (imprisoned following the Gezi Park protests of 2013. Barbara has email correspondence with Osman Kavala, businessman and philanthropist, through his lawyer. Can Atalay, left wing lawyer, sends occasional replies by letter. We have had feedback from the AI International Secretariat that this support is much appreciated.

Andrew continues to lead the mainly letter campaigning on behalf of our PoC in Egypt, Alaa Abdelfattah, who has joint British-Egyptian nationality.

We bought display boards and a table for public campaigning.