Activism Newsletter, May Edition
Amnesty International Ireland
We are a movement of over 10 million people, campaigning to stop human rights abuses worldwide.
Please find below updates on our campaigns and human rights work, opportunities to take direct and immediate action, interesting resources, and more!
Email [email protected] with any questions.
News
The State of the World's Human Rights
This month we delivered our annual assessment of human rights across the world.
Escalating conflicts, an explosion of unregulated technology and mass surveillance, and the backsliding of LGBTI rights, all in the midst of deepening global inequality, superpowers vying for supremacy and a climate crisis. The international community is failing to stop these and other grave human rights abuses. The ongoing housing crisis and record homeless figures in Ireland were also identified as significant human rights failings in our new report .
What's Been Happening
Stop Sending Arms Global Day of Action
On Saturday 27 April, we renamed the road opposite the Israeli embassy in Dublin “Apartheid Avenue” to highlight the Israeli government’s system of apartheid it is inflicting on Palestinian people. We also placed “Stop Arming Israel” signs in front of the US and German embassies to highlight the need for an immediate arms embargo on Israel.
This action was organised as part of a joint NGO Global Day of Action to call on all states to stop the transfer of weapons, parts and ammunitions being used to fuel violations of international law in the occupied Gaza Strip.
Amnesty International is calling for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza, the release of remaining civilian hostages, and for Israel to end its illegal inhumane blockade of Gaza. We are also calling on an arms embargo on Israel, Hamas and other armed groups.?
Sign our petition to call for an permanent ceasefire by all parties to end civilian bloodshed.
Amnesty Galway's Webinar on Palestine
Our Galway Local Group hosted an online webinar on the current situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the outcome of the International Criminal Court of Justice's ruling. The webinar featured our very own Campaigns Officer, Kevin Naughton and Youth Activism Officer, Talha Alali as guest speakers, as well as Ramez Hayek, LLM researcher at the Irish Centre for Human Rights.
Want to join a local group and take action today? Find one in your local area!
Campaign Updates
EU Elections 2024: Our Manifesto
On 7 June, millions of people in Ireland will go to the polls to vote in the European Parliament elections.
The European Parliament is an important institution, and we believe its members should stand up for human rights across Europe, and the globe.?
Check out our manifesto on these upcoming elections and what priority positions we believe successful candidates should have.
If you can, please write to or call your local candidates. Use our letter to help you!
State-Backed Deadly Rampage by Israeli Settlers Highlights Need to Dismantle Apartheid
An alarming spike in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians across the occupied West Bank in recent months highlights the urgent need to dismantle illegal settlements, end Israel’s occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and its?longstanding system of apartheid .
The latest attacks are a stark reminder that imposing sanctions on individual violent settlers fails to address the root causes of the violence including relentless settlement expansion and Israel’s occupation and system of apartheid.
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The failure to address these root causes and to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law is enabling the continued dispossession and oppression of Palestinians. Read the full report.
Good News - Four Human Rights Defenders Released
Four prominent Afghani women human rights defenders were recently released from detention. Parisa Azada, Neda Parwani, Zholia Parsi, and Manizha Seddiqi were all forcibly disappeared and later found detained and subjected to torture in Taliban custody between September and November 2023.?Just for peacefully protesting.
Thanks to your actions, international pressure mounted and all four of these women have been released!
Protect the Protest - Türkiye: Solidarity With Saturday Mothers 1,000th Vigil
Saturday Mothers have held weekly vigils since 1995, calling for truth and justice for their loved ones, who were forcibly disappeared and killed in Türkiye.
But six years ago, the Saturday Mothers and their supporters were banned from holding their vigil in Galatasaray Square by the Turkish authorities. Show your support for their thousandth vigil!
Police have dispersed several of their vigils. Water cannons and tear gas have been fired at the group, some of whom are in their 80s. Members of the group have been arrested and face trials for protesting.?
Imagine you were stopped from demanding truth and justice for your relatives who were forcibly disappeared? Please show your support and be part of the 1000th protest!?
Urgent Action: Free Russian peace activist and journalist
She shared a telegram post about the bombing of a theatre in Mariupol by Russian forces and denounced civilian deaths.
For this, she has been sentenced to six years in in prison for spreading “false information” about Russia’s Armed Forces and a five-year ban on engaging in journalism upon her release. The Russian authorities are putting her health and life at risk due to ill-treatment in detention, including being held in solitary confinement and not receiving adequate healthcare.
She must be released immediately and unconditionally. Her life is at grave risk.?
Human Rights at Work
Ever wondered how Amnesty grows its membership base and community of people who believe in the fight for human rights?
Our expert Membership Officer Jan Bosch gives an insight into his role, what it involves, and his advice for getting into it.
What is your role, and what does it involve?
As the Membership Officer, I’m the main point of contact for our members. My days are spent making sure we have lots of new members and lots of new supporters that join the 10 million others who fight for human rights. I look after much of the communication to members and supporters. Amnesty.ie/join if you want to do me a solid!?
Interested? Read more over here.
In solidarity,
Alice Regis, Talha Alali & Rosina Conte
Activism Team