It’s been so hectic here that I forgot to send you more details on the upcoming week of action on Omar Khadr Oct 5-11 (just before our election on Oct 14).

Over the past two months, a new coalition has grown up around the case that has helped get people out into the streets. I’m part of the steering group.

The details of the demos/events planned is here: http://www.bringomarhome.ca/en/events.htm. There are AI speakers at all events, and members will also be there with big banners and other materials (of course).

I’m happy to say that the action section of the “Bring Omar Home” website links directly to my security blog and AI Canada’s on-line action (it’s become the central on-line action for the coalition).

I would like to encourage other people to link to our on-line action (or highlights their own action of they have one) during that week. We’d like to have some extra pressure on our Prime Minister.

We’ve also created orange wristbands that say:
“Justice for Omar Khadr/Rapatriez Omar Khadr” (with the AI candle logo in between the phrases) and “Close Guantánamo/Bring Omar Khadr Home” (with the AI candle logo in between the phrases). I’ll send you some

Cheers,
Hilary, from Canada

An official enters, shouts. The scene is tense. He stands between the sides, counts up who’s there. Then blows his kazoo [Ed. Kazoo, are you sure? NS: CORRECT] and the battle begins.

The oranges, that’s Amnesty International UK sporting Close Guantánamo t-shirts, are well-organised and play up to the attention of their watching WAGS [Ed. Wives and girlfriends, really? Not colleagues? WHATEVER]. The blacks, that’s AI International Secretariat in their cumbersome Counter Terror With Justice tops, are a little lost outside the rigid command work structure they’re used to but threaten the CG’s goal several times. It’s end-to-end, high-octane stuff but the ref’s kazoo sounds for a goal-less half-time score.

CTWG’s “Manager” Ghias pulls a few people off at half-time and the team is punished when CG’s forward (Steve?) gets between ‘keeper Javier and defender Mustafa and heads the Control Arms-emblazoned football [Ed. This is AI campaigning going over the top. WHATEVER] into the net. CG tick-off the first milestone of their campaign.

CTWJ press on, come close with a long-range Katyusha from Marek and then have a strong call for a penalty rejected. The ref punctuates CTWJ’s waves forward and CG’s counter-attacks with “last 10 minutes” and “5 minutes to go”.

Entering Crisis mode, CTWJ persuade Ghias to drop his controversial rotation system and put on the strongest side. “2 minutes”, “1 minute”… and then the ball is played diagonally into CG’s penalty area into the path of Neil, who shoots the Control Arms ball into CG’s net and dedicates the goal to imprisoned, rendered German of Syrian origin Muhammad Zammar [Ed. Nice touch].

CTWJ jump up and down like school-kids and Javier runs the length of the field with love in his eyes. The kazoo warbles again; it was the last kick of the game.

And we all went to the pub.

- - Neil Sammonds

 Second day at the European Social Forum in Malm twoo (Sweden) and we are thinking of moving some of our stalls to a different place. Till now, Amnesty International main stalls have been at the Baltiska hall, one of the four venues where activities as part of this forum are taking place. Unfortunately, the Baltiska hall is far away from the city centre and no many people are passing by.

Some of our volunteers left this morning to the other venues and central locations in the city to gather support for the actions that we are promoting. Primarily, these days we are collecting signatures against discrimination against Roma in Slovakia and Italy, as well a petition to French President Sarkozy to end rendition and secret detention.

Meanwhile, we have decided to move to a different venue, together with some of the organizations at the Baltiska hall. We will update the blog with more news from the forum as soon as we get a chance…

We were singing happy birthday, eating cake and holding posters and banners. There was a good spread of people, from the women in head scarves to men in suits, kids and elderly. Some were in orange jumpsuits, some in Binyam t-shirts.

Passers-by were asked to sign petition to return Binyam to UK, as well as writing a note for him on a birthday card to be sent.

Check more pictures on Flickr

Take action by sending a letter to the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper urging him to bring Khadr back to Canada for a fair trial or release.

Sign the petition to end illegal US detention and close Guantanamo, one pixel at a time.

Click here to learn more about Omar Khadr, who was only 15 years old when he was detained by US soldiers in Afghanistan in 2002.

Para comenzar, mostramos el documental “Detenciones secretas: el caso de Muhammad Al Assad” quien estuvo detenido en cárceles secretas. Luego, leímos el comunicado emitido por Amnistía Internacional, en torno a este día.

Después se leyeron poemas relacionada con tortura en Argentina, Palestina y se leyeron los poemas realizados por personas recluidas en Guantánamo. Luego el poeta chileno Carlos Ernesto Sánchez nos leyó unos poemas de su autoría relacionado con su experiencia como victima de tortura. Finalizamos el evento con el testimonio que nos dio Pedro Alejandro Matta, ex - prisionero político en Villa Grimaldi, quien nos relato su experiencia y su trayectoria en el trabajo de los derechos humanos en Chile.

En general quedamos muy conforme con lo realizado. Realmente contar con un poeta y con el testimonio de Pedro Alejandro Matta fue un privilegio y un honor para todos los presentes. Pudimos sensibilizar en torno a la tortura en Chile durante la dictadura y sobre las torturas que ocurren hoy en día en nombre de la “guerra contra el terror”. Las personas nos apoyaron con firmas adhiriendo a nuestra campaña y pudieron saber más sobre lo que ocurre hoy en día en torno a la tortura.

Nos seguirá indignando como equipo que todavía en al menos 81 países se practica la tortura, pese a que este año se cumplen 60 años de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos. No obstante, seguiremos movilizándonos hasta que la tortura sea erradicada totalmente.

Otras fotos de esta acción y de otras acciones contra la tortura organizadas por Amnistía Internacional en todo el mundo

Visita el sitio web de Amnistía Internacional en Chile 

Bandhi! picks up the issue of the state’s response to political prisoners, peaceful protesters in the name of national security. It also touches upon the critical issue of racial profiling in India where minorities face the brunt of their religious affiliations and are often labeled as “terrorists”. The play refers to various instances of torture in India and around- Dr. Binayak Sen, Guantanamo Bay prison, China’s Human rights violations, Bhopal Gas Tragedy survivors’ protests, death penalty and the state of detention centres. The play also takes a satirical stand on the role of media in sensationalizing news.

In addition to street performances, activists in India organized the conference ‘Counter Terror with Justice: No torture. Policy implications for India’. The meeting was well attended by people from diverse backgrounds - security/intelligence personnels, politicians, academicians, diplomats, activists, lawyers etc.

The focus was on torture and sending refugees back to torture. 5 people were asking members of the public to sign a letter addressed to Eritrean authorities regarding over 800 Eritreans recently returned from Egypt. 150 signatures were collected which were faxed to Isaayas Afewerki, Fawzia Hashim and Eritrea’s commissioner for police, as well as Uganda’s minister for Foreign affairs.

The assembly chanted, sang and held a candle-lit vigil.

Watch more pictures of the action and actions in other countries

El objetivo de la actividad fue debatir con los participantes sobre la situación de Torturas y Otros Tratos Inhumanos y Degradantes en el mundo y en el Paraguay.

La actividad se desarrolló con éxitos, y estuvieron presente más de 30 personas. Al término los participantes firmaron una petición al gobierno paraguayo que solicitaba poner fin a la tortura en el Paraguay. También, se distribuyó los informes de Amnistía Internacional Guantánamo: Poner fin a las detenciones ilegales.

El mismo día, activistas de AI Paraguay estuvieron presente en el acto organizado por el Museo de las Memorias Históricas del Paraguay en el que el Estado Paraguayo a través de la Dirección General de Patrimonio Histórico Cultural de la Secretaría Nacional de Cultura, mediante la resolución 05/2008 ha resuelto asignar al edificio de la Ex Dirección Nacional de Asuntos Técnicos dependiente del Ministerio del Interior, la condición de “Bien Cultural de la República” por lo que el Museo de las Memorias adquiere especial importancia.

En la actividad el Presidente de AI Paraguay, Julio Torales, dio a conocer la Declaración Pública de Amnistía Internacional en el marco del Día Internacional de Apoyo a Víctimas de la Tortura.