Hi,

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

Tens of humans are fenced in, under spotlights. They are separated into opposite ends of the cage, in different uniforms; half in orange, half in black.

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

Report back from the “Birthday” demo outside Downing Street yesterday: really good atmosphere with about 50 people making lots of noise, chanting “Bring Binyam home” and “Stop Guantanamo Bay”.

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

The local Amnesty International group of Norwich marked the up-coming birthday of Binyam Mohammed, who has now spent one fifth of his life in Guantanamo. Marking growing concern about Binyam’s physical and mental health, and the fact that the trial process is getting under-way in Guantanamo, (more…)

In light of the very first interrogation tapes ever to be released from Guantanamo of Omar Khadr, Amnesty International reitterates that Khadr must be repatriated to Canada. The military commissions at Guantanamo Bay are flawed and not in line with international human rights and international law.

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.

En el día internacional en apoyo a las víctimas de la tortura, en el equipo tortura: ‘Contra el terror, justicia’ de Amnistía Internacional - Chile, realizamos una velada nocturna en el Bar Thelonious. La velada tenía como fines sensibilizar en torno a este día, y además, recalcar que en los 60 años de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos todavía la tortura está presente en muchos países.

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 

El 26 de Junio de 2008, activistas de AI Paraguay y de Rondas ONG (organización que trabaja por los derechos de las personas menores privadas de libertad), llevaron a cabo un video debate con alumnos/as del Colegio Santa Elena de la ciudad de Asunción.

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.

On 26th June AI-Luxembourg held a public action at the main square of the city centre.

Amnesty activists performed a street theatre in co-operation with Dana Rufolo of the Theatre Research Institute of Europe. The play was performed in French, Luxembourgish and English and illustrated how torture is used to silence people all around the world. There was also one person dressed up as a Guantanamo detainee in an orange jumpsuit, black hood and handcuffs. He had a sign around his neck, describing the case of Ahmed Agiza, who was handed over to CIA agents by the Swedish authorities and taken to Egypt where he was allegedly tortured and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

We had very good media coverage with articles published in five different newspapers, the action was shown on the news of RTL-Luxembourg television and interviews with the chair of AI-Luxembourg were broadcasted on the local radio as a headline of their news. Members of Amnesty International were also invited to a live radio show on Thursday evening at a local radio station to talk about the action, the street theatre performance and the work of Amnesty International in general.

AI-members have been collecting signatures for the postcard action targeting the French presidency of the European Union at four different public actions around the country throughout the month of June and as a result up to 900 persons have signed the postcards.

On June 26, Amnesty International Ireland hosted a poetry event at Buswells Hotel, Dublin with reading from Poems from Guantanamo.

Poems from Guantanamo is a collection of short poems written by Guantanamo Bay detainees while in custody at the US detention facility, some who are still there.

Poetry recitations were conducted by well-known Irish actors Sean McGinley, George Seremba, Denis Conway and Shadaan Felfeli, and all attendees were given a copy of Poems from Guantanamo by a generous Amnesty International donor. (more…)

Amnesty International Belgium held a fantastic public event in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on June 26.

Activists lobbied with European parliamentarians to pressure governments on the issue of rendition, with over ten parliamentarians in attendance- one from every party, representing various states. Also present at the event were several media outlets reporting from Al Jazeera, Associated Press and Reuters to name a few.

The notable parliamentarians - Edward McMillan-Scott (UK) and Luisa Morgantini (Italy), Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament were also in attendance with Helene Flautre, Chairwoman of DROI, Subcommittee of Human Rights, European Parliament who spoke at the event.

Watch a slideshow on the website of the Italian newspaper La Reppublica

View additional pictures of this event and more actions to mark International Day of Victims of Torture

Visit the Amnesty International Belgium website