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November 2021 Minutes

Many thanks to FL for these minutes! If you wish, you may read them as a PDF.

Welcome and Introductions

Attendees:

ES, MDS, MR, CL, FL

Apologies:

CA, KM, JG

Write for Rights Campaign 2021

Amnesty International runs the Write for Rights campaign annually across the world. Individuals and groups who face human rights abuses are identified. Supporters can either chose to send messages of solidarity, or write appeal letters to the relevant authorities, or both! During the 2020 Write for Rights campaign, over 4.4 million actions were taken! For more information, visit the website: [https://www.amnesty.org.uk/write-for-rights]

Write for Rights Event at Milk Cafe

We are planning an event(s) at Milk Cafe on Victoria Road the week beginning 6th December.

We need volunteers to help with this. Please email Freya ([freya_lyte\@hotmail.co.uk]) ASAP to find out more.

We will also be taking part in Write for Rights at our December meeting and via our social media. Double check that you're following us on Twitter (\@AmnestyGlasWest) Facebook (\@glasgowwestamnesty) and Instagram (\@glasgowwestamnesty)!

Week of Action: Stop the Rights Raid (10-17th October)

Thank you to all group members who got in touch with their MPs re: legislation going through parliament which we believe will negatively impact human rights. We had supportive responses from local MPs Alison Thewliss and Patrick Grady. Please get in touch if you would like a copy of their responses.

COP26 Activism

Glasgow West Amnesty were busy with two events over COP26.

We participated in the climate justice march on 6th November alongside members of the Glasgow University Amnesty group and Amnesty members from other parts of Scotland.

On Sunday 7th, we organised a vigil for persecuted environmental activists. The vigil featured speeches from Marie Kolo, an activist from Madagascar, Sandra from Colombia, Allyson Castillo, Amnesty youth activist from Chile and Glasgow university students. Attendees took part in a solidarity action for Bernardo Caal Xol and signed petitions on related issues. The event was well-attended, including by local MP Patrick Grady and MSP Paul Sweeney.

Thank you to group members Kirstie and Claire L for helping to organise the vigil and Mal for introducing all the speakers and coordinating the event on the day. Thanks also to Music Broth whom we rented the mic and speaker from.

If you would like to find out more about how climate change is a human rights issue, check out the recording of the Scotland Online Activism Group's event on the subject. It features Chiara Liguori from Amnesty's International Secretariat and Amnesty youth activist Serena Jemmett in an enlightening and enjoyable discussion on climate change and human rights:

[Why Climate Change is a Human Rights issue: Amnesty & COP26 ]

Secretary's Report

Local Group Update

Please follow the link to read the latest Local Groups Update:

[November Local Groups Update]

Other Upcoming Events

Screening of Bringing Assad to Justice

We are planning to organise a film screening of this documentary. The documentary, Bringing Assad To Justice, is the remarkable story of efforts against the odds to make one of the worst regimes of our time accountable for heinous crimes without parallel since the Nazis. Visit the film's website for more information: https://www.bringingassadtojustice.com/ We will let you know when we have confirmed a date and venue.

Patrick Grady MP Visit

We look forward to hearing from Patrick Grady MP at our February meeting (10th). Save the date!

Ceilidh

We look forward to organising a ceilidh fundraiser in 2022! Get in touch if you would like to be involved with this.

Urgent Actions

Thank you to MR for sharing these urgent actions.

Libya: Activist missing after seizure by armed men

Armed men abducted Mansour Atti, a journalist, blogger and head of the Red Crescent Committee and of the Civil Society Commission in Ajdabiya, on 3 June 2021 near his workplace in Ajdabiya, in northeastern Libya. Since then, his family have received no information about his fate and whereabouts, amid credible reports that he is being held by an armed group in eastern Libya. Prior to his abduction, Mansour Attia had been subjected to repeated questioning about his activism by the Internal Security Agency-Ajdabiya, an armed group affiliated to the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF), a powerful armed group in de facto control of eastern Libya.

[https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/activist-missing-after-seizure-armed-men]

Tunisia: LGBTI rights defender violently attacked

Badr Baabou, a human rights defender and LGBTI rights activist, was violently assaulted by police officers on the night of 21 October 2021 in downtown Tunis. Security forces have been targeting Badr Baabou for his work and activism in promoting the rights and freedoms of LGBTI people in Tunisia. This attack is the latest in a long series that spans several years. Several complaints have been filed but to no avail. The authorities must conduct an investigation into the attack, bringing those responsible to account.

[https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/lgbti-rights-defender-violently-attacked]

Indonesia: Human rights defenders accused of defamation

Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti face a criminal investigation following allegations of defamation by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs. The police report follows the upload of a YouTube video containing a dialogue between the two defenders about findings from a recent report outlining the alleged involvement of several military figures in the mining industry.

If the police decide to proceed with the report, Azhar and Maulidyanti could face up to six years in prison under the Electronic Information and Transactions Law simply for exercising their human right to freedom of expression.

[https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/human-rights-defenders-accused-defamation]

Singapore: Unlawful execution set for Malaysian national

The authorities of Singapore have set the execution of Malaysian national Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam for 10 November. In violation of international law and standards, he was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty after he was found guilty of transporting 42.72 grams of diamorphine in April 2009. Several medical experts have found him to have borderline intellectual functioning and cognitive deficits, which might have impacted his ability to assess risks and his accounts of the circumstances of the offence. You must take action before the 30th November.

[https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/unlawful-execution-set-malaysian-national]

You can download the full PDF or click Take Action at the top of the page for a link to a pre-prepared email/letter action.

Keep checking the Urgent Actions sites for actions you can take from your home:

[Urgent Actions]

Next meeting

Thursday 9th December, 7pm

Our December meeting will be a little bit different! It's going to be hosted by the group secretary, Freya, in her flat in the southside of Glasgow.

Write for Rights is live this month so we'll be writing solidarity cards and appeal letters for the individuals in this year's caseload. They'll also be festive snacks and drinks. Importantly, it will give us a chance to reconnect after so many online meetings!

Please RSVP ([freya_lyte\@hotmail.co.uk]) to get the address and information on how to get there. When you RSVP, please let us know of any dietary requirements you may have. 🙂

As this event is inside, we ask that you take a lateral flow COVID test on the day. Thanks in advance.

There is a Facebook event for this meeting:

[https://fb.me/e/1s2rqAP2i]

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