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February 2026 Meeting & January Updates

Thank you to all those involved in the production of these updates, your efforts are appreciated. If you prefer, you can read these updates as a PDF.

At a time when fundamental rights are under threat across the globe, join Amnesty International, get involved with our local Amnesty Group and play your part in helping to promote and defend vital human rights across the world.

We warmly invite both newcomers and familiar faces alike to attend the next meeting of the Amnesty International Glasgow West Group.

This email includes:

  • Details of our forthcoming February 2026 meeting;
  • Links to current AIUK activities;
  • The minutes from our local Group's December 2025 meeting; and
  • A note of all our monthly meeting dates for 2026.

February 2026 Glasgow West AI Group Meeting

Thursday 12th Jan, Woodlands International Methodist Church, 7:30pm – 9pm

The Glasgow West Amnesty Group's next meeting will take place on Thursday 12th February 2026 at 7.30pm – 9pm in Woodlands International Church, Woodlands Road, Glasgow, G3 6LW.

Anyone curious about Amnesty International is most welcome to just turn up and join our meetings. We would love to see you there!

Our next meeting will include:

  • Our Annual General Meeting, where members will be invited to put themselves forward for a wide range of roles, all of which are up for grabs. Brief details of each role and current holders can be found via in this link ;

  • A look ahead to planning our campaigns and other activities throughout 2026.

  • Finalising arrangements for the Amnesty Comedy Night Fundraiser (details below);

  • Consideration of the Human Rights Manifesto for Scotland, which was recently published by Amnesty's Scotland office;

  • Next steps on finalising arrangements for a Glasgow Amnesty community meal event, provisionally pencilled in for March 2026; and

  • Undertaking letter writing on recent Urgent Action alerts from AIUK.

Join our Meetings online

Anyone unable / unavailable to physically come along, is welcome to join our monthly meetings online via this link.

(It will be the same link for all subsequent meetings).

Comedy Night Fundraiser – 19th Feb 2026

Our local Group's annual Comedy night fundraiser will take place at The Stand Glasgow's new venue on the evening of Thursday 19th February 2026.

Doors open at 7pm, with the event running from 8pm – 10pm.

As well as the bar, food will also be available the venue up until the end of the interval.

Following a change of premises last year, the Stand Comedy Club is now located at a bigger and better venue at 420 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G4 9JA.

Tickets are priced £11 / £13 are available now from The Stand's website.

Details of the host for the evening and the line-up will be announced closer to the event.

All proceeds from ticket sales (minus booking fees) will go to Amnesty International UK Section Charitable Trust (SC039534). Funds raised from the raffle will be used by the local Glasgow West Amnesty group for local campaigning.

Petition: End the Prosecution of Peaceful Protestors in the UK

AIUK are running a petition calling for an end the the arrest of peaceful protestors:

Police have made 2300+ arrests under terrorism laws in the UK for *protesting peacefully *against the banning of Palestine Action.

  • It is a violation of the UK’s international obligations.
  • It is disproportionate to the point of absurdity.
  • This cannot go unchallenged.

Sign the petition!

Amnesty UK Local Updates

Below is a selection of some of the issues featured in the latest monthly update for Local Groups from Amnesty UK.

The full January 2026 update from AIUK can be read via our static archive.

Racial Justice – Government immigration consultation

Government immigration proposals and consultation

The Government has announced proposals to make very harmful changes to the immigration system.

The proposals would affect many people living in the UK – including people born here and people who have lived here for many years. The Government is currently consulting on its proposals via an online survey.

Amnesty is encouraging people to object to them by completing that survey no later than 12 February 2026, using the Amnesty Guide to do so.

The proposals:

In summary, most non-British citizens – save for very high earners, some higher earners and people in senior positions in public services – will be expected many more years, in some cases decades, in the immigration system before they may be permitted to become permanent residents (or then naturalise). Many will have to make many more applications to the Home Office to continue their lives in the UK.

Pay even more high application and other fees.

Continue to be excluded from public funds, even if their lives are changed by illness or injury.

All at risk the Home Office may change its rules and refuse to permit someone to stay even though they continue to meet the conditions originally set for them. Refugees are among those most severely affected.
This has dramatic implications for people and their families, including children born and growing up in the UK. Amnesty is strongly opposed to these proposals.

What you can do:

Government consultations take especial notice of the number rather than quality of responses, so please:

  • take some time (around 20-30 minutes) to register your opposition (or other opinion) by following the Amnesty Guide, which includes the link to click to take the Government's online survey;
  • encourage others to do so; and
  • note that some questions are deceptive (so the Amnesty Guide is useful to avoid answering in a way that is taken by the Government to mean something different to what you intended).

Amnesty Guide to responding to the consultation

Upcoming Webinar: From Prevent to Proscription

UPCOMING WEBINAR – 3 MARCH, 7PM

FROM PREVENT TO PROSCRIPTION: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THE NAME OF ‘NATIONAL SECURITY'

In the UK and abroad, we are facing increasing repression in the name of ‘national security'. From the Prevent duty being used to suppress solidarity with Palestinians to the proscription of protest groups as ‘terrorists', the alarming and increasing use of counter-terror powers harms us all – especially racialised communities.

Save the date to join our webinar on Tuesday 3 March, 7pm to 8.15pm to hear about the harms and human rights violations caused by the UK government's counter-terror powers. With an expert panel, we'll be talking about Prevent, proscription and the wider counter-terror infrastructure. Importantly, we'll be exploring rights-respecting alternatives to the hard security measures we see today.

Full speaker line-up to be announced.

This will be an online session. A more detailed communication including an Eventbrite link will be shared early February with all joining instructions.

We hope you can join us for this fascinating and vital discussion.

if you have any questions, please email Rebecca Barnes or Philippa Griesbach

Hong Kong – She Is In Jail

Screening of She Is In Jail

We would like to invite local groups to collaborate on a community screening of She Is In Jail, a documentary about the Hong Kong human rights defender Chow Hang-tung.

Following the screening, we would be happy to share our perspectives on the latest developments in human rights in Hong Kong.

Chow is also an individual case currently being advocated by Amnesty International. We would be pleased to coordinate with other Country Coordinators and local groups to organise screening events over the next six months.

More information on She Is In Jail: https://mubi.com/en/gb/films/she-s-in-jail

If you are interested in organising a screening or want more information, please contact Andrew Shum and Eric Lai.

January 2026 Minutes

Amnesty Glasgow West Group Meeting Thurs 8th January 2026

Agenda

Link to January meeting email here

  1. Welcome and apologies

    1. Attendance: Claire, Carol, Paolo, Kirstie, Neil, Lauren

    2. Apologies: Ken, Andrew, Clara, Merle

  2. Agreement of previous meeting minutes link

  3. Team Updates: (list of roles here)

    1. Treasurer

      1. postage from letters: £63.61

      2. other expenditure: /

      3. donations: /

      4. current balance: £1494

    2. Social Media & website (Lauren): more followers on Facebook; will try to be more consistent

      Twitter/Bluesky discussion [agreed not urgent until AIUK moves]; Claire asked in the Amnesty Scotland WA chat to see if other local groups have come off Twitter

    3. Local Political Outreach

      A HUMAN RIGHTS MANIFESTO - Scotland 2026 - Published by AI Scotland office will be ready for May 2026 elections! Will launch in February

      • Ashraf is looking for volunteers to help in building this manifesto and bringing it to political activism in different target constituencies in Glasgow

      • If you'd like to hear more about the laws and policies Amnesty thinks should shape the next Scottish government's agenda you can join us on 2 February 2026 for the online launch of our manifesto and read more about our calls here.

      • AI Scotland office are doing a launch event Friday 6.02.26, 1pm, lunch, speakers, Strathclyde Uni - launch of “Restoring New Scots Rights; Fair Housing for All”

        • Paolo to ask Liz

          • Is this the first in a series of launch events re. the manifesto

          • Should we as a group come / e.g. do a petition

        • Say that we feel there should be more communication between us / Ashraf / Amnesty Scotland office

      • Paolo's HR Bill leaflet (see here) for Feb ‘26 hustings; confirm for website. - Paolo has updated website (https://www.glasgowwestamnesty.org.uk/) with AIUK resources

        • Paolo to update link & share webpage in Signal chat.

    4. Not currently active:

      • Regional/Country focus
      • Prisoner of Conscience/Individual At Risk
      • Theme Focus US Death Penalty

  4. Updates from local groups (Daytime / Glasgow Uni)

    Daytime group: still no meeting venue, this month meeting in a member's house, hopeful to find a meeting venue

  5. Updates from Scottish Activism Rep (Paolo) / Scotland-wide WhatsApp group chat

    1. Pilot of Community Platform will run till 2.04.26. Hoping that the community platform can host online meetings

    2. First IT development that will be published in April = each group has its own webpage on the main AIUK website OR its own standalone website OR websites for each region.

    3. 2 webinars to enable AIUK's activists to ask questions and receive further information about AIUK's current financial outlook and the steps we need to take to return to a balanced budget.

      1. Wednesday 21 January 7.30pm – 8.30pm. To register for this event, please go to: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1976732382769?aff=oddtdtcreator

        Paolo went to the previous webinar. Key Updates:

        1. They said that they didn't raise as much in 2025 because of a fall in membership and donations in 2025 so that's why budget outlook is poor. They thought they could sell the HRAC building in London easier/faster but they couldn't - is sold but not got the money yet.

        2. Main expenses in last 2 years = IT costs (needed to rebuild whole AIUK infrastructure (website / community platform / email security etc)

        3. Local groups fundraising potential wasn't mentioned

  6. Actions/updates from previous meeting

    1. W4R events - all good; definitely worth having card machine AND donation tins - we raised a fair bit of money through it

    2. JCB petition - sent in to Council.

    3. Feb meeting will be AGM - any qs/suggestions? Anyone interested in taking on roles, pls chat with any current members / have a look at the 1 Team Roles.docx.

  7. Urgent Appeals - Merle # of letters written during meeting: [ ] Tally for the year: [ ]

  8. Meal!

    1. “Fundraiser & Campaigning Meal” 22.03.25 (availability at Woodside Halls that date 10am-3pm)

    2. Budget: ~£1000-£1,500 - event needs to cover the cost of itself, present it as a fundraiser

    3. Venue: Woodside Halls, in Maryhill - 120 people max; tables & chairs there ; mic & sound system

      total £500 for venue (room & kitchen) - deposit of £125 hall and kitchen deposit of £250 = £375 deposit (10am-3pm) / or without kitchen = £200 less

      Email from John, member of the group:

      I am in charge of the hall lettings for a church in the West End (Kelvinside Hillhead in Observatory Road) and look after the various bookings we get.

      If you are looking for a place for your own meal planned for March, then our main hall can take 80 - 100 for such purposes and has the usual facilities, including an adjacent good-sized kitchen.

      I note mention of PalCafe, a group with which we already have a close link and who now regularly use the premises for a ceilidh every couple of months or so. Our charge for social events is £20 an hour although we would consider a reduction for a charity like Amnesty.

      The only issue to note however, is that if you were still looking for 22nd or 29th March - both of them Sundays - then I'm afraid the hall would not be available until after 2pm.

    4. Food: Look into Palestinian caterer (PalCafe https://palcafe.org/ ), buffet, prepared in advance and warmed up in the kitchen - expect ~£5 per person.

      1. Kirstie will talk to PalCafe people

    5. Target audience / number of invites:

      1. ??activists, supporters & their families

      2. ?? OR open event for all /community meal to provide people with hot food during winter time

    6. Tickets:

      1. ?? free ticket on eventbrite and people PWYC on the door? (easier than linking eventbrite up w a bank acc and maybe simpler for people).

        • labels e.g. “concession” / “cover costs” / “solidarity [pay for 1.5 meals]” / “additional donation”

        • Could use card reader so people can pay by card/cash? & donation tins

    7. Entertainment/Activities:

      1. Clear campaign focus e.g. Palestine

        • The event could be a collaboration with PalCafe, meaning some of any funds raised after costs could be shared with them

      2. Exhibition (same as at Civic Reception)

      3. Speakers: The Palestinian woman who was at the Perth gathering - Clara will ask Jack for contact; could invite Jack?

        • Paolo has asked

      4. Musicians? E.g. Musicians in Exile / MIN Choir

    8. Update 8.01.26:

      • Paolo will meet with PalCafe next week

      • The date is also ok with the other caterer so both options

      • Paolo to check re. disabled access to Kelvinside Hillhead Church / see if available Sat 28.03.26

        • If all ok, prefer the church because cheaper; we'd need to prepare the room but we can do that

      • Aim to get all confirmed by the end of next week

  9. Our Stand gig for next year is already confirmed: Thurs 19 Feb 2026, doors 7pm show 8pm, duration 2hrs

    1. Benefit in aid of Amnesty International - The Stand Comedy Club

    2. NB new venue cap 200 cabaret style (or can increase to 250 theatre style)

    3. 18+, ticket price £13/11

    4. Who can come? Carol, Kirstie, Claire, Paolo, Lauren

  10. Potential Speakers for 2026:

    1. (Waiting: Refugee Action - potentially with Daytime group)

    2. Clara: journalist from Somalia - Clara to check his availability and if needs transport/accommodation

    3. Paulo: law professor re. UK supreme court ruling that affects trans rights.

    4. AIUK Equality Network speaker - Ailig to look into - how to have conversations w family and friends

    5. Ebba: Palestinian researcher:

      https://sgsahblog.com/2025/01/27/activist-ethnography-in-palestine/

    6. Refugees at Home - have contacted us to ask if we'd like a speaker

    7. (Amicus: after find out about Death Penalty network - admin@amicus-alj.org - Allan)

  11. Any other ideas/requests/suggestions for 2026?

  12. AOB

    • Did you know you can support Amnesty International UK by taking on a challenge event? From running, cycling, swimming to trekking, there's something for everyone, have a look and see if there's anything you fancy taking on in 2026!

    • PalCafe monthly ceilidh - next one = Friday 30.01.25 in Kelvinside Hillhead Church

    • AIUK Local Group Updates – January link (As always, the latest Local Groups' Update link is also included in the monthly newsletter that is sent out to our mailing list via Mailchimp)

    • Next meeting - Thurs 12th February 2026 = AGM

    • Local Groups Planning Pack 2025 from central AIUK, Calendars with key events/trainings.

2026 Meeting Dates

New Members very welcome!

The Group meets every second Thursday of each month at 7.30pm - 9pm.

The meetings take place at Woodlands Methodist Church, 229 Woodlands Road, G3 6LW

For further information contact mail@glasgowwestamnesty.org.uk

  • Thursday 8th January 2026

  • Thursday 12th February 2026

  • Thursday 12th March 2026

  • Thursday 9th April 2026

  • Thursday 14th May 2026

  • Thursday 11th June 2026

  • Thursday 9th July 2026

  • Thursday 13th August 2026

  • Thursday 10th September 2026

  • Thursday 8th October 2026

  • Thursday 12th November 2026

  • Thursday 10th December 2026

BETTER TO LIGHT A CANDLE THAN CURSE THE DARKNESS

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