Amnesty Newsletter | March 2023

ENGAGE

THE UNHEARD TRUTH

Amnesty International is an organisation that works for the protection of human rights everywhere whilst remaining neutral in relation to political groups, ideologies and religious dividing lines. This world -embracing movement has more than 10 million members in over 150 countries and territories who campaign in a series of different manners such as organising letter writing campaigns, protests and starting petitions. They believe that no government is beyond scrutiny and no situation is beyond hope. Some of the things that Amnesty have achieved since it's founding include making torture internationally outlawed, abolishing the death penalty in most countries and causing seemingly untouchable dictators to answer for their crimes.

Amnesty investigates and exposes the facts whenever and wherever abuse happens. They lobby governments and other powerful groups such as companies, making sure they keep their promises and respect international law. By telling the powerful stories of those they work with they are able to mobilise millions of supporters around the world to campaign for change and stand in defence of activists on the ground line. They support people to claim their rights through education and training.

The goal of amnesty international is to protect individuals wherever justice, fairness and freedom of choice have been denied.

They can only do this with mass support and education. Therefore, our Amnesty group, within school will aim to bring awareness of global issues where human rights are being threatened. We are hoping that our newsletter will bring attention to these matters and start people thinking, creating a chain reaction and expand the possibilities for action.

they can support Amnesty International. of impotence can do something:

We plan on releasing this newsletter once a month and we hope you will engage with and stand with us in the fight for universal human rights.

'Those who today still feel a sense for freedom and justice '

They can help it to stand up

PETER BENENSON FOUNDER OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

HOW THE TALIBAN IS SETTING

WOMEN’S RIGHTS BACK 50 YEARS

Since the Taliban took over on August 15 1996, women have been stripped of basic human rights and of all freedom they previously had.

The Taliban has an extensive history of attempting to overthrow the traditional government in Afghanistan, proving finally successful in 1996 when they overthrew authorities and remained in power until 2001. Forceful seizure of power has led to not only an infringement on the majority of the UN’s decreed human rights, but in particular an extraneous backtrack on progress in sectors such as female education, women’s rights, and forcing their reliance on males. One of the Taliban's newly enforced laws consists of prohibiting girls over 11 from attending school, which has obviously disregarded the UN universal agreement that education should be accessible to everyone (article 23). Women studying in University in Afghanistan are now gender segregated, a decision which resulted in justified global uproar. On top of this, the Taliban is now only allowing women to work ‘subject to their interpretation of Islamic law’, resulting in some women having to leave their jobs out of fear of punishment.

All restrictions the Taliban have introduced have huge impacts on everyday lives of these women,

and cause great hardship. Most women cannot return to work so struggle to further a career or provide for their families. Their freedom has been removed just because of their gender - an unacceptable prejudice. Education is a right we take for granted, but it serves as the pathway to having power over your life and circumstances as well as helping people change oppressive regimes. Knowledge is power and these new laws will create a cycle of oppressed women. Young women who are separated by sex in university now have very limited experiences and their education is treated as second to men.

If you feel as strongly about this issue as we do, the sources below are great ways to get involved and donate to a cause that matters.

Madre is a global women’s rights organisation providing long-term support to women -led groups that are impacted by war and disaster in inaccessible areas.

They are calling for funds to facilitate an urgent underground escape and support network in Afghanistan.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works to promote and protect the rights of children and women in Afghanistan and have a presence in every region. So far, the Taliban have allowed UNICEF to remain and there is hope that they will be allowed to set up schools which girls can also attend.

The Women’s Peace & Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is an innovative partnership empowering local women to be a force for crisis response and lasting peace. They galvanise support from across the globe to support the efforts of women working on the frontlines of the world’s most intractable conflicts. WPHF are supporting local women’s organisations in Afghanistan to sustain their work on the front lines of conflict and crisis.

it would change the earth'

and truth and compassion If people all over the world...would do

'Never be afraid to raise your voice for against injustice and lying and greed.

What is the policing bill?

The Government's Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (the Policing Act) came into effect in April 2022. This Act changes a variety of things such as police powers, judicial procedures and offender rehabilitation. It will also have a massive impact on human rights.

This Bill places significant limitations on the ability to peacefully protest which will greatly affect the ability of ordinary citizens to make their concerns heard. This bill is only one of the many ways human rights are being threatened worldwide.

Why do we need to protest?

Protesting is an important part of history with many protests such as the anti-slavery movement to the suffragettes and recent anti-war arches shaping our modern day.

The right to protest is fundamental to a free and a fair society. We need to protest because one action can spark a movement. It makes sure that human rights are acknowledged by the state. People have a complete right to protest peacefully and the state has a duty to respect and protect this right.

Is protest a human right?

While taking part in a protest, a person expresses various rights such as the right to the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Other rights which are necessary for a peaceful protest include the freedom of association and speech, freedom to privacy etc.

Therefore, rather than being categorised under a single law or right, the right to protest includes various different rights. These rights together provide protestors with protection.

What is Amnesty International doing to protect the right to protest?

Amnesty International launched a global campaign to confront the state’s efforts to take away our fundamental human rights in face of threat to the right to protest. When the right to protest is violated, the campaign will work to bring it to light and will support movements in their calls for accountability. We are making an active effort to support movements led by common citizens and activists by amplifying their voices. With hundreds of other groups, Amnesty International is calling for the Bill to be dropped.

Why do we need to protest?

The way police and other state authorities engage with protesters has become increasingly militarised since the early 2000s. The military forces are trained and equipped for war and defence and they should not have any place at protest. They should be trained in meditation and keeping people safe. The state tries to portray protestors as a threat to public safety, but in truth the use of police is just a way to intimidate people into silence.

You can also show your support and add your voice to the global call for the protest to be protect-

'Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; It is absolutely essential to it .'

HOW IS THE DEATH PENALTY IS AFFECTING PEOPLE WORLDWIDE

The death penalty is a cruel, heinous, and inefficient form of retribution that fails to deliver justice in the name of the criminal justice system. As of 2022, there are fifty five countries that still practise capital punishment, making it a universal issue for humanity. Life is a gift that many take for granted. The ability to breathe, laugh, and indulge in the bittersweet experiences of life is, quite frankly, priceless in and of itself. Life is a fundamental human right that should be protected under all governmental institutions, not something that should be easily stripped away from us. The death penalty has failed to address not just moral issues, but also a recurring issue of inefficient deterrence. Capital punishment does not deter crime effectively, it puts mentally ill people at risk, and the death penalty mostly affects minority groups.

The death penalty does not deter crime effectively

The death penalty does not deter crime effectively. Many have argued that abolishing the death penalty will lead to more crime. The General Assembly of the United Nations stated recently, “there is no conclusive evidence of the deterrent value of the death penalty” (UNGA Resolution 65/206). It should be noted that in many re-

tentionist states that still continue to enforce the death penalty, the effectiveness of the death penalty is significantly lower compared to places that don’t. Take the United States and Canada for example, where the average murder rate of states that enforced the death penalty in 2004 was 5.71 per 100,000 of the population, compared to 4.02 per 100,000 in states that did not. The murder rate in Canada in 2003 went down by 44 percent ever since they abolished the death penalty in 1975. In order to understand why capital punishment is counterproductive to reducing crime, it is important to first understand the psyche behind the offenders. At the time in which the crime is committed, many of the offenders don’t evaluate the consequences of their actions. Most of the crimes are ignited by passion and intense emotions that almost completely diminish the logical side of the offender. They are not in a normal state of mind, therefore it is difficult for these people to properly weigh out the risks and benefits of their actions. Hence, the argument that the death penalty can stimulate fear in people is futile as offenders don’t consider the consequences when the act is committed.

The death penalty mainly affects minorities

Although many argue that the main purpose of the death penalty is to deter those who have committed crime, in reality capital punishment targets marginalised individuals from minority groups. A racial bias towards people of colour has been a tendency for many years. Statistics show that “35% of the individuals executed under the death penalty within the last 40 years have been Black. African Americans represent only 13% of the general population.” Furthermore, University of Iowa law professor David Boldes notes that in Georgia in the 1980s, prosecutors sought the death penalty for 70% of black defendants with white victims. Only 15% of the victims sought the death penalty. It supports the fact that privileged groups are less exposed to these sanctions than unprivileged ones. Additionally, two-third of the victims of juvenile offenders are white. The typical cardboard stereotype of a juvenile offender that you expect to see would likely be an African American or Hispanic male. People of colour are often discriminated against and labelled as “ dangerous” compared to white people. This method of profiling is extremely threatening to innocent minority individuals who have not committed crime. It also

permits privileged groups of offenders to get away with their crime and let off the hook easier because of their skin colour. The amount of pigmentation in our skin should not dictate how we should be treated in the criminal justice system and everyone should be treated fairly and equally. This case must not be a tendency as it makes the death penalty targeted to unprivileged groups only.

Mentally ill people are executed

Individuals that suffer from mental illness are often the ones that fall victim to the death penalty. According to Amnesty International and the National Association on Mental Illness, one in ten people who have been executed in the United States since 1977 suffer from mental illness. Many mentally ill defendants are unable to partake meaningfully in their trials and come across to the jury as uninterested, cold, and emotionless. This in turn increases the likelihood of them to lose in trial because they appear to be more guilty. Some individuals have undergone forced medication to render them competent for execution. Although the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that individuals that suffer with mental illness cannot be executed, states such

as Oregon has not yet established laws prohibiting the execution of those who suffer from "mental retardation.” At least 20% of those who are now on death row, according to mental health professionals, suffer from a major mental disease. Military veterans, many of whom have medically confirmed trauma illnesses, make up at least 10% of those who are now serving death sentences nationwide. Executing people with mental disorders is inhumane and cruel as they can not be responsible for their own actions. It should be society and the government’s duty to provide medical care for people in need instead of punishing them.

Conclusion

The death penalty is a heinous and brutal method to punish those who have committed crimes. It fails to effectively deter crime, it victimises mentally ill people, and capital punishment mostly affects minorities. There are many different alternatives that can alleviate the criminal justice system as a whole and reform the mindsets of criminals, such as rehabilitation or changing the social and political structure of countries. Many crimes stem from a lack of education, poverty, and lack of access to resources. These are all issues embedded in

the foundation of society and the government should strive to solve these problems, in order to truly see a change in the criminal justice system. As individuals, we should analyse the bigger picture from a holistic view and see how we can help reform criminal offenders instead of promoting stigma and discrimination to those who have committed crime.

Statistics

It is known that at least 579 executions were carried out in 2021, in 18 different countries. However we will never know the true figure as many governments obscure the data as it could be breaking international law or the executions happen in secret. At least 182 out of 8,700 people put on death row in the US were innocent. (From 1973 to 2021).

'There is no justice in killing in the name of justice'

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N M Y E T SUDOKU

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