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When the women left their homes that May morning in 2006, they never imagined the horrific experience that lay ahead of them. During a police operation in response to protests by activists from a local peasant organization in San Salvador Atenco, Mexico, over 45 women were arrested without explanation.

Dozens of them, including Bárbara Italia Méndez, were subjected to physical, psychological and sexual violence by the police officers who arrested them. More than two years later, they are still waiting for justice. None of the officials responsible for their abuse have been prosecuted. Please see our Mendez letter to write on her behalf.

20 years have gone by since the Convention on the Rights of the Child was passed by the United Nations and so far all nations in the UN have ratified it except the United States and Somalia. Please link to the Rights of the Child website to help get the convention ratified by the Senate.

Avdo Palic's remains were identified on 5 August 2009, 14 years after his disappearance and 8 years after Group 23 took up the case. They had been exhumed from a mass grave in Rogatica municipality in November 2001. On 26 August, his family was finally able to give him the dignified burial that he deserved. You can see pictures of the funeral here.

Amnesty International welcomes the identification of Avdo Palic's remains but regrets the length of time it took to make this step, and although this consitutes an important beginning toward justice, the most important task is still undone. The Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities have not take meaningful steps to bring those responsible for Avdo Palic's disappearance to justice. Thousands of people are still missing as a result of the 1992-1995 conflict. Amnesty International is seriously concerned about the continued impunity for enforced disappearances and other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed during the conflict, and the continuing lack of justice and redress for the victims of these violations and their relatives. For more information about Avdo Palic, go here.

Amnesty U.S. local group #23 / Houston is planning a project to promote dialogue and more effective advocacy for abolition of the death penalty in Texas. Beginning in fall 2008, we will conduct a series of drama-based workshops leading up to public performances in major cities across Texas. These workshop / performance events will use an exciting, audience-interactive format called Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) which Amnesty #23 introduced to Houston in 2003 with the Eye & Tooth Project (Part 1).

See the Rolling Forum for more information about the upcoming Rolling Forum and Theater of the Oppressed and see Eye and Tooth for more information about the Eye and Tooth project and performance history.

The Human Rights Show that plays on KPFT 90.1 FM at 11:30 A.M. every Wednesday has a volunteer position open for an engineer. All training will be provided by the show staff. If you can dedicate time for a long term committment and want more information about this position, please contact Michael Skadden.

The Kroger share card program that we have used to donate to our group has been replaced. Please see the new Kroger Neighbor to Neighbor Program for the new procedure.

Please click on the Anti-Death Penalty Information tab on the left to see the latest execution schedule and times and dates of the vigils.

To get information on fighting internet censorship, go to: Fight Internet Censorship