P.O. Box 130901, Houston, TX 77219-0901
281-587-5386
http://www.amnestyhouston.org
mail@amnestyhouston.org

Monthly meeting first Wednesday of every month (except holidays).

NEWS AND NOTES

Monthly Meeting Agenda:

       Introductions
       Reports by Coordination Groups:
       Group case (Avdo Palic)
       Death Penalty
       Radio Committee
       Stop Violence Against Women Campaign
       Denounce Torture Campaign
       South Asian Regional Action Network (SARAN)
       Refugees
       Out Front Campaign
       Who Will Bring Letter Next Meeting
Old Business:
       New POC Case?
       TCADP Event
New Business:
       "Intended Consequences" Rwanda Photo Exhibit
 

Local Group 23 News:

• John Sullivan and Sheli Rae are organizing the ”Rolling Forum” product in Austin with the help of Kathleen Juhl (Southwestern University). They are also focusing on a Forum with an ethics of medicine theme for Galveston. Once it’s mapped out they will present the idea to the Institute for Medical Humanities for some sort of institutional sponsorship.
• We have agreed to take on a photo exhibit and speaker event based on "Intended Consequences" by Jonathan Torgovnik, which tells the stories, by way of photos and interviews, of women who were subjected to sexual violence during the genocide in Rwanda.
• Christine Cox has agreed to be our new concert coordinator! Many thanks to Phivan Wright for filling in after Richard Rauch's accident.
• The Rice University AI group held a findraiser for Darfur, "Jam for Sudan". Phivan Wright tabled at the event.

• We have openings for Group Coordinator and New Member coordinator.

As we continue to celebrate New Jersey's historic decision to abolish the death penalty, all eyes are turning to Nebraska where legislation to abolish that state's death penalty (LB 1063) passed the Judiciary Committee on Feb. 7. The bill now goes to the full legislature for debate and vote. If you live in Nebraska, call your senators today, tell them that you oppose the death penalty and urge them to vote YES on LB 1063. But even if you don't live in Nebraska, you can still take action. Write to Governor Dave Heineman and urge him to show true leadership by supporting a repeal of Nebraska's death penalty. To take action - see our letter action palge. For Nebraskans, the time has come!

(Washington, DC)--Heavy fighting between Iraqi government forces and armed militia in Basra and other Iraqi cities is creating a grave risk to civilians, Amnesty International said today as it urged all parties to refrain from indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks and to respect civilian life.

"Civilians have borne the heaviest burden during the past five years of conflict in Iraq," said Zahir Janmohamed, Amnesty International USA's advocacy director for the Middle East and North Africa. "If civilian rights are not respected by armed groups and Iraqi government forces, this new upsurge of violence will surely add more innocent victims to the toll."

Fighting erupted in Basra today between Iraqi forces and members of the Mahdi Army, followers of Shi'a Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. According to reports, at least 12 people were killed in the city. It is not known at this stage if civilians were among those killed. As the fighting spread, curfews were imposed by the Iraqi authorities in Basra and other southern cities, including al-Nassirya, Kut, al-Hilla and Samawa.

The Mahdi Army declared a cease fire at the end of August 2007 and announced at the end of February 2008 that it was being renewed for an additional six months. It has been vying with other Shi'a militia groups for political control of Basra and there have been frequent armed clashes between the Mahdi Army and the Badr Organization, the armed wing of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council. The latest fighting appears to have broken out in response to an attempt by Iraqi security forces to clamp down on the armed militias.

Amnesty International is calling on the Iraqi government to ensure that its security forces comply with Iraq's obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law, and in particular to ensure that the civilian population and civilian objects are protected at all times.

Amnesty International is also calling on armed groups in Basra and other cities to comply with the rules of international law and to respect civilian life.

Amnesty International called on the Nepalese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all those arrested in connection with demonstrations on Tibet.

It is estimated that more than 400 people have been arrested today in connection with a number of protests on Tibet around Nepal.

"Nepal is sending a message of no-tolerance of dissent by arresting peaceful demonstrators," said Amnesty International, cautioning that the latest wave of repression extends beyond Tibet-related protests. "This is the latest in a series of clampdowns on peaceful demonstration as elections approach."

In one incident, activists were detained ahead of an Amnesty International Nepal vigil on the human rights situation in Tibet. At 13:55 hrs local time, 17 activists were detained in Maitiyala Mandala, Kathmandu and taken to Singha Durbar Police Station. No reason has been given for their arrest.

Detainees included: Rameshwar Npal, Director of Amnesty International Nepal; Sushil Pyakurel, former Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission; Govinda Bandi, lawyer and member of the International Commission of Jurists; and a other activists, including four from the Tibetan community and a number of Amnesty International members.

"The authorities' interference in peaceful protest by Tibetans and other human rights activists is unconstitutional," said Amnesty International.

"The move by the District Administration to prevent a peaceful demonstration from taking place is against Article 12 of the Constitution of Nepal. There are also no legal grounds to pre-ban demonstrations."

Amnesty International reiterated its call for the Chinese government to allow an independent UN investigation into the events in Tibet which prompted demonstrations in Nepal. It also called on the Chinese government to address the underlying grievances of the Tibetan people and long-term policies that have generated such resentment.

Insufficient attention is being paid by the international community to the inter-linked human rights and humanitarian crisis in Somalia, currently one of the worst in the world. Serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have taken place in the last year, particularly in the worsening conflict between the Transitional Federal Government and allied Ethiopian armed forces against armed opposition groups in Mogadishu and other areas.

In the near-total absence of the rule of law and effective institutions of governance, over 6,000 civilians were killed in the past year. Over a million are now internally displaced, including at least 600,000 who fled Mogadishu in the past year. Women and girls, as well as journalists and human rights defenders, have been frequently subjected to unlawful killings, sexual violence, arbitrary detention or pillage perpetrated with impunity.

Amnesty International has spoken to many survivors of the conflict in Mogadishu who have fled after witnessing civilian relatives being killed by different groups, including the TFG and Ethiopian forces. Amnesty International repeats its urgent call to all parties to the conflict to abide by international human rights and humanitarian law. The international community should not appear to tolerate violations by remaining silent.

In the process of peace-making, the political dialogue should include urgent attention to the protection of the rights to life, personal security, and freedom of expression and association.

In support of the valuable work of the Independent Expert, Amnesty International calls on the Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution that:

renews the mandate of the Independent Expert, set up in 1993 and which includes reporting to the Council on the human rights situation, because the desperate human rights situation in Somalia warrants a dedicated human rights mechanism;

requests the international community to allocate sufficient resources to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to monitor and report on the situation of human rights, provide technical assistance and advice to the Transitional Federal Institutions and international agencies, and support Somali human rights defenders;

urges that the African Union's Peace Support Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and any succeeding UN peace-keeping mission be mandated to protect civilians - particularly women, children, discriminated Somali minorities and internally displaced persons - and also to include a strong human rights component with the capacity to monitor, investigate and publicly report on human rights violations;

calls on the Transitional Federal Government to remove any obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian assistance and ensure the safety of local and international humanitarian workers;

supports calls for an independent international investigation under UN auspices, as soon as conditions allow, into serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, in particular in Mogadishu in the past year, as well as mapping past war crimes and crimes against humanity.

There should be no further delay in establishing appropriate mechanisms to end the impunity which has prevailed in Somalia for decades and perpetuates the crisis.

Amnesty International, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) are calling on the Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mahmoud Salehi, the former leader of the Saqez Bakers' Union, who was imprisoned in 2007 for the pursuit of legitimate trade union activities.

Mahmoud Salehi, who has serious long term medical concerns, is now on a total hunger strike and there are serious fears for his safety. He went on hunger strike after he was summoned to appear for questioning by Branch 4 of the Sanandaj Courts on 17 March 2008 when, after a prolonged wait, new charges were issued against him.

He has reportedly been accused of 'communicating with those outside prison for the purposes of issuing messages of solidarity' for other individual prisoners on hunger strike and students facing arrest. The new charges appear intended to justify Mahmoud Salehi's continued detention beyond his scheduled 23 March 2008 release date, when he will have completed a one year prison sentence.

Amnesty International, the ITUC and the ITF are concerned that the new charge may have been brought against Mahmoud Salehi in response to the international mobilisation on 6 March 2008 by trade unions and Amnesty International members around the world to demand his release and that of his fellow trade unionist, Mansour Ossanlu (or Osanloo).

Mahmoud Salehi, former President of the Bakery Workers' Association of the city of Saqez, was arrested after a peaceful demonstration to celebrate May Day 2004. He was imprisoned on charges of 'acting against national security' after his final appeal hearing on 11 March 2007, and he began a one year sentence, with another three years' suspended, on 9 April 2007.

Mahmoud Salehi is a prisoner of conscience and has long-term medical needs. A May 2007 request by his doctor that he be accorded specialist treatment outside the prison has been ignored. He suffers from chronic kidney disease, as a result of which he requires dialysis. He is also said to suffer from a heart disorder. In December 2007 it was reported that he had grave intestinal edema or swelling that may be connected with his renal disease. His health continues to be at serious risk, and he is reported to regularly experience fainting episodes in prison as a result of blood pressure problems.

Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the ITUC said "It is deplorable that Mahmoud Salehi should have been imprisoned for participating in a May Day rally -- a show of worker solidarity that should be a cause of celebration rather than repression."

Amnesty International, the ITUC and the ITF are calling on the Iranian authorities to release both Mahmoud Salehi and Mansour Osanlu immediately and unconditionally and to ensure that Mahmoud Salehi has immediate access to specialist medical treatment that he needs.

David Cockroft, ITF concluded "It seems that the Iranian authorities want to silence Salehi ahead of this year's May Day rallies. Though they may be able to keep him in jail, they will not silence the voices of hundreds of thousands of human rights activists and trade unionists who are demanding respect for fundamental labour rights in Iran. The three organisations will continue to work tirelessly alongside the independent Iranian trade union movement to seek respect for human rights for working people in Iran," David Cockroft, ITF added.

GA Supreme Court Decision is 'Simply Stunning;' U.S. 'Has Shrugged Off the Very Notion of Justice at Every Level' in Davis Case

(Atlanta) -- Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) decried today's Georgia Supreme Court decision to deny a new trial for Troy Anthony Davis, who has been on death row for more than 16 years despite significant concerns regarding his innocence. The human rights organization, which has collected more than 60,000 petition signatures while campaigning for Davis, said the ruling demonstrates a blatant disregard for justice, and asserted that the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles must grant clemency in his case.

"The claim that evidence in Davis' favor was not sufficient to reopen his case is simply stunning," said Larry Cox, executive director of AIUSA. "In turning a blind eye to the realities of the case, the legal system has shrugged off the very notion of justice at every level, from Savannah to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Board of Pardons must recognize that a blind adherence to technicalities cannot trump a concerted search for the truth, especially when a human being's life is at stake."

The Georgia State Supreme Court decided 4-3 against a new trial or evidentiary hearing, with the majority ruling that the Savannah trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Davis' extraordinary motion for new trial without first conducting a hearing.

Amnesty International maintains that the case has been tainted from the start, with a questionable police investigation, a lack of funding to ensure adequate defense, and an increasingly restrictive appeals process, which has thwarted attempts to present new evidence in the case. In the wake of the state Supreme Court decision, the human rights organization is once again calling for the Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles to commute the death sentence for Davis due to the troubling facts of the conviction.

Troy Davis was convicted of the murder of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail in 1991. Davis was convicted solely on the basis of witness testimony, and seven of the nine non-police witnesses have since recanted or changed their testimony. No murder weapon was found and no physical evidence linked Davis to the crime. Several cited police coercion, and others fear of one of the remaining two witnesses, whom they allege actually committed the crime.

"With this decision, the Supreme Court is ignoring the fundamental flaws that underlie the death penalty in Georgia and in Troy Davis's case," said Jared Feuer, Southern Regional Director of AIUSA. "As a result, we will continue to advocate for a re-examination of his sentence and of Georgia's use of capital punishment. Officer MacPhail's life was cut tragically short, and his family and the people of Georgia deserve justice. This will not be accomplished by executing a man with a strong case of innocence."

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