was a worldwide tour of twenty benefit concerts on behalf of Amnesty International that took place over six weeks in 1988. In 1964, Mandela was charged with sabotage and sentenced to life in prison. [144][145], "To be appearing on platforms with Britain's most famous supporter of the Taliban, Begg, whom we treat as a human rights defender, is a gross error of judgment," she said. Between the "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961" and September 1962 the organization had been known simply as "Amnesty".[16]. ." Amnesty International’s vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. Given Fa'afiu received the most votes, his term will be for four years and others three years. To combat the buzz that AI was trying to create, it immediately publicized how Shell was helping to improve overall life in Nigeria. Amnesty stated that a person who has 'advocated... hatred' is excluded from their current definition of a prisoner of conscience, and that the use of the term was intended to 'emphasize the unjust nature of his detention and our opposition to his unfounded prosecution', but upon reviewing the case, the use of the term POC was found to be a mistake. Amnesty continued to work on a wide range of issues and world events. Governments that have criticised AI include those of Israel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, China, Vietnam, Russia, Chile and the United States, which have complained about Amnesty International for what they assert is one-sided reporting, or a failure to treat threats to security as a mitigating factor. Since the current human rights erupted in Nicaragua in 2018, the government has clamped down on all forms of dissent or criticism. In the British colony of Aden, a province in Yemen, a Swedish amnesty employee wrote a report on torture in a British prison. . Retrieved March 08, 2021 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/amnesty-international. [160] Among them, Anna Neistat, who was Gaëtan Mootoo's senior manager directly implicated in the independent report on Mootoo's death. In 2019 there were 63 sections worldwide. The organization has also begun to focus on human rights abuses in homes or communities where governments have permitted such abuses or failed to take action to stop them. . Missions always enter a country with permission. During the 1970s, Seán MacBride and Martin Ennals led Amnesty International. The mandate's expansion to encompass economic and social rights reflects two aspects of Amnesty International's growth. There was a realization that this power to tell stories and gather information and testimony digitally was something that the human rights … Also of concern was the export of more sophisticated torture methods, equipment and teaching by the superpowers to "client states", for example by the United States through some activities of the CIA. https://www.encyclopedia.com/international/legal-and-political-magazines/amnesty-international, "Amnesty International . Amnesty International's decision in February 2021 to strip Alexei Navalny's status as a prisoner of conscience due to comments made about migrants 14 years beforehand regarded as hate speech provoked criticism and resignations from supporters. (AI,) human-rights organization founded in 1961 by Englishman Peter Benenson; it campaigns internationally against the detention of prisoners of conscience, for the fair trial of political prisoners, … [91], In August 2020, Amnesty International expressed concern about what it called the "widespread torture of peaceful protesters" and treatment of detainees in Belarus. The role of Amnesty International has a significant impact on getting citizens on board with focusing on human rights issues. Towards the end of the decade, the growing number of refugees worldwide became a focus for Amnesty International. If they are not murdered, they can be held incommunicado for years while the government agents responsible routinely deny that they have custody of these prisoners or knowledge of their fates and often suggest that the prisoners have "disappeared" of their own volition. The IB is elected by, and accountable to, the Global Assembly. Members write letters on the prisoners’ behalf, support the prisoners’ families, arrange vigils, and more. The two students who toasted to freedom were arrested and sentenced to seven years in jail for this offense. Human rights are the fundamental rights and freedoms that belong to every single one of us, anywhere in the world. The organization’s accuracy has been widely recognized and its credibility has helped it remain influential. After her suspension and the controversy, Sahgal was interviewed by numerous media and attracted international supporters. The report stated that Amnesty had a toxic work culture and that workers frequently cited mental and physical health issues as a result of their work for the organization. Brave individuals standing up for the rights of others are being silenced all around the world. [17] (See Relationship with the British Government). [154] The deputy secretary general, Kate Gilmore, who also resigned in December 2009, received an ex-gratia payment of £320,000. At a press conferences in each city, at related media events, and through their music at the concerts themselves, the artists engaged with the public on themes of human rights and human dignity. "Protest at Amnesty International office", "Kurdish Hunger Strikers Occupy Amnesty International HQ", "Hunger-strikers accuse Amnesty International of hypocrisy", "Solidarity with the activists occupying the offices of Amnesty International in London", Amnesty International to make almost 100 staff redundant, Amnesty International staff braced for redundancies, Secretary General and Coalition Leadership Team, "Amnesty's secret £800,000 payout after suicide of Gaetan Mootoo", "Amnesty International criticised for using non-disclosure agreement in relation to alleged £800k payment", "Amnesty International statement on Aleksei Navalny", "Amnesty strips Alexei Navalny of 'prisoner of conscience' status", "Supporters quit Amnesty International over 'betrayal' of Alexei Navalny", "Why, after 35 years, I have resigned from Amnesty International", "Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Awards - Roosevelt Institute", "The Journalism Prize "Archivio Disarmo Golden Doves For Peace, "Amnesty International: Myth and Reality". Amnesty's budgetary crisis became public after the two staff suicides in 2019. Throughout the 1990s, Amnesty continued to grow, to a membership of over seven million in over 150 countries and territories,[1] led by Senegalese Secretary General Pierre Sané. The size of exit packages granted to former senior management caused anger among other staff and an outcry among Amnesty's members. [82] An internal survey by the Konterra group with a team of psychologists was conducted in January 2019, after the 2 employees had killed themselves in 2018. [43][46][47][48][49][50][51], In February 2011, Amnesty requested that Swiss authorities start a criminal investigation of former US President George W. Bush and arrest him. The Secretariat operates several work programmes; International Law and Organizations; Research; Campaigns; Mobilization; and Communications. West's Encyclopedia of American Law. It states that this speech enhances a global pushback against human rights and makes the world more divided and more dangerous. Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977, Amnesty International (AI) is a force to be reckoned with. “The Myanmar military has a well-documented history of violence and grave human rights violations. was a worldwide tour of twenty benefit concerts on behalf of Amnesty International that took place over six weeks in 1988. The report found that: "39 per cent of Amnesty International staff reported that they developed mental or physical health issues as the direct result of working at Amnesty". The organization considers the publication of impartial and accurate reports as one of its strengths. Along with this commitment to opposing repression of freedom of expression, Amnesty International's founding principles included non-intervention on political questions, a robust commitment to gathering facts about the various cases and promoting human rights.[103]. International Directory of Company Histories. [92] The organization also said that more than 1,100 people were killed by bandits in rural communities in northern Nigeria during the first six months of 2020. Stefan Simanowitz is Amnesty International… In a controversial decision, AI added to their list of prisoners of conscience, people imprisoned solely due to their sexual orientation. Newspapers and advertising companies refused to run AI's ads because Shell Oil was a customer of theirs as well. Facts and Figures: The Work of Amnesty International New York: Amnesty International, 2002. Amnesty International (AI) is a nonprofit, independent international organization that works zealously to protect human rights around the world. The organization consists of more than 7,800 groups representing local activists, youths, specialists, and professionals in more than 100 countries and territories. Palmieri continued: “And in order for us to do that, we have to be at the epicenter of pop culture.” In 2002, AI was planning its first post-Oscar party, and a film festival in West Hollywood, with a human rights theme, of course. "[3], Amnesty International was founded in London in 1961, following the publication of the article "The Forgotten Prisoners" in The Observer on 28 May 1961,[4] by the lawyer Peter Benenson. [54], On 18 August 2014, in the wake of demonstrations sparked by people protesting the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old man, and subsequent acquittal of Darren Wilson, the officer who shot him, Amnesty International sent a 13-person contingent of human rights activists to seek meetings with officials as well as to train local activists in non-violent protest methods. Benenson said the image was inspired by an ancient proverb: “Better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” The first Amnesty Candle was lit in December 1961. Amnesty International is an international organization founded in London in 1961. [13] In consultation with other writers, academics and lawyers and, in particular, Alec Digges, they wrote via Louis Blom-Cooper to David Astor, editor of The Observer newspaper, who, on 28 May 1961, published Benenson's article "The Forgotten Prisoners". ELIZABETH KNOWLES "Amnesty International In situations which require immediate attention, Amnesty International calls on existing urgent action networks or crisis response networks; for all other matters, it calls on its membership. [39] The 117-page Amnesty report charged Israeli forces with killing hundreds of civilians and wanton destruction of thousands of homes. Missions often (but not always) have presented their report to the host country’s government. This organization was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 and is one of the most widely-known human rights groups in the world. We neither seek nor accept any funds for human rights research from governments or political parties and we accept support only from businesses that have been carefully vetted. A huge amount of suffering is caused to employees. Amnesty International is an organization of more than 7 million supporters, activists and … [15] On 30 September 1962, it was officially named "Amnesty International". [154][155] Peter Pack, the chairman of Amnesty's International Executive Committee (IEC), initially stated on 19 February 2011: "The payments to outgoing secretary general Irene Khan shown in the accounts of AI (Amnesty International) Ltd for the year ending 31 March 2010 include payments made as part of a confidential agreement between AI Ltd and Irene Khan"[155] and that "It is a term of this agreement that no further comment on it will be made by either party. It works to mobilize public opinion to generate pressure on governments where abuse takes place. [177], In 1984, Amnesty International received the Four Freedoms award in the category of Freedom of Speech. Amnesty International Australia is a section of the Amnesty International network, and is part of the global movement promoting and defending human rights and dignity. In 2018, the organization started to adopt a new communications strategy based on a message of shared humanity and a hope-based communications approach. ", "Charity Commission has 'no jurisdiction' over board member's payment from Amnesty", "Amnesty boss gets secret £500,000 payout", "A letter to all AI members and staff from the International Executive Committee", Radical change needed at Amnesty International after new report reveals ‘toxic’ work culture, "Anger over big payoffs for bosses at toxic Amnesty". He could not convince anyone else at the organization of this need. In over 40 years of work, Amnesty International delegates have visited numerous countries and territories and met with human rights victims, observed trials, and interviewed local activists and officials. [29], In the aftermath of 11 September attacks, the new Amnesty International Secretary General, Irene Khan, reported that a senior government official had said to Amnesty International delegates: "Your role collapsed with the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York. Financial support for the organization comes from individual members and groups as well as trusts, foundations, and companies that are committed to support the cause of human rights worldwide. It argued that action should be taken to prevent human-rights problems from becoming human-rights catastrophes, and that both intervention and inaction represented a failure of the international community. [19] After this set of events, which were dubbed by some the "Amnesty Crisis of 1966-67",[142] the relationship between Amnesty and the British Government was suspended. The response to the article was swift and tremendous. The International Board (formerly known as the International Executive Committee [IEC]), led by the International Board Chairperson (Sarah Beamish) consists of nine members and the International Treasurer. believe that the gains made by human rights organizations over previous decades had possibly been eroded. In addition to reporting on human rights issues and lobbying members of government both privately and publicly, the organization works with other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as well as community organizations and human rights activists to secure its goals. 2021 . Amnesty International believed that the reasons underlying torture of prisoners by governments, were either to acquire and obtain information or to quell opposition by the use of terror, or both. The movement campaigns for the world in which human rights are enjoyed by all. While many of the world's refugees of the time had been displaced by war and famine, in adherence to its mandate, Amnesty International concentrated on those forced to flee because of the human rights violations it was seeking to prevent. At its Board Meeting in October 2019, International Board members appointed Sarah Beamish (Canada) as Chairperson. [5] Amnesty considers capital punishment to be "the ultimate, irreversible denial of human rights. Moreover, the governments and political organizations of numerous countries still permit or participate in the wrongful imprisonment and the disappearance of political prisoners as well as other human rights abuses. Human Rights Now! AI designated the award money to promote the organization in the Third World, where its presence was traditionally weak. In 1966, a far worse crisis erupted that threatened to destroy the organization. A member survey in 1999 revealed a disquieting fact about AI. The death penalty report When the State Kills[25] and the "Human Rights are Women's Rights" campaign were key actions for the latter two issues. Amnesty International is the largest human rights NGO in the world which has over three million memberships in 150 countries and regions. In the field of international human rights organizations, Amnesty has the third-longest history, after the International Federation for Human Rights[9] and the Anti-Slavery Society. [141], In a trip to Haiti, the British FO had also assisted Benenson in his mission to Haiti, where he was disguised because of fear of the Haitians finding out that the British government sponsored his visit. She is a human rights lawyer in her homeland. On its Web site, AI quotes a former torturer from El Salvador “… if there’s lots of pressure—like from Amnesty International or some foreign countries—we might pass them on to a judge. that Amnesty's inaction had been driven by undue deference to the Turkish and Qatari regimes. They face smear campaigns, imprisonment and sometimes even death for daring to speak truth to power. [149][151], In a separate interview for the Indian Daily News & Analysis, Sahgal said that, as Quereshi affirmed Begg's support for global jihad on a BBC World Service programme, "these things could have been stated in his [Begg's] introduction" with Amnesty. One of the arrested was Hoda Abdel-Monaim, a 60-year-old human rights lawyer and former member of the National Council for Human Rights. But the British group that had adopted him continued campaigning for his release. There was a suit[27] against the decision to release Senator Pinochet, taken by the then British Home Secretary Jack Straw, before that decision had actually been taken, in an attempt to prevent the release of Senator Pinochet. ", Shetty, Salil (February 2017) Amnesty International Report 2016/17, Part 1: Foreword and Regional Overviews, p. 12, United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights, International Federation for Human Rights, Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Learn how and when to remove this template message, promote economic, social and cultural rights, a message of shared humanity and a hope-based communications approach, Criticism of Amnesty International § 2019 Bullying Report, List of Amnesty International UK Media Awards winners, World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, "New Secretary General Kumi Naidoo pledges support for African human rights defenders to hold the powerful to account", "The Nobel Peace Prize 1977 - Presentation Speech", "United Nations Prize in the field of Human Rights", "Transnational Information Politics: NGO Human Rights Reporting, 1986–2000", "Amnesty International marks 50 years of fighting for free speech", "Peter Benenson in David P. Forsythe (ed. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Univ. AI vowed that in future, it "must not only be independent and impartial but must not be put into a position where anything else could even be alleged" and the Foreign Office cautioned that "for the time being our attitude to Amnesty International must be one of reserve". [9] In addition, six of the 10 countries most reported on by Human Rights Watch in the 1990s also made The Economist's and Newsweek's "most covered" lists during that time. ." ." Diplomacy of Conscience: Amnesty International and Changing Human Rights Norms. The International Board meets at least two times during any one year and in practice meets face to face at least four times a year. [88] Amnesty International accused the European Union of "using the framing of the far right" by linking migration with security.[89]. Each group worked on behalf of three prisoners, one from each of the then three main ideological regions of the world: communist, capitalist, and developing. Leonid Volkov expressed his disbelief and disappointment at Amnesty, having watched the prank call. ELIZABETH KNOWLES "Amnesty International https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/amnesty-international, "Amnesty International Amnesty International carries out its struggle for human dignity for all human rights victims by mobilizing public opinion throughout the world to pressure government officials and other influential persons to … Authoriti… Amnesty International is well known for its commitment to accurate, impartial reporting on human rights violations around the world. International Relations 17, no. Clark, Anne Marie. Amnesty reports disproportionately on relatively more democratic and open countries,[111] arguing that its intention is not to produce a range of reports which statistically represents the world's human rights abuses, but rather to apply the pressure of public opinion to encourage improvements. She was interviewed on the US National Public Radio (NPR) on 27 February 2010, where she discussed the activities of Cageprisoners and why she deemed it inappropriate for Amnesty to associate with Begg. . [19] He began to suspect that many of his colleagues were part of a British intelligence conspiracy to subvert Amnesty, but he could not convince anybody else at AI. [119][120], AI (USA) has received funding from the Rockefeller Foundation,[121] but these funds are only used "in support of its human rights education work. With a membership of more than 1 million worldwide and originator and sponsor of countless campaigns for a host of human rights issues, AI is, in the words of Jean-Pierre Hocke, former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, “simply unique.”. Sean MacBride had won the award in 1974, for a peace activism career that included many leadership years at AI. Information comes from interviews and meetings with prisoners and their families, lawyers and journalists, as well as persons working for other human rights organizations, humanitarian agencies, and local community groups. Amnesty International-UK’s Human Rights Centre in London was originally scheduled to host a debate on January 24, between Hillel Neuer of UN Watch and Fred Carver of the UN Association, moderated by human rights attorney and Yahad board member Danny Friedman. The arrests were made by the Egyptian authorities as part of the regime's ongoing crackdown on dissent. Ian Martin, Hammarberg’s successor, saw AI through the changes in Eastern Europe that started in 1989. The report concluded, "organisational culture and management failures are the root cause of most staff wellbeing issues."[157]. Secretary General Salil Shetty's opening statement in the report highlighted many ongoing international abuses as well as emerging threats. Boston: Beacon. In the 1970s the organization began to combine its members' activism with the professional staff's activities to press the United Nations (UN) and regional intergovernmental human rights bodies to develop legal standards prohibiting torture, political killings, disappearances, and other human rights abuses. The London Times pointed out Al’s truly impressive impartiality, when AI was announced as the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1977: “[Amnesty International] is disliked equally by Chile and the Soviet Union, by the Philippines and South Africa.”. Rock Tour, a tour that swept through 19 countries featuring the likes of Peter Gabriel and Sting. Event Hosts organize a … It marked the launch of "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961", the aim of which was to mobilize public opinion, quickly and widely, in defence of these individuals, whom Benenson named "Prisoners of Conscience". Eventually, Benenson contacted famed human rights activist and AI member Sean MacBride, and together they decided to appoint an impartial investigator to look at Benenson’s allegations. [56][57][58] In a press release, AI USA director Steven W. Hawkins said, "The U.S. cannot continue to allow those obligated and duty-bound to protect to become those who their community fears most. A pilot Web site for AI campaigns, www.StopTorture.org, took Al’s letter-writing campaigns into cyberspace. We are campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Via its Web site, E-mail, and other methods of communication, the organization issues "Urgent Actions," Rapid Response Actions, and special campaign appeals. At the intergovernmental level Amnesty International pressed for application of the UN's Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and of existing humanitarian conventions; to secure ratifications of the two UN Covenants on Human Rights in 1976; and was instrumental in obtaining additional instruments and provisions forbidding the practice of maltreatment. “I knew that my case had become public, I knew they could no longer kill me. Amnesty International has launched a campaign to pressure our government to honor its human rights obligations. Encyclopedia.com. The first Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) ended with the Helsinki Final A…, SOCIAL AND HUMANITARIAN An example of Amnesty International's work is writing letters to free imprisoned people that were put there for non-violent expressions. [84][better source needed] There were claims[by whom?] In such a repressive climate the people who step up in defence of human rights violations themselves become targets. In addition, whenever possible, investigators observe trial proceedings and meet with government officials. 2019 Report on workplace bullying within Amnesty International, Removal of Alexei Navalny's 'prisoner of conscience' status, The anthropologist Linda Rabben refers to the origin of Amnesty as a "creation myth" with a "kernel of truth": "The immediate impetus to form Amnesty did come from Peter Benenson's righteous indignation while reading a newspaper in the London tube on 19 November 1960. The organization has more than 350 staff members and over 100 volunteers from more than 50 countries around the world. What started as a short appeal soon became a permanent international movement working to protect those imprisoned for non-violent expression of their views and to secure worldwide recognition of Articles 18 and 19 of the UDHR. With the changing times AI has to modify some of its tactics, but has remained true to its philosophy and ethics to make the world a better place for all people. Dougherty, Carter, “Amnesty to Use Oil Stake for Lobbying,” Washington Times, April 4, 2002, p. Cl 1. Nor would members be responsible in any way for any of Al’s work in their own country. 8 Mar. Aside from the work of the library and groups, Amnesty International's activities were expanding to helping prisoners' families, sending observers to trials, making representations to governments, and finding asylum or overseas employment for prisoners. Sections co-ordinate basic Amnesty International activities normally with a significant number of members, some of whom will form into "groups", and a professional staff. The company stated that Armitt "oversees financial management at the International Secretariat and is responsible for supporting and fostering the organisation's financial literacy and capability".[169]. In the UK Amnesty International has two principal arms, Amnesty International UK and Amnesty International Charity Ltd. From its inception Amnesty International has based its demands on select parts of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights: those articles concerned with freedom of speech, freedom of religion and of thought, humane treatment of prisoners, and the right to a fair trial. Amnesty International referred to the adopted prisoners as prisoners of conscience, a term coined by Baker. If a prisoner is serving a sentence imposed, after a fair trial, for activities involving violence, AI will not ask the government to release the prisoner. Amnesty International (AI) is a nonprofit, independent international organization that works zealously to protect Human Rights around the world. In Our Own Best Interests: How Defending Human Rights Benefits Us All. [36][37], Amnesty International reported, concerning the Iraq War, on 17 March 2008, that despite claims the security situation in Iraq has improved in recent months, the human rights situation is disastrous, after the start of the war five years earlier in 2003. He strode to streamline the organization, and placed emphasis on clarity and consistency in AI’s global communication. Write for Rights Event Host. The organization says it has more than seven million members and supporters around the world.
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