News / Amnesty shows solidarity
THE LOCAL branch of Amnesty International meets in the Lerwick Town Hall on Tuesday evening to support and show solidarity to people who are behind bars for exercising their human rights.
Amnesty Shetland is encouraging local people to send personal messages to victims of human rights abuses.
Alex Garrick-Wright of the group said Tuesday’s meeting, starting at 7pm, would be an evening of writing and music.
People can either write their message, or use one of the prepared samples if they don’t know what to say.
Garrick-Wright said: “We tend to take human rights for granted here but in much of the world speaking your mind is a hazardous occupation and can land you in jail.
“Letters of solidarity can make a real difference to people imprisoned, or in danger, for exercising their human rights.
“It reminds them they are not alone, and by showing the authorities that the world knows what’s going on, it can help to secure a prisoner’s release, stop the harassment or change an unjust law.”
Those are people such as:
- Saudi Arabian prisoner of conscience, Raif Badawi, imprisoned and sentenced to 1,000 lashes for founding an online forum for political debate;
- Chelsea Manning, the American soldier who leaked classified government information to the website Wikileaks, currently serving a 35-year sentence in military prison,
- and UK-educated Mohammed al-Roken, a human rights lawyer serving a ten year sentence in the United Arab Emirates for criticising his government.
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