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Write For Rights is Amnesty International’s largest annual human rights campaign.
From the 29th of November till the 10th of December people like you around the world will write letters and take online action for women who need urgent help.
Through the power of collective action, these letters will convince government officials to free people unjustly imprisoned, stop torture and end other abuses. This year alone, four people who were part of previous Write for Rights campaigns have walked free.
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
You can create your own letter writing event, find an event near you or sign online petitions for the women who are under threat.
It's fun, it's easy and it truly helps change lives.
WRITE A LETTER, CHANGE A LIFE – Your words have power!
The cases
This year's cases are all women. Meet and take action for them below:
Atena Daemi
Iran
Jailed for speaking out against the death penalty.
Atena Daemi is an outspoken advocate who opposes the use of the death penalty and defends the rights of women in Iran. She has been sentenced to seven years in prison for her peaceful human rights activities. Peacefully advocating for justice and equality is not a crime, yet Atena has been threatened, assaulted and viciously punished. But Atena’s spirit is not broken and she will never stop fighting. Together we can secure her release. Please call on Iran to free Atena Daemi immediately.
We request:
- - Atena is released immediately and unconditionally.
- - Atena is provided with immediate and regular access to her family and lawyers.
- - Atena is protected from torture and ill-treatment until she is released.
Write letters to:
Head of the Judiciary Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
c/o Permanent Mission of Iran to the United Nations in Geneva
Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28
1209 Geneva
Switzerland
actions@amnesty.org.nz
Nawal Benaissa
Morocco
Hounded for demanding a better life.
Nawal Benaissa speaks out for her region in Morocco, where many people feel forgotten by their government. She’s been on peaceful protests and campaigned on social media. But she’s been harassed by the Moroccan authorities and was given a 10-month suspended sentence for “inciting to commit an offense.” She just wants to be free to fight for the chance of a better life. Tell the Moroccan Head of Government to stop harassing Nawal
We request:
- - Everything possible is done to end the harassment of Nawal and her family, so she can be free to campaign for social justice for her community.
Write letters to:
Palais Royal Touarga
Rabat, Morocco
actions@amnesty.org.nz
www.facebook.com/cg.gov.ma
Vitalina Koval
Ukraine
Violently attacked for supporting LGBTI rights.
Vitalina Koval has always wanted to make a positive difference. She uses her incredible energy to support local LGBTI people in her home city, Uzhgorod. But she and other activists have been violently attacked by far-right groups, just for speaking out against hate. Vitalina organized a peaceful demonstration to mark International Women’s Day and a group shouted insults and hurled red paint at the participants; Vitalina received chemical burns to her eyes. Her attackers were detained briefly but released. Send a message telling Ukraine’s Minister of the Interior to publicly recognize the vital role of Vitalina and other activists, and protect them from attacks by far-right groups.
We request:
- -Vitalina is publicly recognised and supported for the vital work she is doing to peacefully defend the rights of women and LGBTI people in Ukraine.
- -Vitalina can exercise her right to freedom of expression and assembly without fear of attacks and reprisals.
- -Prompt, effective and impartial investigations into the attacks on Vitalina and other activists by far-right groups on 8 March 2018 in Uzhgorod.
Write letters to:
Minister of Interior
Vul. Akademika Bohomoltsa, 10
Kyiv, 01601
Ukraine
pgmia@mvs.gov.ua
www.facebook.com/arsen.avakov.1
Pavitri Manjhi
India
Harassed for standing up to big business.
Pavitri Manjhi is part of an Adivasi Indigenous community in India who are at risk of being kicked off their land to make way for two power plants. They stand to lose their farms and livelihoods. As a village leader, she helped people file nearly 100 formal complaints against the companies involved. And now she faces threats in an attempt to force her to withdraw the complaints. They have come to her home and threatened her. Urge the head of the local police to ensure Pavitri’s security
We request:
- -Pavitri Manjhi and other Adivasi villagers are consulted with in order to give them adequate security and protect them from further harassment.
- -Complaints of the harassment of Adivasi villagers and of the unlawful dispossession of land are investigated, and those responsible are brought to justice.
Write letters to:
Police Headquarters
Naya Raipur
Chhattisgarh 492001
India
ps.dgp-cg@gov.in
www.facebook.com/chhattisgarh.police
Geraldine Chacón
Venezuela
Persecuted for empowering young people.
Geraldine Chacón always dreamed of defending others. That’s why she helps empower young people in her home city to stand up for their rights. But she’s being hounded by the authorities just for trying to make her country a better place. They imprisoned her for four months and banned her from leaving the country. Her case still isn’t closed so she could be arrested again at any moment, with no warning. Tell Venezuela’s Attorney General to close the case against Geraldine and give her unconditional freedom, so she can keep on supporting young people in Venezuela.
We request:
- -Geraldine's case is formally closed and she is granted unconditional freedom.
Write letters to:
Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
PO Box 37
Woden
Canberra, ACT
ministeriopublico@mp.gob.ve
@TarekWiliamSaab
Nonhle Mbuthuma
South Africa
Harassed for defending her ancestral land.
Nonhle Mbuthuma is leading the fight for her community against a mining company which wants to mine titanium on their ancestral land. But she’s being harassed and threatened, and has even survived an attempt to kill her. Another community leader was shot dead in 2016 and Nonhle was next on the ‘hit list’. Someone is trying to silence her, but she won’t back down: “When you take my land, you take my identity.” Urge the President of South Africa to protect Nonhle and investigate those targeting her
We request:
- -The government protects Nonhle Mbuthuma, the Amadiba community leader in the Eastern Cape.
- -Full and proper investigations into the harassment and intimidation targeted at Nonhle as she stands up against mining company Transworld Energy and Mineral Resources (TEM).
Write letters to:
Union Buildings
Private Bag X1000
Pretoria 0001
South Africa
presidentrsa@presidency.gov.za
@PresidencyZA
Marielle Franco
Brazil
Killed for fearlessly defending others.
Marielle Franco fought fearlessly for a fairer Rio de Janeiro. She stood up for black women, LGBTI people and young people, and condemned unlawful killings by police. But then she was silenced, shot to death in her car. It’s part of a pattern in Brazil, where at least 70 human rights defenders were killed in 2017. People who stand up for human rights live in constant fear. Urge the President of Brazil to bring Marielle Franco’s killers to justice
We request:
- -A prompt, thorough, impartial and independent investigation into the killing of Marielle Franco.
- -That this investigation identifies both the shooters and the intellectual authors who ordered her killing, as well as the motivation for the crime.
- -All those responsible are brought to justice through a fair trial that meets international standards.
Write letters to:
Praça dos Três Poderes, Palácio do Planalto
Brasília (DF)
Brazil
gabinetepessoal@presidencia.gov.br
@planalto
Gulzar Duishenova
Kyrgyzstan
Harassed for defending disability rights.
Gulzar Duishenova is a fighter. In 2002, she lost movement in her legs after a car accident. She made it her life’s mission to ensure people with disabilities can live with dignity and move around freely. But she faces daily discrimination in a society where women aren’t meant to speak out and people with disabilities are seen as “invalids”. Tell the speaker of parliament to support Gulzar and other activists as they fight for the rights of people with disabilities
We request:
- -The concerns of Gulzar Duishenova and other defenders of the rights of people with disabilities are listened to.
- -The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is ratified as soon as possible.
Write letters to:
Chui Prospekti, 205
Bishkek 720000
Kyrgyzstan
kenesh001@gmail.com
Sengwer Indigenous People
Kenya
Violently evicted from their ancestral land
The Sengwer people in Kenya have a deep, centuries-old bond with the beautiful Embobut Forest. But this Indigenous community of beekeepers and cattle herders is being violently evicted by the Kenyan government. Forest guards have burned homes and forced thousands off their ancestral land. One man has been shot dead and another seriously injured. The Sengwer are determined to resist – let’s support them. Urge the Kenyan president let the Sengwer live on their land in peace
We request:
- -All restrictions on the Sengwer people are removed so they can live freely and peacefully on their ancestral land in Embobut Forest.
- -In particular, the house burnings, arrests and forced evictions must stop immediately.
- -That you engage with the Sengwer people, obtaining their consent for a new approach to conservation.
- -This approach must recognise their role as owners and custodians of the forest and your partners in protecting the environment.
Write letters to:
Harambee House
PO Box 62345
Nairobi 00200
Kenya
uhuru@uhuru.co.ke
@UKenyatta
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WHAT IS WRITE FOR RIGHTS?
Not sure what this Write for Rights thing is all about? Does it really work? How do I get involved?
So far 936 actions have been taken for human rights!
