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-177165-350520Amnesty International Salisbury GroupMinutes of Monthly Meeting on Thursday 11th September 2014 7.30 pm at 4, Victoria Road.1Chairman’s WelcomePresent: Andrew, Tony, Peter, Lesley, Michael P, Fiona , Jonathan 2Apologies: Eddie, Karen, Dick3Minutes of Previous Meeting: These were agreed.4Treasurer’s ReportThe current Bank balance was ?333.79; ?8.60 was to be paid out for items purchased by Fiona. The donation from Bishops had not as yet been received – Michael P would follow this up. 5Update on campaignsDeath PenaltyGeneralUSA – California – 17.7.14 – Judge Cormac J Carney struck down California’s Death Penalty laws as unconstitutional and arbitrary’: ‘For all practical purposes, a sentence of death in California is a sentence of life imprisonment, with the remote possibility of death – a sentence no rational legislature or jury could ever impose’North Carolina – 3.9.14 – Henry Lee McCollum and Leon Brown were released following 30 years in prison for a rape and murder they never committed. Both were sentenced to death, although Brown’s sentence was eventually commuted to life. Both had learning difficulties and ‘confessed’ following intense and prolonged questioning by police. New DNA evidence has proved they were not guilty.Arizona – Joseph Wood, convicted of the murder in 1989 of his former girlfriend and her father, was executed on 23.7.14. Following the administration of a cocktail of drugs, he took 1hr 58 mins to die. His execution followed a ‘frenzied legal battle’ over the secrecy imposed by state officials regarding the source of the drugs.Missouri – Earl Ringo Jr was executed on 10.9.14. He had been convicted of killing two people during a restaurant robbery in 1998. A clemency petition had cited concerns about racism by the all-white jury, and the use of the sedative midazolam. Ringo’s accomplice had been spared the death penalty on agreeing to testify against himTexas – Willie Trottie – convicted of a double murder – was executed following a lethal injection of phenobarbital on 10.9.14. His was the eighth execution carried out in Texas in 2014. (Note – Florida have conducted seven, and all other States combined, a total of six)Singapore – 19.7.14 – Singapore executed its first two prisoners since 2011 – Tang Hai Liang and Foong Chi Peng - at the Changi prison complex. Both had been convicted of drug related offences. Concerns have been expressed as these crimes are not recognised under international law as meeting the threshold for the imposition of a death sentence.Sudan – 24.7.14 – Meriam Ibrahim was permitted to leave Sudan, with her husband and two children, and to fly to Rome.China – 10.8.14 – notification was received of 20 South Korean nationals on death row. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported them to be convicted of felonies including drug offences and murder. They have claimed that a number of executions have been ‘suspended’ and are unlikely to be carried out. It is understood that three men (not included in the 20) were executed in that week.Saudi Arabia – 17.8.14 – four men (two sets of brothers) were executed for ‘receiving large quantities of hashish, reportedly on the basis of forced confessions following torture. According to AI, at least 22 people were put to death between 4th and 22nd August 2014.Japan – 2 men (Mitsuhiro Kobayashi and Tsutomu Takamizawa) were hanged on 28th August. Both had been convicted of murder. 3 men have now been executed in 2014, and 127 people remain on death row. UK – 14.8,14 – Louise Bours – UK MEP for NE England, called for reinstatement of death penalty on 50th anniversary of last execution in UKUrgent ActionsIran – UA 188/14 – Arzhang Davoodi, writer and poet, was sentenced to death following 11 years in prison. He had been imprisoned for his political opinions and peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression. (Circulated to DPLWG 30th July)India – UA 193/14 – 4 men and 2 women were at risk of imminent execution after their mercy pleas were rejected by the President. (Circulated to DPLWG 4.8.14) Japan - Hakamada Iwao - Please go on line to .uk/hakamada to sign the petition urging the prosecution to retract their current appeal against his re-trial Saudi Arabia – UA 201/14 – Hajras bin Saleh bin Muhammad al-Qurey, convicted of drug smuggling, was to be executed on 25th August. (Circulated to DPLWG on 13.8.14) He was not executed but remains at risk. (This month’s group Urgent Action)Current CampaignsWorld Day Against the Death Penalty – 10th October. A stall will held on the morning of Saturday 11th October with cards to be signed calling on the Governor of Delta State (Nigeria) to commute the death sentence of Moses Akatugba. Aged 16 at the time, he was tortured and subsequently sentenced to death for the alleged theft of three mobile phones.An email will be sent out to the membership asking for volunteers to help man the stall at times between 9.00 am and 12.00 mid-day.Reggie Clemons – There is no further news regarding the Court’s response to the findings of Judge Manners. Reggie had his 43rd birthday on 30th August. He has a temporary reprieve, but Missouri are trying to speed up the process for the 19 prisoners currently on death row.Please note Amnesty UK are now including Death Penalty campaigning within the current Torture Campaign.North KoreaBona Shin is available to come and talk to the group at the group meeting on the 13th Nov. She is a South Korean lady who has worked with many North Koreans who have escaped. She is willing to share her experiences and knowledge of some of the difficulties they face trying to integrate into the free world. It was agreed that Andrew would contact Kenny to confirm the group would like her to come, and the date. Jonathan has booked a room at Sarum College – 7.00 for 7.30 pm, and Peter will produce a poster.A meeting of the NK sub group was arranged provisionally for the afternoon of Wednesday, 1st October (to be confirmed by Karen on her return from holiday). This will be to plan the “moving picture” campaign that is pencilled in for late October. Hopefully this will be our first experiment with YouTube! 6Publicity/ human rights/ John GlenJohn Glen had met with the Group on 11th July to discuss the current Government’s proposals regarding the Human Rights Act. He undertook to give a more balanced picture in future.Concern was expressed at the lack of reporting on Human Rights events in the Salisbury Journal. It was suggested that the Avon Valley News and SP4 should be considered for the publicising of local Amnesty events. 7Report on website and newsletterPeter reported he had hoped to produce a Newsletter featuring the meeting with John Glen, but the material from this had been insufficient. He is now planning an issue in the Autumn focusing on the current Amnesty Torture Campaign Peter reported on the number of website views: 495 to date. We have 34 followers. Excluding the UK, there were 37 countries viewing the site. The most read topic was the Death Penalty 8Regional Conference There is no further news on this. Peter will follow this up with Caroline Butler. 9Other forthcoming eventsCoffee Morning at St Thomas’s – Saturday 20th September – 9.00 – 12.00 mid-dayThe Group are asked to bring cakes. Jonathan will co-ordinate and set up. Peter will produce a poster. There will be cards to sign for the Torture Campaign. The cost of the facilities will be ?45.00. Amnesty members are asked to support the event.World Day against the Death Penalty Stall – Saturday, 11th October – 9.00 to 12.00 mid-dayThis will be held in the Library Underpass. An email will be sent out to ask for any Amnesty members available to helpCitizenship Day at Bishops – Thursday, 23rd OctoberLesley will email Alastair Endersby to let him know the team will be Jonathan, Andrew and Fiona. A planning meeting will be held at Fiona’s at 10.00 am on Thursday, 25th September.This year’s Salisbury Amnesty essay competition for 6th Formers will be launched at this event. Details will then be sent to all colleges and schools with 6th Forms in the area.North Korean Stall – date and details to be confirmed following sub-group meeting.Torture Campaign Stall – Saturday, 15th November – 9.00 – 12.00 mid-day.This will held in the Library Underpass. Cards will be signed for five victims of torture. An email will be sent out to ask for any Amnesty members available to help.Amnesty Cathedral ServiceJonathan has arranged to meet with Tom Clammer, the Precentor, regarding the date and Details of the Evensong Service.Amnesty Arts Centre Film – Thursday, 4th DecemberThe Palestinian Film, ‘Omah’ will be shown. Fiona confirmed the speaker would be Samiha Abdeljebar, and she will talk on the Palestinian situation and the difficulties of making films. Information on the current Torture Campaign will be on display, with cards for signing Amnesty Carol SingingJonathan will contact Michael and Chantal regarding a suitable date, and Debbie will then speak with the Farrant Singers. It is hoped it could take place during the week of 15th December. Last year was very successful with two teams of singers, but this will depend on numbers. AmnesteaThe possibility of holding an Amnestea event at St Thomas’s in the New Year will considered in due courseMagna CartaPeter reported that three meetings have now been held with Seif el Rashidi and plans for the display are progressing well. We will have a large area to the side of the Chapter House and there will be plenty of room for a display. The centre of the display will be a version of the torture wheel currently featuring in Amnesty’s mail-outs. It is modelled on the wheel used by the Philippine’s police on which are placed the various methods used by them to torture their prisoners. The wheel is spun to decide on the method to be used. Our wheel will not be country specific but will feature a range of different methods and a list of those countries which use them. With help from the regional rep. we are in touch with AIUK and ideas are forming about the display and banners etc. There will be a stand of some sort and the Cathedral might help with the construction of this. We will display a range of leaflets and fact sheets about the group and its activities as well as specific campaigns. SpeakersThe original idea was for a conference but the Cathedral is itself thinking of a series of speakers mainly on the historical aspects of MC. Our input will be more on its relevance to today and the Human Rights Act which stemmed ultimately from it. We might then suggest our speakers to add to their programme. At present we do not know if it is to be a rolling programme over a period or a series of speakers in a set time i.e. a week. Currently it looks like the former. Other issuesThere have been several exchanges with Rob Key and the problem of Kate Allen and what was agreed between them now seems to have been resolved. KA has agreed to speak in March next year. RK seems happy with this. Caroline has the idea of all the groups in the region contributing a panel each to represent a part of the HRA. These will be assembled into a kind of tapestry and be part of the display. The mechanics of how to do this is still being discussed. Salisbury Arts Centre has agreed to display it.Fiona said she was making progress with the idea of a video and was in discussion with the head of drama at South Wilts. It was noted that the Cathedral had a rolling film playing so they had the necessary technology to play anything we produced.Generally plans are proceeding well. The Cathedral seem keen on the ideas and are keen for us to be involved. They are open to a degree of ‘shock’ with the display. No other groups or organisations seem to be involved as yet so we seem to be the only participants at present. If, as seems likely, the Conservative manifesto includes a plan to abolish the HRA, then our display will have a high degree of topicality during the election period. TeamThe team at present consists of:Andrew; Peter; Lesley; Fiona; Karen; Tony and Jonathan. 10Strategic Goals DocumentThere is to be a further consultation phase, with documentation available on 19th September. Responses are requested by 20th October 11Monthly ActionA letter is to be sent to the President of Mexico calling on him to publicly acknowledge the scale of the problem of torture in his country, and to show commitment to the eradication of such practices 12AOB – None. Next Meeting Thursday, 9th October Group website: AIUK website: .ukLocation of campaign box and banner (Lesley and Peter) ................
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