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Amnesty International Salisbury Group Minutes of the Monthly Meeting on Thursday 7.30 pm at 27 Attwood Road, Salisbury1Chairman’s WelcomePresent: Fiona, Eddie, Andrew, Peter, LesleyApologies: Tony, Michael S, Effie, Michael PAH2Minutes of previous Meeting - These were agreed.LC3Treasurer’s Report - ?1,017.07 (Bank account) ?30.06 (Cash)MP4Campaign ReportsDeath PenaltyPlease see the Salisbury Group Website for the full international update, covering the USA, The Maldives, the UK/Malaysia and Iran.Of particular note:The National Crime Agency in the UK has admitted it acted unlawfully when it passed information to the Thai Police which contributed to the conviction of two Burmese Nationals, sentenced to death for the murders of two British backpackers.Despite international pressure, and following a 60-year moratorium, the death penalty is to be reintroduced in the Maldives. 20 prisoners, including at least 5 juveniles, are reported to be on death row, with 3 men at imminent risk of execution. (Note: Salisbury MP John Glen has a particular interest in The Maldives, and it is hoped that he will be able to exert some pressure on the Government.)Proposition 66, put forward with the aim of speeding up the death penalty, has now been approved by the California Supreme Court, but the requirement that Courts should resolve appeals within five years is now said to be advisory rather than mandatory.The Florida Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Governor Rick Scott and against State Prosecutor Aramis Ayala over her refusal to seek the death penalty. Ms Ayala has agreed to seek the death penalty in future, based on the recommendations of a Review Panel of Assistant Attorneys.An Iranian Court has re-imposed the death penalty of Mohammad Ali Taheri, founder of the spiritual movement Interuniversalism. Amnesty says Taheri is a prisoner of conscience.Please note – information on the Death Penalty for the month of August can be found on the Group Website.Urgent ActionsThe Maldives – UA 179.17 (Update) – The President of The Maldives has said the death penalty will be implemented ‘by the end of September’. (Circulated to DPLWG 5.9.17 – This month’s Group Urgent Action.)Iran – UA 212/14 (Update) – The spiritual teacher, Mohammad Ali Taheri, has been re-sentenced to death for ‘spreading corruption on earth’. (Circulated to DPLWG 5.9.17.)USA – Ohio – UA207/17 – Gary Otte, convicted of two murders, was scheduled to be executed on 13th September. (Circulated to DPLWG on date received – 11.9.17.) Gary Otte was executed on 13th September.Saudi Arabia – UA 188/17 – Robert Slaten, a US National, was sentenced to death on 13th July on appeal. Following a grossly unfair trial, he was convicted of the murder of his wife. He maintains his innocence, and has again appealed. (Circulated to DPLWG 12.9.17)Saudi Arabia – UA 144/17 – The family of Said Mabkhout al-Sai’ari learned that he was to be executed on 13th September (Notification received from AI on 13th September – too late for action.) It is not yet known whether the execution took place.CampaigningWorld Day Against the Death Penalty – 10th October. The Group will support the action organised by the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. The focus is on the link between the Death Penalty and poverty. Four countries have been selected by the World Coalition – Saudi Arabia, Iran, India and Nigeria. The Salisbury Group will send letters to the King of Saudi Arabia. Supporters in the Salisbury area will be invited to participate in the action.Launch of the new Anti-Death Penalty Project – The launch of Amnesty UK’s new Death Penalty campaign is to take place in London on 10th October. This will involve the showing of the film ‘The Penalty’, a documentary made by the One in Ten team which focuses on the stories of three people affected by the Death Penalty in the USA. There will be the opportunity to sign up for the Steering Group and/or to receive updates. LC and PC will attend. Reggie Clemons – There is no further news regarding Reggie’s trial – expected to commence in January 2018. There is also no further news regarding the Group’s request to AIUK to reopen the campaign on his behalf. This will be followed up in London on 10th October.North KoreaThe Group received news on 14th August that Lim Hyeon-soo, the 60-year-old Canadian Pastor, had been released from the North Korean labour camp, where he had been in detention for more than 2? years.RefugeesThe Asylum Monologues – Ice and Fire – This event will take place in the Cavell Room at Sarum College at 7.30 pm on Monday 18th September. The performance will be followed by a Q&A session, and there will be a retiring collection.The Vigil – This will take place on the City Hall steps from 10.00 to 12.00 on Saturday, 30th September. Passers-by will be invited to sign the petition and/or to join the Group for a period of time of their choosing.The Photographic Exhibition – It is hoped that this will take place in Gallery 4 at the Library in December. AH will follow this up with the Library.LCTMAH5Social Media ReportThis is a summary of statistics for July and August concerning the various platforms on which we are active. Full figures – and figures for previous months – can be accessed on our Website by clicking on the ‘statistics’ tab at the top of the page Website. We now have 243 followers, an increase of 16 since June. The most popular posts in July were: violence against women in North Korea and the death penalty report. In August: ‘The case against human rights’ (picking up on a thoughtful piece by an American academic) and ‘Another 15 facing execution in Saudi Arabia’. The USA remains the country with the largest number of hits with China a surprising third.Twitter. There were 2,856 impressions in July and 1,857 in August. Top tweets were: urging Theresa May to challenge president Erdogan of Turkey to release the Amnesty staff and a tweet on the Ice & Fire performance. We now have 140 followers, an increase of 14 since June. Facebook. Continues to grow in importance. The number of people who have seen any content was 1,415 in July and 1,640 in August – both increases on previous months. Top posts were the on Lin Xiaobo’s death in China and an item on Amnesty’s successesYouTube. YouTube have changed the counting format on the Close the Camps video and this is now recorded as 1.7k. The still image on Flickr is at 3,797Facebook and Twitter can be accessed here. Comments on, or contributions to, any of the sites are welcome. PC6Citizenship Day This will take place at Bishop Wordsworth’s on Friday, 20th October. This year the focus will be on refugees. A planning meeting will take place at Attwood Road at 2.00 pm on Friday, 20th October.AH, EB, FD7‘This Evil Thing’ The Group has been contacted by Michael Mears, a member of AI, whose play about conscientious objectors in WWI is being performed in the Playhouse (Salberg Studio) from 18th-21st October at 7.45 pm. Details have been circulated to the membership and supporters.All8Write for Rights/Christmas Card SigningThis will take place on Saturday 16th December. Four prisoners will be selected. FD will ask JP for supplies of cards.FD9Carol SingingThe date has been confirmed as Tuesday, 19th December.All10Celebration of Human Rights 2018Some work has been done on this as follows:A text has been agreed with the Cathedral for seeking sponsorship. Letters will go out within a weekContact has been made with Farshid who has replied positively. He has suggested a phone conversation which will happen very soonPC spoke to JP at the BBQ and he was positive about the idea of banners at St Thomas’s. We are awaiting a response from him to discuss details and to secure the agreement of the new RectorAction to be taken before the next meeting:Find out from publishers any book that is likely to be published with a human rights themeContact the UN to see if they are planning any celebrations in the UK.PCFDAHPC11Monthly ActionBan Israeli Settlement Goods – a petition, awareness raising and networking with other GroupsHuman Rights Defenders Campaign – Defend the Brave – follow the link to take action on behalf of individual HR defenders.Fundraising on the I Welcome CampaignSyria’s Disappeared – A DVD of a documentary is available for screening. It was agreed the Group would organize a local screening in 2018.Anti-Death Penalty Project – see Death Penalty campaign Tell Turkey’s Minister of Justice to release Taner, Idil and all Human Rights defenders in Turkey – follow the link Tell Turkey's Minister of JusticeWrite for Rights Campaign – see aboveReal Lives – a supplement is available for those wishing to write more letters in support of individuals at risk.FD12Forthcoming EventsAsylum Monologues – 18th SeptemberRefugee Vigil – 30th SeptemberWorld Day Against the Death Penalty – 10th OctoberCitizenship Day – 20th OctoberThis Evil Thing – 18th-21st OctoberAmnesty Film – ‘The Other Side of Hope’ – 29th NovemberWrite for Rights – 16th DecemberCarol Singing – 19th DecemberMarket Stall – 23rd June 2018Human Rights Celebration 2018 – TBCNext Meeting: Thursday 12th October Time: 7.30 pm Venue: 4 Victoria Road salisburyai salisburyai Campaign box: Andrew ................
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