Amnesty International Salisbury Group

Minutes of the Monthly Meeting on Thursday 8th June 20177.30 pm 4 Victoria Road

1 Chairman’s WelcomePresent: Andrew, Fiona, Tony, Peter, LesleyApologies: Effie, Michael P

AH

2 Minutes of previous Meeting - These were agreed AH`

3 Treasurer’s Report - £1,115.82 (Bank Account) £30.06 (Cash)

£121.00 was raised at the Market Stall – less a fee of £25.00See report Item 8.

MP

4 Campaign Reports

Death Penalty

Please see the Salisbury Group Website www.salisburyai.com for the full international update, covering Singapore, Belgium/Turkey, the USA, the Pope, The Philippines and the UK.

Of particular note:

Iran - Salar Shadizadi has been released – see Campaigning.

UK – A call has been made by two members of UKIP, including the leader, Paul Nuttall, for the return of the death penalty for ‘terrorist criminals’.

USA

o Florida – Jurors recommended universally that a death sentence should be imposed on Juan Rosario. This was one of the 23 cases re-assigned away from State Attorney Aramis Ayala following her announcement she would no longer seek the death penalty

o Alabama – The bill to shorten the timespan for death penalty appeals has been signed by the Governor.

o California – Supreme Court Justices have expressed scepticism regarding the possibility of implementing the clause within Proposition 66 to limit death penalty appeals to 5 years.

LC

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o Delaware – House legislators voted to reinstate Delaware’s death penalty less than a year after it was ruled unconstitutional, claiming there were now safeguards against wrongful convictions.

Singapore – A law has been passed authorising the imposition of the death penalty for ‘nuclear terrorism acts’.

Sudan – Dr Mudawi Ibrahim, a globally renowned human rights defender, is in prison facing charges which could lead to the death penalty.

Urgent Actions

Iran – UA 94/17 – Peyman Barandah, 15 years old at the time of his arrest and conviction following allegations of torture and a grossly unfair trial for murder, is at risk of imminent execution. Circulated to DPLWG: 8.5.17).

USA – Alabama – UA 103/17 – Thomas Arthur, who continues to maintain his innocence since his conviction for murder in 2001, is scheduled to be executed on 25th May. (Circulated to DPLWG: 9.5.17.) Note: As noted above, Mr Arthur’s last appeal was rejected, and he was executed.

Somalia – UA 96/17 – Action on this case was temporarily halted to enable new information to be verified. (Circulated to DPLWG:18.5.17). Note: Text action received 31.5.17 – the two remaining teenagers have been jailed for life.

China –

o UA 115.17 – Zhao Liping, a former Government official, has been sentenced to death for his alleged involvement in the killing of a young woman. His family has raised serious concerns of an unfair trial, and he alleges his ‘confession’ was obtained through torture. (Circulated to DPLWG:25.5.17) Note: Zhao Liping was executed on 26.5.17.

o UA 3/17 (Update) – Veteran activist Xu Youchen has testified at his appeal that police had tortured him to obtain the evidence used to convict and sentence him to death in December 2016. There are fears he remains at risk of torture Circulated to DPLWG 6.6.17).

Malaysia – UA 113/17 – Yong Kar Mun was convicted and sentenced to death in 2009 for discharging a firearm in the commission of an armed robbery. His family were informed

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that he would be executed ‘soon’, and they were to pay their last visit on 23rd May. (Circulated to DPLWG:25.5.17). Note: We have since learned that the execution was carried out on 24. 5.17. Another prisoner was also executed but we have no details of his identity.

Campaigning

Iran – 26.5.17 – Information has been received from Amnesty Australia that Salar Shadizadi, sentenced to death for a crime committed as a child, has been released from Rasht prison. Following an international outcry, he was granted a re-trial in 2016, but re-sentenced to death. The Salisbury Group have been actively involved in campaigning for his release.

Reggie Clemons – Vera Thomas, Reggie’s mother, has emailed to thank us for the Christmas cards which have now arrived safely. She tells Reggie was ‘so happy to hear from the Group’, and she thanks us for our efforts in supporting him. She confirmed that the police brutality and forced confession statements have been proven.

Reggie is allowed 50 minute visits once a week, which take place behind glass.

A Hearing was held on 9th May at which pre-trial motions were presented regarding the jury selection process. The trial is scheduled for the first week in August.

Note: A request will be made to AI in London that they take up Reggie’s case again.

Following the Manchester bombing, Vera contacted the Group again to ask about the safety and wellbeing of our families.

North Korea

TM had attended the 2017 International Symposium on North Korean Human Rights. Three seminars took place

Media Access Children’s Rights Accountability.

The BBC World Service is to commence broadcasting to NK in September 2017. North Korean exiles report that leaflet dropping is very effective.To date, the Salisbury Group’s activities have focused on raising awareness of the conditions in NK, and in the prison camps in particular, but it was not clear what else could be done. A meeting will take place at 2.00 pm on Wednesday 28th June (4 Victoria Road)

TM

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to discuss how the campaign should proceed.

PC has set aside 13th June to work on the NK video interview of Jihyun Park.

Refugees

A workshop was held on 5th June to plan and organise materials for the Vigil. This was originally scheduled for 24th June to take place on the Guild Hall steps but, as there will be a large Ferris Wheel in the Market Square until the end of August, and no other suitable venue could be identified, it was – regretfully – agreed the Vigil should be deferred until September/October. FD will notify individuals and organisations who had been invited to participate.

In the meantime, it was agreed that the A3 boards to be held would be restricted to one type, and carry the message “I welcome refugees’

FD had approached the Arts Centre regarding the possibility of their displaying some of the 30 Refugee Exhibition Photographs received from AI. They were unable to help as the time between their Exhibitions is too short. AH will approach the Library and PC the Cathedral.

AH will contact the Ice and Fire theatrical group to agree a date for their performance of the Asylum Monologues in the Autumn. As the Leisure Centre would be too expensive, AH will investigate alternative venues – Sarum College, the Quakers’ Meeting House and the Methodist Church. PC will investigate the Cathedral.

It was agreed that the proceeds from the Market Stall held on 27th May should be donated to the Charity Phone Credit for Refugees.

AH

5 Social Media Report

Web and other media statistics, May 2017 A quiet month but Facebook is becoming increasingly important.

Web siteA quiet month with few posts. The figures are: Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May275 189 274 268 405 228 184

ViewsAll time: 8199 and we broke through the eight thousand mark during the month.Country views show the USA back with most views and the top 4 are:

PC

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USA 70UK 52Germany 10Australia/China =7

It is the first time China has featured, albeit at a low level.

Top posts: 1. About us [172 all-time views]2. Violence against women in North Korea [69]3. The case against human rights – discussing a US academic’s

article in the paper [52]

Followers: a further increase of 8 this month and we now have 207

TwitterA quiet month with a low number of tweets

Impressions:

Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May 3633 5101 6505 2856 3682 4505 1329

Top tweet:

1. Petition signing the group did concerning Saydnaya prison in Syria

We now have 128 followers, an increase of 1, and 184 following, a slight increase on last month.

FacebookEngagement during the month: 712

Tumbler We have 6 followers on Tumbler an increase of 1. We have 17 followers. No change.

Group Web site: www.salisburyai.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/salisburyai

Facebook: www.facebook.com/salisburyai

As ever, contributions to the sites are welcome. Engaging with the sites also helps build profile. Please try and visit one of the sites at least and click ‘like’ or ‘forward’.

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6 Magna CartaThe Magna Carta Event in the Cathedral will now take place on 12 th July at 7.00 pm. One of the Cathedral’s Canons, an adviser to the F.O. on the Sudans, will speak on the situation there.

PC will continue to meet with SR at the Cathedral and will begin planning for 2018. The possibility of a short series of events celebrating Human Rights will be explored.

PC

7 Festival Films

War Witch’ is to be shown at 7.00 pm and ‘Incendies’ at 9.00 pm as a double bill on 9th June. Professor Lucy Mazdon with front both, with FD as a backup should she be unable to do so for the second film.

People will be asked to sign the Syrian Prison Extra-Judicial KillingsPetition beforehand and in the interval.

There is no further news on the choice of film for the Autumn Amnesty showing.

FD

8 Market Stall

£121.00 (less £25.00) was raised on 27th May, less than in previous years. This was partly because of fewer items for sale (more needed for next year) and partly because the cold weather might have affected numbers. AH will book the 2018 stall – a provisional date of 23rd June was agreed.

AH

9 Monthly Action

Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe – cards of support to be signed

Human Rights Defenders – a new national campaign to run through to 2019. A possible link with Ice and Fire will be considered.

Pride – the Group have received an invitation from the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Amnesty Group to participate in the Bournefree event on 1st July. This would involve helping with the Amnesty information stall and taking part in the Pride parade. None of the Committee were free to do so, but the event has been publicised on the Salisbury Group website and invitations sent out to the wider membership.

All

10 Citizenship Day

This year’s event takes place at Bishop Wordsworth’s on 20th October. Follow-Up contact will be made with other 6th Form Schools/Colleges in the area to offer similar events.

FDAHEBJP?

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11 AOB

Following the recent attacks in Manchester and London and Government proposals for combatting ‘extremism’, it was agreed that the Group should continue to keep a watching brief on how these might affect Human Rights and civil liberties.

This year’s BBQ will take place at Lesley and Peter’s on Saturday 5th August, commencing at 5.00 pm. Invitations to be sent out shortly. All welcome (Please check on the day – it will not take place if it is wet)

All

11 Forthcoming Events

Magna Carta Cathedral Event – 12th July – 7.00 pm Amnesty BBQ – 5th August – 5.00 pm Refugee Vigil – Sept/Oct – TBC Ice and Fire – Sept/Oct – date and venue TBC World Day Against the Death Penalty Event – c 10th October Citizenship Day – 20th October Amnesty Film at the Arts Centre – December ? Market Stall – 26th June 2018 (TBC)

Next Meeting: Thursday 13th July Time: Venue: 4 Victoria Road

www.salisburyai.com www.twitter.com/salisburyaiwww.facebook.com/saliburyai Campaign box and banner: Box – Andrew’s/Banner- Peter and Lesley’s

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