Why is community so important for Indigenous kids? Meet Sarah*, from the Kimberley. She attributes her bright future to strong cultural and community connections while growing up. Sarah’s story Sarah is employed at a local Aboriginal organisation in the Kimberley and is planning to start her own business. She attributes her promising future to her …
Author Archives: Amnesty International
Campaign update: Five Chinese protesters freed
On 13 April, after an international outcry, five women activists criminally detained in China were released on bail. What happened? At 4 m on 6 March 2015, activists Wei Tingting and Wang Man were detained and taken to Haidian Police Station in Beijing. Within 24 hours they were joined by Li Tingting (aka Li Maizi), …
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Bourke: working with Indigenous kids
The country town of Bourke, New South Wales is the first place in Australia to trial a community-led justice reinvestment approach to keep kids out of detention. Initiated and led by the Aboriginal community, the initiative is now tackling the social issues that get kids into trouble in the first place. They’re keeping kids in …
Pardoned Nigerian torture victim ‘overwhelmed’ by campaign to spare his life
A Nigerian torture victim wrongfully sentenced to death for a crime committed when he was 16 years old has been pardoned following intensive campaigning from Amnesty International supporters across the world. Moses Akatugba, who was on death row following his conviction for stealing three mobile phones 10 years ago and was repeatedly tortured into signing …
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‘My first week of freedom after 10 years in jail’: Moses Akatugba
On 28 May 2015, Moses Akatugba, a Nigerian death-row inmate, was pardoned after nearly 10 years in jail. He had been tortured to confess to a crime he says he never committed. Over 800,000 activists sent letters demanding justice for Moses. Moses describes his joy at finally being free. Tears of joy When I called …
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Human rights organisations call for an overhaul to government campaigning to end death penalty
A group of leading Australian and international human rights organisations are calling for an overhaul to the way the Australian government campaigns to end the death penalty, today launching a new strategy document: ‘Australian Government and the Death Penalty: A Way Forward’. NGOs united to develop blueprint Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Human Rights …
Lost Children: the two-minute version
Eighty-eight children are detained at Australia’s detention centre on Nauru. More than 60 asylum seeker children and their families are detained in Australia and are expected to be sent back to Nauru. Media are denied access, but evidence shows that: the children live in swelteringly hot, cramped conditions with little privacy and poor sanitation crucial …
Lost Children: how you can help today
Eight-eight children are detained on Nauru and more are detained in Australia, awaiting their return to Nauru. How you can help We’re asking people to share their favourite childhood memories by posting them on Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr with the hashtag #ShareAMemory. Your memories will be delivered to the Australian government along with the call to release all …
The ultimate punishment: A beginner’s guide to the death penalty
Amnesty International’s new report Death Sentences and Executions 2014 reveals that an alarming number of countries used the death penalty to tackle real or perceived threats to state security linked to terrorism, crime or internal instability last year. Here we give a snapshot of the death penalty around the world today. How widespread is the …
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Philippines torture survivor Jerryme Corre thanks Amnesty supporters
On 16 February, Jerryme Corre celebrated his birthday, joined by his wife and Amnesty Philippines staff at Angeles City Jail. Jerryme has spent the last three years imprisoned there after police allegedly tortured him into a confession. Gemma Regina Cunanan, Director of Amnesty Philippines, describes the day. Meeting Jerryme When Jerryme Corre walked out to …
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