Amnesty International Australia
Defending Human Rights
The Malaysian authorities have acquitted and dropped all charges against political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar “Zunar” Ulhaque, alongside lawmaker R. Sivarasa and civil rights lawyer N. Surendran. Zunar, a political cartoonist, has been targeted numerous times by the Malaysian authorities as a result of his political cartoons In 2015 Zunar was charged with nine sedition charges for …
Continue reading “Good news: Malaysian cartoonist Zunar acquitted of all charges”
Chelsea Manning, who was sentenced to 35 years in a US prison after disclosing classified information, walks free today instead of in 2045. What happened? Chelsea Manning was a military analyst with the U.S. Army in Iraq. Between 2009 and 2010 she publicly disclosed classified government materials, acting upon the belief that she could spark …
Continue reading “Good news: Chelsea Manning finally walks free!”
In a landmark decision for environmental defenders in Peru, a Supreme Court ruling on 3 May 2017 marked an end of the trial for land invasion against human rights defender Máxima Acuña Atalaya. What happened? In August 2011, peasant farmer and human rights defender, Máxima Acuña Atalaya, and members of her family were accused of …
Continue reading “Environmental defender allowed to stand her ground in Peru”
Salar Shadizadi, who was sentenced to death for a crime he committed when a child, was released after 10 years from Rasht prison in northern Iran. Salar, now 25, had faced imminent execution several times in connection with a murder that took place when he was just 15 years old. In a letter from prison …
Continue reading “Young Iranian man walks free from death row”
Update 01/11/17: Even more good news! The Thai authorities have announced that all charges against the three activists will be dropped. In early March 2017, the Thai military dropped the criminal case against an Amnesty International chairperson and two other human rights activists who were facing prosecution for reporting on torture. Somchai Homla-or, Pornpen Khongkachonkiet …
Continue reading “Good News: Thailand drops case against human rights activists”
At 8 am on 3 February 1967, Australia held its last execution. Ronald Ryan was led to the gallows and hung to death at Pentridge Prison, Melbourne. He was charged with killing a prison guard during an escape attempt. The emotion and anger over the execution contributed to Australia become an abolitionist county 18 years …
Continue reading “50 years ago Australia held its last legal execution”
