May 2016 Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Constitution has been hotly debated for many years, and not everyone is on board with the idea. So, where to from here? Our Indigenous Rights Team have been following the Constitutional recognition debate closely, particularly the variety of different positions taken by …
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Joan Baez and Ai Weiwei receive 2015 Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award
Legendary folk singer Joan Baez and world-renowned artist Ai Weiwei have been awarded the 2015 Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award at an evening ceremony in Berlin which featured performances from artists around the world. The Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award recognises those who have shown exceptional leadership in the fight for human rights, …
El Salvador: Release of woman jailed after miscarriage, a victory for human rights
A court’s decision this week to release a woman who spent four years in jail in El Salvador for miscarrying her pregnancy is a great victory for human rights. María Teresa Rivera, 33, was jailed in 2011 and sentenced to 40 years in prison for “aggravated homicide” after having a miscarriage. “The release of María …
Girls in Burkina Faso say ‘no’ to forced marriage
We profile the courageous girls standing up to forced marriage in Burkina Faso. At 13, Maria (not her real name) was forced to marry a 70-year-old man who already had five wives. When she resisted, her father told her: “If you don’t go to join your husband, I will kill you.” Maria walked nearly 170km …
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My crazy, but amazing, Amnesty Hike the Himalayas challenge!
NSW community organiser and long-time Amnesty supporter Amanda Atlee took the Hike the Himalayas challenge and recalls her journey to India. Tell us about yourself My name is Amanda Atlee, and I have the pleasure of working as the NSW Community Organiser for Amnesty International Australia. In my downtime I convene the Randwick Action Group and …
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Amnesty International on the anniversary of executions in Indonesia
On April 29, 2015, Australians came together to decry the executions of eight men by firing squad on the Indonesian island of Nusak Kambangan. The death penalty is always a violation of human rights and state-sanctioned killing can never be condoned under any circumstances. Thousands of Australians took action to show their opposition to the …
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Good news: Senate passes a motion calling for national justice targets
On Tuesday 19 April the Australian Senate passed a motion calling for the adoption of justice targets to close the gap on the incarceration rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Friday 15 April 2016 marked 25 years since a Royal Commission handed down recommendations to reduce imprisonment and prevent Aboriginal deaths in custody. …
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Myanmar: Unity5 journalists free at last
Update: Journalists in Myanmar are still at risk. Please take action for Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo who are facing 14 years in prison simply for doing their jobs. Five media workers from the Unity newspaper in Myanmar have been released following a Presidential pardon. The good news came after months of campaigning for …
Glenda Joyce Kickett: “Without culture, you don’t have anything”
Dr Glenda Kickett is a Noongar woman in Perth who has a background in developing social work practices and policies that support Aboriginal people. Here she discusses Indigenous children and young people in detention, and the importance of maintaining a strong culture. The high rates of Indigenous young people in detention is a serious issue …
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16 Martin Luther King quotes to remember
April marks the tragic death, 48 years ago of Martin Luther King, American civil rights activist and champion of non-violent resistance. Here we remember some of his powerful words. On justice “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” “We want all of …