Open Meeting Summary – September 2020

Norwich Amnesty and Covid-19

As you know the Open Meeting in September, the first since February, had to be cancelled due to the latest government Covid restrictions. This is a summary of the issues that would have been discussed at the meeting and an update on actions and future events which the committee hope will be helpful in keeping us all in touch. Depending upon future restriction the next open meeting may have to be on Zoom and the committee will consider this in the next few weeks.

The Norwich Committee meets every two months and comprises, the chair, treasurer and four members and normally a secretary although currently a committee member acts as the correspondent with Amnesty UK. We welcome new members who would like to take a more active role in the group

The Agenda items that were planned for the Open Meeting with information and activity by the group are noted below.

Actions and letter writing by the Group

North Africa cases

The Norwich group supports the Amnesty North Africa region by working on cases mainly in Egypt We receive the monthly Region Newsletter and actions for individual cases are distributed at the meeting with sample letters.
During the lockdown this information is posted on the Group website:
https://www.norwichamnesty.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/

Those who have signed up for the email Urgent Action requests will receive some of this information direct by email, The Chair also receives the North Africa Journal a US based web site that has useful information about the political situation in the region

We are currently working on a long term case of a Giulio Regini a murdered Italian student working in Egypt for a Cambridge University PhD and who was almost certainly killed by the security forces in 2015. We are working with The Cambridge group and supporting his family in obtaining the truth about his death. A writing group of 12 write letters each month on the case. The next public action is likely to be a vigil outside the Egyptian Embassy in London in February.

Other Individual cases in Egypt that Norwich supports includes people at risk such as Ibrahim Ezz El din a housing specialist detained and tortured and at risk of Covid and Aser Mahomed who was arrested when 14 years old and given 10 years imprisonment in 2019 following a confession extracted under torture.

Please join us on these ongoing actions by contacting us on info@norwichamnesty.org.uk

Amnesty Children’s Human Rights Network

The Aser case is also publicised by the Amnesty Children’s Human Rights Network which the Norwich Group has supported for many years and is currently more active.

We have just responded to an action on the use of lethal force against children in Angola.

Pride Event

The Norwich group has always supported the Norwich Pride event which was replaced this year by a virtual event to which we contributed a visual image using the recycled signs from a previous campaign found in the chair’s garage, (the garage also contains the timber cage that we used in the earlier campaign against torture and which we will find a use for I am sure!). A member from Cambridge who has links with Norwich intended to set up an LGBT subgroup in the city, but this has been delayed by the Covid situation

News from Amnesty UK

The AGM is going to be held without members this year but the Norwich group can vote on resolutions which include an excellent resolution about the situation in Kashmir following the actions of the Indian Government. This is supported by the group and is one of only a small number of resolutions being considered this year. Amnesty subscribing members can vote individually by post or online and we encourage them to do so.

As noted above we receive a monthly newsletter (or Ezine) from the North Africa Regional organiser and an Amnesty Groups News newsletter which has lots of ideas about fundraising and events from groups around the country.

We have been informed that Amnesty UK are having a fundraising campaign in 3 locations including Norwich. This does not directly involve local groups but for information the campaign will be in the near future and two professional firms, SMILE Fundraising and APPCO UK will be contacting people door to door asking them to Join the Amnesty Lottery.

Fundraising and Finance

The Committee receive regular accounts from the Treasurer and the committee have recently agreed to a further donation of £1750 to Amnesty UK. Over the years Norwich has been a significant donor of funds.

A concert in St Peter Mancroft just before the lockdown raised £403. We are very grateful to Martin Wyatt and his orchestra for holding the concert.

We hope to sell Amnesty Christmas cards through the Charity Card outlet and they will be on sale in the Amnesty Bookshop on the Unthank Rd.

Future Events and Activities

Write for Rights

Our regular support for the annual Amnesty campaign where we meet together and write letters and postcards to governments and Prisoners of Conscience takes place during November and December.

Details will follow.

Peace Vigil

Outside St Peter Mancroft on Saturday 3rd October 2020 12 noon to 1pm.

A monthly silent vigil to raise awareness of global issues around the subject of Peace and organised by the Norwich Quakers. Several Amnesty members have regularly supported this vigil, which can be joined without needing to book. They display the Amnesty banner publicising subjects such as the situation in Yemen.

Amnesty Quiz

The very popular Amnesty Quiz will not take place this year due to Covid-19.

Cambridge Amnesty Zoom meetings

Zoom meetings have been arranged by Cambridge Amnesty which you may wish to join.

  • 8th October
    Talk by Oscar Jenz, Country coordinator for the Middle East on Iran.
  • 12th November
    Talk by Paul Bridges on AI’s Anti Death Penalty campaign.

The meetings are likely to be at 7.30 pm. If you wish to take part please contact info@norwichamnesty.org.uk

We hope that you find this summary useful.

Please contact us if you need more information or have comments

David Bissonnet

Chair Norwich Amnesty on behalf of the Committee

Contact: info@norwichamnesty.org.uk

19th February 2020 Open Meeting Minutes

Chair David Huband

Chair welcomed all to the meeting: 15 Members present

No Apologies

Campaigns

North Africa Action Group.

The Norwich group supports this and Joanna Kinnaird gives an update on the current cases at each meeting

Aser Mohammed

Aser Mohammed is an Egyptian youth who was arrested at the age of 14, tortured and charged with a firearms offence. He has been given a 10-year prison sentence.  The Norwich group has been writing on his behalf for some time. There was no new information available at the meeting.

Giulio Regeni

David Ford and David Bissonnet are the Norwich joint coordinators for this case.

Giulio was an Italian student from Cambridge University doing PHD research in Egypt on independent trade unions. His body was found on 3rd February 2015 by the roadside and he had been abducted tortured and killed, it is thought by the Egyptian security services. The case has caused a diplomatic rift between Egypt and Italy and Amnesty is supporting his family and Amnesty Italy who are pressing for a full investigation.

We have two officials that we can write to; the Prime Minister and Deputy Foreign minister We have formed a group of local members who will write each month and templates of letters setting out the facts as they are known are available for members, updated with new details of some of the officials.

David Ford reported  on the Vigil held on 1st Feb outside the Egyptian Embassy in London.  David Ford, David Bissonnet and Joanna Kinnaird attended. There were nearly 40 people including Italian supporters, several Amnesty groups and people who knew Giulio well, with some very moving speeches. A letter signed by all was presented to the Embassy but rejected,  however the staff certainly were aware of the vigil and its aims. Some photos are elsewhere on the web site

The UEA Amnesty group held a vigil and  an information and letterwriting  stall at UEA on Tuesday 5th Feb to support the case

Patrick George Zaky

Joanna Kinnaird reported on this new case and tabled a letter to the Public Prosecutor  for members to sign.  Patrick is an Egyptian student in Italy studying at the University of Bologna who was arrested and reportedly tortured on his return to Egypt recently. The parents of Giulio Regeni are supporting Patrick  and his family  and are urging governments to press the  Egyptian  authorities  to release him and to investigate his  torture. He has been adopted as Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty and is a case were action by members can help prevent further ill treatment.

Tom Reed and support for a Yemeni  family

Tom was an active member of the group  and left to work as a teacher in Germany.  He has made a personal appeal for financial support for one of his students, Sarah from Yemen. She is learning English to improve her qualifications and life in general. The war in Yemen makes this incredibly difficult for her, but she perseveres nevertheless.

On top of this, Sara has to look after her ill mother, who has serious kidney problems, bone fatigue and connected health issues has a degree in Administration and Finance, and wants to work to support her family, but the dreadful situation in her country makes this near to impossible. She has worked for various charities and humanitarian organisations in the past, and raised funds and awareness for others around her, but now urgently requires the generosity of others   https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-a-yemeni-girl-and-her-ill-mother

Refugee Children

David Huband reported that the motion in Parliament  to allow families to be reunited  has been rejected  A report may be available for the  next meeting.

Kashmir

David Huband gave a brief illustrated presentation of the history of the conflict in Kashmir. A resolution to the Amnesty AGM needs to be carefully drafted  by the group. Members from the Kashmiri Society at UEA explained more about the current situation  in Kashmir.  An event on 25th Feb Theatre 1 at 7pm will explore the music and art of resistance  in Kashmir.

Shafat explained the significance of the  new citizenship law which discriminates against the Muslim population of both Kashmir and India. There is a UK Parliamentary Commission of Kashmir.

Dominic Reed

DH has received a postcard from Dominic who has moved back to Bristol  with best wishes for the Norwich group

AGM

The existing committee was re elected unanimously on a show of hands. Matthew Salmon    will be coopted on to the committee.

Treasurers Report David Ford tabled the annual financial report which was accepted and which will be sent to Amnesty UK at the end of the month. The situation is healthy with a current positive balance and continued donations to Amnesty UK during the year. The considerable support of the Octagon Chapel was noted with thanks.

Chair’s Report

David Huband  noted that our profile locally is reasonably high  through activities such as the Bishops Garden Party , Monthly Vigil , street collection, concerts,  Write for Rights and Christmas card sales.

David thanked individual members of the committee and others for their contributions

David noted the cooperation of the group with others in Norwich including City of Sanctuary , ( who had reported on  how they were spending the garden party profit) the Quakers,The Octagon chapel and Freedom from Torture. His regret was the lack of younger people joining the group.

David Huband    David is leaving the area and stands down as chair The meeting expressed their  warm thanks to David for his work as chair for the last ten years.

The new committee will at their next meeting elect a chair and officers and consider proposals for the future of the group

The role of the chair should be simpler and mainly chairing open meetings and committee meetings

Encouraging more members of the group to take on organising roles

The group should concentrate on the core activities of writing letters and fundraising   to support Amnesty’s research.

Past events

  • A talk was given by David Huband to Mattishall Junior School.

Future Events

  • March 2nd: Committee meeting
  • March 7th: Peace Vigil on Yemen situation outside St Peter Mancroft 12-1pm
  • 2nd April: Fund raising concert by St Gregory’s Orchestra St Peter Mancroft 11 am
  • 26th April: Fundraising concert by Amici Choir Concert   St Peter Mancroft 3pm
  • 15-21st: June Refugee week
  • 20th June: Great Get Together Octagon  Chapel  with cakes

Next Open meeting

March 19th 7.30