Condemn Child Execution

Last year, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen and Sudan still executed children.

Add your name to the call to end all executions of minors HERE.

Two Uighur men at risk of torture in China - ASA 17/053/2009

ASA 17/053/2009

Two Uighur men are at risk of torture and other ill treatment while in detention in China. Haji Memet and Abdusalam Nasir were detained on 23 September, in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in northwest China. Their detention relates to the death in custody of Shohret Tursun. The police told his family that he had suffered a heart attack, but when his family received his body his chest was covered in bruises and his legs, stomach and back were scarred and cut. They believe he was tortured.

Haji Memet is related to Shohret Tursun, and Abdusalam Nasir participated in the burial rites. The two men are accused or leaking "state secrets". Read more here.

Please send appeals immediately, and before October 16 (which is soon!), to:

Chairman of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional People's Government
Nur BEKRI Zhuxi
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Renmin Zhengfu,2 Zhongshanlu, Wulumuqishi, 830041
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu
People's Republic of China
Email: master@xinjiang.gov.cn(Does not appear to work, use regular mail.)
(Salutation: Dear Chairman)

Chairman of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission of the People's Republic of China
YANG Jing Zhuren
Guojia Minzu Shiwu Weiyuanhui
252 Taipingqiaodajie, Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100800
People's Republic of China
(Salutation: Your Excellency)

Director of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional Department of Public Security
LIU Yaohua Tingzhang
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Gong'anting
58 Huanghelu
Wulumuqishi 830001
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu
People's Republic of China
(Salutation: Dear Director)

Send copies to the Chinese diplomatic representative closest to you.

My letter below:

Chairman of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional People's Government
Nur BEKRI Zhuxi
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Renmin Zhengfu, 2 Zhongshanlu, Wulumuqishi, 830041
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu
People's Republic of China
master@xinjiang.gov.cn

Ole Koksvik
Philosophy, RSSS
The Australian National University ACT 0200
AUSTRALIA 11/09/2009
ole.koksvik at anu.edu.au

RE: Haji Memet and Abdusalam Nasir

Dear Director
My name is Ole Koksvik. I am a Norwegian citizen, an Australian Permanent Resident, a PhD Candidate at the Australian National University.

It has come to my attention that Haji Memet and Abdusalam Nasir were detained on the 23 of September, in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in northwest China, on suspicion of leaking “state secrets”. It is my understanding that the "secrets" in question relate to Shohret Tursun, who is related to Haji Memet , and who, after being detained on 6 July in Urumqi, died in custody. It is further my understanding that when his family received his body from the police in Langan village in Huocheng county, the body showed signs of having been subjected to torture.

I demand that Haji Memet and Abdusalam Nasir be immediately and unconditionally released, unless they are charged with an internationally recognizable criminal offence. Working toward securing the human rights of others is not a crime, nor is disseminating information about human rights violations.

I demand that they are not tortured or otherwise ill-treated while they remain in custody.

I call on you to ensure that they have access to their family and legal counsel of their choice, and I urge you to ensure an independent and impartial investigation into the allegations that Shohret Tursun’s death in custody was as a result of torture is carried out forthwith, with a view of bringing those guilty to justice.


Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.

Your sincerely,

Ole Koksvik

Article Argued for Ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

[A]n article in an official military journal argues forcefully this month for repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that requires homosexuals in the services to keep their sexual orientation secret.

Obama has promised to overturn the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, but so far nothing much has happened. Maybe this is a step forward for Gay Rights in the US. Read on in the New York Times here.

Myanmarese Human Rights Activist at Risk of Torture - ASA 16/005/2009

Kyaw Zaw Lwin, a Myanmarese human rights activist was arrested on 3 September after flying to Yangon, Myanmar. He may be in police custody in Myanmar and is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment. Torture is common in pre-trial detention in Myanmar, where there are more than 2,200 political prisoners.

Read on here: ASA 16/005/2009

Please send appeals as soon as possible, and before 23 October, to:

Minister for Home Affairs
Maung Oo
Ministry of Home Affairs
Office No. 10
Naypyitaw,
Union of Myanmar
(Salutation: Dear Minister)
Fax: +95 67 412 439 (Read this note on sending faxes.)

Minister of Information
Brigadier-General Kyaw Hsan
Ministry of Information
Bldg. (7), Naypyitaw,
Union of Myanmar
(Salutation: Dear Minister)

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Nyan Win
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Naypyitaw,
Union of Myanmar
(Salutation: Dear Minister)

Please send copies to Myanmar's local diplomatic representative.

In Australia:
Embassy of Myanmar
22 Arkana Street, Australia.
Yarralumla
A.C.T 2600
Fax: (02) 6273 3181

My letter below.

Minister for Home Affairs
Maung Oo
Ministry of Home Affairs
Office No. 10
Naypyitaw, Union of Myanmar
Fax: +95 67 412 439

Ole Koksvik
Philosophy, RSSS
The Australian National University ACT 0200
AUSTRALIA 18/09/2009

RE: Arrest of Kyaw Zaw Lwin on the 3rd of September in Yangon

Dear Minister,

My name is Ole Koksvik. I am a Norwegian citizen, an Australian Permanent Resident, a PhD Candidate at the Australian National University.

I am writing to request that the Myanmarese authorities immediately and unconditionally release Kyaw Zaw Lwin (who also known as Nyi Nyi Aung) unless he is charged with a recognisable criminal offence.

I would also urge the authorities to guarantee that Kyaw Zaw Lwin is not tortured or ill-treated while he remains in custody and that he has access to his family, legal counsel, and proper medical care.

Finally, I would like to urge the authorities to provide information on his whereabouts, and the reasons and legal basis for his continued detention.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.

Yours sincerely,

Ole Koksvik

Chinese Human Rights Lawyer Gao Zhisheng in Danger of Torture - ASA 17/052/2009

All the details here: ASA 17/052/2009

Human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who has been missing since February, was seen late June or early July, looking thin and weak. In 2007, after publishing an open letter to the US congress, agents came to his home, stripped him and beat him unconscious, took him into illegal detention, during which he was beaten and received repeated electric shocks to his genitals. Lit cigarettes were held close to his eyes for several hours, leaving him partly blind for days afterwards.

He is in grave danger of torture.

Please write immediately, and before October 27, to:

Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China
WEN Jiabao Guojia Zongli
The State Council General Office
2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100017
People's Republic of China
Fax: +86 10 65961109 (c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Salutation: Your Excellency

and

Director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau
MA Zhenchuan Juzhang
Beijingshi Gong'anju
9 Dongdajie, Qianmen
Dongchengqu
Beijingshi 100740
People's Republic of China
Fax: +86 10 65242927
Salutation: Dear Director

Both these fax number work.

Send copies to:
Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Public Security
WANG Rui Tingzhang
Shaanxisheng Gong'anting
Xinchengdayuan Donglou
Xi'anshi 710006
Shaanxisheng
People's Republic of China
Email: info@shxga.gov.cn (this address has not worked for me)

Also send a copy to the Chinese foreign mission closest to you (follow the link and look for your country).

My letter is below:

Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China
WEN Jiabao Guojia Zongli
The State Council General Office
2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100017
People's Republic of China
Fax: +86 10 65961109

Ole Koksvik
Philosophy, RSSS
The Australian National University ACT 0200
AUSTRALIA 21/09/2009

RE: GAO ZHISHENG
Your Excellency,

My name is Ole Koksvik. I am a Norwegian citizen, an Australian Permanent Resident, a PhD Candidate at the Australian National University.

It has come to my attention that Human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has been observed looking thin and weak, being accompanied by several officials. I am gravely concerned for his safety. I know that he has been subjected to prolonged illegal detention and torture at the hands of the government of the People’s Republic of China before, and I fear that this is happening again.

I call on you to ensure that Gao Zhisheng is released immediately and unconditionally.

I urge you to ensure that Gao Zhisheng has access to proper medical treatment while he remains in custody, and to guarantee that he is not tortured or ill-treated while he remains in custody.

I furthermore urge you to immediately provide information on his whereabouts, and the reasons and legal basis for his continued detention.



Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.

Yours sincerely,

Ole Koksvik

Letter Writing Made Easy

Dear All,

The point of this blog is very largely to make it easier for others to write letters for Amnesty. If you have any comments on how it can do that better, please let me know.

I think writing letters on behalf of Amnesty is easy, and it even gets easier as you go. Here are some thoughts to make it even easier.

1. Keep a template. Create a document that has your name and address in the top, and a line or two that work well to finish a letter with at the bottom. (To get an idea of how one might do this, look at any letter posted here, and subtract the content that is specific to the particular action it is about.)
2. Make it personal. Begin your letter with some words about yourself. Part of the impact of the urgent action network is that so many different people react. The recepients of the letters will only know that if you tell them who you are.
   
3. Shamelessly copy and paste. It is perfectly fine to copy text from the Urgent Action into your letter. The main strength of the Urgent Action network is in its numbers, it is wildly unrealistic to think that all the letters get read. You should ensure that your letter is grammatical, and you should write: "I urge you to release so and so immediately", not "urging the authorities to ...", and so on. Aside from that, use copy and paste a lot.
   
4. Grab a friend. If you pool your efforts with a friend, and share your template with her, you can easily double your output with almost no increase in effort. You take one action, your friend another. You create two sets of letters, one for yourself, one for your friend, and your friend does the same.
5. Set a managable target. Aim for a level of activity that you can sustain. It is better to write one letter every two weeks for a year than to write five the first week, and then no more.

If you have thoughts on how to write good Amnesty letters, please post them below.

Damning Report of Israel

The inquiry, headed by a former South African judge, Richard Goldstone, delivered a detailed and damning criticism of the war, accusing both Israel and armed Palestinian groups, notably Hamas, of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity. It was by far the most serious international inquiry into the three-week war, which left 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead and which triggered a wave of criticism across the world.

Read on here.

Unsurprisingly, Isreal rejects the findings.