Frequently+asked+questions

= = = = = Frequently asked questions about = = Amnesty International = = = = How did Amnesty International begin? = Amnesty International began as a one-year campaign launched in 1961 by a British civil rights lawyer, Peter Benenson, who was outraged to read in his morning newspaper that two young Portuguese students had been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for raising their glasses in a toast to freedom in a Lisbon café. In an article called The Forgotten Prisoners he urged people everywhere to begin working impartially and peacefully for the release of "prisoners of conscience". The article appeared in The Observer in London, and a related article in Le Monde in Paris on 28th May 1961. Other newspapers publicised the appeal, and Benenson's idea immediately achieved wide international support from people ready to help collect information on cases, publicize them and approach governments.

Eight weeks later people from six countries met in Luxembourg and decided to form a permanent movement. The first Amnesty International meeting in New Zealand was held in the Wellington suburb of Karori in 1966. Amnesty International is a movement of over a million people in more than 150 countries who contribute their time, money and expertise to the promotion of human rights and campaigning against some of the most horrific violations of those rights, such as torture, killings, and imprisonment for who people are or what they believe. Amnesty International focuses its campaigning on: >> >> Amnesty International, recognizing that human rights are indivisible and interdependent, works to promote all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards, through human rights education programs and campaigning for ratification of human rights treaties. Amnesty International has no political affiliation, endorses no political party, accepts no funds from governments or any political party. Amnesty International is impartial. It is independent of any government, political persuasion or religious creed. It does not support or oppose any government or political system, nor does it support or oppose the views of the victims whose rights it seeks to protect. It is concerned solely with the protection of the human rights involved in each case, regardless of the ideology of the government, opposition forces or the beliefs of the individual.
 * What is Amnesty International? **
 * the release of all **prisoners of conscience** – people detained anywhere for their beliefs or because of their ethnic origin, gender, colour, identity or language, who have not used or advocated violence
 * fair and prompt trials for **political prisoners**
 * an end to the **death penalty**, **torture** and other cruel treatment of prisoners, **extrajudicial executions** and **"disappearances"**
 * Is Amnesty International “political”? **

It is concerned only with working for the release of "prisoners of conscience" - those detained for their beliefs or identity who have neither used nor advocated violence - and for an end to unfair trials for political prisoners, torture, "disappearances" and executions. Its independence is recognised through the observer status it has with the United Nations and regional intergovernmental organisations, and by the non-partisan support it attracts from all parties in the NZ Parliament and key contributors who must maintain strict political neutrality such as Don Brash.

Amnesty International does not grade countries according to their record on human rights; instead of attempting comparisons it concentrates on trying to end the specific violations of human rights. National laws themselves often violate international human rights standards. When examining each case Amnesty International uses a single, universal standard: internationally recognised human rights. If a state is violating those rights it comes to the defence of the victims. Amnesty International does not condone the violent crimes for which an individual may be convicted. We deal everyday with the victims of violence and know only too well the impact. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims the right to life and security for all human beings. The death penalty is irreversible. Inevitably it claims innocent victims. In addition, it is open to abuse, as it is more likely to be used against such as political, ethnic, religious minorities, the poor and the less well educated. It is an act of violence and violence tends to provoke violence. In practice it does not act as a better deterrent than other punishments, and often has unintended effects, such as increased acquittal rates from juries unwilling to commit people to death. = How does Amnesty work? = AI's international network of volunteer members and professional staff generates thousands of appeals on behalf of individuals and communities at risk and protests directly against governments and political groups responsible for perpetrating crimes against humanity. We feed a constant stream of information to the media, governments, the United Nations and others, urging them to take action where human rights abuses are occurring. = Does Amnesty get results? = Amnesty International has helped to increase public awareness of political imprisonment, torture and the death penalty throughout the world. More significantly, many prisoners, their lawyers and the families of victims have thanked Amnesty for its efforts on their behalf. Former prisoners, torture victims and others who have suffered human rights abuse, often say that international pressure secured their freedom and saved their lives. Amnesty International received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for its contribution to "securing the ground for freedom, for justice, and thereby also for peace in the world". The following year, on the 30th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the movement was awarded the United Nations Human Rights Prize for "outstanding achievements in the field of human rights". Teams of researchers from its International Secretariat in London gather information from around the world on-site as well as from newspaper articles, government bulletins, radio transcripts, legal documents and medical reports. Its representatives are sent to observe political trials, to monitor the treatment of prisoners and to talk personally with victims and their families. Details are cross-checked and enormous care is taken to avoid presenting any unconfirmed allegations as fact. When the United Nations was formed after World War II, there was worldwide acceptance that national sovereignty could not be used as an excuse for human rights violations. International agreements and treaties make clear that, where human rights are concerned, individual governments are accountable to the world community. When governments hide behind arguments of sovereignty and interference, Amnesty International holds them accountable = Aren’t human rights a luxury especially in less developed countries? = "Human rights" include rights to life, shelter and freedom from torture. Governments of all geographical regions, from societies of all stages of development and cultures, have formally agreed that certain basic human rights apply universally. Under international law, Amnesty International campaigns for human rights that are universal and indivisable, so they therefore apply to all people in every circumstance. Amnesty International doesn't accept funding from governments or political organisations allowing it to remain financially independent to criticise with objectivity and impartiality. It relies totally on membership fees, donations and its own fundraising initiatives to fund its work. = Where did Amnesty get its logo from? = The founder of Amnesty International**,** Peter Benenson, chose the symbol of a candle in barbed wire after being inspired by the old Chinese proverb, 'It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness'. After a quarter century of defending the rights of the persecuted around the world, Amnesty International has become the essence of that symbol - a candle of freedom and hope in the dark face of repression. The candle in barbed wire was designed by UK artist Diana Redhouse. The first Amnesty International candle was lit by a Nazi concentration camp survivor.
 * Why does Amnesty take up cases of people who have broken their country’s law? **
 * Why is Amnesty totally opposed to the death penalty **
 * How does Amnesty know it has the facts right? **
 * What right does Amnesty have to interfere in the internal affairs of countries? **
 * Where does Amnesty get its funding from? **