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Amnesty International was started in 1961 with a newspaper article by British lawyer Peter Benenson. He called on people everywhere to work for thousands of men and woman in imprisonment. There was a enormous response. Today there are more than a million members in over 140 countries. Amnesty International members include: politicians, housewives, lawyers, farmers and students. In other words - people like you and me.
It is a worldwide movement which is independent of any government, political part and religious. Its activities focus strictly on prisoners.
It demands fair and early trails for all such prisoners. It oppose the death penalty and torture, or any other kind of in human treatment or punishment of all prisoners.
It seeks the release of \"prisoners of conscience\". These are men and woman imprisoned for their political beliefs, race or religion and who are not guilty of any violence.
It tries to find out about people who have \"disappeared\" because a government finds them or a member of their family too critical.
Prisoners of conscience are held in nearly half the countries of the world. In 50 of these, people can be put in prison without trial. The death penalty is still carried out in 94 nations, and prisoners are tortured in one out of every countries.
When news of an arrest reaches Amnesty, the facts are examinded to find out if the person arrested is a prisoner of conscience. The prisoner is then \"adopted\" by one of the world-wide Amnesty groups. Letters are sent to governments, leading newspaper and the prisoner´s family and friends. Members collect signatures for international petitions and raise money to send relief, such as medicine, food and clothing, to the prisoners and their families.
If prisoners are tortured or facing the death penalty, Amnesty organises a flood of telegrams and letters to be sent to the government responsible.
If you wish to support the work of Amnesty, then become a member of the organisation. Everyone´s help is needed in the struggle for human rights all over the world.
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