10 things you made possible in 2011
2011 was an incredible year. Thanks to each and every one of you for everything you’ve done in the name of human rights.
Scroll down to see 10 things that you helped make possible this year:
1. An end to the Malaysia Deal: When the government announced the Malaysia Deal, it was our crucial research that revealed the abuse asylum seekers could potentially suffer. Faced with a huge public outcry - and a High Court decision which ruled the deal was illegal - the government had no choice but to scrap the Malaysia Deal. © AI
2. 165,000 call for accountability in Syria:When the situation in Syria began to deteriorate in March, over 165,000 Amnesty supporters signed a petition calling on the UN Security Council to refer Syria to the ICC for possible crimes against humanity. This call has since been echoed by Kevin Rudd on behalf of the Australian government. © Demotix
3. Rebiya Kadeer thanks Amnesty International:Rebiya Kadeer calls her release a miracle. She is the first Uyghur prisoner of conscience to be released by the Chinese government - a result of an Amnesty International letter-writing campaign. Today she is the President of the World Uyghur Congress, and fighting for her people's rights on the world stage against the brutality of Chinese authorities. © AI
4. Fighting for traditional Aboriginal homelands:This year we worked with Aboriginal communities to fight for their right to remain on their traditional homelands. Seeing Alyawarr/Anmatyerr elder Rosalie Kunoth-Monks deliver a fiery speech at Parliament house was an incredible moment. Your support was equally moving, with thousands of letters, signatures and phonecalls made to demand an end to this injustice. © AI
5. Hundreds of political prisoners released in Burma:We've been campaigning on human rights abuses in Burma together for many years. This year hundreds of prisoners of conscience were released as some of the vice-like restrictions imposed by the military junta slowly began to loosen. There's a still a long way to go, but we should recognise that change is beginning to stir. © AFP
6. The government commits to stopping violence against women:After five years of letter-writing, petition-signing and advocacy, the Australian government released a national plan to help put an end to violence against women. This victory says so much about the persistence, passion and power of our supporters coming together to demand change. © AI
7. Solidarity with Arab Spring protestors:As the Arab Spring engulfed the Middle East and North Africa, we were on the ground monitoring and reporting human rights abuses. When two of our staff were arrested in a brutal crackdown in Egypt, our rapid global outcry helped secure their safe release. © AFP
8. Renowned Iranian doctors walk free:Iranian doctors Arash and Kamiar Alaei were imprisoned for their renowned work on HIV/AIDs. After months of solitary confinement they feared they had been forgotten - but they hadn't been. Today the brothers walk free; reunited and able to continue their important work thanks to hundreds of letters from our supporters. © AI
9. A Taste of Freedom:This year Amnesty International turned 50. It's incredible to realise that from our start in a small London office in 1961, today we're part of a global movement of over 3 million people across 150 countries. On our 50th anniversary, thousands of supporters across the world raised a glass to celebrate our special day. © AI
10. 250,000 call to end executions in Belarus:We helped collect over 250,000 signatures on a petition to end to the death penalty in Belarus. The petition was delivered to Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Belarus is the last country in Europe and the former Soviet Union that still carries out executions. © AI
What inspired you this year?
Was there some special moment or person that inspired you to do more for human rights this year? We'd love to hear it. Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Comments
Michael Wild | Posted on 16 January 2012, 11:43PM | Report comment
Are you SURE that AIA was “crucial” to stopping the Malaysian deal? It certainly wasn’t public outcry but the High Court that killed it and I’m pretty sure we didn’t provide the lawyer. Perhaps we were able to give important information about the treatment of Refugees in Malaysia but I doubt it depended on our testitmony and I’m sure they could have established this by groups apart from Amnesty. I’m a proud to member of Amnesty and proud to support it but we shouldn’t get carried away and claim excessive credit for our achievements. Leave that to the other political groups!
HELEN MANOS | Posted on 12 January 2012, 07:26PM | Report comment
CHINA TOPS THE WORLD FOR TORTURE BUT WESTERN COUNTRIES TURN AWAY.
WHY???
ECONOMY WINS OVER HUMAN RIGHTS.
AI PLEASE CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT CHINA’S DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR.
Babs Snook | Posted on 11 January 2012, 07:18PM | Report comment
Does the latest news mean that the ruling government in Myanmar will finally allow Aung San Suu Kyi and her party to have a voice in government ?
I sincerely hope so.
Fiona | Posted on 11 January 2012, 03:20PM | Report comment
We get caught up in the disaster and the crisis of the moment, and these just keep on coming. We jump to help the current one and previous ones are forgotten in the media.
It gives me hope and makes me proud that Amnesty International doesn’t forget that there are still people in desperate need from the last crisis and the one before… and the ones last year and last decade… and that they continue to work for them and remind us about them so that we can help them.
shailesh | Posted on 9 January 2012, 06:25PM | Report comment
A story of Afgan girl migrated to Australia at very young age, now a news reader in one of Australia’s news channel.
It is the determination and will to bring changes had changed the world.
balochshah | Posted on 4 January 2012, 07:52PM | Report comment
God bless Amnesty international for all the effort the people who suffer and release all the innocent people who are caught and imprisonment, they work hard day and night for the people welfare.
Susan Hudson | Posted on 1 January 2012, 12:32PM | Report comment
Thank you A.I. for all your good work caring for people who would otherwise be ‘lost’ in cruel regimes, and for making this world a little bit more humane.
This cruelty is often perpetrated without a second thought, under cover, without fear of exposure.
A.I. has done much to draw to world’s attention to injustice ..............inestimable work.
May the movement go from strength to strength until this planet is fair and just - a place without fear.
john Emellen-murray | Posted on 23 December 2011, 06:05PM | Report comment
It’s nice to read good news.