amnesty australia school action pack october 2013

SCHOOL ACTION PACKTERM FOUR 2013

Write for Rights is back!Death to the death penaltyMeet some youth activistsAmnesty International Australia | www.amnesty.org.au

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ACTION PACK TERM FOUR 2013

IMPORTANTPlease visit the w

ebsite

for the latest on our

campaigns as

circumstances can

change quickly!!

www.amnesty.org

.au

ContentsSECTION 01 UPDATES AND NEWS

01.1 A note from Dan01.2 Updates01.2 Running your school action group: the four I’s01.3 Meet some youth activists

SECTION 02 CAMPAIGNS02.1 Death to the death penalty 02.2 Refugee rights are human rights02.3 Write for Rights is back!

Action

Make a sign to abolish the death penalty

Share the pledge

Write a letter and make a card

Target

Governments around the world

Everyone you know

Various

CAMPAIGN ACTIONS: AT A GLANCE

Cover: Write for Rights event.Bangkok, Thailand, December 2010.© AI Thailand

Amnesty International is part of the global movement defending human rights and dignity. We work with people in Australiaand our region to demand respect for human rights and protect people facing abuse. We campaign, conduct research andraise money for our work. Our active members, such as school action groups, play a vital role in achieving our aims throughwriting letters, sending online actions, organising creative awareness-raising activities and fundraising in their communities.

Amnesty International acknowledges the traditional owner of the land on which our offices are situated. We thank the elders past and present for their continued custodianship.This always has been and always will be Aboriginal land.

Campaign

Anti-death penalty

Refugee rights

Individuals at risk

UPDA

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ACTION PACK TERM FOUR 2013 | SECTION 01.1

a note from Dan

Hi there,

Wow, what a year!

Our Schools Network Outreach Team is now in most states around

Australia. We’ve now hosted schools conferences right around the

country, and thousands of young people have taken part in the

Amnesty movement at school!

School groups have done some phenomenal work – campaigning for

Afghan women’s rights, working for Indigenous homelands, helping to

secure a global arms trade treaty, and leading our ‘change the

conversation’ refugee campaign!

Each school student, teacher, parent or young person who participates

in this work is part of our global movement and I congratulate and

thank you all.

A focus for term four is Write for Rights, Amnesty International’s

global letter-writing moment. Write for Rights is when the world joins

together to help people experiencing human rights abuses. You can

write for rights through email, SMS or ink; whether it is pen on paper

or fingers on keyboards, every letter makes a difference.

Once again please let me know what you are doing by emailing

[email protected] or follow me on twitter at @danscaysbrook

Enjoy the summer holidays!

Dan Scaysbrook Youth Coordinator

UPDA

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80,000 AUSSIES STAND UP FOR AFGHAN WOMENSeven months, 200 events and countless hours of dedication from all our activists have resulted in a whopping 81,563 signatures for Afghanwomen’s rights.

Congratulations and thank-you to all the students and teachers who playeda vital role in this milestone. Together we’ve shown our government thatAustralians care about protecting women in Afghanistan and that we standtogether in supporting human rights globally.

Australia has played a critical role in supporting and growing women’s rightsin Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. We’ve seen:

• Increased enrolment in formal education.

• Increased life expectancy.

• More opportunities for women in government.

• Women’s groups being able to operate more freely (though still with limitations)

• Equal rights enshrined in the Afghan Constitution and official Afghan policy

Now, we need to make sure that as international troops begin to withdraw,and peace talks with the Taliban unfold, that improvements for women’srights continue to grow.

Nasrin releasedOn 18 September the Iranianauthorities released prominenthuman rights lawyer NasrinSotoudeh and at least 11 otherpolitical activists. Nasrin’s casefeatured in last year’s Write forRights and almost 30,000Australians took action for her.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, an ailing Iranianmother of young twins, wassentenced in September 2010 tosix years in prison for her peacefulhuman rights work.

Take a moment to reflect on what we’ve all achievedthroughout 2013. Share these stories, inspire thepeople around you, and acknowledge your contributionto these amazing successes.

12-year-old Farishta. Kabul, Afghanistan,2011. © UNHCR / J. Tanner

Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh.© Payvand.com


REMEMBER THE ARMS TRADETREATY? In April 2013, following campaigning all across the world, the UN approvedthe first-ever Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The ATT prevents weapons beinglawfully traded with countries who will use them to commit human rightsabuses. Eighty-seven countries have signed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to date, and many are in the process of ratifying the ATT.

On 25 September the US signed the ATT. The US is the world’s largest armstrader to more than 170 countries, accounting for around 30 per cent oftransfers in terms of value.

INTERSEX RIGHTS RECOGNISEDThis year Australia became the first country to amend its anti-discriminationlaws to recognise and protect intersex people.

Intersex people are born with chromosomes, genitals and/or reproductiveorgans which are not 100 per cent biologically male or female, or are amixture of both. While most us think of gender as simply either male orfemale, the reality is, sex is more like a scale with male at one end andfemale at the other. In between is a range of natural, biological traits and variations.

Learn more about intersex: http://oii.org.au/21336/intersex-for-allies/

Action for the Arms Trade Treaty.Sydney March 2013. © AI.

ASYLUMSEEKERS ANDREFUGEES For many years Amnesty Internationaland our partners throughoutAustralia have been working hard for refugee and asylum seekerrights. Our school groups haveworked tirelessly to actively changethe conversation.

Have a look at this amazing YouTubeclip from school kids in Victoria:http://ow.ly/oLaTL

It’s just one example of the creativeactivism you’ve done for refugee andasylum seeker rights.

Sunshine Coast Grammar Schooltake action for the Arms Trade Treaty.© Sunshine Coast Grammar

Amnesty International Franceaction for the Arms Trade Treatycampaign. © Pierre-YvesBrunaud/Picturetank for AI

Amnesty activists at the New Zealand PrideParade. Auckland, February 2013. © AI

Emmanuel Jal shows his supportfor an ATT. © Andy Merry/AI


Running your school action group

THE FOUR I’S

Amnesty International is a global movement of over 4.6 million peoplecommitted to defending those who are denied justice or freedom.

Within our schools we have school action groups – students like you – that come together at lunch and other times to help defend human rights.

But how do we get people to join our groups? How do we make sure that ouractivism is amazing and makes a difference? And how do we make sure thatwhen we leave school, our groups remain?

Here are some ideas for building a strong group and keeping people involved.

Make sure you are constantlyinviting people to your group. A personal invite to your friends isalways the best. You can also speakabout your group at assemblies or in class, or make posters and flyers.

Sometimes people are unaware ofwhat is happening in the widerworld, or they may not realise theycan do something about it. Letpeople know what you and AmnestyInternational are doing. It’s good tomention that this is happening allaround the country and the world.

Inspire and thank people foreverything they do and remind themof the power that we have. Celebrateeverything you do and all of thesuccesses you achieve!

Check out the campaign updates in section 1.2 for some greatinspiration to share with people

Remember every person’scontribution is amazing and shouldbe appreciated! Ask everyone inyour group what they want to do and how they can help. By involvingpeople and giving them things to do, group members will enjoy theexperience and keep coming. Andthe more people in your group, themore impact your group will have!


Meet some youth activists

We have youth activists in schools all across the country – but it doesn’tstop once you’ve left school. Meet three fabulous youth activists who areinvolved with Amnesty uni groups.

MEET JANE!

Jane became a human rights defender in

2010 during her first year of uni. Jane is

now the Queensland SNOT coordinator.

She was one of the head honchos in

organising our super successful 2013

QLD schools conference.

She is studying a Bachelor of

International Relations and Government,

and when Jane went looking for reliable

information on topics for uni, she kept

coming across Amnesty’s research.

“...Amnesty was opening my eyes to

things going on in the world that I wasn’t

really hearing about anywhere else.

It’s been great in broadening my mind to

the different types of work I can do with

my degree ... where I might be able to

go, and what I might be able to do.”

SAY HI TO ELIZA!

Eliza is a SNOT and a big gun in theUniversity of Western Sydney’sstudent group. Eliza has been apassionate human rights defenderever since her first foray withAmnesty International in grade 11.Eliza is now studying a Bachelor ofSocial Science majoring in Peaceand Development Studies, whichgoes hand in hand with herAmnesty work.

“My favourite thing about AmnestyInternational is definitely watchingyouth become really passionateabout human rights. I’ve seen reallycool changes in school kids withinan hour of talking to them aboutAmnesty International. I’m reallylucky to be in a situation to showyouth what they can do to fightglobal injustices.”

MEET JULES!

Jules is the president of the Queensland

University of Technology Amnesty uni

group, she interns with youth coordinator

Dan, and hangs out with the SNOTs

(Schools Network Outreach Team).

“Hey, I’m Jules!

I got the fun task of writing some of this

School Action Pack because I’m interning

with Dan. My first foray into Amnesty was

in year 8, with my school’s student group

which was really fun. Unfortunately when

I moved my new school didn’t have an

Amnesty group, so I was devoid of

activism for a while – sad faces.

Have no fear; I was soon back on the

activism bus. When I came to uni I

started looking for a group to join, but

there wasn’t one. So instead my friend

and I started one!

I guess you could say I really, really like

Amnesty. It is just a lot of fun. The people

are great, and we’re making the world a

better place. What’s not to love!”

Write for rights

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ACTION PACK TERM FOUR 2013 | SECTION 02.1CAMPAIGNS : INFORMATION AND ACTION

At the heart of Amnesty International is this idea: that we are at our mostpowerful when we stand together for human rights. Letter writing is at ourcore, and has been ever since our first letter-writing campaign in 1961.

Write for Rights is Amnesty International’s global letter-writing moment,when the world joins together to help people suffering human rights abuses.

You can write for rights using email, SMS or putting pen to paper; eitherway, every letter makes a difference. Your letters will join millions, written by hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

Amnesty International has 50 years of proven experience helping people atrisk. We know letter writing works. Every year, thousands of people are savedfrom human rights abuses thanks to letters from people like you.

On the next page are three Write for Rights cases. These people facediscrimination, violence and imprisonment.

ACT NOW>>You can do two things to help these cases:

1. WRITE A LETTER

Please write a letter to the authorities. See the caseinformation for what to include in each of yourletters. If you can, write your letters on aninternational aerogramme ($1.70 from AustraliaPost). If you’re short on time, sign the templateletters at www.amnesty.org.au/write

Leave your letters unsealed and mail them in anenvelope to Schools Write for Rights, Locked Bag 7,Collingwood VIC 3066 We will pass on your lettersto the targets.

2. SEND A CARD

Along with your letter to the authorities, you cansend a card to the people we are supporting. Yourmessages of solidarity give them hope and let themknow the world has not forgotten them. Activistshave enjoyed receiving postcards from differentplaces, or you could create your own.

Send cards with messages to us and we will passthem on to Yorm Bopha, Ihar Tsikhanyuk andEskinder’s wife Serkalem Fasil.

You may mention Amnesty International and includea return address. Please do not send religious cards.

25 November-10 December 2013

Sutherland Shire group ‘Write for Rights’ witha special lunch and letterwriting session.Sydney, November 2012. © Amanda Atlee/AI

Cards received in support of Coastei Streetfamilies, London, UK, March 2013. © AI

Write for Rights event, Thailand,December 2012. © AI Thailand

Eskinder’s storyEthiopian journalist Eskinder Nega is servingan 18-year prison sentence for ‘terrorism’.He was charged in 2011 after givingspeeches and writing articles criticising thegovernment and supporting free speech.

Eskinder has long been a thorn in the side ofthe Ethiopian authorities. He has previouslybeen harassed, arrested and prosecuted anumber of times for his writing. Between2006 and 2007, Eskinder and his wifeSerkalem Fasil were tried for ‘treason’ andother charges along with 129 other journalists,opposition politicians and activists.Serkalem gave birth to their son, Nafkot,while she was in prison.

Eskinder is currently held in Kaliti prison,Addis Ababa. In May 2013,Eskinder wrotefrom prison: “I will live to see the light atthe end of the tunnel. It may or may not bea long wait. Whichever way events may go,I shall persevere!”

In Ethiopia, repression of freedom ofexpression has increased alarmingly inrecent years, with the authorities severelyrestricting the activities of the independentmedia, political opposition parties andhuman rights organisations.

Write to: the Ethiopian Prime Minister

Start your letter: Dear Prime Minister

In your letter:

• State that Eskinder Nega is a prisonerof conscience and must be releasedimmediately and unconditionally.

• Call on the authorities to stop usingcriminal proceedings to silence theircritics and end other forms ofharassment against journalists, humanrights activists and other members ofcivil society.

• Call for laws to be changed whichrestrict freedom of expression andassociation.

Ihar’s storyIhar Tsikhanyuk is an openly gay man andactivist in Belarus, who was verbally abused,threatened and beaten by police followinghis unsuccessful attempt to register anLGBTI community organisation.

On 6 February 2013, Ihar Tsikhanyuk washaving hospital treatment for a stomach ulcerin Hrodna, Belarus, when two police officersentered the hospital ward and asked him togo with them. He was taken to the OctoberDistrict police station, where he wasrepeatedly punched, verbally abused forbeing gay and threatened with more violence.

Ihar works to promote and defend the rightsof lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender andintersex (LGBTI) people. This incidentoccurred shortly after Ihar Tsikhanyuk triedto register the Human Rights CentreLambda, an organisation that supports therights of LGBTI people in Belarus.

Nobody has been brought to justice for ill-treating him. Ihar Tsikhanyuk has said: “I don’t want to hide myself. I live openly.It is not easy in Belarus, but I want to showpeople that I am a person like everybody.With my example I want to show that it ispossible to live openly.”

Belarus has a history of human rightsviolations, including; harassment of humanright defenders, independent media anddefense lawyers, detainment of politicalprisoners, and reports of torture andmistreatment of detainees.

Write to: the General Prosecutor in Belarus

Start your letter: Dear General Prosecutor

In your letter:

• Call on the authorities to thoroughly,independently and impartiallyinvestigate the allegations that IharTsikhanyuk was beaten by police andtargeted because of his sexual orientation.

• Ensure that the officers responsible arebrought to justice through disciplinaryand criminal proceedings as appropriate.

• Respect and ensure the rights of allthose in Belarus without discriminationon any of the grounds prohibited underinternational law, including genderidentity and sexual orientation.

Yorm Bopha’s storyYorm Bopha is a mother and housing rightsactivist from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Shehas been imprisoned since 4 September2012 on fabricated charges as a result of her peaceful activism.

Yorm Bopha and her husband are allegedto have ordered a violent attack againsttwo men in August 2012. However bothalleged victims gave unclear, inconsistentand contradictory testimony in court. No evidence was provided of Yorm Bophaor her husband’s involvement.

Before Yorm Bopha’s arrest, she had beenactively defending her community’s right to housing at Boeung Kak Lake, wherethousands of people have been forciblyevicted from their homes.

Yorm Bopha is held at the Prison Judiciairemilitary police detention facility, Phnom Penh.

Write to: The Minister of Justice in Cambodia

Start your letter: Your Excellency

In your letter:

• State that Yorm Bopha is a prisoner of conscience, detained on baselesscharges for her peaceful activismdefending the right to housing andfreedom of expression.

• Call for her immediate andunconditional release.

• Call on the authorities to publiclycondemn and order an end toharassment and violence againsthuman rights defenders.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ACTION PACK TERM FOUR 2013 | SECTION 02.1ETH

IOPIA, AFR

ICA

BELA

RUS, EUROPE

CAMBODIA, ASIA

GOT MORE TIME?Check out the Write for Rightswebsite here to access more cases:www.amnesty.org.au/write

WRITE FOR RIGHTS IN THECLASSROOMAre you a teacher? Incorporate Writefor Rights into you class activity forterm four or term one next year.

Download a curriculum resource, with lesson plans for both primaryand high school students, atwww.amnesty.org.au/write

If you want us to send you a copyemail [email protected]

Death to the death penalty


Amnesty International is calling for the Australian Government to fight for the abolition of the death penalty around the world.

Right now, 23,000 people are on death row. Every day, all over the worldmen, women and even children face execution.

Amnesty International is opposed to the death penalty in all cases withoutexception, regardless of the crime, the offender, or the method used by the state to kill the prisoner.

The death penalty is cruel, inhuman and degrading. It is a violent punishmentthat has no place in today’s criminal justice system. It ultimately deniesindividuals their fundamental right to life.

Amnesty International has been campaigning for the total abolition ofcapital punishment since 1977, and since then we have fueled a globaltrend towards abolition. Unfortunately, in recent years, we have seencountries in the Asia-Pacific return to the use of the death penalty.

WORLD DAY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY

Amnesty International held candlelight vigils all across the world in recognitionof World Day Against the Death Penalty on 10 October. In Australia nearly50 Amnesty groups took part, including school groups.

The vigils were really successful, with crowds turning out all over Australiato stand against the death penalty. Groups collected signatures and tookphotos, to show our government that Australians care about upholding the right to life.

ACT NOW>>Show the world that school students believe thedeath penalty should be stopped.

Get a blackboard, whiteboard or sign and write whyyou think the death penalty needs to be abolished.Take a photo of yourself or a group of peopleholding the sign, then email your photo [email protected]

We will share the photos online to show the worldthat young people stand against the death penalty.

Please also get consent form for anyone in thephoto, signed by their parent or guardian. Scan theforms and send them back to us with your photo.

Anti-death penalty vigils, October 2013.Byron Bay (below) and Brisbane (right) © AI

Media consent formAt events, we sometimes take photographs, videos and otherwisecollect information from participants. We use this information toassist our promotional activities in Australia and internationally.

If you/your child have attended an event, your/their image mayhave been captured by one of our photographers. We may want touse those images in our campaign materials, both online and inhard copy. Before we can use your/your child’s image, or any otherinformation we have collected, we are required to obtain your consent.

This consent form authorises us to use your/your child’s personalinformation (including images) for promotional purposes.

USE OF THE IMAGE AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

Amnesty International Australia (AIA), and from time to time otherAmnesty International Sections, will use your/your child’s personalinformation for promotional activities (eg newsletters, magazines,websites, television advertisements, videos, general advertising,internal documents etc).

There may also be occasions when we release your/your child’spersonal information to third parties, such as:

• media (eg newspapers, television networks);

• contractors engaged by AIA (eg consultants, advisers, IT and internet service providers).

LICENCE

You grant us a non-exclusive, revocable, non-transferable androyalty-free licence to use your/your child’s image, personalinformation or other material for the purposes of promotionalactivities.

You acknowledge that:

• We or other third parties to whom we disclose the personalinformation are not liable to pay a fee, or in the case of mediaactivity, seek further approval for additional publication. Weare not responsible for any loss or damage, or any claims thatmight arise out of the use of images or other information.

• Any personal information (including images) may be editedwithout notice to you.

You also consent to us contacting you in the future to seekyour/your child’s participation in any media or marketing activity.

LIMITATION OF CONSENT

If you would not like your/your child’s personal information orimage associated with a particular campaign, or on a particularforum, please briefly note the situations or circumstances in whichyou would not approve the use of your/your child’s information:

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

WITHDRAWAL OF CONSENT

Your consent for us to use your/your child’s image or personalinformation can be modified or revoked at anytime. However, any changes will only apply from the date we receive the consentwithdrawal. Any existing material will not be withdrawn from useby us (if we are using the material), or if we have entered intocontractual obligations in relation to that material. In such casesthe withdrawal will be effective after our use of the material. Insuch cases the withdrawal will be effective after our use of thematerial is complete and after our contractual obligations havecome to an end.

PRIVACY

If you have queries about our treatment of your/your child’spersonal information please review our privacy policy located athttp://www.amnesty.org.au/about/comments/22335/ or forward an email to [email protected]

AUTHORITY TO USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

By signing this form you acknowledge:

• You are over 18 years of age.

• If relevant, you are the parent/guardian of the child to which this consent form relates.

• That you have read the statements above and agree that we can use your/your child’s personal information forpromotional purposes.

Name:____________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________

For persons under the age of 18:

Child’s name:______________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Child’s age: ______________________________________________

� You can identify this child by his or her first name as set out above.

� Please identify this child by first name ONLY.

� Please do not identify this child by name.

Refugee rights are human rights


In July this year, the Australian Government announced a new asylum seekerpolicy, the ‘Regional Settlement Arrangement’. This new policy meant thatanyone who arrived by boat would not be processed or resettled in Australia,but sent to Papua New Guinea or another country to be resettled.

Amnesty International and other refugee rights groups condemned this move.Papua New Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the Asia Pacific regionand has a myriad of human rights issues. When the United Nations HighCommission for Refugees visited the detention facility on Manus Island inPapua New Guinea, it found that it was cramped and that people there weresubject to extreme temperatures, flooding and mosquitoes. Asylum seekersare detained here with no idea when they may be released. There is a lot ofevidence to show that this kind of harsh, long-term detention can causeserious damage to people’s mental health and children’s development.

Unfortunately, the change of government in September has not resulted inbetter policies for asylum seekers. The newly elected Australian Governmenthas now built on the ‘Regional Settlement Arrangement’ with their own policies.

So what does this new policy mean for those who arrive by boat?

SIGN THE PLEDGE amnesty.org.au/refugeepledge

Remember, things can

change rapidly in this

campaign so check

www.amnesty.org.au for the

most current information.

i

Za’atri refugee camp for Syrianrefugees. Jordan, June 2013. © AI

THE FACTSIt is not illegal to seek asylum.

The majority of people who arrive byboat are legitimate refugees fleeingpersecution.

There is no queue. In 2012, of the15,400,000 refugees registeredworldwide, only 88,600 were resettledin safe countries. That’s 0.6%.

Australia’s refugee intake is smallcompared with the rest of the world. In the last 18 months about 40,000people have arrived by boat inAustralia. However, in Syria it isestimated that there will be 2 milliondisplaced people (refugees) by the endof the year.


ACT NOW>>1. If you haven’t already, take the refugee pledgeand show our government that people care abouthow asylum seekers are treated:www.amnesty.org.au/refugees

2. Share the pledge on your social media account.

3. Ask your friends and family to take the pledge.

GOT MORE TIME?

4. Photocopy and cut out the Amnesty door hanger.Place it somewhere in your home or school.Remember to ask first if the door doesn’t belongto you!

Take a photo of your door hanger and send it to us.We will then share it on social media. Think of away to be creative – can you hang your door hangernext to the school sign? Or in your SOSE building?

Send your photos to [email protected]

IS IT ETHICAL?This is a question you need to ask yourself. My viewis that we have an ethical obligation to ensurepeople are treated fairly and equally, and that weare pretty lucky to be in a country where we aresafe. Asylum seekers are some of the world’s mostvulnerable people. I would hope that if I, or thepeople I cared about, needed protection, othercountries would welcome me with open arms. What do you think?

Dan, youth coordinator

IS IT LEGAL?In short, no. Australia has signed the RefugeeConvention which legally obliges Australia to offerprotection to asylum seekers. The convention alsosays that people should not be discriminatedagainst due to their method of arrival. The policiesalso run a high risk returning people to murder,torture and persecution. However, the policies onlyaffect those who arrive by boat.

Graeme McGregor, refugee campaigner

TURNING BACK THE BOATS

In the media you may have heard people talk about “turning back the boats”.

In essence this means that when the Australian Government hears aboutboats on their way to Australia, they will send the Navy to force the boats to leave Australian waters.

� Turning back boats doesn’t just violate the right to seek asylum, it putseveryone’s life at risk – asylum seekers, crew and Navy personnel.

� Worst of all, it risks sending genuine refugees back to countries wherethey will be tortured, murdered or persecuted.

TEMPORARY PROTECTION VISAS

Essentially a Temporary Protection Visa says, “Yes, we know you are arefugee but you can’t stay here forever”. The visas last three years andrequire refugees to reapply after this time, in case the situation has changedin their homeland.

� People on Temporary Protection Visas do not have access to the sameresources as other refugees, including benefits. They also cannot applyto be reunited with family and have no right to return to Australia if theyleave the country.

� These visas have huge mental health impacts on people who have alreadyfled war, persecution and terror. They can’t feel safe; instead they livewith the constant fear of being returned to their homeland too soon.

DENYING REFUGEE STATUS FOR THOSE THOUGHT TO HAVEDESTROYED DOCUMENTS

� People who flee their homeland don’t have documents (eg a passport toidentify who they are) for a variety of reasons. In a lot of cases peoplesmugglers have advised people to destroy their documents, or they havelost them on the perilous journey.

Some people never had documents in the first place. Have you everapplied for a passport in Australia? It can be a lengthy process, and youneed our government’s help to obtain one. Do you think you could dothis if your government was trying to hurt you or throw you in prison?

Unfortunately, these issues are just the tip of the iceberg.

WHERE TO NOW?

We need to keep talking about these things in our community anddemonstrate to our government that we want asylum seekers treated fairly.

POLICY UNPACKED

Amnesty activists send an SOS for refugeesto Europe, from the Greek island of Lesvos,July 2013. © AI (Photo: Giorgos Moutafis)

DON’T CLOSE THE DOOR ON REFUGEES.

[CUT THIS CIRCLE OUT]

SEEKING ASYLUM IS A HUMAN RIGHT

Amnesty International condemns the Australian Government’s policy to refuse to process or resettle asylum seekers who arrive by boat. This policy is in

their lives - it will simply make those lives more miserable.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR REFUGEE RIGHTS

it out to display on a door in your

(Remember to check with others

GET SOCIAL

We’d love to see a photo of your

picture and share it with us on

#DontCloseTheDoor

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Our website:

Facebook:

Twitter: SIGN THE PLEDGE

amnesty australia school action pack october 2013

Documents

rights event

afghanwomens rights

school action groups

human rights abuses

school groups

school action packterm

school student

death penaltymeet