{"id":19192,"date":"2019-01-07T21:58:35","date_gmt":"2019-01-08T02:58:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/?p=19192"},"modified":"2019-01-07T21:58:35","modified_gmt":"2019-01-08T02:58:35","slug":"amnesty-write-for-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/amnesty-write-for-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"Amnesty International Write for Rights in Verdun"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of the Amnesty Write for Rights campaign in Verdun last December, I wrote an encouraging postcard to Geraldine. Geraldine founded an Amnesty International youth network in Venezuela. The authorities then arrested her and she\u00a0spent four months in prison. They released her with conditions. She can’t leave the country and could be arrested again at any time.<\/p>\n

I also wrote to\u00a0Amal Fathy. The Egyptian authorities jailed this young mother for posting a video about sexual harassment online.<\/p>\n

Iranian activist Atena Daemi got a postcard from me too. So far, Daemi served five of her seven-year sentence. Her crime consisted of distributing anti-death penalty leaflets.<\/p>\n

I also filled out a postcard to South African anti-mining activist Nonhle Mbuthuma. Mbuthuma runs a campaign to keep mining companies off the land that’s been in her family for three generations. She wants to pass it on to her children.<\/p>\n

Will one of the women send me a letter back?<\/h2>\n

It’s possible, says co-organizer Micheline Vermette, but certainly not expected. Our\u00a0goal is to support the women while making sure that local authorities know that the international community cares about these women<\/p>\n

My postcard writing formed part of a local group participating in the annual Write for Rights Amnesty International campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Many of us stopped by Baobab Caf\u00e9 in Verdun last December to join in on the annual letter writing campaign\u00a0co-organized by Vermette, Serge Ouellette and Jocelyn Talbot. Lorraine Bouchard handed me information about each of the women as I arrived.<\/p>\n

“It’s inspiring because a lot of these women get released after they’ve been featured in the letter-writing campaign,” said Vermette, who was thrilled that the community supported the group in their efforts.\u00a0“Serge and I did it along last year, so this year, we decided to invite the community to join in too.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The group says that they’ll definitely organize another Write for Rights campaign in Verdun next December.<\/p>\n

I definitely plan to participate again.<\/p>\n

You can participate too, by going to the Amnesty website<\/a> and adding your name to the list of people supporting each woman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As part of the Amnesty Write for Rights campaign in Verdun last December, I wrote an encouraging postcard to Geraldine. Geraldine founded an Amnesty International youth network in Venezuela. The authorities then arrested her and she\u00a0spent four months in prison. They released her with conditions. She can’t leave the country and could be arrested again […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19195,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"-1","landing_page":"0","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[22],"tags":[1033],"class_list":["post-19192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-verdunposts","tag-amnesty","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2buQs-4Zy","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":21255,"url":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/win-groceries-every-monday\/","url_meta":{"origin":19192,"position":0},"title":"Win groceries every Monday!","author":"Tracey Arial","date":"January 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Check out the new Explore Verdun IDS online local publication and get a chance to win groceries too! Just submit your email address and agree to accept an email with updates every week. The new online publication draw winners every Monday. Recommended stories Explore Verdun IDS covers include: Jody Avaline's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Verdun"","block_context":{"text":"Verdun","link":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/category\/canada\/verdunposts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Verduns-Anglo-Files.png?fit=1200%2C457&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Verduns-Anglo-Files.png?fit=1200%2C457&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Verduns-Anglo-Files.png?fit=1200%2C457&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Verduns-Anglo-Files.png?fit=1200%2C457&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Verduns-Anglo-Files.png?fit=1200%2C457&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15601,"url":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/reluctant_federalist\/","url_meta":{"origin":19192,"position":1},"title":"Reluctant Federalist Briefly Becomes Verdun Election Issue","author":"Tracey Arial","date":"March 25, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Despite announcements by election candidates about potential investments in schools (PQ), hospitals (Liberals), social housing (Quebec Solidaire and CAQ) and bridges (all parties), the person who got the most attention in the riding of Verdun last week was Mary Ann Davis. Davis is an Anglophone, a union organizer, a housing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Verdun"","block_context":{"text":"Verdun","link":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/category\/canada\/verdunposts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"marie ann davis_6479_1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/marie-ann-davis_6479_1-240x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":857,"url":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/week-one-2012election\/","url_meta":{"origin":19192,"position":2},"title":"Provincial Election 2012, Week One","author":"Tracey Arial","date":"August 8, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Marquette, Marguerite-Bourgeoys and Verdun Ridings Potential voters in the Marguerite-Bourgeoys (LaSalle), Marquette (Dorval and Lachine) and Verdun ridings began seeing campaign posters from four parties before the election was called. In Verdun, the posters all show well-known candidates. Liberal Party posters in Marquette and Verdun show well-known incumbents who were\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Island Report"","block_context":{"text":"Island Report","link":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/category\/canada\/island-report\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Marquettesmall.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1629,"url":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/may-4-and-5-verdun\/","url_meta":{"origin":19192,"position":3},"title":"Verdun Citizens Organize Many Outdoor Events This Weekend","author":"Tracey Arial","date":"May 5, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Verdun residents are\u00a0busy this weekend. Today, a permaculture farmer based in Verdun will be hosting the first open house ever at his farm in Cazaville. Yesterday, some 300 people spent Saturday morning picking up litter along Verdun\u2019s waterfront and along a walking path on Saturday morning. A little later in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gardening"","block_context":{"text":"Gardening","link":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/category\/seasonal-living\/gardening\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"May 5, 2012","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/waterfrontcleanup-300x196.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15591,"url":"https:\/\/traceyarial.com\/blog\/en\/verdun-candidates-ready\/","url_meta":{"origin":19192,"position":4},"title":"Verdun Candidates Ready for the Election","author":"Tracey Arial","date":"March 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Verdun is proving to be a hotly-contested riding during the 2014 election. Premier Pauline Marois has already been in the riding twice to support her Parti qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois candidate, Lorraine Pintal. Jacques Daoust officially launched his campaign on Monday night from his election office at 4110 Wellington. 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