15 January 2025

Minutes for the January 2025 meeting

 AIUSA Group 342 meeting

15 January 2025 (online only)
In attendance (via Zoom): Barbara, Frank, Marsha

GREETINGS AND CHECK-IN

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION (Bob's report, delivered by Barbara)
  • The PA Supreme Court has blocked Philadelphia's efforts to have stronger gun laws (because a city isn't legally allowed to have stricter laws than what a state has)
  • Gun Violence by the Numbers (2024 report)
    • significant declines in gun violence and gun sales (sign that pandemic surge has abated)
    • US Supreme Court upheld the federal law preventing domestic abusers from owning guns
    • Federal funding for gun violence research has increased since 2020 ($137 million)
    • In 2024 there was an 18% average decrease in homicides across 277 US cities (43% in Philly, 31% in DC)
  • Ghost guns: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) says that in 2022 it could trace only 1% of ghost guns back to individual purchasers

WRITE FOR RIGHTS
  • Great news! Neth Nahara of Angola (on whose behalf we send cards at our November 2024 meeting) has received a presidential pardon after spending 16 months in jail.
  • Barbara presented the case of Joel Paredes (Argentina), who was blinded when police fired rubber bullets at a peaceful protest he attended.
  • In the e-mail announcing this month's meeting, Barbara included sample W4R letters to send to governement officials
  • Background information and action items for year's W4R cases can be found at write.amnestyusa.org 
AIUSA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
  • February 21–23 in Detroit
  • This will be a HYBRID event with a virtual option
  • Information available at https://www.amnestyusa.org/agm2025
DISCUSSION OF GROUP GOALS FOR 2025
  • Are there ways we can increase local outreach?
  • AIUSA is actively working on protections for immigrants, who will be at increased risk under the new administration
  • Take on a new case file? (Barbara will inquire about this)
  • Barbara would like other group members to help with putting together actions, letters, petitions, etc.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, 19 March, 7:30 pm (hybrid)

18 September 2024

Minutes for the September 2024 meeting

 AIUSA Group 342 meeting

18 September 2024 (hybrid)
In attendance (in person): Barbara, Bob, Marsha, Alex
In attendance (via Zoom): Frank, Struan, Shreya

GREETINGS AND CHECK-IN

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION (Bob)
  • July 2: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a challenge to Illinois ban on assault weapons
  • Assault weapons were used in both assassination attempts on Trump. Democrats have called for a ban on them; Republicans are silent. 
  • A few months ago, two ghost gun makers sad they would stop selling in Philly. One has closed up shop completely.
  • September 4 shooting in Georgia
    • The shooter is 14 years old and will be tried as an adult.
    • The father is also being charged. (This is a new tactic by prosecutors.)
  • Kentucky highway shooting: assault weapon used
  • The Trace website: investigates gun violence in the USA
    • Recent report: through 8/11/24, 400 fewer people were shot in Philly over the same period in 2023 (a 39.2% decrease)
AIUSA REGIONAL CONFERENCES
  • NYC—October 26
  • Phoenix—October 19
  • Georgia—September 28
AIUSA PRESS RELEASES
  • Apache High School shooting
  • AI reaction to US release of $320 million in conditioned military aid to Egypt
    • Egypt is supposed to meet certain human rights standards but hasn't.
    • The State Department overrode Congress to give the full amount to Egypt anyway, in spite of human rights abuses.
BANNED BOOKS WEEK 
  • Barbara met with Shreya last week, will visit her high school group soon
  • Presentations:
    • Kamile Wayite (Marsha)
    • Nidal al-Waheidi and Haithem Abdelwahed (Barbara)
    • Alberto Amaro Jordan (Bob)
    • Unite Against Book Bans (Barbara)
    • The BK-16 (Barbara, briefly; Shreya, more fully later)
    • mnesty International calls for a ceasefire and suspicion of weapons shipments [petition to Biden]
  • Salman Rushdie's new book, Knife (about the August 2022 attack on him at Chatauqua)

ACTIONS
  • Petition to US senators to support S. 761: Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2023

Next Meeting: Wednesday, 20 November, 7:30 pm (hybrid)

17 July 2024

Minutes for the July 2024 meeting

AIUSA Group 342 meeting

17 July 2024 (hybrid)
In attendance (in person): Barbara, Bob, Marsha
In attendance (via Zoom): Kara, Dorothee

GREETINGS AND CHECK-IN

2024 NORTHEAST REGIONAL CONFERENCE
  • Will be held in NYC on October 25
  • Will be in-person only (no remote option)

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION (Bob)
  • 30,000 guns seized in NC—but because they weren't reported stolen, the person who had then was sentenced to only 14 months in prison (instead of 30 months)
  • June 30 op-ed in The Inquirer by the founder of RAWTools Philly (an organization that turns guns into tools) about challenges to eliminating guns on the streets 
    • The police department sells old weapons, thus creating a "blue market"
    • GA law mandates that all seized guns must be resold
    • NC law prohibits destroying seized weapons
  • STATE LEVEL: CeaseFire PA protests again PA State Rep. Craig Williams
  • NATIONAL LEVEL: 2 recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions
    • 8-1 ruling to ban domestic abusers from owning guns
    • 6-3 ruling to overturn the ban on bump stocks
DEATH PENALTY UPDATE
  • Recently: 200th death row exoneration
  • Questionable convictions: Melissa Lucio (TX); Robert Roberson (TX)
  • Other cases:
    • Toomaj Salehi (Iran): death penalty has been lifted but still in prison [petition to Iranian authorities]
    • Keith Gavin (Alabama): sentenced to die 7/18/24 [petition to AL governor Kay Ivey]
    • Rocky Meyers (Alabama): celebrated his 63th birthday [birthday card to sign]
WAR ON GAZA
  • Amnesty International calls for a ceasefire and suspicion of weapons shipments [petition to Biden]
SUMMER SOLIDARITY POSTCARD ACTION
  • On behalf of Floriane Irangabiye (Burundi), Ilham Tohti (China), and Vahid Afkari (Iran)
  • Send postcards c/o AIUSA office in Boston

Next Meeting: Wednesday, 18 September, 7:30 pm (hybrid)

15 May 2024

Minutes for the May 2024 meeting

AIUSA Group 342 meeting

15 May 2024 (hybrid)
In attendance (in person): Barbara, Bob, Marsha
In attendance (via Zoom): Kara, Struan, Frank

GREETINGS AND CHECK-IN

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION (Bob)
  • LOCAL LEVEL: The city of Philadelphia reached a settlement with two ghost gun manufacturers
    • They agree to stop selling ghost guns in Philly permanently
    • They agree to stop selling ghost guns in the collar countries for four years
    • They will pay the city $1m for gun violence prevention measures
    • Shootings at SEPTA facilities in Philly
  • STATE LEVEL: Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Day held May 7, organized by CeasefirePA
    • Bob and Barbara attended event in Harrisburg with group led by Tom Buglio
    • drop-by visits to two GOP reps: Rep. John Lawrence (from southern Chester County); Sen.Trish Baker, who runs the Senate Judiciary Commitee and keeps blocking House-approved measures from Senate consideration
    • scheduled visits with two Dem reps: Rep. Melissa Shusterman (who says the House plans to put together lots of small gun violence prevention bills in the fall; Sen. Carolyn Comita (who says that the measures Trish Baker is sitting on will probably be part of budget negotiations next month, and that maybe Shapiro will trade school vouchers for a vote on these measures)
    • On May 7 the PA House voted on two GVP measures: one on banning gun stocks, one on computerization of paper records of gun sales; both failed by one vote when Dem Frank Burns voted with the GOP
  • NATIONAL LEVEL
    • Justice Dept has closed the gun show loophole, but legal challenges are expected
    • Next year the US Supreme Court will hear challenge to ghost gun regulations
DEMISE OF GROUP 112 IN PHILADELPHIA (Barbara)
  • This group did not pivot to online meetings during the pandemic and just didn't meet at all, then struggled to regain members/momentum afterward. Recent efforts to rejuvenate the group have failed. 
  • Dave Rendell says the group is now dormant. 
  • Susanna may try to organize speaker series.
AIUSA NEWS (Barbara)
  • Thanks to pressure from Amnesty, Amazon has reimbursed $1.9m in unlawful recruitment fees to 700+ migrant workers in Saudi Arabia
  • Egyptian human rights lawyer Mohamed Baker (a 2021 Write for Rights case) is free after spending almost four years in arbitrary detention
  • Somali journalist Mohamed Ibrahim Osman Bulbul was released the day after an Amnesty Urgent Action on his behalf went out; a few days later all charges against him were dismissed
  • AI report on the state of human rights in the USA
    • increase in anti-LGBT legislation
    • increase in anti-Semitic and Islamaphobic incidents since the Oct 7 attacks by Hamas
    • since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022, increase in states limiting/criminalizing abortion [however: in Oct 2023, the state of Ohio voted in a law to protect abortion in that state]
    • Hyde Amendment still limits healthcare for the poor
    • sexual/gender violence especially affects indigenous, American Indian, and Alaskan Native women
    • increased restrictions on the right to protest
URGENT ACTIONS (Barbara)
  • Journalist at Risk: Alberto Amaro Jordán (Mexico: UA 17.24)
  • Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi now under death sentence
    • We brainstormed ideas to include in a letter on his behalf
    • Barbara will send out those ideas (and links to relevant online resources) in an e-mail to everyone

Next Meeting: Wednesday, 17 July, 7:30 pm (hybrid)

20 March 2024

Minutes for March 2024 meeting

AIUSA Group 342 meeting

20 March 2024 (hybrid)
In attendance (in person): Barbara, Bob, David, Heather, Marsha
In attendance (via Zoom): Shreya, Struan, Dorothy

GREETINGS AND CHECK-IN

AREA COORDINATOR REPORT (David)
  • At AGM (March 2024) there was a presentation about AIUSA's strategy for 2024 U.S. elections
    • We cannot said anything in Amnesty's name about any candidates
    • Top goal is to mobilize people to vote as if human rights depend on it
    • Counter harmful narratives (especially negative news about the U.S./Mexico border)
    • Prepare for and try to prevent crises
    • Build our movement to exert more influence on the next administration and Congress
  • At AGM: no presentations by former prisoners of conscience (which was a longtime tradition at AGM)
  • Regional meetings will return next fall
  • "Get on the Bus" campaign scheduled for April 5 (gotb.org)
  • Local groups are struggling: Group 112 in Philly is dormant, may try to form coalition with PADP and Ethical Society 
OTHER AGM REPORTS (Barbara and Bob)
  • Barbara: attended session on Gaza
  • Bob: attended session on local groups (we now have the ability to send e-mail to AIUSA members in our area!); attended session on top issues for young people (reproductive rights, gun violence, climate change)
CASE FILES (Barbara)
  • On April 16 Barbara will attend a meeting about restarting case files
  • Dorothy expressed interest in being in charge of prisoner of conscience case for our group
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION (Bob)
  • Shootings at SEPTA facilities in Philly
  • "Zero Eyes" program to use AI to detects guns in subways
  • May 7: Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Day in Harrisburg
    • morning: constituents visit their representatives
    • afternoon: speeches on the capitol steps
  • Report on Lewiston, ME, shooting from October 2023: the shooter's guns should have been seized earlier, but police did not do so
GOOD NEWS (Barbara)
  • Greece legalized same-sex marriage
  • In Saudi Arabia, Amazon must pay $1.9m to workers because of a major Amnesty report about deception and treatment of migrant workers there
  • France enshrined abortion rights in its constitution
  • Victories on past actions
    • Human rights defended Bishop Don Luis Fernando Lisboa transferred to safety in Brail (Mozambique: UA 132.20)
    • Human rights defender Munther Amira released (Isreal/Occupied Palestinian Territories: UA 2.24)
    • Four of five families freed from detention (USA: UA 116.20)
NOWRUZ ACTION
(Thanks to Barbara and Bob for bringing mailing supplies and printouts about this year's cases!)

Next Meeting: Wednesday, 15 May, 7:30 pm (hybrid)

17 January 2024

Minutes for January 2024 meeting

 AIUSA Group 342 meeting

15 November 2023 (via Zoom because of inclement weather)
In attendance: April, Barbara (facilitating and recording), Bob, David, Emily, Heather, Kathleen, Shreya, Struan, Suzanna

UPDATES
  • Welcome to new member Suzanna McGee,
  • Welcome to guests: 
    • David Rendell, AIUSA area coordinator
    • Kathleen Lucas, AIUSA death penalty abolition coordinator for PA and executive director of  Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (padp.org)
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION (Bob)
  • Newly elected Philadelphia mayor Cherelle Parker declared state of emergency, issued executive order to combat thefts, shootings, and the proliferation of open-air drug markets in Philadelphia.
  •  Global Action on Gun Violence (GAGV): U.S.-based nonprofit organization working with and for the international community to  prevent gun violence (actiononguns.org)
HIGHLIGHTS ON THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE USA (Barbara)
  • Amnesty International’s Annual Report 2022/23: www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/5670/2023/en/
AIUSA NEWS
DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION IN PA (Kathleen)
  • On October 31, 2023, a PA House committee voted to repeal the death penalty
  • Kathleen presented a strategy for visiting and urging our PA senators and representatives to repeal the death penalty and for thanking those who are already working on abolition. 
  • She will be in contact with Group 342 members in the near future.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, 20 March, 7:30 pm (hybrid)

Minutes for the January 2025 meeting

  AIUSA Group 342 meeting 15 January 2025 (online only) In attendance (via Zoom): Barbara, Frank, Marsha GREETINGS AND CHECK-IN GUN VIOLENCE...