Minutes from the June 2012 meeting

Amnesty International Group 342 
Meeting Minutes for 20 June 2012

In attendance: Jeff Singleton, Gina Buckman, Bill Schomp, Marsha Brofka-Berends, Tilo Stahl, Michele Bolay, April Zappaterrini. Bob Rondini

I. Review of minutes from last meeting

Minutes from the May 2012 meeting were reviewed. These were accepted with some minor changes. Marsha Brofka-Berends had been kind enough to complete them

Struan had a write up of his research in USA today. For more information go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-04-09/childhood-obesity-genes-variants/54082720/1.

II. Reports

Treasurer’s report

We have a total of $569.03 in our account, and another $174 in cash.

Group 342 coordinator's report

The contact person at the STEM Academy has resigned. Discussed outreach to the OJR High School group and or the Humanitarian Club at Oxford High School.

Area coordinator's report

AIUSA will be adopting a new strategic plan. This will be posted on the website. April will send the information to our Google group. [The info can be found at http://members.amnestyusa.org/site/c.grKOI0PBIoE/b.4148053/k.9BE8/Strategic_Plan.htm.]

As of January 2012, AIUSA has a new national director, Suzanne Nassel.

The area is also planning another regional event in October in Philadelphia. This will be a panel discussion on immigration.

 III. Actions

• To General Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbango of Equatorial New Guinea, regarding Amadou Tambouia, who was arrested for murder in December 2011. He has received the death penalty, and we are asking that this be commuted to a life sentence.  

• To Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei of Iran. We ask that he end the persecution of the Bhai Institute of Higher Education.

• To Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei of Iran. We ask for the release of two attorneys being held as prisoners of conscience: Reza Shahabie, who represented the Syndicated Workers of Iran and is being held for six years for propaganda; and Abdolfattah Mohammad Ali Daddkhah, who has represented the Bhai Inatitute of Higher Educaiton and is also being held in prison.

• To Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of the United States. We ask that she work with the UN Security Council to place an arms embargo on Syria and have the situation tried on Independent Criminal Court.  We also saw an Amnesty International research video about some of the violence there. [Note: The video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-yZUsI3a1c.]

IV. Updates

Case file updates: none

NRCAT Update: June is Torture Awareness Month.

Death penalty update: none

V. Presentations: none

VI. New business: none

VII. Other items: none

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 7:30 p.m., at Wegman’s in Malvern.