Minutes for March 2021

Wednesday, 17 March 2021 (via Zoom)

In attendance: Jeff, Bob, Tilo, Bill, April, Marsha

Welcome and Introductions

Communications Updates

• Responses received to letters we sent to officials in Senegal and Nigeria
• Also received a reply to a letter we sent to officials in Afghanistan: they have recently established the "Joint Committee on Human Rights." For more details, see https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/12/afghanistan-new-commission-a-major-step-toward-protection-of-human-rights-defenders/.
• Marksen, who came to last meeting, has been connected (thanks to Dave Rendell) with AIUSA's area specialist for Algeria, who lives in New Jersey. They are meeting this weekend (March 19-20). 

Film Recommendations

• Taxi, a 2015 film by Jafar Panahi.
• From the IMDB listing: "Jafar Panahi is banned from making movies by the Iranian government, he poses as a taxi driver and makes a movie about social challenges in Iran."
• Currently streaming (for a fee) at https://www.filmatique.com/ and on YouTube.
• Nasrin, a 2020 documentary film about Nasrin Sotoudeh.
• From the IMDB listing: "An immersive portrait of one of the world's most courageous human rights activists and political prisoners, Nasrin Sotoudeh, and of Iran's remarkably resilient women's rights movement."
• Currently streaking (for a fee) at https://www.nasrinfilm.com/. 

Activism Updates

• 2021 AGM update from Bob (who attended with Barbara)
• "Dangers of the Death Penalty": Featured story of a Black woman who was accused of murdering an infant who'd died of natural causes and is now a member of Witness to Innocence (exonerated death row prisoners)
• Reminder from Bill: 2021 Nowruz is NOW (Amnesty's 2021 Nowruz actions are at https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Nowruz-action-2021.pdf.)

Actions

• "Prisoner of Conscience's Health at Risk" (Iran: UA 12/21)
• "Drop Charges Against Journalist" (USA: UA 14/21)
• "Aleksei Navalny's Health and Life in Danger" (Russian Federation: UA 6/21)
• "Trial Delay for Detailed Australian-Chinese Writer" (China: UA 98.20)
• "Ailing Professor Arrested after Cancelation of Bail" (Pakistan: UA 148/19)
• "End For-Profit Detention Facilities": online letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas

Next meeting (online): Wednesday, 21 April 2021, 7:30 p.m.