Livewire - Amnesty International blogging for human rights

Former Guantánamo detainee Sami El-Haj attended the event

Friends…

The regional Office Lebanon and the Anis K. Makdisi Program in Literature- American University of Beirut (AUB) organized an event around the book Poems from Guantanamo on March 17 at 17:00- 19:00 in AUB.

Panel speakers included:  Sari Hanafi, Sociology Professor- AUB; Sami El-Haj, Al Jazeera/ former Guantánamo detainee; Ahmed Karaoud, Amnesty International - Beirut Office Director and Jordanian writer Ahmad Jaradat.

The event was attended by teachers, AUB students and some AI members in Lebanon. It was broadcasted on Al-Jazeera Mubashar on 20 Mar 09.

Mazen Jaber
Amnesty International
Beirut, Lebanon

View pictures from this and other Amnesty International events worldwide

Amnesty International Mongolia’s youth group members organized the Close Guantánamo action in February with section members urging them to sign the petition for President Barack Obama during the all members’ meeting.

In March, Youth’s group members have organized actions that introduced the Counter terror with Justice Campaign objectives and activities to the Police Academy club members.

Amar Ga
Amnesty International Mongolia

View pictures from this and other section events.

Italy marked the Guantánamo anniversary on Jan 17 in Rome, with 254 activists dressed in orange jumpsuits representing 254 prisoners still in Guantánamo, with a corresponding prisoner name and number.

The activists marched in single file around central Rome and during the demonstration, Gianni Alemanno, Mayor of Rome, signed our petition and send out a public statement supporting Amnesty International initiatives.

For pictures from Amnesty International Italy and other section events

Fabio Ciconte
Direttore dell’Ufficio Attivismo

Amnesty International Sezione Italiana

Activists in Hungary proceeded to the American Embassy in orange jump suits to mark the Guantanamo anniversary on Jan 11, 2009. In front of the embassy, Kornel Simon recited a poem from Jumah al-Dossari as published in Poems from Guanánamo in Hungary.

Sebály Bernadett
Amnesty International Hungary

View pictures from AI Hungary and other AI section events

In Japan, activists collected pictures of hooded participants with message placards including ‘Close Guantanamo’ and ‘Justice for detainees’.

The ‘Good bye, Guantánamo’ action targeted Amnesty International local groups, other civil organizations and academics to screen the film Taxi to the Dark Side across Japan.

More pictures from Amnesty International Japan and other section events