Amnesty International Day

28 May
Amnesty International is probably the most well-known human rights group in the world.It was founded in London in 1961, following the publication of the article "The Forgotten Prisoners" in The Observer 28 May 1961, by the lawyer Peter Benenson. Citing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights articles 18 and 19, it announced a campaign on "Appeal for Amnesty, 1961" and called for "common action". Amnesty International is a non-governmental organisation focused on human rights with over 3 million members and supporters around the world.
Amnesty International works on a number of human rights causes including ending the death penalty, ensuring free trials and for the release of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. These are people imprisoned for non-legal reasons, such as their religion or ethnicity. At Christmas, Amnesty International organises a greetings card campaign, where supporters send Christmas cards to political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, to remind them that they are not forgotten.

Amnesty International Day is a chance to do your bit by attending a local meeting, making a donation, signing a petition or writing a letter of hope to a prisoner of conscience.