Irrepressible.info

As the reconstruction of my blogsite continues some will have noticed a couple of new buttons recently. The first relates to Amnesty International's "Irrepressible" campaign which has a very interesting narrative:

"Be irrepressible
Chat rooms monitored. Blogs deleted. Websites blocked. Search engines restricted. People imprisoned for simply posting and sharing information.

The Internet is a new frontier in the struggle for human rights. Governments – with the help of some of the biggest IT companies in the world – are cracking down on freedom of expression …".

Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. It is one of the most precious of all rights. We should fight to protect it.

Sign up to this campaign if you haven't done so already.

I've also put a button on my site supporting the Tiananmen Mothers who have been campaigning, in the face of harassment from the Chinese Government's security apparatus, for a full enquiry into the events surrounding the Tiananmen Massacre on 3rd-4th June 1989 and punishment of those who gave the orders for troops to move in and kill protesters. If there were any morality remaining in the Chinese Communist Party then Li Peng and a number of others responsible for this incident would currently be serving prison sentences. Please support the Mothers in their struggle for justice for their loved ones and for the right to publicly grieve their loss.

Help Free Zmitser Dashkevich, Prisoner of Conscience in Belarus

Amnesty International have appealed for help in securing the release of Zmitser Dashkevich, aged 25, a leader of opposition youth movement "Young Front". He is serving an 18 month prison sentence "for organising and participating in an activity of an unregistered non-governmental organisation”.

"Amnesty International considers Zmitser Dashkevich to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression, and is calling for his immediate and unconditional release".

There is further information and how you can help here .

Amnesty is asking that messages of support and cards be sent for Zmitser's 26th Birthday which will take place on the 20th July.

As has been highlighted by Jonathan Fryer, human rights abuses continue in Belarus and opposition politicians are frequently denied the right to dissent.

Free Chen Guangcheng

Regular readers of my old blog Liberal Legend (Mark 1) will recall that I highlighted the case of blind human rights activist Chen Guangcheng who was jailed for leading protests against forced abortion and sterilisation in Shandong Province, China.

Sadly it appears that, much as expected, Chen has suffered beatings in prison at the hands of fellow prisoners according to a BBC report for daring to try to appeal against his conviction on trumped up charges.

Amnesty International has declared Chen Guangcheng a prisoner of conscience. The Chinese authorities should free him as he is yet another example of corrupt local officialdom abusing the human rights of fellow citizens.

It is long overdue for the Chinese Government to realise that for as long as local officials do not have to face competition for their posts through genuinely open and competitive election by their fellow citizens they will abuse their powers. The time for the Fifth Modernisation is long overdue.

64 - The number the Chinese Communist Party wants everyone to forget

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170332007?open&of=ENG-CHN

The above is an excellent assessment of the situation in China related to the tragic events of 4th June (6 4) 1989 and the subsequent repression of information about the Tiananmen Incident which continues to the present day in China.

A significant number of young people in China today do not know what happened on that date. It is up to all of those of us who remember those tragic events to continue to bear testimony and assist the education of China's young people.

Help Free Two Chinese Prisoners of Conscience

Amnesty International is currently supporting two prisoners of conscience, Ye Guozhu and Mao Hengfeng.

More information on how you can help the fight for human rights in China here.