Individuals at Risk Newsletter

On May 3-4, 2006, police arbitrarily detained more than 45 women in response to protests by activists from a local peasant organization in San Salvador Atenco, Mexico. En route to "Santiaguito" prison, dozens of the women were physically, psychologically, and sexually abused by the arresting officers in police vehicles.

This May marks the third anniversary of the events at Atenco, yet the women continue to wait for adequate justice, and those responsible continue to enjoy impunity. The women have chosen the mariposa (butterfly) to represent their case and to symbolize their need for transformative justice and their own personal renewed strength for having endured and survived such torture. For the next two months, until the anniversary of the events at Atenco on May 3-4, Amnesty International activists are making paper butterflies to send to the Mexican authorities to demand justice in this case. Please join us and make as many butterflies as you can?get your friends and family involved and demand justice for the women of Atenco!

For a butterfly pattern with instructions and more information on this case go to: www.amnestyusa.org/atenco

Nowruz ("new day" in Persian) is the traditional Iranian new year holiday that marks the start of spring. On this Nowruz, which begins on March 20, we remember three courageous prisoners of conscience in Iran by sending them messages of solidarity.

Mansour Ossanlu is currently serving a five-year prison sentence on charges stemming from his peaceful work to obtain better conditions and rights for workers in Iran.

Ronak Safarzadeh, an Iranian Kurdish graphic artist and women's rights activist, has been detained in Iran since October 2007. She was arrested because of her work with the Campaign for Equality, which is seeking an end to legalized discrimination against women in Iran.

Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand, an Iranian Kurdish journalist and founder and Chair of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan, has been detained since July 2007. Amnesty International is concerned that he is being held solely for the peaceful expression of his ideas.

For more information on these individuals and where to send solidarity cards, please visit: www.amnestyusa.org/nowruz