Amnesty International USA

[A] WHEREAS urgent actions have long been an invaluable tool for intervening in situations where individuals are at immediate risk of human rights violations;

[B] WHEREAS under present arrangements urgent actions are in some cases delayed because the International Secretariat operates only during business hours in London;

[C] WHEREAS the Worldwide Accelerated Response Network (WARN) has achieved success in initiating urgent actions after (London business) hours, but is limited in its capacity and in the breadth of action it is able to initiate;

[D] WHEREAS Amnesty International has presence in many time zones, in places with different workweeks and different holiday calendars; and

[E] WHEREAS today’s cheap and rapid and mobile international communications make it possible to integrate spatially dispersed people and information;

[F] THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Amnesty International USA shall encourage, support, and facilitate the development of a worldwide around the clock emergency response capability.

[G] BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such development would be a joint effort involving the International Secretariat and Amnesty International sections and structures around the world.

[H] BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such development might build on features of the WARN, but would extend well beyond the WARN’s limitations.