Success Stories!

US-Iranian Journalist Released (UA 77/09)

Amnesty International has welcomed the news that the US-Iranian journalist, Roxana Saberi, is to be released from jail in Iran later today (Monday). "We are delighted that justice has been served by the appeal process and that Roxana Saberi is due to be released from prison in Tehran today," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa region. "She should, however, never have been imprisoned in the first place." Roxana Saberi was convicted of "collaborating with a hostile state" by Tehran's Revolutionary Court, behind closed doors, in April and originally sentenced to eight years in prison. Yesterday, a court heard an appeal against her conviction and commuted the sentence to a suspended two-year term on the charge of "collecting classified information", with a five-year ban on working as a journalist in Iran. "Although Ms Saberi's release is welcome, it should be unconditional," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui. "We are concerned that she may face travel restrictions, like those imposed this weekend on Narges Mohammadi, an aide to Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi, and Soraya Azizpanah, the editor of Rasan magazine, who were banned from attending a conference in Guatemala."We are also calling on the Iranian authorities to release all other prisoners of conscience in Iran, including the Alaie brothers - both doctors - who are imprisoned on similar charges and whom we believe are held solely in relation to their work with international and specifically US institutions in the field of HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment."
2009-05-11

Stimulus funding for Native Women

The economic stimulus package the U.S. Congress recently approved includes hundreds of millions of dollars to fund the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Services. This victory is due in part because of AIUSA and the 2007 AIUSA report, Maze of Injustice: The Failure to Protect Indigenous Women from Sexual Violence in the USA.
2009-02-20

Mother and Children Enter Witness Protection Program in Brazil

After receiving a series of threats, Katia Camargo and her two children entered a witness protection program on 5 January. They are no longer believed to be in grave danger. Katia Camargo had been threatened by people linked to the killers of her husband, investigative journalist Luiz Carlos Barbon. The journalist, who had reported on official corruption, was murdered in May 2007. Their protection was ordered by Sao Paulo's Human Rights Prosecutor. It is unusual for the Prosecutor to act so rapidly on such a case. It is notable that the prosecutor's office acted with impressive speed in this case due in part to Amnesty International's intervention.
2009-01-21

Iranian Political Prisoner Released on Bail

Jamila Nabgan is now free on bail, and is no longer being detained for 14 hours a day by the Ministry of Intelligence. She had been arrested at her family home in Shush, Khuzestan province, on 19 October by Ministry of Intelligence officers. She was released on bail five days later, on condition she reported every morning to the Ministry of Intelligence detention facility in Ahvas, Khuzestan province, where she would be detained from 8 am until 10pm. Her brother, Habib Nabgan, is a prominent member of the outlawed political party Lejnat al-Wefaq (Reconcilitation Committee), which promotes the rights of the Arab minority in Iran. His wife, Ma'soumeh Ka'bi, fled to Syria in May 2008, and the authorities believe she had help from Jamila Nabgan. Jamila Nabgan had been arrested in May 2008 and held for two days of questioning about her sister-in-law's flight to Syria, at the Ministry of Intelligence detention facility in Ahwaz.
2009-01-15

Mao Hengfeng

Mao Hengfeng was released on November 29, 2008 after two-and-a-half years detention. She is in very poor health as a result of frequent torture; she now suffers from hearing loss, high blood pressure and chronic stomach pains, among other ailments. Mao was ill-treated right up to the day of her release and has suffered mentally as well as physically. She has considered suicide, but was encouraged by messages of international support, including those from Amnesty International members. Mao is currently resting and receiving medical treatment. She is still considered to be at high risk of detention. We will continue to monitor her situation.
Read more »
2008-12-08

Congratulations to Ginetta Sagan award winner, Betty Makoni!

On Saturday, April 26, Amnesty International USA honored Betty Makoni, 37, a former high school teacher in Zimbabwe. She is the founder of Girl Child Network, a group that protects thousands of girls from abuse and empowers them to stay in school despite overwhelming violence in their communities.

» Listen to Betty Makoni speak during NPR interview
» Read more about Ginetta Sagan award winner, Betty Makoni

2008-07-14

Girl from Al-Qatif pardoned

In 2006, a young woman known only as "The Girl from al-Qatif" and her male companion were kidnapped at knifepoint by a gang of seven men shortly after they met. The male companion was attacked and then released. The woman, however, was raped by each member of the gang.

We are happy to report that the sentences of flogging and imprisonment imposed on a woman rape victim, known only as the "Girl from al-Qatif", and her male companion, are reported to have been dropped under a pardon granted by Saudi Arabia's Head of State, King Abdullah. »Read More

2008-01-16

Iranian Political Prisoner Released on Bail

Jamila Nabgan is now free on bail, and is no longer being detained for 14 hours a day by the Ministry of Intelligence. She had been arrested at her family home in Shush, Khuzestan province, on 19 October by Ministry of Intelligence officers. She was released on bail five days later, on condition she reported every morning to the Ministry of Intelligence detention facility in Ahvaz, Khuzestan province, where she would be detained from 8am until 10pm. Her brother, Habib Nabgan, is a prominent member of the outlawed political party Lejnat al-Wefaq (Reconciliation Committee), which promotes the rights of the Arab minority in Iran. His wife, Ma'soumeh Ka'bi, fled to Syria in May 2008, and the authroities believe she had help from Jamila Nabgan. Jamila Nabgan had been arrested in May 2008 and held for two days of questioning about her sister-in-law's flight to Syria, at the Ministry of Intelligence detention facility in Ahwaz.
2008-01-15

Dr. Haleh Esfandiari allowed to leave Iran!

Haleh Esfandiari is the Head of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington D.C., and is a well-known advocate of dialogue between the U.S. and Iranian governments. She had travelled to visit her elderly mother. While on her way to the airport to return to the USA, her taxi was stopped by armed, masked men, who took both her passports and her belongings. In May Amnesty International activists began a letter-writing action and in June held a rally calling for her release. Many thanks to all who participated on Haleh's behalf.
2007-09-02

House Committee Approves Resolution Condemning the Killings of Women in Guatemala

On March 27, 2007 the House Committee on Foreign Affairs unanimously approved House Resolution 100 (H. Res. 100), condemning the over 2,500 killings of women in Guatemala sponsored by Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA). The resolution passed with 84 cosponsors. Consideration of the resolution by the full House is expected in the coming months. Thanks to all who took action to make this possible! We will keep you updated on the progress of this resolution.

Please write to thank your representative for cosponsoring this resolution. » Find which representatives cosponsored this resolution.
2007-03-27

Vermont Passes Law to Protect Women in Prison from Custodial Sexual Misconduct

Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) applauded lawmakers in Vermont for passing legislation that protects women in prison from custodial sexual misconduct (CSM) -- the sexual abuse of inmates at the hands of corrections staff. Vermont was the last of the 50 states to pass a law directly addressing such abuse, though many of those states' laws are severely inadequate. Read more. »
2006-05-31

U.S. Legislation Condemns Murders of Women in Chihuahua, Mexico

Amnesty International USA welcomes the congressional passage of legislation calling on the United States and Mexico to work together to find an end to the violence against women in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, where more than 400 women and girls have been murdered since 1993. Read more. »
2006-05-05