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Letter Writing Guide for Amnesty International USA and the Urgent Action Network

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Letter Writing Guide for Amnesty International USA and the Urgent Action Network Letter Writing Guide for Amnesty International USA and the Urgent Action Network Quick & To the Point: Write and Send it Now. Don’t Put it Off. Make it Short. Be Polite. Thanks. Table of Contents Why write letters? 2 Sending your Appeals 8-9 Amnesty International’s Mission 2 Email Tips for Effective Letter Writing 3 Fax Using shortcuts Troubleshooting for emails and fax Salutations Telephoning officials Closings Air Mail Online resources Telegram/Cable Writing Appeals Based on an Urgent Action 4-5 Beyond Letters 10 A Sample Letter 6 Variations of an appeal Suggestions for Writer’s Block 7 Other ways to get involved with AI Starting Children Can Be Rights Activists, too 11 Ending Appeals for when time is of the essence 11 Sample texts UN Documents (excerpts) 12 Revised July 2006 Why write letters? Amnesty International’s Why write letters? Letters bear witness: It’s simple. Mission “Although the official It works. investigations still have not turned anything up, the letters and faxes Amnesty International's vision is This guide will provide you of a world in which every person you sent to our offices and to enjoys all of the human rights with the tools to write an government agencies have been enshrined in the Universal effective letter. very important. They have assured Declaration of Human Rights us that we are not alone and they and other international human have shown the government that rights standards. an entire international network is Letters can free a Prisoner aware of anything that might Amnesty International undertakes of Conscience (POC): happen to us, and is ready to research and action focused on “I am writing to inform you that respond.” preventing and ending grave after 6 years, 4 months, 17 days in abuses of the rights to physical prison, I am now free. I walked -- human rights defender Victor Manuel and mental integrity, freedom of out of the prison gate… with my Quintana, Mexico conscience and expression, and shoulders unbent, with my head freedom from discrimination, unbowed. I feel great to be free within the context of its work to again, to walk, once again, in the Letters improve prison promote all human rights. sunshine of freedom.” conditions: -- university lecturer in history and “We could always tell when former POC Maina Wa Kinyatti, international protests were taking place… the food rations increased Kenya and the beatings were fewer. Letters from abroad were The International translated and passed around Urgent Action Network from cell to cell...” Letters can strengthen an Amnesty International's individual: -- a released POC, Vietnam headquarters, the International “… Messages of solidarity that Secretariat (IS), is located in have been sent to me from many London. All Urgent Action Letters demonstrate that appeals are researched and parts of the world, reach my cell. written in the IS office and sent It feels like every time a letter of there is a global to the Urgent Action offices solidarity arrives, the rose in my community concerned for around the world. cell blossoms. This is a very human rights: warm feeling.” “That is the magic of AI, its -- POC Dita Sari, Indonesia ability to gather a community of The Urgent Action peoples all over the world for the Network (UAN) in the common cause of humanity and United States dignity of man and woman—not Letters can stop torture: only to lend hope to prisoners of In the US, the UAN consists of “You are not dead, because too conscience, but also give human approximately 10,000 individuals, many people are concerned about fellowship and warmth.” AI chapters, schools, faith you” -- Member of Parliament and former groups, professional and special interest groups. Individuals can -- a security agent to a political prisoner, POC Lim Guan Eng, Malaysia work on any specific types of Argentina appeals such as those listed on page 10 of this guide. 2 ♦ Amnesty International USA ♦ www.amnestyusa.org ♦ ♦ Urgent Action Network ♦ 600 Pennsylvania Ave, SE, 5th fl, Washington, DC 20003 ♦ tel: 202.544.0200 x407 ♦ fax: 202.675.8566 ♦ e: [email protected] ♦ Tips for Effective Letter Writing Use shortcuts Closings In the beginning… Do whatever is necessary to make Close your letter in a formal style by AI launched its Urgent Action your letter writing as quick and easy using: Network in 1973 during its first as possible. This way, letters will Campaign Against Torture. This • Respectfully, or Yours not be put off and they can be sent speedy technique relied heavily out sooner. Start by making a respectfully, on telexes and telegrams to generic file for each type of communicate urgent concerns concern; paragraphs on torture, the • Sincerely, or Yours sincerely, about torture. To learn more death penalty, disappearances, denial • Yours truly, about the history of urgent of medical care and so on, can be actions, contact the UAN office copied into your working file and to request the “UA Bio.” edited as needed. You may find it useful to refer to the sample Online Resources passages on page 7 to get your letter started and shake "writer's block.” AIUSA’S HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION CENTER Today, AI’s Urgent Action http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/action/ Network is the world’s largest letter writing program. Other Salutations The Human Rights Action Center is organizations, such as Global AIUSA’s central hub for online Response (an environmental There is no international standard actions. At the center, you will find letter writing organization) have for addressing authorities. These pending US legislation and urgent modeled their advocacy formalities vary according to human rights cases in the US and programs after this technique. different governmental structures in around the world, where your action each country. Urgent Actions and can make a difference. Actions in other AI appeals will usually give AI Library Online the Action Center come from all you a suggested form of salutation networks and programs of AIUSA. http://web.amnesty.org/library/ for each official. In general, you may engindex safely use: AIUSA’S URGENT ACTION The AI library contains an • Your Majesty – to Kings, NETWORK ONLINE archive of most reports, news Queens, and other monarchs. http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/ releases, and urgent actions published from 1996 to date. • Your Excellency – to all The Urgent Action Network online Documents are available in heads of state, cabinet level is the central location for current English, French, and Spanish. ministers, prime ministers, Urgent Actions and information ambassadors and governors. about the program in the US. From this page, you can link to the Online Human Rights • Your Honor – for judges and monthly newsletter (which contains Documents procurators. updates on all Urgent Actions), a form for joining the UAN, this For an extensive list of United • Dear Sir/Madam – for local Nations human rights treaties, authorities, prison letter writing guide, Frequently Asked Questions about the UAN, visit the UN office of the High commanders, police chiefs. Commissioner for Human and the history of the UA program. • Dear Admiral, General, We appreciate your ongoing Rights’ website: Captain, etc. – for military suggestions for making this site http://www.unhchr.ch/html/intl officials. more useful. inst.htm For an abbreviated list of UN documents, see page 12 of this guide. ♦ Amnesty International USA ♦ www.amnestyusa.org ♦ 3 ♦ Urgent Action Network ♦ 600 Pennsylvania Ave, SE, 5th fl, Washington, DC 20003 ♦ tel: 202.544.0200 x407 ♦ fax: 202.675.8566 ♦ e: [email protected] ♦ Anatomy of an Urgent Action Below are some guidelines to help you navigate an Urgent Action case sheet as you begin writing a letter to a government official. These recommendations can also be applied to any other Amnesty International action. The most effective appeal you can write on any action is simple, quick, and to the point. Write as soon as you can. Try to If you have write as close as questions, please possible to the date call, write, fax, or a case is issued. email the AIUSA Urgent Action UANetwork Office AIUSA 600 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC 20003 T. 202.544.0200 F. 202.675.8566 E. [email protected] amnestyusa.org/urgent/ office. 25 February 2003 UA 56/03 Fear of torture/Prisoner of Conscience TOGO Marc Palanga (m), leader of the Union des forces du changement (UFC), Union of Forces for Change Marc Palanga, a local leader of the Union des forces du changement (UFC), Union of Forces for Change, is being held at Kara Gendarmerie (Police station) in northern Togo, following his arrest on 22 February. There Be factual in your are concerns for his safety as he has received medical treatment at Camp Landja, military barracks, possibly for appeal . Relay the injuries sustained whilst being tortured. If you receive a details of the case On 9 February, Marc Palanga and five other UFC members were arrested by police officers from Kara. On at least two occasions they were taken to Camp Landja and tortured by Togolese military personnel. No reason reply from a as you know them. was ever given for their arrest and they were released without charge on 17 February. Do not discuss government official Shortly after his release Marc Palanga went to Sokodé, central Togo, where he received treatment for the to one of your ideology or politics. injuries sustained while in detention from 9 to 17 February 2003. He was re-arrested on 22 February on Your message must suspicion of having held a meeting in Sokodé. Amnesty International believes that Marc Palanga has been appeals, please arrested solely on account of his peaceful involvement with the UFC and considers him to be a prisoner of send the reply to be for the benefit of conscience.
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