Guide Note

Amnesty International (AI) is an international, nongovernmental, human rights organization. The primary goal of the group is to research, draw attention to, and take action on the abuses of human rights. The organization, often called Amnesty or AI, was founded in the United Kingdom in 1961. In 1977 the won the Nobel Peace Prize for their "campaign against torture." Today, they continue to inform public opinion and use it to exert pressure on individuals and governments who commit abuses and violations.

Fast Facts

Members: 2.2 Million
Founded: 1961
Founder: Peter Benenson
In 2006: 330 Urgent Actions on behalf of over 5,000 issues
Major Campaigns: Stopping Capital Punishment, Saving Darfur, Close Guantanamo Bay, Stopping violence against women, control arms supply and distribution, defend the freedom of speech
Revenue 2006: $43,161,394
Expenses 2006: $43,578,913

Criticisms

Amnesty International has drawn criticism for alleged selection biases and also ideological biases. Critics asserting a selection bias point out that there are more reports pertaining to abuses in relatively open countries, in particular Israel, as compared to countries like North Korea, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Critics of the alleged ideological bias claim the group either conducts one-sided reporting or fails to recognize threats to national security as a factor in human rights issues. Countries that frequently claim an ideological bias include the United States, Russia, China, and the DR Congo.

Categories

News | Groups and Organizations | Political Issues and Controversies | Wars and Genocides | Human Rights

View Note History

Amnesty International

The Mahalo Top 7

Official Site: Amnesty International Worldwide | Amnesty International USA | Action Center
Wikipedia: Amnesty International
Nobelprize.org: Amnesty International - History of Organization
BBC h2g2: Amnesty International
Reuters: Amnesty Attacks Pakistan's Emergency Rule (November 5, 2007)
VOA News: Amnesty International Dismayed by Uzbek Journalist's Murder (October 30, 2007)
Google News Search: Amnesty International

Amnesty International Recent News

Amnesty International USA: Amnesty International News
Guardian.co.uk: Amnesty ad condemns waterboarding (April 22, 2008)
Amnesty International: Pakistan: State of Emergency Paves Way ... (November 5, 2007)
Reuters: Amnesty Criticizes Hamas, Fatah Over Rights Abuses (October 24, 2007)
The New York Times: "Myanmar Arrests 4 Top Dissidents, Human Rights Group Says" (October 14, 2007)
BBC News: Call For Lethal Injection Boycott (October 5, 2007)
The New York Times: Vatican City: Cardinal Wants Catholics To Halt Aid To Rights Group (June 14, 2007)

Amnesty International Background and Articles

Amnesty International: AI's First 40 Years | Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Death Penalty Campaign

Amnesty International: The Death Penalty
Amnesty International USA: Abolish the Death Penalty
Amnesty International Canada: The Death Penalty in Canada: Twenty Years of Abolition
Common Dreams: Amnesty International Deplores Indonesian Court Ruling...(October 30, 2007)
Impact Wire: Amnesty International's New Worldwide Death Penalty Report Finds... (2006)
BBC News: Death Penalty 'At Record Levels' (2005)
The New York Times: Amnesty International Assails U.S. on Executions (1987)

Crisis in Darfur

Eyes On Darfur: Conflict Analysis
Amnesty International USA: Stop The Violence In Darfur
Amnesty International: Crisis in Darfur and Eastern Chad
PRN Newswire: Amnesty International Delivers Global Petition on Darfur... (October 24, 2007)
VOA News: Music Stars Support Amnesty's Global Darfur Campaign (June 13, 2007)
Wikipedia: Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
Washington Post: Amnesty Launches 'Eyes on Darfur' Site (June 7, 2007)

Guantánamo Bay

Amnesty International: Guantánamo Bay
BBC News: Guantanamo Conditions 'Worsening' (April 4, 2007)
Amnesty International USA: Close Guantanamo
CNN.com: Rights Group Leader Says U.S. Has Secret Jails (2005)
MSNBC: Bush: Guantanamo Prison Criticism is 'Absurd' (2005)

Violence Against Women

Stop Violence Against Women: Stop Violence Against Women Campaign
Amnesty International USA: Women's Human Rights
Common Dreams: Amnesty International USA Honors Montenegro Activist Crusading... (2006)
Women's International League for Peace And Freedom: Amnesty International on... (2004)
CBC.ca: Amnesty Looking Into Cases of Missing Aboriginal Women (2004)
Women's eNews: Amnesty Pushing Nations to End Gender Violence (2004)

International Arms Trade

Amnesty International USA: International Trade in Arms and Military Training
AIUK: About The Campaign
Al Jazeera English: Sudan Accused Of Arms Violations (August 24, 2007)
Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India: Chinese Expert Refutes Amnesty ... (2006)
Guardian Unlimited: Britain Welcomes UN Arms Control Vote (2006)
Common Dreams: Small Arms Control Remains "Toothless" (2005)

Human Rights

Amnesty International USA Domestic Human Rights
Amnesty International: Stop Torture
Human Rights Council: UN Human Rights Council
Independent Online Edition: Amnesty International on Terror Laws: Dangerous... (2005)
Third World Traveler: Amnesty International US Human Rights Policy" A Mandate for Leadership (1988)
Nobelprize.org: Amnesty International Nobel Lecture (1977)

Amnesty International Videos and Media

YouTube: Amnesty International Commercial (Time: 2:18)
YouTube: Amnesty International for UN Declaration of Human Rights (Italian) (Time: 0:35)
YouTube: Amnesty International "Armies of the World" (Time: 1:32)
YouTube: Amnesty International Darfur Ad (Time: 0:56)
YouTube: Amnesty International PSA by Ed Zwick Director Blood Diamond (Time: 0:37)
YouTube: Amnesty International Report 2007 Overview Video (Time: 5:01)
The Daily Show: Habitat for Inhumanity (Time 5:20)

Amnesty International Blogs and Message Boards

AIUK Blog: Amnesty International Posts
Topix: Amnesty International Forum
10,000 Voices Blog: Amnesty International

Amnesty International Timeline

1961: Amnesty founded by Peter Benenson and Eric Baker in the United Kingdom
1962: Name is changed to Amnesty International
1962: Groups formed in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Greece, Australia, Ireland and the USA
1962: Sent observer to the trial of Nelson Mandela
1963: AI Headquarters: (International Secretariat) established in London
1966: Eric Baker takes over running Amnesty International
1967: Amnesty represents more than 2,000 prisoners in 63 countries
1971: AI 10th Anniversary
1972: First worldwide campaign to end torture
1977: Wins Nobel Peace Prize
1986: Launched the Conspiracy of Hope Tour benefit concert tour
1992: Has over 1 million members, and 6,000 active groups in 70 different countries
2001: 40th Anniversary of Amnesty International
2003: Monitors human rights in Iraq
2004: Begins Stop Violence Against Women Campaign
2008: Begins Unsubscribe Me Campaign

Amnesty International Criticism

First Things: The Journal Of Religion, Culture, And Public Life: Amnesty International’s... (May 2, 2007)
The Economist: "An excess of conscience" (2006)
FOXNews.com: Religious Groups Outraged by Amnesty International Abortion Proposal (2006)
Common Dreams: Bush, Cheney Attack Amnesty International (2005)
National Review Online: Amnesty Irrational (2005)
Winds of Change.net: Amnesty's Moral Bankruptcy (2003)

Amnesty International Satire and Humor

Mike's Zine: Amnesty International Report: Prisoners De-shoed During Interrogation
Bongo News: Amnesty International Says Photos of Bush Are Humiliating to Them
YouTube: Amnesty International, We are here to stay. (Time: 0:51)

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