Amnesty Write-A-Thon For Prisoners Set for Dec . 9

Amnesty International Pittsburgh (Group 39) will hold an annual Write-A-Thon for prisoners of conscience Wednesday, December 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Calvary Episcopal Church, Shady & Alder Streets.

People are invited to write letters for 10-12 prisoners. The prisoners, from around the world, have been tortured and imprisoned for their non-violent protests and beliefs. A candle will be lit for each prisoner by heads of local civil rights organizations in a traditional ceremony at 8 p.m.

Ayres Freitas, coordinator of Pittsburgh Group 39, emphasized the message for the 2015 Write-A-Thon. “Nobody should be in prison, tortured or killed for who they are or what they think. We urge everyone concerned with human rights to join us at this letter-writing marathon which has been effective in saving lives and helping the plight of prisoners being tortured,” she said.

Among the 2015 cases is an American, Albert Woodfox, a Louisiana prisoner held in solitary confinement for four decades in a cell the size of a parking space. Other cases include: the longest-imprisoned journalist (15-20 years) in Uzbekistan, an El Salvador woman sentenced for homicide after suffering a still birth, a homophobic victim beaten in Greece, a “disappeared” person in Syria, and cases in Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Several prisoners were tortured and imprisoned for advocating democracy, speaking out against the government or forced marriages and/or organizing peaceful protests.

Amnesty, a worldwide organization and Nobel Prize winner, is sponsoring Write-A-Thons across the country through its hundreds of Amnesty chapters. It hopes to generate 15,000 letters this year. Last year the local chapters wrote close to 600 letters. Pittsburgh’s North Hills Chapter will be on hand to sell Amnesty T-shirts at the event.

Further information on the Pittsburgh Write-A-Thon can be found at amnestypgh.org

Amnesty International Pittsburgh Group 39

Dorothy Miller – 412-681-8528

11/15/15

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