From: tofutti@barkley.Berkeley.EDU (Caryn R Graves)
Subject: FREEDOM WRITERS APPEALS - SEPT. 1992
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 19:53:28 GMT



***"Freedom Writers Network Appeal Cases - Sept. 1992"***
 
Each month, Amnesty International's Freedom Writers Network
focuses on three different cases of victims of human rights
abuse.  Some may be prisoners of conscience -- people
imprisoned solely for their beliefs, color, sex, ethnic
origins, language, or religion, who have not used or
advocated violence.  Others may have been denied a fair and
prompt trial, while others may have been tortured or
"disappeared," or may be facing execution.  All are of great
concern to Amnesty International.  Personal letters from
caring people can bring about a prisoner's release, secure
vital information, launch an investigation, or even save a
life.  Your letters can make a tremendous difference in the
fate of these individuals.
	Below are copies of the three sample letters published
in this months' Freedom Writers bulletin.  Please direct
your correspondence to the address at the top of each letter
and send a copy to the embassy address at the bottom (where
applicable).  You may copy the sample letters directly onto
your stationery or compose your own letters, using the
samples as guides.  For the greatest impact, letters should
be polite in tone and mailed within the month.  U.S. airmail
postage is 50 cents for a one-page letter.
	NOTE:  While you are free to depart from the text given
in the sample letters when writing your own personal
appeals, no one may in any way alter the on-line material as
presented originally by Amnesty International.
	Amnesty International is a worldwide movement working
impartially for the release of prisoners of conscience, fair
and prompt trials for all political prisoners, and an end to
torture, "disappearances," and executions.  It is funded by
donations from its 1.1 million members and supporters
throughout the world.  If you are interested in joining
Amnesty International USA, please write to:  Amnesty
International, 322 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10001.
 
 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
 
 
Monsieur Pierre Joxe
Ministre de la Defense nationale
Ministere de la Defense nationale
14 rue Saint Dominique
75008  Paris
FRANCE
 
 
Monsieur le Ministre,
	A serious matter has recently come to my attention.  I
would like to express my concern over the imprisonment of
Jean-Francois Lefort, a 21-year-old from Arbonne in the
Basque region of southwest France, who was arrested near the
village of Larressore on May 4, 1992, following his refusal
to report for compulsory military service.  He was then
apparently escorted to a military barracks in Poitiers where
he refused to put on a military uniform or to perform in any
military service.  The next day, he was transferred to a
civilian prison, and was subsequently sentenced to 13
months' imprisonment for insubordination.  Jean-Francois
Lefort reportedly bases his total objection to both military
and alternative civilian services on his beliefs that the
French political authorities and army are forces of
occupation in the Basque region.  
	The human rights organization Amnesty International
believes that individuals who claim conscientious objection
should be permitted an alternative to armed service that is
not imposed as punishment for their objection.  I understand
that under French law, the length of service for those
choosing alternative civilian service remains twice that of
ordinary military service.  This contravenes several
international standards which hold that the length of
alternative civilian service shall not be of a punitive
nature.  I therefore urge the immediate and unconditional
release of Jean-Francois Lefort.
 
						Sincerely,
 
 
 
copy to:
His Excellency Jacques Andreani
Embassy of France
4101 Reservoir Road, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20007
 
 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
 
 
H.E. The Life President 
  Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda
Life President of the Republic of Malawi
Office of the President and Cabinet
Private Bag 388
Lilongwe 3
MALAWI
 
Your Excellency,
	I was concerned to hear of the arrest of Chakufwa
Chihana, a political activist and secretary general of the
Southern Africa Trade Union Coordination Council.  He
originally was arrested on April 6, 1992, and detained
without charge for over three months.  In July, he was
released in compliance with a High Court ruling granting him
bail, and charged before a magistrates' court in Zomba on
three counts of possessing or importing seditious
publications, including a copy of a letter from several
Roman Catholic bishops criticizing the government's human
rights record and one-party political system.  While
fulfilling his bail condition of reporting to the police
weekly, he was re-arrested.  I understand that he currently
is being detained at Mikuyu Prison.  
	The independent human rights organization Amnesty
International considers Chakufwa Chihana to be a prisoner
of conscience, detained solely for his non-violent political
beliefs and activities.  I concur with their assessment, and
urge that you look into this matter and see that he is
immediately and unconditionally released.
 
					Most respectfully,
 
 
 
 
copy to:
His Excellency Robert B. Mbaya
Embassy of Malawi
2408 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20008
 
 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
 
 
Sr. Carlos Andres Perez
Presidente de la Republica
Palacio Miraflores
Caracas
VENEZUELA
 
Dear President Perez,
	I am writing to you to express my concern about an
incident which took place in Valencia on February 4, 1992. 
According to reports received by Amnesty International,
state police intercepted a bus carrying civilians and
members of the military.  Witnesses reported that after the
military surrendered and threw down their weapons, the
police boarded the bus and reportedly shot Columba Guadalupe
Rivas, a student, in the head as she lay on the floor of the
bus.  Her friend, Ivonne Sequera, was taken off the bus,
beaten, and taken to the police station of Navas Espinola. 
She was released on February 6 without having been charged
with any crime.
	I am especially concerned that the investigation of
this incident, like other similar ones in the past, has been
transferred from a civilian court in Valencia to military
jurisdiction.  Amnesty International has repeatedly
expressed its concern about the military court's failure to
properly investigate complaints of human rights violations;
little or no progress has been made in the investigations of
arbitrary killings carried out by the military during the
period of suspended constitutional guarantees in 1989.
	Although I appreciate the difficulties faced by the
security forces in connection with the killings that
morning, I urge a prompt, full, and impartial investigation
into the death of Columba Guadalupe Rivas and the detention
of Ivonne Sequera be carried out.  I also ask that you
ensure that the security forces in Venezuela abide by the
United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement
Officials.
 
					Sincerely yours,
 
 
 
 
copy to:
His Excellency Simon Alberto Consalvi
Embassy of the Republic of Venezuela
1099 30th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20007


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