From: tofutti@kermit.berkeley.edu (Caryn R Graves)
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: FREEDOM WRITERS APPEALS - OCT 1992
Date: 1 Oct 1992 20:22:18 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: kermit.berkeley.edu


***"Freedom Writers Network Appeal Cases - October 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.
 
 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
 
 
Son Excellence
le General d'Armee
Andre Kolingba
President de la Republique et Chef du RPC
Palais de la Renaissance
Bangui
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
 
 
Monsieur le President de la Republique,
	I am writing to you concerning the case of Joseph
Bendounga, the leader of the Democratic Movement for the
Rebirth and Development of the Central African Republic, a
recently legalized political party.  He was sentenced on May
13, 1992, to eight months' imprisonment for insulting the
head of state in an open letter dated April 27, 1992.  In
the open letter, he called for a national conference to
debate the country's political future.  He is believed to be
detained in N'garagba prison in Bangui.
	I understand that Joseph Bendounga was convicted under
Article 133 of the Central African Republic's Penal Code
(outrage au Chef de l'Etat).  However, this article
contradicts Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and
People's Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights.  As you know, the Central
African Republic has acceded to both of these human rights
documents.
	The international human rights organization Amnesty
International believes Joseph Bendounga to be a prisoner of
conscience, imprisoned for the non-violent  expression of
his opinions.  I respectfully request that he be released
immediately and unconditionally.  I further request that no
one in the Central African Republic be  imprisoned in the
future solely for exercising their right to freedom of
expression or  association.
 
						With respect,
 
 
 
 
 
copy to:
His Excellency Jean-Pierre Sohahong-Kombet
Embassy of the Central African Republic
1618 22nd Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20008
 
 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
 
 
Gyaltsen Norbu Zhuxi
Xizang Zizhiqu Renmin Zhengfu
1 Kang'andonglu
Lasashi 850000
Xizang Zizhiqu
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
 
 
Your Excellency,
	There is a matter of great urgency which I wish to
bring to your attention.  In September 1989, Rigzin Choenyi,
a young Buddhist nun from Shungsep nunnery in Lhasa, took
part with five other nuns in a small gathering on the
Barkor, a circular pilgrimage path and market in Lhasa.  She
and the other nuns are said to have shouted slogans in favor
of Tibetan independence from China.  
	Rigzin Choenyi was charged with breaking martial law
regulations, and was sentenced in October 1989 to seven
years' imprisonment.  Three of the other five nuns who took
part in this demonstration appear to be still detained.  The
three -- Choenyi Lhamo, Sonam Choedron and Konchok Drolma --
are reportedly serving terms of administrative detention,
known as "re-education through labor."  I understand that it
is uncertain if they have been tried.
	According to the independent human rights organization
Amnesty International, Rigzin Choenyi and the three other
nuns are prisoners of conscience, detained solely for the
non-violent expression of their political views.  I urge you
to look into this matter and see that these women are 
immediately and unconditionally released.  Thank you for
your attention to this matter.
 
						Sincerely,
 
 
 
 
 
copy to:
His Excellency Zhu Qizhen
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20008
 
 
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His Excellency Robert Mugabe
President of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Office of the President
Private Bag 7700
Causeway
Harare
ZIMBABWE
 
 
Your Excellency,
	I am deeply disturbed to learn of the death of Edwin
Bhundani Nleya, a 36-year-old captain in the Zimbabwean
National Army (ZNA), whose body was found on a hillside in
Hwange in the western province of Matabeleland in March
1989.
	Captain Nleya had been missing since January 1989,
shortly after claiming he had uncovered evidence of
Zimbabwean Army officers poaching ivory and rhino horns and
smuggling goods from Mozambique.
	The independent human rights organization Amnesty
International believes that Captain Nleya may have been
extrajudicially executed, as he reportedly received threats
from his army superiors shortly before his death.  Amnesty
International also has expressed concern at several similar
cases in which individuals have died after allegedly
witnessing the army's involvement in smuggling goods from
Mozambique.
	An inquest carried out in December 1989 found that
Captain Nleya had been murdered.  Although a police
investigation was announced in January 1990, it appears that
no such investigation has since been mounted to determine
the exact circumstances and cause of his death.
	I urge you to set up an independent and impartial
public inquiry into the death of Captain Edwin Bhundani
Nleya in accordance with internationally accepted standards
and to make the findings public so that those found
responsible may be brought to justice.
 
					Most sincerely,
 
 
 
 
copy to:
His Excellency Stanislaus G. Chigwedere
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
1608 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20009
 
 
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CASE UPDATES:
 
- Zhu Jianbin of China (January 1989 FW bulletin) - Released
- Angelos Voyiannis of Greece (Feb. '90 bulletin) - Released
- Ahmed Osman Siraj of Sudan (March '91 bulletin) - Released
- Chakufwa Chihana of Malawi (Sept. '92 bulletin) - Released
 								            on bail
 
 
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
 
 
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:
 
Q:	Should I send you copies of the Freedom Writers letters
that I write?
 
A:	It is not necessary to send us copies of your letters
to government officials.  However, it is important that we
see copies of any replies that you receive to your letters. 
We will forward copies of these letters to the country
coordination group and to the research team at the
International Secretariat in London.  Replies from target
countries may contain important new case information for the
research team in London.  
 
 
Q:	I feel uncomfortable using my return address on my
Freedom Writers letters.  Are letters as effective without a
return address?
	
A:	To our knowledge, no harm has befallen anyone as a
result of their putting their return address on their
Amnesty letters. If you do not include your return address
on your Amnesty letters, the recipient of your letter will
not be able to respond to you.  However, your letters will
still be effective.  The most crucial thing is that the
letters get sent.  Please do not use your name and the
address of an Amnesty office.     
 
 
Q:	Why does Amnesty take on the cases of people who have
broken their own country's laws and have been subsequently
imprisoned?
 
A:	National laws themselves may often violate
international human rights standards.  For example, in many
countries, emergency legislation drastically restricts the
rights of all citizens.  AI examines each situation, using a
single, universal, internationally recognized standard of
human rights.  If a state is violating those rights, AI
comes to the defense of the victims.   	
 
 
Q:	Isn't Amnesty International interfering in internal
affairs of states?
 
A:	Human rights transcend national boundaries.  This
principle has been recognized by the world's main
intergovernmental organizations.  Amnesty works on that
principle, asking governments to conform to the human rights
standards that they themselves have adopted internally and
internationally.