Greeting Cards Campaign 2009
Posted: November 7, 2009
Once a year, between November 1 and January 31, Amnesty International asks supporters to send cards with messages of hope and solidarity to victims of human rights violations and those who defend them.
People featured in the campaign include: prisoners of conscience, people under sentence of death, human rights defenders under threat because of their work, and others at risk.
These cards offer hope and encouragement and can act as an effective way to bring about change. The impression your cards make on police, prison staff or political authorities can help keep the people you write to safe.
Please send messages of goodwill, taking note of the recommendations for each individual case. The cases are available in pdf format. You can download case sheets for all the cases in one large pdf file (4 MB), or you can dowload individual case sheets.
The Greeting Cards Cases are the result of months of work by a team at Amnesty UK. Many thanks to the team for sharing the cases with Amnesty members around the world.
Canadian residents who would like to receive the Campaign case sheets in the mail should phone 1-800-266-3789, or email materials@amnesty.ca. Please do not call the number provided on the case sheets because it is a UK phone number.
DOWNLOAD ALL THE CASES (excluding the cases for young people)
Pdf file (4 MB)
DOWNLOAD CAMPAIGN GUIDELINES
The guidelines provide further information about the campaign, as well as answers to frequently asked questions.
DOWNLOAD THE CASES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Pdf file (3 MB)
Individual cases:
DJAMELEDDINE FAHASSI - Algeria
In May 1995 journalist Djameleddine Fahassi was on the way to buy food for his family when he was arrested by men in plain clothes. He has not been seen since. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
EYNULLA FATULLAYEV - Azerbaijan
In 2007, following years of harassment by the authorities, 33-year-old newspaper editor Eynulla Fatullayev was tried twice and sentenced to eight and a half years imprisonment on politically motivated charges. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
ARTSYOM DUBSKI - Belarus
22-year-old Artsyom Dubski was sentenced in July 2009 to a year in prison, after peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression and assembly at a peaceful protest in Minsk in 2008. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
'88 GENERATION STUDENTS - Myanmar (Burma)
Htay Kywe, Zaw Htet Ko Ko and Mie Mie - all part of the '88 Generation Students group - are currently serving long terms in prison for taking part in the demonstrations of 2007. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
CHEN GUANGCHENG - China
Legal adviser Chen Guangcheng, has been imprisoned for over four years for drawing attention to an illegal campaign of forced abortion and sterilisation affecting thousands of women in Shandong province, China. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
THE PEACE COMMUNITY OF SAN JOSE DE APARTADÓ - Colombia
In 1997 people living in villages in the municipality of Apartadó pledged not to be drawn into the 40-year-old conflict that has pitted the security forces and paramilitaries against guerrilla groups. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
PABLO PACHECO AVILA - Cuba
Journalist Pablo Pacheco Avila was arrested in 2003 and sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment during a severe crackdown on the dissident movement in Cuba. This case is an online action: Please write your message of solidarity on a form on Amnesty UK's website. Amnesty UK will pass your message on. You can also view details about the case on Amnesty UK's website.
JUSTINE MASIKA BIHAMBA - Democratic Republic of Congo
Justine Masika Bihamba and her family have been attacked because of her work for a women's rights organisation. In September 2007, soldiers forced their way into their home and assaulted her children. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
SONIA PIERRE - Dominican Republic
Human rights defender Sonia Pierre has been threatened and harassed as a result of her work to stop anti-Haitian prejudice and racism that migrant workers and Dominicans of Haitian descent face everyday. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
MOHAMED EL SHARKAWI - Egypt
Mohamed El Sharkawi was deported from Pakistan to Egypt in May 1995 following an extradition request. He was detained on arrival and has been in administrative detention ever since. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
BIRTUKAN MIDEKSA - Ethiopia
Birtukan Mideksa was imprisoned in December 2008 and is serving a life sentence. She was arrested solely for peacefully exercising her rights. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
KONSTANTINA KUNEVA - Greece
In 2008, trade union leader Konstantina Kuneva was attacked with sulphuric acid and lost the sight in one eye. The investigation has been inadequate and the case may close before the perpetrators are found. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
CLAUDINA VELÁSQUEZ - Guatemala
19-year-old law student Claudina Velásquez was shot dead in 2005. Deficiencies in the murder investigation mean her killers are yet to be brought to justice. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
JOHAN TETERISSA - Indonesia
Johan Teterissa, a primary school teacher, is serving a 15-year sentence for leading a peaceful protest. He was arrested with 21 activists in 2007 during a government-organised event attended by the President. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
RONAK SAFARZADEH - Iran
In April Ronak Safarzadeh was imprisoned for belonging to the Free Life Party of Kurdistan, an armed opposition group. However her involvement was reportedly limited to researching women's participation in the party. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
HAMDI MOHAMMED SHAHADEH AL-TA'MARI - Israel/OPT
The Israeli military held Palestinian student Hamdi al-Ta'mari without charge from July to November 2008 - and have done so again since December 2008. At the time of his first arrest, Hamdi was only 15. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
THE DEEP SEA SETTLEMENT - Kenya
Inhabitants of the Deep Sea settlement live under constant threat of forced eviction. The Nairobi 'slum' is home to around 7,000 people but private companies are trying to take the land for development. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
THAO MOUA AND PA FUE KHANG - Laos
Thao Moua and Pa Fue Khang are serving prison sentences of 12 and 15 years for working as guides for two European journalists researching a story about ethnic Hmong rebels hiding in the Laos jungle. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
RAÚL HERNÁNDEZ - Mexico
Indigenous rights activist Raúl Hernández has been in prison since 2008 when he was charged with murder, a crime he did not commit. We consider him to be a prisoner of conscience. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
11 MARRAKESH STUDENTS - Morocco
In July 2009, 11 students from Cadi Ayyad Marrakesh University were sentenced to hefty fines and imprisonment after violent confrontations between police and students at a demonstration in 2008. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
RITA MAHATO - Nepal
Rita Mahato has received threats of death, rape and kidnap as a result of her work assisting women who have suffered from acts of violence. The police have taken no action and as a result she fears for her life. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
NINE WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS - Nicaragua
These nine women are all facing legal proceedings for their involvement in the case of a nine-year-old girl who was raped and made pregnant in 2003 and obtained a legal abortion in Nicaragua. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
PATRICK OKOROAFOR - Nigeria
In 1995 when he was 14 years old, Patrick Okoroafor was convicted of robbery following an unfair trial and sentenced to death. In 2009 his sentence was reduced to 10 years imprisonment. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
MASOOD JANJUA AND FAISAL FARAZ - Pakistan
In July 2005 Masood Janjua left home to catch a bus with his friend, Faisal Faraz, to Peshawar. It was the last time they were seen. They have been taken into secret detention by Pakistan's security forces. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
THE YAKYE AXA AND SAWHOYAMAXA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
The Yakye Axa and Sawhoyamaxa indigenous peoples in Paraguay are living in temporary homes beside a busy highway because the land they have inhabited for generations is now in the hands of private owners. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
IBRAGIM GAZDIEV - Russian Federation
In 2007 Ibragim Gazdiev was reportedly abducted by armed men in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia. He has not been seen since and his family believe that he is, or was, held incommunicado. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
FRANÇOIS-XAVIER BYUMA - Rwanda
François-Xavier Byuma was sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2007 after a grossly unfair trial. After international campaigning his case was reviewed in March but his sentence was only reduced by two years. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
PETRIJA PILJEVIC - Serbia/Kosovo
In 1999, Petrija Piljevic, a 57-year-old Serb woman, was abducted from her flat in Pristina by men wearing Kosovo Liberation Army uniforms. She was not seen alive again and her son still waits for justice. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
SEVEN PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE - Syria
Seven men, aged between 24 and 32, have been jailed after an unfair trial. Their 'crimes' were to develop a youth discussion group and publish pro-democracy articles on the Internet. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
FERHAT GERÇEK - Turkey
In 2007 Ferhat Gerçek was left permanently paralysed after being shot by police following a dispute over the sale of a legal left-wing magazine. Flaws in the investigation mean those responsible may evade justice. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
GARY TYLER - USA
In 1975, after an unfair trial marred by racial prejudice, 17-year-old Gary Tyler was convicted of murder. Despite serious doubts about the evidence that convicted him, Gary Tyler has been in prison ever since. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.
WOMEN OF ZIMBABWE ARISE - Zimbabwe
Since February 2003, members of women's rights organisation Women of Zimbabwe Arise have been repeatedly arrested while taking part in peaceful demonstrations against the worsening situation in Zimbabwe. Download a pdf case sheet (0.3 MB), or view the case on Amnesty UK's website.