Stop the execution of young Saudi activist

Police arrested Ali in February 2012 amidst the 'Arab Spring' protests that swept the Middle East and North Africa.
Ali was not allowed to see his lawyer and says that officers tortured him into confessing to charges including 'demonstrating against the government', 'attacking security forces', 'possessing a machine gun', and 'armed robbery'.
Ali is the nephew of Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr -- a prominent Shi’a cleric and vocal critic of the government’s treatment of the Shi’a minority -- who was also sentenced to death in October 2014.
Saudi Arabia is one of the most prolific executioners in the world. In the last 30 years, it has put 2,200 people to death -- sometimes for alleged crimes committed before the age of 18, which violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Ali has now exhausted all appeals. He will face execution as soon as the King ratifies his death sentence.
We have a window of opportunity to help before it’s too late.

UPDATE 21/12/15: In November, Ali’s family was allowed to visit him while he remains in solitary confinement on death row. It has been reported over the past month that Saudi Arabian authorities are planning to execute over 50 people in one day. Ali’s mother fears he may be one of them. Please keep taking action.

Mexico: Release Tortured Prisoner

Captain Victor Hugo Cordero served as Chief of Police of the Municipality of Gomez Palacios in Durango, one of the most dangerous states in Mexico. Captain Cordero moved to Durango seeking a job to support his family. Two years ago, he was incarcerated with charges claiming that he was colluding with drug cartels and other henious crimes. However, he was physically and emotionally tortured into sign a confession. His family received death threats if they tried to help him. A Durango Human Rights Report issued in February of 2014 asserted that his rights were violated and that there were indications of physical and emotional harm. However, nothing happened beyond that. We are asking for help from Amnesty International and other NGO's to investigate and take action if necessary.

Update #5 February 10, 2015

We are close to 1500 signatures! Please encourage your friends to sign the petition. Thank you!

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Nigeria: Justice for Moses Akatugba

Moses Akatugba was sentenced to death for a crime he says he didn’t commit. He was just 16 when he was arrested, and was tortured before being forced to sign a confession. He was just 16 when he was arrested in 2005 for armed robbery, and says he was beaten repeatedly by police officers with machetes and batons.

He told Amnesty that they tied him and hung him up for several hours, and then used pliers to pull out his toe and finger nails. He was then forced to sign two pre-written confessions.

Moses was just a boy when he was arrested. What’s more, under international law, he should not have been sentenced to death, as he was a child at the time of the crime.

On 1 October 2014 the Governor of the Niger Delta responded to pressure from Amnesty supporters and said he is looking into this case. We're one step closer to justice for Moses – so let's push the Governor to honour his commitment today.

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UAE: Release Human Rights Activist Mohammed Al-Roken

Lawyer and professor Dr Mohammed al-Roken was jailed for 10 years following a huge crackdown on political and human rights activists in the United Arab Emirates.

 

He was one of 69 people convicted of forming a secret organization aimed at overthrowing the government, following a blatantly unfair mass trial of 94 activists.

In the run-up to the trial, Mohammed and his co-defendants – known as the ‘UAE 94’ – were denied access to a lawyer and kept in solitary confinement. Some told the judge they had been tortured, and “confessions” obtained through torture were used as evidence in court. They were all denied the right to appeal, which contravenes international law.

His conviction followed years of harassment and intimidation from the authorities. Then, in March 2011, he and 132 others – including academics, judges and students – signed a petition calling for democratic reform in the UAE. The government responded with a fierce attack on activists, including waves of arrests.

As a lawyer, Mohammed took on human rights cases nobody else would touch. He has long been a supporter of Amnesty but now faces prison for working tirelessly to defend people’s human rights.

Together we can get justice for Dr Mohammed al-Roken – Please take action


Mohammed is one of 12 people and communities we’re focusing on as part of Write for Rights, our global letter-writing campaign. Right now, their human rights are under attack. We need your support to make change happen – read their stories and take action today. www.amnesty.org/writeforrights

 

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The action 'UAE: Release Human Rights Activist Mohammed Al-Roken' is now closed.

Philippines: Justice for torture survivor Jerryme Corre

Public transport driver Jerryme Corre suffered shocking torture at the hands of police in the Philippines, after they accused him of killing a police officer.

He was electrocuted, punched and threatened with death.

He told Amnesty that, after his arrest, the officers “kicked and punched me on the sides, neck, stomach and knees”. Then they blindfolded him, handcuffed his ankles, and beat him throughout the night, hitting the soles of his feet with a wooden baton.

If Jerryme couldn’t answer their questions, they punched him. They put a cloth over his mouth and poured water down his throat “until I felt like I was drowning”. Later, when he still refused to confess, they took exposed electric wires and electrocuted him on his back, side and thighs. Then they threatened to kill him.

As they tried to force a confession, the officers repeatedly called him ‘Boyet’. He told them this wasn’t his name, and a local village official also told them they had the wrong man. They refused to listen, and eventually charged Jerryme with possessing drugs. He’s still in jail more than two years on.

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The action 'Philippines: Justice for torture survivor Jerryme Corre' is now closed.