This group was chartered in February 1993. For two years, we worked on behalf of six young refugee men caught up in
the war between Armenia
and Azerbaijan. We were rewarded by the
news that one of the prisoners had been released. There was some indication that the rest may have been freed as well.
Other activities
have included rallies and candlelight walks on Human Rights Day (December 10), films on Tibet and other oppressed regions
of the world, and many letter and postcard actions, including a July 2005 petition to Mexican President Vicente Fox, urging
him to insist on a full investigation into the deaths of hundreds of young women in Ciudad Juarez and the province of Chihuahua.
On December 10, we regularly honor Human Rights Day by presenting a proclamation to some of the towns in our area.
We were entrusted
with an Action File that originally pertained to three young men in Iran
who were arrested during student demonstrations in Tehran
in 1999. They were tortured and sentenced to death. Later, their sentences were commuted to 15 years in prison. One has recently
died in prison, apparently as the direct result of torture. His brother, who had been imprisoned with him, has been able to
escape and is now a refugee in the U.S.,
much in need of health care and dental reconstruction. The third is in poor health, and we are writing to a number of officials
in Iran monthly to plead for his release.
Our group was
also advocating a full investigation into the case of Murat Kurnaz, a Turkish Muslim from Germany,
who had been held at Guantanamo for several years and was
finally released on August 24, 2006. He was never charged with any violation.
Our newest Action
File pertains to prisoners in Eritrea.
All of these individuals are considered to be prisoners of conscience.
We base our work on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, written under the aegis of Eleanor
Roosevelt and adopted on December 10, 1948.
Group 550 meets
several times per year. For information on dates and activities, please contact
Ilse Andrews
Group 550 Coordinator and
Iran Action File Coordinator
ilse.andrews@verizon.net
Tel. 603 778-8264
