Human rights

Hands off Iraqi Oil has called for a national day of action against the wholesale sell-off of Iraq's oil reserves to international companies. The national day of action will be held on Saturday 23 February 2008 and Hands Off Iraqi Oil, together with the Stop The War Coalition is urging people to organise events all over the country to highlight the issue.

Amnesty International's Brighton & Hove group has created an online petition calling for the immediate and unconditional release of five Cuban trade unionists.

The men have been arrested for excercising their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, and have never used or advocated the use of violence in opposition of the government.

Amnesty International's Brighton & Hove group is urging the Cuban authorities to give the men due access to lawyers, medical care and family members. They are also calling for the family members to be updated on the whereabouts and status of the prisoners.

Prisoners of conscience in Cuba has long since been an important campaign for Amnesty International's Brighton & Hove Group. In 2003, 75 Cubas - doctors, lawyers, economists, pro-democracy activists, and others - were arrested as part of a governmental security crackdown.

The petition can be found online at: www.ipetitions.com/petition/Cubamnesty/

The 10th of December is International Human Rights Day. Therefore, BPEC has organized a Role Play with two guest speakers to challenge our views on human rights of political prisoners to make us think about different solutions. The local connection to Brighton is made by Omar Deghayes, a former Brighton resident who now is imprisoned in Guantanamo. The speakers leading the role play are going to be Dr. Francis Clark-Lowes and Dr. Louise Purbrick (Save Omar Campaign and University of Brighton). www.save-omar.org.uk