Created in 1961 by British lawyer Peter Benenson – disgusted with the arrest of Portuguese students for the simple fact of showing a poster containing the freedom word – Amnesty International is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that operates in more than 150 countries and has more than 2.2 million members and activists. The main focus of action of this organization is the fight for respect for human rights, so that all people, regardless of country, can enjoy the rights set out in the International Bill of Rights Humans. In 1997 the organization received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Unlike other NGOs, Amnesty International does not accept any kind of donation from public institutions. It works through financial aid from its own members and supporters, as well as fundraising campaigns. This position of the organization guarantees autonomy in carrying out investigations, in a completely independent manner and without any state imposition.
Amnesty International promotes campaigns for the release of prisoners of conscience: people held by because of beliefs, religion, ethnic composition, language, sex or sexual orientation that have not made use of the violence. It also acts in defense of quick and fair trials of political prisoners, combating the cruel treatment of prisoners, torture, ill-treatment, “disappearances”, to extrajudicial executions, medical assistance and the abolition of the death penalty, which, in 2008, was carried out in 24 countries, executing 2,390 people.
In this regard, Amnesty International carries out investigations into violations and abuses of rights. human resources, and publicly discloses the results, in order to promote changes that improve the situation of victims. Their work is presented to governments, intergovernmental organizations, companies and non-state institutions. It promotes public demonstrations as a form of pressure against the violation of universal human rights.
By 2010, Amnesty International's work had managed to secure the rights of more than 50,000 prisoners of conscience in various parts of the world.
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By Wagner de Cerqueira and Francisco
Graduated in Geography
Brazil School Team
Curiosities - geography - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FRANCISCO, Wagner de Cerqueira e. "Amnesty International"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/anistia-internacional.htm. Accessed on June 29, 2021.
