Welcome

Welcome to the AI Derby and District Group website.

Our group is the local branch of a worldwide human rights organisation.  Our members are drawn from all walks of life.  To be a member of the group costs you nothing but your time and effort.

Check out the MEETINGS page For details about our regular monthly meetings in Derby,  Also,our DIARY OF EVENTS page contains details of what we are planning over the year.

October 2008 - Talk: "Street Children in Latin America" by Sheila Royce

Our guest speaker for Protect the Human Week was a voluntary worker for the charity Casa Alianza UK, an international NGO founded in 1981 in Guatemala to help the children displaced or orphaned by the civil conflict.

Now they operate in Central America and Mexico, an area where human rights are frequently violated and to which our group often sends appeal letters, so it was good, though terrible, to hear at first hand of the problems of the children there. Casa Alianza has documented up to 100 murders of children in Guatemala alone, where the general attitude to those living on the streets is that they are worthless.

The children may well be involved in petty crime, drugs, gangs and prostitution in order to survive. Casa Alianza’s paid staff are all local, and reach some 13,000 children a year, helping them in a variety of ways and providing residential places for about 3,000.

As well as working to rehabilitate children, the staff endeavour to protect their human rights and attempt to get justice for those murdered. Casa Alianza was successful in the prosecution of the police for the murder of 13 year-old Nahaman Lopez, and have brought lawsuits against State Security officials. This sometimes results in hostility and threats to workers in a society where the justice system is weak, and where there is a lack of political will to improve matters.

Sheila’s talk was well illustrated by slides. Afterwards, we enjoyed Mexican bean soup and delicious pastries. We were sorry there were not more supporters present, but anyone interested can visit the website www.casa-alianza.org.uk for information on how to support the work.

Death Penalty in China - march through Derby

On 26th July 2008, 14 days before the start of the China Olympics the Derby Amnesty Group held a demonstration in Derby City Centre. You can read about the event and see the photos here.  The event was also covered by the Derby Evening Telegraph.

What we do

Amnesty International works for the release of prisoners of conscience, fair trials for political prisoners and an end to torture, extrajudicial executions, "disappearances" and the death penalty. To these ends local activists lobby, write letters, raise funds and raise awareness in the community.

Locally we raise awareness on international and national campaigns such as Stop Violence Against Women and Control Arms.  We have also chosen to focus on the Death Penalty, China and regional campaign of Central America.  More information about which can be found on the Amnesty UK website.

Meeting Times

The Derby Group meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm. We meet at the Friends Meetings House, St. Helen's Street, Derby (next door to BBC Radio Derby).

News & Features