AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

External Document

AI Index: ORG 10/003/2002 (Public)

News Service No: 83

Embargo Date: 28 May 2002 11:00GMT

Facts and Figures: The work of Amnesty International

EMBARGOED FOR TRANSMISSION TO ALL MEDIA: 11.00 GMT 28 May 2002

Facts and Figures: The work of Amnesty International

This facts and figures document gives an overview of the work of Amnesty International generally and in 2001

Amnesty International’s mission is to undertake research and action focussed on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination,within the context of its work to promote all human rights.

The organization opposes abuses by opposition groups, including hostage-taking, torture and killings of prisoners and other deliberate and arbitrary killings; assists asylum-seekers who are at risk of being returned to a country where they will be at risk of violations of basic and fundamental human rights; cooperates with other non-governmental organisation (NGO), with the United Nations (UN) and with regional intergovernmental organizations; ensures control of international military, security and police relations; organises human rights education and awareness-raising programs.

Amnesty International today

Amnesty International (AI) was founded in 1961 by British lawyer Peter Benenson. Today the organization has more than one million members, subscribers and regular donors in more than 140 countries. Its nerve centre is the International Secretariat in London, with more than 350 staff members and over 100 volunteers from more than 50 countries around the world.

The AI movement consists of more than 7,800 local, youth, specialist and professional groups in more than 100 countries and territories. There are nationally organized sections in 56 countries, and pre-section coordinating structures in another 24 countries and territories worldwide.

Amnesty International is a democratic movement, self-governed by a nine-member International Executive Committee (IEC) whose members are elected every two years by an International Council representing sections.

Campaigning for Human Rights

During 2001, Amnesty International delegates visited dozens of countries and territories to meet victims of human rights violations, observe trials, and interview local human rights activists and officials.

Amnesty International members, supporters and staff around the world mobilize public opinion to put pressure on governments and others with influence to stop human rights abuses. Activities range from public demonstrations to letter-writing, from human rights education to fundraising concerts, from approaches to local authorities to lobbying intergovernmental organisations, from targeted appeals on behalf of a single individual to global campaigns on a specific country or issue.

Each year, Amnesty International members from around the world join forces to campaign on one country or on a particular human rights issue. These major campaigns involve reporting on human rights issues, lobbying governments, and working closely with local human rights activists and other community organizations to achieve change.

"Take a step to stamp out torture"

Intensive work continued on AI’s worldwide Campaign Against Torture. Throughout 2001, AI campaigned against the torture and ill-treatment of women, children, ethnic minorities, lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Four countries ratified the UN Convention against Torture during the year, and a number of government leaders and officials made commitments to adopt legislation to prevent torture in their countries.

By the end of the year, over 35,000 people from 188 countries signed up on the torture campaign website, GOTOBUTTON BM_1_ www.stoptorture.org, to take action on urgent cases by sending e-mail appeals.

Working for individuals

During 2001, AI’s local groups and networks worked on behalf of 2,813 named victims of human rights violations.

AI’s Urgent Action Network received 408 actions on behalf of people in 81 countries and territories who were either at risk or had suffered human rights violations including torture, "disappearance", the death penalty, death in custody, or forcible return to countries where they would be in danger of human rights violations. Of these urgent actions, 117 resulted in good news about the case. The Urgent Action Network is made up of more than 80,000 volunteers in some 85 countries.

Amnesty International Specialist Networks

Highlights:

The Lawyers’ Network continued its work as one of more than 1,000 non-governmental organization members of the Coalition for an International Criminal Court, campaigning for states to sign and ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and enact effective implementing legislation. More than 60 countries have now ratified the Rome Statute, triggering the establishment of the International Criminal Court on 5 February 2002.

The Military Security and Police (MSP) Network continued to campaign for effective controls on the transfer of arms and security assistance in order to prevent these being used for human rights abuses. The network campaigned for suspension of electro-shock weapons.

The Company Approaches Network worked with other NGOs tosuccessfully campaign for controls on the international diamond trade. Profits from the diamond trade are used to purchase weapons which contribute to human rights abuses in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone. Governments have made progress in agreeing to an international diamond certification system. The network continues to work with companies to help them develop policies which incorporate human rights standards.

The Children’s Network lobbied states to ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Children’s Convention on the involvement of children in armed conflict. On 12 November, New Zealand became the 10th state to ratify the Protocol, thus allowing it to enter into force on 12 February 2002.

The Women’s Network and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Network campaigned around two major reports: Broken bodies, shattered minds: Torture and ill-treatment of women and Crimes of hate, conspiracy of silence: Torture and ill-treatment based on sexual identity.

The Medical Network consists of doctors, nurses, psychologists and other health professionals in more than 30 countries around the world. The network acted on over 50 actions, including on behalf of ill prisoners who have been refused access to medical care, or health professionals who have been harassed by the authorities for providing treatment to opponents of the government.

http://www.amnesty.org

AI’s website contains more than 20,000 files and is visited by over 10,000 people daily from all over the world. It features a library of AI reports (since 1996), press releases, information on the latest campaigns and appeals for action, and details of AI offices worldwide.

During 2001, the site featured more than 100 appeals on behalf of individuals, as well as campaigns on torture, the arms trade, gender, human rights related legislation, and action following the attacks in the USA on 11 September ( GOTOBUTTON BM_2_ http://www.amnesty.org/actnow/).

In the run-up to Human Rights Day on 10 December, an online petition urging governments around the world to "act now" for human rights was signed by more than 10,000 people. Throughout the year, more than 120,000 e-mails were sent to various governments as part of AI’s "stop torture" campaign.

AI also has websites in French (http://www.efai.org), Spanish (http://www.edai.org), and Arabic (http://www.amnesty-arabic.org).

The continuing challenge

AI’s Annual Report 2002 details human rights violations in 2001. It records:

Confirmed or possible extrajudicial executions in 47 countries in 2001.

People "disappeared" or remained "disappeared" from previous years in 35 countries.

People reportedly tortured or ill-treated by security forces, police or other state authorities in 111 countries.

Confirmed or possible prisoners of conscience in 56 countries.

People arbitrarily arrested and detained, or in detention without charge or trial in 54 countries.

During 2001, people were sentenced to death in 50 countries and executions were carried out in at least 27 countries. These figures include only cases known to Amnesty International; the true figures are certainly higher.

Serious human rights abuses by armed opposition groups committed serious human rights abuses, such as deliberate and arbitrary killings of civilians, torture and hostage-taking, in 42 countries.

The Money

No funds are sought or accepted from governments for AI's work investigating and campaigning against human rights violations. The hundreds of thousands of donations come from the pockets of its members, the public, and organizations such as trusts, foundations and ethical companies.

The international budget is spent on professional research into human rights violations worldwide, on delegations that observe trials and make representations to governments, and on the movement's international public information, campaigning and development activities.

During the financial year 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 the international budget adopted by Amnesty International was ,20,940,000 (including contingency) spent in the following areas:

Membership Support	3,040,000	15%
Campaigning Activities	1,999,800	10%
Publications and Translation	2,593,000	13%
Research and Action	4,927,300	24%
Deconcentrated Offices	1,406,000	7%
Research and Action Support	2,926,800	14%
Administrative Costs	3,421,500	17%

In addition, relief payments to victims of human rights violations and their families totalled ,110,000 during the same period.

Public Document

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