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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

NEWS SERVICE 211/94

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TO: PRESS OFFICERSAI INDEX: NWS 11/211/94

FROM: IS PRESS OFFICEDISTR: SC/PO

DATE: 16 SEPTEMBER 1994 NO OF WORDS:579

NEWS SERVICE ITEMS: EXTERNAL - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (This item is being sent to the DR by the research team. The IS press office is not sending it to international media because of the international release on Haiti that went earlier today, but please keep the content of this news item in mind when doing any interviews on Haiti).

PLEASE NOTE: Following discussions between the US research team and AIUSA, would it be possible for press officers to look into the possibility of placing op-ed type articles about international concern on the expansion of the death penalty in the new US federal crime bill in key national newspapers. Apart from the USA, countries of key importance to this would be: France, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Australia, Germany, Canada, Italy, Spain -- but if any other sections could also try this it would be very welcome. The death penalty team at the IS will be flagging this proposal with section death penalty coordinators also.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELEASES

** Kosovo - 19 September 1200 hrs GMT - PLEASE NOTE EXACT EMBARGO TIME AND AMEND YOUR NEWS RELEASES ACCORDINGLY. SEE NEWS SERVICE 137/94

Indonesia - 28 September - LAUNCH OF CAMPAIGN

France - 12 October - SEE NEWS SERVICE 137/94

** Algeria - 25 October** - PLEASE NOTE NEW DATE. SEE NEWS SERVICE 137/94

** APEC - 3 November ** -For further details please see internal note on Indonesia and East Timor sent out in News Service 208/94.

TARGETED AND LIMITED NEWS RELEASES

Zaire - 14 September - Targeted for French-speaking news agencies and French-speaking African media only, as well as sent by IS to Reuters.

Togo - 15 September - See news service 168/94

**Mali - 21 September** - SEE NEWS SERVICE 205/94

**Egypt - 20 September** - A news release is being written to go with a document about human rights defenders under threat (AI INDEX: MDE 12/15/94)

Turkey - 14 October - SEE NEWS SERVICE 181/94

**Iraq - 29 November ** - A news release will be written to accompany a document on NGE abuses in Iraqi Kurdistan since 1991.

News Service 211/94

AI INDEX: AMR 27/WU 01/94

16 SEPTEMBER 1994

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SEEKS ASSURANCES REGARDING THE PROTECTION OF HAITIANS ENTERING THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Amnesty International today wrote to the President of the Dominican Republic, seeking assurances that the human rights of Haitians entering that country will be fully respected.

"In the event of an invasion of Haiti by a United Nations backed multi-lateral force led by the United States of America, it is possible there may be a wave of Haitians seeking refuge in the Dominican Republic both prior to and following any such invasion", Amnesty International said today.

The organization requested President Joaquín Balaguer to recognize the Dominican Republic's international obligations to protect the human rights of foreign nationals by promptly issuing a public directive to all his security forces and immigration officials instructing them to fully respect the human rights of Haitians.

"Such a directive is imperative in the light of reports that, since the economic embargo was enforced on Haiti, soldiers from the Dominican Republic have killed several Haitians along the militarized border area between the two countries", Amnesty International said.

Although Amnesty International is not aware of the specific details and circumstances surrounding these killings, the victims are said to include Haitians who have either been engaged in the gasoline trade designed to circumvent the embargo or have entered the Dominican Republic for other reasons.

Amnesty International also requested that allegations of human rights violations against Haitians be promptly and effectively investigated by an independent body, and the perpetrators brought to justice.

ENDS\