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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

NEWS SERVICE 66/95

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TO: PRESS OFFICERS AI INDEX: NWS 11/66/95

FROM: IS PRESS OFFICEDISTR: SC/PO

DATE: 28 MARCH 1995NO OF WORDS: 752

NEWS SERVICE ITEMS: EXTERNAL - REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA - (this item will be sent to mainly Russia media and international media interested in Georgia)

INTERNAL - AV NEWS 7

INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELEASES

Campaign on Women - 7 March - SEE NEWS SERVICE 12/95, 34/95, 37/95, 42/95 & 44/95

RWANDA - 6 April - SEE NEWS SERVICE 37/95

SYRIA - 11 April - SEE NEWS SERVICE 32/95

ETHIOPIA - 19 APRIL - SEE NEWS SERVICE 59/95

TIBET - 9 MAY- SEE NEWS SERVICE 64/95

*** ROMANIA - 22 MAY ** The researcher will be travelling to Romania on 20 May, and will be issuing a document and news release on the eve of the Seminar on Tolerance taking place in Bucharest between 23-27 May. The paper will be voicing AI's concerns on issues like the government failing to protect Roma people and that procedures for asylum-seekers need revising.

GERMANY - 23 MAY - SEE NEWS SERVICE 59/95

TARGETED AND LIMITED NEWS RELEASES

BAHRAIN - 30 APRIL - SEE NEWS SERVICE 64/95

JAPAN - 4 MAY - SEE NEWS SERVICE 64/95

ISRAEL AND OCCUPIED TERRITORIES - 11 May - SEE NEWS SERVICE 59/95

IRAN - 31 May - SEE NEWS SERVICE 59/95

EVENTS AND MISSIONS

The details below are for your information only, and there may or may not be media work involved. Can you please not publicize anything until further notice from the IS.

Brazil - 28 March (Pierre's visit) - SEE NEWS SERVICE 29/95, 59/95, 60/95

MISSION TO KENYA 16 March - 2 April - SEE NEWS SERVICE 37/95

MISSION TO HAITI 18 March - 3 April - SEE NEWS SERVICE 58/95

MISSION TO CHAD - 27 April - SEE NEWS SERVICE 59/95

News Service 66/95

AI INDEX: EUR 56/WU 01/95

28 MARCH 1995

REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL URGES SHEVARDNADZE TO STOP EXECUTION OF TWO POLITICAL PRISONERS

Amnesty International today renewed appeals to Georgian head of state Eduard Shevardnadze to stop the execution of two political prisoners.

The two men, Irakli Dokvadze and Petre Gelbakhiani, were sentenced earlier this month to capital punishment without right of appeal after an allegedly unfair trial.

The latest appeal by the human rights organization comes after comments by Shevardnadze, quoted by Georgian radio, that he was personally opposed to the death penalty, but that as long as the law provided capital punishment the law would be enforced.

Amnesty International is urging the Georgian head of state to grant clemency to Irakli Dokvadze and Petre Gelbakhiani and commute their death sentences, in conformity with his constitutional right as head of state and his stated personal beliefs.

Irakli Dokvadze and Petre Gelbakhiani were sentenced to death by the Supreme Court on 6 March after being found guilty of crimes including involvement in an attempt to assassinate public figure Jaba Ioseliani in 1992. Fifteen other defendants received prison terms.

Amnesty International has been urging the Georgian authorities to look into allegations that serious violations of due process took place during the trial and that defendants were tortured.

ENDS\

AUDIO-VISUAL NEWS 7

Electronic/Video News Releases

Clarification: We have decided to use the term "Video News Release" or "VNR" for Electronic News Releases as we currently know them from now on. Audio tapes that we produce for media launches will be called "Audio News Releases" (I expect this will be shortened to "ANR" when we get used to them). This is because VNR is a more popularly used term for video news releases amongst the media and Electronic News Release actually describes either of these products. We hope this will avoid confusion.

Women & Human Rights VNR

We are not expecting that any section has done this, but if you did translate and dub the Women & Human Rights VNR with another language commentary, please let Paula know (Tel: +44 71 413 5560) asap.

Guinea Footage Gathering

Adam has gone to Guinea with a research mission planning to film AI in action and refugees from Sierra Leone. There are no immediate plans for producing a VNR with this footage, but we will keep you posted on what we will do with it when we have assessed what pictures he comes back with.

Women & Human Rights Film

We are currently hunting through different news agencies' archives for dramatic images which may be worth transferring to 16mm film for the film on Women & Human Rights. If any of you know of any such footage (whether it is a great shot of a woman looking defiant in a conflict zone, women marching, women victims or activists telling their story in a dramatic way, general views, etc) please let Paula know (number above). We have so far identified the following countries as possible to include in the film: Guatemala, South Africa, Algeria, USA (historical - civil rights movement) and China/Tibet. However, any images you know of from anywhere in the world would be of interest. Thanks.