Amnesty International

History

The Beginning

In 1963 Amnesty International was comprised of 350 groups and Amnesty International's headquarters was established in London. Peter Benenson was named the president in 1964. In August of that same year the United Nations gave Amnesty International consultative status.

Amnesty International issued its first reports in 1965– on prison conditions in Portugal, South Africa and Romania – and sponsored a resolution at the United Nations to suspend and finally abolish the death penalty for peacetime political offences.

By 1966 Eric Baker took over running the organization and in 1967 there were 550 groups and 18 countires working to help 2,000 prisoners in 63 countries-293 released.

The first Prisoner of Conscience Week was observed in November of 1968. In January of 1969, UNESCO granted Amnesty International consultative status as the organization reached another milestone –2,000 prisoners of conscience released. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination was adopted

The 1970s

Amnesty International celebrated their 10th anniversary in 1971-700 prisoners were released. Launching its first worldwide campaign for the abolition of torture in 1972.The new regime in Chile agreed to admit a three-person Amnesty International mission for an on-the-spot probe into allegations of massive violations of human rights. The United Nations unanimously approved the Amnesty International-inspired resolution formally denouncing torture.

Amnesty International’s Sean McBride, Chair of the International Executive Committee, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his lifelong work for human rights in 1974. The United Nations unanimously adopted a Declaration Against Toture in 1975 their was 1,592 groups in 33 countires and more than 70,000 members in 65 countries.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entered into force in 1976. Together they are known as the International Bill of Rights.

Awarded the Nobel Peace Prise in 1977 for "having contributed to securing the ground for freedom, for justice, and thereby also for peace in the world" and in 1978 won the United Nations Human Rights prize for "outstanding contributions in the field of human rights".

In 1979 the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the UN General Assembly.

The 1980s

Thomas Hammarberg of Sweden took over from Martin Ennals as Secretary Generalin 81' and on December 10, 1982 Human Rights Day, an appeal was launched for a universal amnesty for all prisoners of conscience. More than one million people sign petitions, which were presented to the United Nations a year later.

1983

Amnesty International launched a special report on political killings by governments.

1985

Amnesty International published its first educational pack: Teaching and Learning about Human Rights.

The International Council Meeting in Helsinki, Finland, made a decision to broaden the statute to include work for refugees.

There were now more than half a million members, supporters and subscribers.

1986

Amnesty International USA launched the Conspiracy of Hope rock concert tour with U2, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Bryan Adams, Lou Reed, the Neville Brothers and others.

Ian Martin became General Secretary.

1987

AI published a report which said that the death penalty in the USA is racially biased and arbitrary and violated treaties such as the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment enters into force.

1988

Human Rights Now! concert tour, featuring Sting and Bruce Springsteen, among others, travelled to 19 cities in 15 countries and was viewed by millions when broadcast on Human Rights Day.

Membership surged in many countries following the tour.

1989

Amnesty International published a major new study on the death penalty, When the State Kills

Founding

In 1961, British Lawyer Peter Benenson launched a worldwide acmpaign, 'Appeal for Amnesty 1961' with the publication of the article, 'The Forgotten Prisoners', in the Observer. Benenson wrote the article, because he was moved by the improsnment of two Portuguese students, who had raised their wine glasses in a toast to freedom. His article was reprinted across the world which began the genesis of Amnesty International.

The first international meeting had delegates from Belgium, the UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland and the US. They decided to establish "a permanent international movement in defence of freedom of opinion and religion".

A small office and library, staffed by volunteers, opened in Peter Benenson’s chambers, in Mitre Court, London. The ’Threes Network‘ was established through which each Amnesty International group adopted three prisoners from contrasting geographical and political areas, emphasizing the impartiality of the group's work.

On Human Rights Day, 10 December, the first Amnesty candle was lit in the church of St-Martin-in-the-Fields, London.

The first research trip was taken in January of 1962. This trip to Ghana, was followed by Czechoslovakia in February (on behalf of a prisoner of conscience, Archbishop Josef Beran), and then to Portugal and East Germany.

The Prisoner of Conscience Fund was established to provide relief to prisoners and their families.

AI’s first annual report was published; it contained details of 210 prisoners who had been adopted by 70 groups in seven countries; in addition, 1,200 cases were documented in the Prisoners of Conscience Library.

At a conference in Belgium, a decision was made to set up a permanent organization that will be known as Amnesty International.