For the fourth time, the gymnasium frankische schweiz (GFS) ebermannstadt is taking part in the human rights organization amnesty international’s letter marathon, which is held annually around human rights day in december.
Under the motto "write for freedom this school year, the students in the 8bc class of the social science branch studied the cases of four women human rights activists. One of them is the iranian atena daemi, who is campaigning against the death penalty in her home country and was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for this. Their sisters were also taken into clan custody.
Behind bars
Behind bars she was beaten by the guards, but she did not receive medical care for her wounds.
In south africa, nonhle mbuthuma’s life is in danger because she is on a death list for opposing a mining company that wants to mine titanium on her people’s land. The people of amadiba are to be expelled without compensation.
For this and other cases, the schools collect signatures and write letters, which are then forwarded by amnesty to the appropriate authorities: the numerous letters show the affected people that they are supported, and pressure is exerted on the responsible persons. Amnesty hopes that thousands of letters will not simply be ignored.
This year alone, the JRC forwarded 1910 letters. The success can be seen in cases such as the blogger mahadine from chad, for whom more than half a million letters were written last year. In the spring of 2018, he was released from prison.
With their signatures in the last few years, as well as this year, the students of the GFS are sure, according to susanne behlert, social studies department, that they have contributed to the release of the prisoners.