Newsletter

Amnesty International USA Group 48

8.15
James Ward Stock.Xchng

2 The heat wave cannot

dampen the enthusiasm of
this years Kristof Fellow

3 UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES: Urgent Action Egyptian Man Kept In
Prison After Sentence
5 IRAN: Urgent Action Prominent Trade Unionist
Unlawfully Detained
7 Death Penalty 2015: The
Good and the Bad
8 CHINA: Urgent Action Dozens Of Lawyers Targeted
In Crackdown
AIUSA-Group 48
http://aipdx.org
503-227-1878
Next Meeting:
Friday August 14th
First Unitarian Church
1011 SW 12th Ave
7:00pm informal gathering
7:30pm meeting starts

NewsLetter Designed
By Michelle Whitlock
MichelleWhitlock.com

Amnesty International USA Statement on Anniversary

of Killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO
August 7, 2015

As the nation marks the one-year anniversary on Sunday of unarmed teenager

Michael Browns death at the hands of
Ferguson, MO police officer Darren
Wilson, Amnesty International USA
executive director Steven W. Hawkins
released the following statement:

Michael Browns death and similar

tragic incidents around the nation
highlight a disturbing pattern of use of
lethal force and racially discriminatory
conduct by law enforcement officers.
One year later, there is still a pressing
need for reform at the local, state and
federal levels.

which it is necessary to protect life. Our

own research found that the laws of every state in the country fail to meet this
standard. In the wake of Browns killing
and the militarized response to street
protests, a Justice Department investigation found widespread misconduct
and racial bias in the Ferguson police
department.

President Obama and the Department

of Justice should support the creation
of a national commission to conduct
a nationwide review of police use of
lethal force laws, policies, training and
practice to bring them in line with
international standards, said Hawkins.
Legislators in Missouri and around the The department should also revise its
country must bring laws concerning the guidance to law enforcement officials to
use of lethal force in line with internainclude a comprehensive ban on racial
tional standards, limited to instances in

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015 Pg 2

profiling by federal and state law enforcement agencies, and

ensure the collection and publication of nationwide statistics
on police shootings.

Michael Browns death and the Ferguson protests kicked off a

national conversation about race and policing. Its clear on the
one-year anniversary that the conversation is far from over.

The heat wave cannot dampen the enthusiasm of this years Kristof Fellow
By Max White, Group 48 member

On the first day of August a scorcher a dozen Group

48 members went to Jane Kristof s Yamhill farm for a potluck

and to meet Gerry Rivadeneira, this years Ladis Kristof Fellowship winner. Ms. Rivadeneira was accompanied by Mary
Tam from the AIUSA Western Regional office. (For Gerrys
story, go to http://goo.gl/ob9NjQ)
Gerry described her life after moving to the US from Ecuador
when she was seven, learning about Amnesty International in
high school and later becoming Student Area Coordinator in
Massachusetts and now a Posse Scholar at Mount Holyoke
College. For AIUSA, Gerry is currently working on a project
focusing on human rights problems encountered by immigrants in the the US and other countries. Her enthusiasm
and responses to questions prompted a lively discussion of
immigrant experiences and other human rights issues.
Jane and Joanne Lau, Group 48 coordinator, invited a discussion of Ladis Kristof s inspiring life swimming the Danube
to escape Soviets, surviving imprisonment by Nazis and a
Soviet work camp, arriving in the US ending as a brilliant
academic in Oregon (and one of the founding members
of Group 48). It is too much to summarize, but if you dont

know Kriss story, see the links at the end. Those unable
to be there missed Janes delightful account of how she met
Ladis and failed as a matchmaker trying to set him up with
her college roommate. Speaking of the origin of Group
48, Jane surprised Cornelia Cerf, another original member,
with a birthday cake atop which were two candles: 9 and 4
(or maybe 4 and 9 I saw them only after they had been
removed). Thank you, Jane, for hosting us; thank you Gerry
for inspiring us; Happy Birthday Cornelia!
About Ladis Kristof:http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2010/06/kris_kristof_concentration_cam.
html and http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/opinion/
20kristof.html
Reference Referral Program Benefits
Group 48
by Marty Fromer
Our local group gives thanks to Tom Dwyer Automotive Services for their generous donation.
Dwyer Automotive Services has a Reference
Reward Program where they donate to nonprofit organizations when customers refer new
clients to their services.
For any new clients who mention Amnesty International as a referral, Dwyer Automotive will donate 20% of their first invoice up to $50.00. The
offer excludes tires, batteries and oil changes.
This is an excellent avenue to support a local
business who wants to support our local group.
Tom Dwyer Automotive Services is located
at 539 SE Tenino St in Portland and can be
reached at (503) 230-2300.Thanks for your
support!

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015 Pg 3

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Urgent Action - Egyptian Man Kept In Prison

After Sentence
Sameh Bassiouni Abdullah Alam (m)
Borge Bjelland Stock.Xchng

Egyptian national Sameh Bassiouni Abdullah Alam was

arrested on February 11th in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

(UAE). He was sentenced to one month in prison in April
for falsely reporting a crime but has not yet been released.
His whereabouts are unknown and he is at risk of torture and
other ill-treatment.

In a call to his wife on August 4th Sameh Bassiouni Abdullah

Alam, who suffers from several medical conditions, including
diabetes, high blood pressure and poorly functioning kidneys,
told her he had not been receiving medication, had lost about
40kg since he was arrested and was in solitary confinement
in a basement cell. Since his arrest he has been allowed to
make occasional, short phone calls to his wife: a call he made
in June was cut off as he was about to tell her where he was
being detained. His wife returned to Egypt in early June with
their children due to the financial hardship she has faced
since his detention.
Sameh Bassiouni Abdullah Alams brother-in-law, Islam
al-Makawi, is one of 24 people on trial for the February 2014
killing of a member of the team of policemen guarding the
home of Hussein Kandil, one of the judges in Mohamed Morsis trial, in the city of Mansoura, north of Cairo. On July 9th
2015, 10 of the accused were sentenced to death. The verdict
on the remaining 14, including Islam al-Makawi, is expected
to be issued in September.

Sameh Bassiouni Abdullah Alam, an Egyptian national who

has lived in Oman for the past 13 years, was arrested on
February 11th, 2015 in Dubai where he had traveled to by car. Amnesty International believes that the arrest and detention
The arresting officials confiscated his phone, which contained of Sameh Bassiouni Abdullah Alam might be connected to
the details of the trial of his brother-in-law in Egypt. Sameh
the trial of his brother-in-law.
Bassiouni Abdullah Alams brother-in-law, Islam al-Makawi,
The UAE authorities have arrested dozens of foreign nationals,
is one of 24 people on trial in Egypt in connection with the
including Egyptians, in recent years. Many have been subjectkilling of the security guard of one of the judges hearing a
ed to enforced disappearance, held in secret locations by oftrial of ousted president Mohamed Morsi. Sameh Bassiouni
ficials
who refused to acknowledge their detention or give any
Abdullah Alam may have been detained because of the trial of
information to their families such as the reasons for their
his brother-in-law.
imprisonment, where they were being held and in what conDuring interrogation at the al-Muraqabat police station in
ditions. The authorities have also denied them access to legal
Dubai, he signed a confession to calling the police to report, counsel. Such conditions breach the UAEs obligations under
falsely, that a member of his wifes family was a member of
international law. Many of those arrested have been held in
the Muslim Brotherhood. The lawyer appointed for his desolitary confinement and have claimed they were tortured or
fense was not allowed to meet him. A Misdemeanour Court
otherwise ill-treated while under interrogation.
in Dubai found him guilty, on April 20th, of falsely reporting
Since 2012, dozens of Egyptian nationals have also been suba crime to the authorities he knew had not taken place, and
jected
to enforced disappearance in the UAE. In November
sentenced him to one month in prison, which he has already
2013, 20 Egyptian nationals who had been held for months
served.

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015 Pg 4

in unknown locations were taken out of secret detention to

Crown Prince Court
face trial before the State Security Chamber of the Federal
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz
Supreme Court on charges including establishing an interAl Saud Street,
national branch of Egypts Muslim Brotherhood organizaP.O. Box: 124
tion and stealing and distributing secret state documents. In
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
court, many of the defendants complained that State Security Fax: 011 971 2 668 6622
officials had subjected them to torture and other ill-treatment

during their lengthy pre-trial detention in secret locations,

New Amnesty International Report
when they were held incommunicado. Officers had tortured
lethal force
on Burundi: Excessive
and otherwise ill-treated them to force them to sign confesused to crush demonstrations
sions, which they repudiated in court. However, despite the
seriousness of their allegations, the presiding judge failed to
July 23, 2015
order an investigation, and accepted as evidence the confessions they had repudiated and said interrogators had extractBurundian authorities repressed demonstrations
ed from them through torture or other coercion.
as if they were an insurrection, and now the
Amnesty International documented some cases of Egyptian
nationals detained in its November 2014 report, There is no
freedom here Silencing dissent in the United Arab Emirates, which is available here: http://www.amnesty.org/en/
library/info/MDE25/018/2014/en.
Action

Please write immediately in Arabic, English or your own

language:
Urging the UAE authorities to reveal, immediately, the
whereabouts of Sameh Bassiouni Abdullah Alam and asking
why he is still detained, stressing that keeping him in detention after he has served his sentence is forbidden in international law;
Calling on them to ensure that he is protected from torture
and other ill-treatment and given prompt access to his family,
a lawyer of his choosing, and any medical attention he may
require;
Urging them not to deport him to Egypt when he is
released, as he would be at risk of torture and other ill-treatment.
Appeals To

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE SEPTEMBER 15th, 2015

TO:
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

country appears to be on the verge of conflict,

Amnesty International warned in a new report
(http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/
burundi_report_-_final.pdf), "Braving Bullets
Excessive force in policing demonstrations in
Burundi", released today.
Amnesty Internationals investigation in May and
June 2015 found that Burundian police used
excessive lethal force, including against women
and children, to silence those opposed to President Pierre Nkurunzizas bid for a third-term.
It is a tragedy that demonstrators had to brave
bullets to try to have their voices heard, said
Sarah Jackson, Amnesty Internationals Deputy
Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and
the Great Lakes.
The Burundian authorities must urgently, thoroughly and transparently investigate the use of
excessive lethal force against largely peaceful demonstrators and bring to justice anyone
found to be responsible. This is absolutely
important to restore confidence in security services and reduce the risk of people finding more
violent ways to express political grievances.

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015 Pg 5

Twitter: @MBZNews
Salutation: Your Highness
Vice-President and Prime Minister
HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Rashid al-Maktoum
Prime Ministers Office
PO Box: 212000
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Fax: 011 971 4 330 4044
Email: info@primeminister.ae
Twitter: @HHShkMoh
Salutation: Your Highness
Copies To

President
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Corniche Road
Abu Dhabi, PO Box 280
United Arab Emirates
Fax: 011 971 2 622 2228
Email: ihtimam@mopa.ae
Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba
Embassy of the United Arab Emirates
3522 International Court NW Suite #400
Washington, DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 243 2432
Email: info@uaeembassy-usa.org
Please let us know if you took action so that we can track
our impact! Send a short email to uan@aiusa.org with UA
172/15 in the subject line, and include in the body of the
email the number of letters and/or emails you sent.

IRAN: Urgent Action - Prominent Trade Unionist Unlawfully Detained

Ismail Abdi (m)

Fabio Bueno Stock.Xchng

Ismail Abdi, Secretary General of Irans Teachers Trade As-

sociation (ITTA), has been detained in Tehrans Evin Prison

since June 27th for organizing and participating in illegal
gatherings for his legitimate trade unionist activities. He is a
prisoner of conscience.

Ismail (Esmail) Abdi was arrested on June 27th after he went

to the Prosecutors Office at Evin Prison to inquire about
the travel ban placed on him. He had been prevented from
traveling to Armenia to apply for a visa to attend the seventh
Education International World Congress in Ottawa, Canada
in July 2015. Ismail Abdi was transferred to Section 2A of
Evin Prison, which is run by the intelligence unit of Irans
Revolutionary Guards, and subjected to at least 17 days of
interrogation, without access to his family or lawyer. It seems
the authorities have denied Ismail Abdi the right of access to
his lawyer based on a provision in Irans new Code of Crimi-

nal Procedures which restricts access to legal counsel during

the investigative phase, for people facing national-securityrelated charges, to only a list of lawyers approved by the Head
of the Judiciary.
Ismail Abdi has said the interrogators accused him of organizing and participating in illegal gatherings, which is not an
offense under Iranian law. The gatherings were a number of
peaceful demonstrations held in recent months by teachers
and members of the ITTA, a legally constituted entity in Iran,
in protest at poor wages, low education budget and imprisonment of teacher trade unionists.
If the legal process that has begun against Ismail Abdi leads
to a conviction, he risks facing over a decade in jail because
a suspended 10-year sentence he received following a 2010
arrest and subsequent conviction related to his trade union
activities would also be implemented.
Action

Please write immediately in English, Persian, Spanish, French

or your own language:
Calling on the Iranian authorities to release Ismail Abdi
immediately and unconditionally and drop all charges against
him as he is a prisoner of conscience held solely for his peaceful trade union activities;

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015 Pg 6

Urging them to ensure that he is granted regular access to

an independent lawyer of his own choosing;
Reminding them that Iran has ratified the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which
recognizes the right of everyone to form and join trade
unions of their choice for the promotion and protection of
their economic and social interests.
Appeals To

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE SEPTEMBER 15th 2015

TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street- End of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: via website http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?
p=letter
Twitter: @khamenei_ir (English) @Khamenei_es (Spanish)
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
c/o Public Relations Office
Number 4, 2 Azizi Street intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@humanrights-iran.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
Copies To

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Hassan Rouhani
The Presidency
Pasteur Street, Pasteur Square
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Twitter: @HassanRouhani (English) @Rouhani_ir (Persian)
Iran does not presently have an embassy in the United States.
Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007
Fax: 1 202 965 1073
Email: info@daftar.org

Please let us know if you took action so that we can track

our impact! Send a short email to uan@aiusa.org with UA
171/15 in the subject line, and include in the body of the
email the number of letters and/or emails you sent.
Additional Information

Before he was arrested on June 27th, intelligence officials had

summoned Ismail Abdi for interrogation many times, and
pressured him to resign from his post as ITTA General Secretary and cancel planned nationwide demonstrations that the
ITTA had helped organize. During these interrogation sessions, which were frequently accompanied by foul language
and insults, intelligence officials also warned Ismail Abdi
against associating with international teachers trade unions,
including Education International, and said his participation
in their international gatherings was a red line.

On May 3rd, 2015, one day after the National Iranian Teachers Day and four days before the scheduled date of a nationwide protest, intelligence officials summoned Ismail Abdi
and threatened that a suspended 10-year sentence from 2010
would be immediately implemented unless he made a formal
announcement on Facebook that he was resigning from his
ITTA post and not taking part in any upcoming demonstrations. Ismail Abdi made the announcement under pressure,
but the ITTA did not accept his resignation. The protest was
also held as planned, with thousands of teachers gathering in
front of the parliament in Tehran and outside the offices of
the Ministry of Education in different cities.
Ismail Abdis suspended sentence following his 2010 arrest
resulted from him being convicted of assembly and colluding against the state and participation in illegal trade union
gatherings.
On July 22nd, thousands of teachers attempted to gather
in front of the Parliament in Tehran to protest against the
Postage Rates
Within the United States
$0.35 - Postcards
$0.49 - Letters and Cards up to 1 oz.
To all international destinations
$1.20 - Postcards
$1.20 - Airmail Letters and Cards up to 1 oz.

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015 Pg 7

harassment and abuse of trade unionist teachers and demand

Ismail Abdis release. Security forces stationed around parliament from early morning, however, disrupted the gathering
and arrested scores of protesting teachers. According to an
announcement by Irans Minister of Education and Development on July 27th, all the teachers arrested during the protest
have since been released.

including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests. Iran is also a state party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
Article 8 of which guarantees both the right of everyone
to form trade unions and join the trade union of his choice
and the right of trade unions to function freely subject to no
limitations other than those prescribed by law and which are
necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national
At least four other teachers in Iran are serving prison sentencsecurity or public order or for the protection of the rights and
es in connection with their legitimate trade union activities,
freedoms of others.
including Sayed Mohammad Bagheri, Ali Akbar Baghani,
Alireza Hashemi and Rasoul Bodaghi (see UA 130/10, https:// Even though the right to freedom of association and peacewww.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde13/027/2012/en/).
ful assembly are recognized under Articles 26 and 27 of the
Iranian Constitution, they are restricted with Islamic qualifiIran is a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights, of which Article 22 (1) states: Everyone cations such as public gatherings are not detrimental to the
fundamental principles of Islam.
shall have the right to freedom of association with others,

Death Penalty 2015: The Good and the Bad

July 27, 2015
Csaba J. Szabo Stock.Xchng

The first six months of 2015 have seen starkly contrasting

developments on the death penalty. While the bad news has

been very bad, the good news has been very good.

THE BAD

1. Indonesia resumed executions. The year began on a

tragic note when Indonesia, ignoring pleas from around the

world, put six people to death for drug trafficking. The executions were the first in Indonesia since 2013.
2. Pakistan may soon be counted among the
worlds top executioners. Pakistan is edging closer to

membership of the unenviable club of the worlds top executioners (China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and USA). At least
150 people have been put to death since a freeze on executions was lifted in December 2014, following aTaliban attackon a school in Peshawar.

3. Indonesia and Pakistan used crime and terrorism as an excuse to bring back executions. Both

Indonesia and Pakistan justified bringing back the death penalty by claiming it is an effective response to crime and terrorism. But there is no evidence to show that the death penalty
is more effective at addressing crime than a prison term, nor
does abolition lead to a sharp increase in crime, as some fear.
4. Iran looks set to surpass its execution figures
for 2014. Iran has so far this year executed nearly 700

people many of these executions were not officially acknowledged. In 2014, Amnesty recordedat least 743 executions in Iran over 12 months. That the country put more than
600 people to death just six months into this year is deeply
troubling.
5. Saudi Arabia has already executed more people
than it did in 2014. Amnesty has recorded 102 executions

in Saudi Arabia so far this year, exceeding the total number of

executions (at least 90) for 2014. Almost half of these executions were for drug-related offenses.

THE GOOD

1. Three countries abolished the death penalty in

the first three months of 2015. In January Madagascar

abolished the death penalty for all crimes. Fiji followed suit in
February. And in March, the South American State of Surina-

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015 Pg 8

suspension of all executions.

me also removed the death penalty from its legal books. The
abolition of the death penalty in three countries in the space
of three months gives further momentum to a trend that has
been evident for decades the world is consigning capital
punishment to history.

4. Those countries that execute are in the minority.

2. Another three countries are close to abolishing the death penalty. The Mongolian Parliament

5. More than half the worlds countries have

abolished the death penalty. In total, 101 countries

is considering a draft penal code abolishing the death penalty.

Burkina Faso and South Korea are also considering similar
draft laws.

3. The trend towards abolition in the USA is picking up steam. One more US state, Nebraska, has abolished

the death penalty, becoming the 19thabolitionist state in the

USA. And in February, Pennsylvanias governor announced a

Over the last five years, the average number of countries that
have carried out executions each year stands at 22.

have completely abolished the death penalty thats more

than half the countries in the world. Another 33 countries
are abolitionist in practice meaning they have not executed
anyone for at least 10 years and have a long-standing policy
of not executing. Despite the sharp rise in executions in some
countries, abolitionist countries still represent the clear global
majority.

CHINA: Urgent Action - Dozens Of Lawyers Targeted In Crackdown

Wang Yu (f), Zhou Shifeng (m), Sui Muqing (m), Li Heping (m), Bao Longjun (m), Bao Zhuoxuan (m),
Wang Fang (f), Li Shuyun (f)
Ove Tpfer Stock.Xchng

emerged of lawyers across the country being targeted, including in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Among those missing are prominent human rights lawyers Zhou Shifeng, Sui
Muqing and Li Heping.

An article published on July 12th in The People's Daily, an

official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, said that
the Ministry of Public Security had launched an operation to
destroy a major criminal gang that was using the Fengrui
Law firm in Beijing to draw attention to sensitive cases. The
article also claimed to expose the severe harm that a group
of rights defense lawyers had brought to society.

Many of those detained were part of a group of over 100 lawyers and rights activists who signed a public statement on July
9th condemning Wang Yus disappearance. Several of those
t least 24 human rights lawyers and activists have been
who have been brought in for questioning by police have said
detained or are missing in China in an unprecedented nation- that the authorities particularly focused on the statement and
wide crackdown. Many more have been questioned by police wanted to know whether they were involved.
and at least three law firms have also been searched.

In the early hours of July 9th, human rights lawyer Wang Yu

went missing after sending a text message to friends saying
that her internet and electricity had been cut off and people
were trying to break into her home. Many more reports then

Action

Please write immediately in Chinese, English or your own

language:
Demanding the authorities immediately confirm the whereabouts and legal status of all the lawyers currently missing, in-

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015 Pg 9

cluding Wang Yu, Zhou Shifeng, Li Heping and Sui Muqing;

Calling on them to ensure that if detained, they all have
regular, unrestricted access to their lawyers and family and
are protected from torture and other ill-treatment.
Appeals To

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE AUGUST 24th 2015 TO:

Minister of Public Security
Guo Shengkun
Ministry of Public Security
No.14, Donchanganjie,
Dongchengqu, Beijing 100741
Peoples Republic of China
Email: gabzfwz@mps.gov.cn
Salutation: Your Excellency

The President
Xi Jinping
The State Council General Office
2 Fuyoujie
Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100017
Peoples Republic of China
Salutation: Your Excellency
Copies To

President
Wang Junfeng
All China Lawyers Association
5/F., Qinglan Plaza
No. 24, Dongsishitiao,
Dongchengqu, Beijing 100007
Peoples Republic of China
Fax: 011 86 10 84020216
Ambassador Cui Tiankai
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 495 2138
Phone: 1 202 495 2266
Email: chinaembpress_us@mfa.gov.cn
Additional Information

At around 3am on July 9th, Wang Yu, a human rights lawyer

with the Fengrui Law firm in Beijing, sent a text message to

friends saying that her internet and electricity had been cut
off. At 4:17am she sent another message saying that there
were people trying to break into her home. Later that morning, friends were unable to reach her and she was not at home
when a group of activists went to check on her. Wang Yus
husband Bao Longjun is also missing. Their 16-year-old son
Bao Zhuoxuan was handed over to his aunt by police on 10
July. Wang Yu has taken on many important human rights
cases that the government has deemed sensitive in recent
years, including: the defense of Cao Shunli, the Jiansanjiang
case, the defense of prominent Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti,
the Fan Mugen forced eviction case.
At around 7am on July 10th, lawyer Zhou Shifeng, director of
the Fengrui Law Firm, was witnessed being taken away from
his hotel room in Beijing with a black hood over his head by
three unidentified people. The law firms financial director
Wang Fang has not been heard from since he left his home to
go to the office the same morning.
The sister of Li Shuyun, another lawyer at the firm, reported
that at 11am on July 10th approximately ten plain-clothes police officers took her away from her home. One of the officers
said that she was being taken away in relation to the investigation of a criminal case.
AIUSA Group 48 Contact Information
Group Coordinator
Joanne Lau
jlau@aipdx.org

Prisoners Cases
Jane Kristof
kristofj@pdx.edu

Treasurer
Tena Hoke
tena.hoke@gmail.com

Megan Harrington
megan.harrington
@gmail.com

Newsletter Editor
Dan Webb
write_to_dan@yahoo.com

Concert Tabling
Will Ware
ww_ware@yahoo.com

Darfur (Sudan)
Marty Fromer
martyfromer@gmail.com

Central Africa/
OR State Death
Penalty Abolition
Terrie Rodello
tarodello@igc.org

Indonesia
Max White
maxw33@comcast.net

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015 Pg 10

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the full membership fee at the time you join us or you have the choice to pay in January of the following year. Please send a
check or money order payable to Amnesty International Group 48 and the form below to our treasurer: Tena Hoke, 5026 SE
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AIUSA group 48 Newsletter August 2015