Members of the Devizes Amnesty branch are urging people to give up a few minutes of their time to write what they believe could be the most important Christmas card of the year.
They want people to show their solidarity with victims of human rights abuses around the world on Saturday as part of Amnesty’s annual Write for Rights campaign.
Members of Devizes Amnesty will be at St John’s Parish Rooms in Long Street to provide the cards and a cup of coffee between 10am and noon.
Chairman Mike McClelland said: “We tend to take human rights for granted here but in much of the world speaking your mind is a hazardous occupation and can land you in jail.
“Letters of solidarity can make a real difference to people imprisoned, or in danger, for exercising their human rights. It reminds them they are not alone, and by showing the authorities that the world knows what’s going on, it can help to secure a prisoner’s release, stop the harassment or change an unjust law.”
The people supported by Amnesty include Saudi Arabian prisoner of conscience, Raif Badawi, imprisoned and sentenced to 1000 lashes for founding an online forum for political debate and Chelsea Manning, the American soldier who leaked classified government information to the website Wikileaks.
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