| | by admin | | posted on 11th January 2022 in International Alignments | | views 220 | |
Founded in 1961, Amnesty International is a global movement for human rights, known for campaigning against injustice, torture, and repression through peaceful action and research.
Amnesty International was founded in 1961 by British lawyer Peter Benenson, with significant support from Quaker peace campaigner Eric Baker. The spark came when Benenson read about two Portuguese students imprisoned for raising a toast to freedom. His article in The Observer, “The Forgotten Prisoners,” called for a global campaign to free prisoners of conscience—those detained for their beliefs, identity, or peaceful actions.
Eric Baker, a committed Quaker and co-founder of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), was instrumental in shaping Amnesty’s founding principles. Deeply influenced by the Quaker testimonies to peace and integrity, Baker helped frame Amnesty’s work as non-partisan, nonviolent, and rooted in shared humanity. The image of a candle surrounded by barbed wire—a light against the dark—echoed both Quaker spirituality and the movement’s purpose.
Amnesty became known for its careful, documented research into human rights abuses. Teams of investigators gather testimony and evidence, often at great personal risk, to build accurate reports that underpin the organization’s campaigns. Amnesty’s neutrality—criticising any government or movement that violates human rights—has earned it both praise and political backlash.
Its strength lies in its members. Volunteers in over 150 countries write letters, sign petitions, and hold vigils. Many of its methods—silent witness, consensus building, and deep moral conviction—reflect Quaker influence. Like a gathered meeting, Amnesty believes in the power of collective conscience to shift the course of injustice.
From its earliest days, Amnesty fought against torture, the death penalty, and unjust imprisonment. During the Cold War, it helped free countless prisoners of conscience. In the decades that followed, it expanded into new areas: women’s rights, arms trade accountability, and opposition to war crimes and genocide. Each campaign, though varied in subject, shared a quiet determination to uphold the dignity of all.
Today, Amnesty campaigns for climate justice, digital rights, freedom of expression, and the protection of human rights defenders. It advocates for refugees and displaced persons and stands with people under threat in countries like Iran, Myanmar, and Sudan. Young people, including many influenced by faith and conscience traditions, are playing an increasingly active role in shaping the movement’s future.
Amnesty has faced its share of internal challenges—governance questions, financial strains, and the weight of maintaining neutrality in a polarised world. Yet its vision remains clear: to be a witness for justice, wherever that call may lead. The legacy of Benenson and Baker reminds the movement that peace and truth are not luxuries, but necessities.
As it continues to light the candle in the darkness, Amnesty International stands as a testimony to the power of ordinary people, led by conscience and grounded in compassion, to make change possible. A voice for the silenced, it reminds us that justice begins not in violence, but in listening and faithful action.
Amnesty International badges & campaigns and Amnesty International website (opens in a new tab).