Letters for Amnesty

Experience shows that in matters such as these, governments are prepared to follow only where public opinion leads. Pressure of opinion a hundred years ago brought about the emancipation of the slaves. It is now for man to insist upon the same freedom for his mind as he has won for his body. – Peter Benenson, founder of Amnesty International,1961

Peter Benenson, founder of Amnesty International, lighting the trademark candle, 1991
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Lawyer Peter Benenson decided in 1961 that the world needed an organization to stop the torture and mistreatment of political dissidents all over the world. In his newspaper article “Appeal for Amnesty” he wrote that by mobilising the public opinion, the ‘negative spiral of oppression’ could be stopped. In his opinion the organization had to be international and neutral above anything. After all, it is much harder to counter criticism from a big group of people from many different political climates rather than one. It was the beginning of what we now know as Amnesty International.

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