More than seven million people around the world fight for human rights and social justice by being a member or supporter of Amnesty International.

The first of these were spurred into action by human rights lawyer Peter Benenson who was outraged after reading a newspaper report about two students being jailed for seven years for raising a toast to freedom.

Benenson wrote a letter to the Observer newspaper calling on its readers to write letters themselves showing their support for the students.

The students who were the focus of that first campaign were in Portugal, then under a nationalist dictatorship.

Letter writing continues to be one of Amnesty’s main strategies but its lobbying and its human rights objectives have diversified since then and its efforts are global.

Amnesty conducts is own research into human rights abuses by those in authority, it lobbies governments, business and decision-makers to do the right thing and its grassroots supporters – people like you – produce petitions, letters and protests to call for change.

Its symbol – a candle wrapped in barbed wire – is recognised around the world.

Thousands of people persecuted, abused and jailed for voicing their opinions and acting for their communities have been helped by Amnesty International highlighting their plight.

But the progress made in protecting human rights is itself now under threat as too many governments use national security as an excuse to attack civic society, harassing their own citizens who dare to speak about and stand up against injustice.

Join us and take part in the fight for human rights for all.

Mae mwy na saith miliwn o bobl o amgylch y byd yn ymladd dros hawliau dynol a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol drwy bod yn aelodau neu’n gefnogwyr Amnesty Rhyngwladol.

Sbardunwyd y cyntaf o’r rhain i weithredu gan y cyfreithiwr hawliau dynol Peter Benenson, a oedd wedi ei gythruddo ar ôl darllen adroddiad mewn papur newydd am ddau fyfyriwr a garcharwyd am saith mlynedd am iddyn nhw gynnig llwncdestun i rhyddid.

Ysgrifennodd Benenson lythyr at bapur newydd yr Observer yn galw ar y darllenwyr i ysgrifennu eu llythyrau eu hunain i ddangos eu cefnogaeth dros y myfyrwyr.

 

‘Roedd y myfyrwyr dan sylw yn yr ymgyrch gyntaf hon ym Mhortiwgal, oedd bryd hynny o dan unbeniaeth milwrol.

Mae ysgrifennu llythyrau yn dal i fod yn un o brif strategaethau Amnest, ond mae ei lobïo a’i amcanion hawliau dynol wedi amrywio ers hynny ac mae ei ymdrechion yn fyd-eang.

Mae Amnest yn arwain ei ymchwil ei hunan i mewn i droseddau hawliau dynol gan rhai sydd mewn awdurdod; mae’n lobïo llywodraethau, busnesau a’r sawl sy’n gwneud penderfyniadau i wneud y peth cywir.   Mae cefnogwyr Amnest ar lawr gwlad – pobl fel chi – yn cynhyrchu deisybiadau, llythyrau a phrotestiadau yn galw am newid.

Adnabyddir ei symbol – cannwyll wedi ei lapio mewn gwifren bigog – ar draws y byd.

Mae miloedd o bobl sydd wedi cael eu herlid, camdrin a’u carcharu am iddynt leisio barn, a gweithredu dros eu cymunedau, wedi cael eu cynorthwyo wrth i Amnest dynnu sylw at eu sefyllfa.
Ond mae’r cynnydd a wnaethpwyd i amddiffyn hawliau dynol nawr o dan fygythiad, wrth i ormod o lywodraethau ddefnyddio diogelwch cendlaethol fel esgus i ymosod ar gymdeithas ddinesig, ac aflonyddu ar eu dinasyddion sy’n mentro siarad allan, a sefyll yn erbyn anghyfiawnder.

Ymunwch â ni a chymryd rhan yn y frwydr dros hawliau dynol i bawb.