“AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL” (AI) – is an independent, non-political international human rights organization that advocates for the protection and awareness of fundamental human rights. It was founded in 1961 on the initiative of British lawyer Peter Benenson. AI’s main objectives are: to seek the release of prisoners of conscience—citizens of various countries imprisoned for expressing their beliefs, provided they have not used or advocated violence; to secure fair trials for other individuals accused of political crimes; and to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty where it exists.
According to AI’s Statute, national sections are not supposed to defend citizens of their own country; they care for prisoners in other countries, and it is desirable that those they assist include citizens from both the socialist bloc and political prisoners from the “First” and “Third” Worlds.
AI’s work is managed by the International Secretariat in London, which has a research department that collects and analyzes information from various sources. AI sends missions to investigate facts on the ground, monitor trials, and meet and interview prisoners. AI has branches (sections) in more than 40 countries and numerous local groups in 176 countries. In total, AI has over 1 million members. It holds official advisory status with the United Nations on human rights and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.
In 1973, a Soviet section of “Amnesty International” was founded in Moscow. Valentin Turchin was announced as its chairman, and Andrei Tverdokhlebov as its secretary. Members of the section advocated for prisoners of conscience in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Spain, and Indonesia. The section published a samizdat journal, “Mezhdunarodnaya Amnistiya” (Amnesty International). When Turchin emigrated in 1977, the writer Georgi Vladimov became the section’s chairman. In 1975, Vladimir Albrecht replaced the arrested secretary, A. Tverdokhlebov. On the same day, April 18, 1975, M. RUDENKO was arrested as a member of the AI Soviet section, but during the investigation, he was amnestied as a war veteran in connection with the 30th anniversary of the victory.
In 1983, the section effectively ceased its work under pressure from the authorities.
AI groups were re-established in Moscow and other Russian cities in the 1990s. The Ukrainian Association of AI was created in April 1994.
Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group – based on materials from the Moscow “Memorial”