Our Work | amnesty15

Immigration Justice
We are focusing on immigration related issues and legislation, educating ourselves, connecting with other organizations and groups, and advocating for legislation in Massachusetts and the U.S. Congress. In addition, we are advocating on behalf of individuals who are being held in ICE detention, both here in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the U.S., and sharing relevant standouts and rallies with our members.

Individual at Risk/Prisoner of Conscience
Our Individual at Risk coordinator brings updates and actions to our meetings.

Our current POC case:

Bozorghmer Yorov is a human rights lawyer in Tajikistan. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison for representing members of the banned Islamic Revival Party (IRPT). Ongoing research helps inform our advocacy, support and letters to officials.

Our previous ttwo cases:

Magai Matiop Ngong in South Sudan was 15 when he was sentenced to death for murder after an accidental shooting. He was released from death row in July 2020 and released from prison in March 2022.
Maria Ressa, a Filipino-American journalist and author, faced lawsuits for articles critical of Philippine President Duterte. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.

The Urgent Action Network

Our Urgent Action coordinator writes an urgent action letter every month to bring to our meeting, where we discuss the background and features of the specific case. We sign, address, and send the letter.

Anyone can join the Urgent Action Network and participate in this important work.

Community Partnership and Dignity in Asylum

Community Partnership is an Amnesty International program to help assist refugees and asylum seekers to reach and settle in a safe country. Amnesty International Group 15 has entered into a Community Partnership with Dignity in Asylum (DIAS), a local non-profit organization, entirely run by volunteers. DIAS provides free housing and community support to people seeking asylum. Help with groceries, transportation to lawyers' and doctors appointments, English classes and overall caring and comforting support, are provided by volunteers from the local community. The Community Partnership agreement formalizes Group 15's long standing commitment to DIAS, through donations of funds and the hosting of fundraising events. For more information and to make donations: https://www.dignityinasylum.org/

Criminal Justice Reform

We participate in efforts to address injustice in our criminal justice system:bias, racism, wrongful convictions, excessive punishment, treatment of juveniles, and prison conditions.

Death Penalty Abolition

We are active in Amnesty's campaign to end capital punishment. We focus our efforts on the death penalty in the United States. This photo shows Susan Dodd, a member of our group, with the flag on which she embroidered the names of 1437 Americans who have been executed in the U.S. since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976

LGBTQ+ issues and human rights

We are educating ourselves about the LGBTQ+ community, and legislation and policies that affect their rights and safety.