About Amnesty International
In late 1960, a British lawyer named Peter Benenson (1921 - 2005) learned that two students had been sentenced to seven years in prison for daring to toast to freedom in a Lisbon bar. Outraged, Benenson published an article in the London Observer on May 28, 1961 asking readers to write letters to Portugese officials demanding the students’ release. The article unleashed a wave of support for the students and other prisoners of conscience, and Amnesty International was born.
Today, Amnesty International is the largest human rights organization in the world, with more than 1.8 million members and supporters in over 150 countries and territories. More �
About Human Rights
Human rights are the basic freedoms and protections that people are entitled to simply because they are human beings.
- Human Rights are Universal
- They belong to everyone, regardless of their race, sexuality, citizenship, gender, nationality, ethnicity, or abilities.
- Human Rights are Inherent
- We are all born with human rights. They belong to people simply because they are human beings.
- Human Rights are Inalienable
- They cannot be taken away – period. No person, corporation, organization, or even government can deprive another person of his or her rights.
- Human Rights can be Violated
- Although they are inalienable, they are not invulnerable. Violations can stop people from enjoying their rights, but they do not stop the rights from existing.
- Human Rights are Essential
- They are essential for freedom, justice, and peace.
Learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
