***PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ANY FURTHER DONATIONS AT THIS TIME***
25 May 2009
On Friday I was involved in a car crash and have had to withdraw from the BUPA London 10,000 - I feel gutted, but I can't risk further injury. Everyone who has pledged money offline will get the option to withdraw their pledge. For those who have donated online, the money is deposited by Justgiving to the nominated charity on a weekly basis, so the money has already gone to the charity.
I am going to see if I can take part in an event later in the year as part of Team Amnesty, and have this page kept open with the event changed. All donations already given would then count towards any new total in the next event.
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Many human rights defenders are persecuted by the Chinese authorities for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression, association and information.
Journalist and poet Shi Tao is serving a 10-year prison sentence for sending an email with information about the Chinese government's instructions to journalists on how to cover the 15th anniversary of the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square.
Ye Guozhu is serving four years in prison after he applied for official permission to hold a public protest against the alleged forced eviction of residents of Xuanwu District in Beijing in 2003.
Blind human rights activist and legal adviser Chen Guangcheng was put under house arrest in September 2005 - and then jailed after a grossly unfair trial - after he helped villagers in Linyi City, Shangdong province, sue local authorities for illegal forced abortions and sterilisations.
The Tianenmen Mothers are a group of human rights defenders, mainly women, whose close relatives were killed or injured during the Tiananment Square demonstrations in 1989. The authorities now call the 1989 events a 'political incident' rather than a 'counter-revolutionary rebellion', but they refuse to respond to calls for justice by victims or their families.
As part of its Human Rights for China campaign, Amnesty International is campaigning for the release of these prisoners of conscience, and is also campaigning in support of The Tiananmen Mothers.
On 25 May 2009 I will be taking part in the BUPA London 10,000 to raise funds in support of Amnesty's campaign.
I will be giving up a few hours each week to train, a morning at the end of May, and a few thousand strides. In comparison, these people have given up their freedom and in some cases their lives.
What can you give?
Firstly, money. Please sponsor me through this page. If you are a UK resident tax payer, please ensure that you fill in your details so that Amnesty can claim Gift Aid on your donation.
Secondly, a little time to write a letter. For those of you who want to, I have the text of a letter to be sent to the Minister of Justice of the People's Republic of China, outlining concerns regarding the treatment of these prisoners, and many others like them.
Remember, these few people mentioned are only the tip of the iceberg.
Be the change you wish to see in the world.
