As you will know, Amnesty International is organising a world-wide petition for the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience. Could I ask readers of the Catholic Herald to take part in this petition, the wording of which reads as follows: "We the undersigned, outraged that in many parts of the world, men and women who have neither used nor advocated violence suffer imprisonment solely because of their political or religious beliefs, their race, colour or language and this, despite the many humane and noble declarations of the assembled nations of the world. starting with. the Universal Declaration of Human Rights three decades ago, urge the General Assembly of the United Nations to take swift and concrete steps to ensure strict observance in all countries of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, each and every Govern ment in the world to act for the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience."
Would readers please ask organisations in their parish to help. Petition forms, which have spaces for 35 signatures, can be obtained from: Justice and Peace Group for the Persecuted Church, Our Lady and St Columba, Carvillc Road, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear. J, P. Stark Wallsend, Tyne and Wear.