Amnesty focuses on local issues

by SAEED ALSHAHRANI
reporter

The Amnesty International-USa organization will discuss sexual abuse and human rights of prisoners in West Virginia at 4:30 p.m. today in Harris Hall 403.

Jonathan Hutto, the membership program coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic region of Amnesty, will lead the discussion.

"The lecture will focus mainly on the human rights abuses against women and men that have occurred in West Virginia," Hutto said. "We are also looking to solidify our base."

Jason Daniel Little, junior and Amnesty International member, said, "Some of the issues we will talk about will be the sexual abuse of women in West Virginia state prisons, the imprisonment and torture of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, and the disappearance of people who speak out against their country's government."

According to information from Amnesty International-USA's Web site, "Amnesty International has recently received complaints of ill-treatment, as part of a lawsuit, experienced by prisoners at Wayne County Jail in West Virginia. The class action civil suit, filed on behalf of the 12 individuals (seven women and five men), alleges violations of a violent, sexual and, in some cases, racist or homophobic nature."

The Web site also explains that the FBI has launched an investigation into the allegations of abuses, but they have not resulted in any criminal charges being filed.

Amnesty International-USA is an organization that protects human rights around the world.

The group is governed by a nine-member International Executive Committee (IEC). It comprises eight volunteer members elected every two years by an International Council comprising representatives of the worldwide movement and an elected member of the International Secretariat.