Michael Matheson Member of the Scottish Parliament for Falkirk West is backing Amnesty International’s Write for Rights Campaign 2013.

Amnesty’s annual global campaign runs from 1 November to 31 December and highlights human rights abuses taking place around the world while others are celebrating the holiday season. Ordinary people everywhere are asked to send a message of solidarity and hope, or to appeal directly to the relevant government in the country where the abuse is taking place.

Amnesty International’s Scotland office has called on supportive MSPs to back the Write for Rights Campaign, repeating a similar effort made in 2011, and Mr Matheson was happy to respond to the call by writing in support of Yorm Bopha.

Speaking in support of the Write for Rights Campaign Mr Matheson said:

“I am backing Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign to help them highlight these appalling human rights violations.

“Amnesty International does a great job shining a light on some of the worst violations of rights across the world, and the Write for Rights Campaign is a simple way in which people can play their part in helping them to do so.

“I would encourage anyone who is interested in taking part to look at Amnesty’s website for details of the cases they are highlighting this year, and discover how easy it is to participate. At a time of year when many of us are celebrating; it is nice if we can take just a little bit of time to help others – together we have the potential to make a huge difference.”

Amnesty International Scotland’s Programme Director Richard Hamer added:
“I would like to thank Mr Matheson for taking part in our Write for Rights Campaign and helping raise awareness of the cases we have chosen of ordinary men and women who are having their human rights taken from them in the most appalling ways.

“It is a sad fact that the thirteen cases we have chosen to highlight this year, are only a very small sample of some of the individual cases that Amnesty International is dealing with. However, we know the power people have when they come together to make a stand and put pressure on governments involved to help those we have identified.”