Fierce urgency in Mid East and North Africa

A wave of uprisings is sweeping through the Middle East and North Africa. As Egypt and Tunisia grapple with political transition, in Libya, a defiant al-Gaddafi has threatened to “cleanse” the country “house by house.”

Amnesty supporters must not let down our guard. We must be ready. Become a member today.

		Dear Aimee, If you're like me, you've been watching with horror as news breaks from the Middle East and North Africa — peaceful protesters are being detained, harassed, beaten, tortured and even fired upon by people bent on crushing dissent. Abdallah Salman Mohammad Hassan, a protester in Bahrain, told us a harrowing story. After he and a friend were arrested in Manama, the country's capital, he was blindfolded, beaten with sticks, punched and hung from a door for hours in detention. "They tied my hands behind my back and then put me on a chair; I was standing on the chair. Then they put my arms behind the door from the top and pushed the chair away. I was left suspended: my body on one side of the door and my arms on the other side. It was very painful. "I asked for water and they didn't give it to me. I wanted to pray and they refused. I didn't sleep. I was left suspended on the door for a few hours. At least seven people were killed in Bahrain and scores have been wounded in the past weeks by security forces using excessive force against protestors."	A call to defend. © AFP/Getty Images We need your help now to mount an unyielding defense of human rights in the Middle East and North Africa. With your support we can remain on the ground, exposing the truth, demanding that abusers are brought to justice.
		The situation is dire in Libya, where the leader, Mu’ammar al-Gaddafi, gave a speech in which he called protesters “cockroaches” and “rats.” In one chilling statement, he threatened to "cleanse Libya house by house." This violence is unacceptable. Become a member today and help us mount an unyielding defense of human rights. There have also been stories of hope. Amnesty researchers in Cairo described a sea of people – all ages, social classes and political backgrounds – in Tahrir Square on the day Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak stepped down, feeling part of a whole new Egypt, an Egypt reborn. “People’s sense of achievement and pride in being able to take control of Egypt’s future reverberated across the square. ‘Put your head up high, you are Egyptian,’ was sung over and over again and was complimented by laughter, ululations, songs of praise, drums and the waving of Egyptian flags." This is the power of peaceful protest. I need your help to continue Amnesty’s work in the Middle East and North Africa. Join Amnesty International. Here is my pledge to you: Amnesty will continue to send researchers to the countries where crises are unfolding, and tell the world what is going on. We will advocate for the rights of peaceful protesters. We will hold repressive leaders accountable. You can help make this happen by becoming a member today. In solidarity, Sincerely, Larry Cox Executive Director Amnesty International USA