This does not necessarily imply that the organisation shares the views of the prisoner, but that it maintains his right, under any regime, to give expression to his opinions.Amnesty International is committed to political and geographical impartiality; its eyes are open to coercion and injustice, wherever in the world these evils appear, in the East or the West or in the Third World. Within a year, a dozen countries had Amnesty International groups, committed to research and action on human rights abuses, especially to end torture, end extra-judicial executions, and to bring freedom for prisoners of conscience.

In 1960, a British lawyer Peter Benenson read about two Portuguese students who proposed a toast to liberty in a Lisbon café and were sentenced to prison by the Antonio Salazar’s regime. He was tutored privately by the poet W.H. In 1957, he joined with a group of British lawyers to form JUSTICE, a human rights and reform organization.

What, one might ask, are the results of Amnesty International’s activities during these last sixteen years? …efforts of the British attorney Peter Benenson, who had defended political prisoners in Hungary, South Africa, and Spain and who sought to establish a collective agency for the advancement of human rights. Results are published in special reports. When Amnesty International was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977, I felt as though I had played a small part. They establish the fact that peace is not merely abstinence from war, but in addition respect for the human rights proclaimed in the Helsinki Agreement of 1975; freedom of thought, conscience, religion or faith are essential prerequisites for peace.The Peace Movement in Northern Ireland champions the right of the individual to live a life free from fear, from violence and acts of terrorism, in other words “external” peace.Amnesty International fights for man’s right to freedom of conscience, in other words, to a life in “internal” peace.Taken together, these two peace movements represent an aim which ordinary mortals associate with the dream of peace.Amnesty International, founded in London in 1961 by the English lawyer Peter Benenson, can today look back on sixteen years of activity.It was a mere coincidence that led to the establishment of this organisation, which today is global in its scope, comprising some 100,000 members and some 2,000 groups in 33 different countries.Sitting in the compartment of a train in London, one day in 1960, Peter Benenson happened to read in the papers of two Portuguese students who had been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment for making critical remarks on Salazar’s regime.Peter Benenson was not only profoundly shocked, he decided then and there that he would try to help the two young men who had been the victims of this violation of justice.His impulsive reaction to the sentence passed on these two may have sprung from an interpretation of the concept of freedom which says that: “Freedom merely for adherents of a government, or of one party, is no freedom; freedom will also mean freedom as well for those who hold different views.”Together with a number of others who shared his views Benenson organised, in the years that followed, the movement which is known today as the prisoners’ friend, Amnesty International. In 1977 Amnesty International was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.

The Nobel Peace Prize 1977 Founded: 1961 in London, United Kingdom Residence at the time of the award: London, United Kingdom Role: A worldwide organization for the protection of the rights of prisoners of conscience Prize share: 1/1 A Light in the Darkness Amnesty International is a worldwide human rights organization run by its members. Benenson only led the group for a few years. Where it all began. Ques : Which Nobel Prize winning non-governmental organisation was founded by Peter Benenson in 1961 in Britain? The committee working for this cause soon found that a detailed documentation of this category of prisoners would be needed. Amnesty's members organize targeted action and campaigns to bring an end to violations.Amnesty International was founded in 1961 by the British lawyer Peter Benenson. Rights for a more peaceable democracy. Amnesty International. The UNHCR and the ICRC, two of … Faced with this situation, Amnesty, so far from shrinking from its task, has stepped up its efforts to ensure that governments in all countries should feel morally obliged to abide by the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights.A number of nations maintained during the Belgrade Conference that for one country to call attention to a violation of human rights in another country constituted interference in the internal affairs of that country.I cannot believe that a ruse of this nature aimed at glossing over injustices perpetrated in one’s own country will be countenanced by international opinion today. It is independent of all governments and all financial players. Founded: 1961 in London, United Kingdom The Nobel Peace Prize 1977 More. I was one of the thousands around the world who wrote letters on behalf of prisoners … At that time, I never knew about Peter Benenson, the founder of the group. Skip to content A button that allows ... Amnesty International, founded in London in 1961 by the English lawyer Peter Benenson, can today look back on sixteen years of activity.

According to Benenson's own account, he was travelling on the London Underground on 19 November 1960 when he read that two Portuguese students from Coimbra had been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in Portugal for allegedly "having drunk a toast to liberty". Peter Benenson (1921-2005) Posted May 25, 2015byDan Buttry When Amnesty Internationalwas awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977, I felt as though I had played a small part. Cases were researched and publicized by AI along with specific steps people could take to support prisoners of conscience.The candle burning inside a coil of barbed wire became AI’s symbol.