A bold move to fix inhumane prisons

No toilet. No clothes. Filth and disease. Prison conditions around the world are a festering human rights failure. We must do better. Help us build momentum for the Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act before it crumbles in Congress.

Dear Rector, Beset by rampant disease and malnutrition. Death trap. That’s how one report describes the horrendous prison conditions in Zambia. Things are equally horrific in Sudan, Iraq and dozens of foreign prisons around the world. Senator Patrick Leahy described the mistreatment of human beings in these facilities as “reminiscent of the Dark Ages.” Click here to help Amnesty fight for humane prison conditions.  For years, Amnesty has documented inhumane conditions in prisons around the world. I’m happy to report that Congress is finally paying attention. Last month, Senators Leahy and Sam Brownback, and Representatives Bill Delahunt and Joseph Pitts introduced theForeign Prison Conditions Improvement Act of 2010. The bill will help ensure minimum standards of dignity for millions who languish in inhumane prisons. The bill is a bold step to address the problem globally, especially given current financial conditions. But passage is far from certain. The legislation needs co-signers quickly or it will wither on the vine.  Stop despicable prison conditions across the globe The Foreign Prison Conditions Act is designed to reduce the suffering of millions of people in foreign prisons, but it doesn’t stand a chance unless more members of Congress sign on. Our team is ready. Can you help them? Click here to make a contribution of $35 or more today and help Amnesty convince Congress to pass this important piece of human rights legislation.  Here’s what the Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act will do: Provide assistance to countries making significant efforts to improve prison conditions Mandate that the US restructure or even decrease US assistance to countries unwilling to improve prison conditions Create a new State Department position focused solely on prison conditions I know I can count on Amnesty members to help relieve the suffering of people denied their basic human rights and stripped of dignity. People in these prisons face some of the most abominable human rights conditions I’ve ever seen. Please support our life-saving human rights work with your financial contribution today.    Sincerely, Larry Cox Executive Director Amnesty International USA