Amnesty International

Purpose: To free all prisoners of conscience. These are people detained anywhere for their beliefs or because of their ethnic origin, sex, colour, language, national or social origin, economic status, birth or other status -- who have not used or advocated violence; ensure fair and prompt trials for political prisoners; abolish the death penalty, torture and other cruel , inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners; end extrajudicial executions and "disappearances".

Date of Origin: May 28,1961

Original Membership: 1,000 people

Current Membership: more than 1,000,000 members, subscribers and regular donors in more than 100 countries and territories and 4,287 local Amnesty International groups.

Director: Pierre Sané

Staff: 300 permanent staff and 95 volunteers from more than 50 countries.

Return to Organizations Page