Amnesty International was launched in 1961 by British lawyer Peter Benenson. His newspaper article, "The Forgotten Prisoners", was published worldwide on May 28, 1961 and brought more in more than 1,000 offers of support for the idea of an international campaign to protect human rights. Within 12 months the new organization has sent representatives to four countries to make a representation there on behalf of the prisoners and had taken 210 cases. The first years cost was $16,040.00.

Amnesty International's emphasis is on the international protection of human rights. Members are not allowed to act on cases in their own countries. Today Amnesty International has more that 1,000,000 members and regular donors in more than 160 countries and territories. There are more than 5,300 local youth, student, and professional AI groups registered in more than 90 countries and territories throughout the world. There are nationally organized sections in 56 countries, 34 of them in Latin America and the Caribbean. Others are in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Central Europe. The organizations center is the International Secretariat in London. The secretary is Pierre Sane.

Some of the things Amnesty International does to help are: campaign for human rights, human rights education, exposing violations of human rights, working for individuals and victims of human rights violations.

For more information about Amesty International visit these sites:
http://207.219.200.38/amnesty/
http://www.web.amnesty.org/web/aboutai.nsf
http://www.britannica.com/