Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
Amnesty Aotearoa throws weight behind NZ woman’s bid to free her brother
For the first time in decades, Amnesty International has launched an Urgent Action campaign with a New Zealand link.
Kiwi, and Fulbright Award holder Rizwangul NurMuhammad is fighting from far away in Aotearoa to have her brother released from a detention camp in China.
She has already collected over 45,000 signatures on her own petition calling for the release of her brother, Maiwulani Nuermaimaiti.
In addition to Amnesty International’s Urgent Action, an AI petition calling on the Chinese authorities to immediately free Maiwulani has just been launched.
Amnesty International Community Manager Margaret Taylor says the case is core to much of Amnesty’s work advocating for the freedom of oppressed peoples.
“The fight for freedom is something everyone understands and supports. We all want to be free to live our lives, to be with family, free to love and care for our families.”
Taylor says Chinese authorities must immediately release Maiwulani.
“This is what injustice looks like. Maiwulani has been detained since 2017 and we see no evidence of the basic things you’d expect in a just process such as regular access to a lawyer of his choice. No information about a trial or evidence of the ‘crime’ he has committed has been made public. He has been sentenced to nine years in prison. His family believe it was for his time studying in Turkey. This is not a crime. His freedom must be returned to him. He must be reunited with his family.”
She says the campaign is strengthened by Riz’ determination for justice.
“It’s rare for Amnesty NZ to have an Urgent Action with such a strong local angle. And Riz is just the best of big sisters and her strength and perseverance will galvanise fellow New Zealanders to take action with us.”
