{{Infobox_Company | company_name = Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
| company_logo = [[Image:Amnesty International.svg|80px|centre|Amnesty International logo]]
| company_type = [[Non-government organisation|Non-Governmental Organisation]] 
| company_slogan = n/a. 
| foundation = 1965, [[New Zealand]]
| location = [[Wellington]], [[New Zealand]]
| key_people = [[Ced Simpson]], Margaret Taylor
| industry = [[human rights]] 
| products = Lobbying, research, consultancy. 
| revenue = [[Dollar|$]]? Million [[New Zealand Dollar|NZD]] (2005) 
| num_employees = ''? (nationally)'' 
| homepage = [http://www.amnesty.org.nz/ www.amnesty.org.nz/]
}}
'''Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand''' (AINZ) is a part of the [[Amnesty International]] network, and works to end [[human rights]] abuses.

The first [[New Zealand]] Amnesty group was founded in [[1965]], and the organisation was incorporated in [[1966]]. Since being founded, the organisation has worked to free [[prisoner of conscience|prisoners of conscience]], fight human rights violations around the world, and promote human rights in New Zealand by lobbying and education. It describes itself as working for full human rights for everyone.

AINZ acts primarily with a focus on rights within the [[Asia-Pacific]] region, and is secretariat for the Association of Commonwealth Amnesty International Sections. It is a consulting member of the [[Council for International Development]] and part of the [[Human Rights Network of Aotearoa New Zealand]].

AINZs executive director is Ced Simpson and the chairperson is Nicola Mutch.

==Campaigns==

The organisation is currently active in campaigns to [[Stop Violence Against Women|stop violence against women]] as part of an international campaign to see full human rights for everyone. The campaign calls on governments to take a stronger stand for women in cases of [[Domestic violence|domestic]] and [[sexual violence]]. The organisation recently urged that Amnesty International "take a cautious prinicpled approach" on sexual and reproductive rights (Freedom Letter - see references).

Amnesty International strongly supports the creation of a [[United Nations]] treaty to [[Small arms proliferation|control small arms]]. AINZ gathered over 12,000 faces in a photo-[[petition]] it handed in to the [[New Zealand Government]]. Minister for Disarmament [[Phil Goff]] declared New Zealand's strong support for such a treaty after receiving the petition.

New Zealand is the first nation in negotiations for a [[free trade agreement]] with [[China]]. As a result of this, and New Zealand's proximity to the nation, AINZ is trying to highlight [[human rights in china]]. The organisation is particularly concerned about [[freedom of speech]] issues, and censorship of the internet by the government and companies such as [[Google]] and [[Yahoo]]

Among the priority campaigns for the organisation is the case of [[Algerian]] former [[Member of Parliament]], [[Ahmed Zaoui]] who is seeking [[asylum]] in New Zealand. Mr Zaoui was detained under a classified [[Security Risk Certificate|security risk certificate]] introduced by the NZ [[Security Intelligence Service]] and accused of having links to the [[Armed Islamic Group]] (GIA). Amnesty International became involved when it became clear that he was not receiving a fair trial within a reasonable time frame, and was at risk of being deported to a country where he faced the possibility of [[torture]] or [[execution]]. He was detained without trial for two years, 10 months of which were in [[solitary confinement]]. In [[December 2004]] New Zealand's new [[Supreme Court of New Zealand|Supreme Court]] ordered Mr Zaoui released under the bail of the Auckland [[Dominican Order|Dominican Friar]]s. Amnesty International does not take a position on whether Ahmed Zaoui is guilty of the (unreleased) charges laid against him.

The [[Darfur conflict]] in [[Sudan]] is one of Amnesty International's top priorities, as a result of the large scale human rights abuses occuring. AINZ has called for the introduction of a [[Peacekeeping|United Nations peacekeeping]] force to prevent conflict and stop further unnecessary suffering.

Amnesty International also supports the implementation of the New Zealand Government's Action Plan for Human Rights.

==Support==

AINZ has approximately 14,000 members. These include MPs from across the political spectrum, such as [[Don Brash]], [[Phil Goff]] and [[Keith Locke]].

==References==

*Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand, ''Freedom Letter'', May-June 2006, Wellington

===External links===
*[http://www.amnesty.org.nz/ Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand]
*[http://www.amnesty.org Amnesty International]

[[Category:Amnesty International]]
[[Category:Organisations based in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Human rights bodies]]


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