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Amnesty International In 1998, Pierre Sané, Secretary General of Amnesty International, described the character and significance of the microfiche edition as follows: "1998 marks the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- the bedrock of contemporary human rights -- and is a significant year for Amnesty International and human rights organizations throughout the world. The anniversary is a time both to look at what we have achieved, and what challenges lie ahead for the human rights community. In this half century, Amnesty International has helped to enshrine human rights in international law, raised public and political awareness of those basic rights and the abuses which still take place, and worked with the ever growing number of grassroots human rights groups throughout the world. In marking the anniversary of the Declaration, Amnesty International is focusing on highlighting the risks faced by human rights defenders -- the people on the front line of human rights protection -- and demonstrating the popular support for the Declaration through our worldwide signature campaign. We are looking towards further strengthening the human rights movement in the next 50 years, and to make sure that ignorance of abuses can never again be used as an excuse for inaction. For this reason, finding out about human rights violations and making those facts public is crucial, and the role of IDC is extremely valuable in making this information available in microfiche editions with comprehensive, annually updated inventories on CD-ROM." Access The microfiche edition is annually updated, and made accessible on item level by an online EAD finding aid and a printed guide listing all individual documents in this unique collection. The printed guide is also updated on a yearly basis. The printed guide is cumulated every five years. Country Dossiers The information in Amnesty International Reports and Country Dossiers is compiled, analysed and edited by volunteers and members of the staff of Amnesty International. The information comes from diverse sources and is collected on the basis of disciplined research. Background information is sifted from published studies, contemporary archives, press reports, and transcriptions of radio broadcasts. Legislation pertaining to the administration of justice in each country is quoted from official publications. Exhaustive interviews with former prisoners are conducted by Amnesty International researchers. Details on individual cases are verified by consulting experts and other international organizations. Where possible, Amnesty International sends missions to countries to meet government representatives, visit prisons, and conduct on the spot investigations. Publications Once the information has been collected, the details are cross-checked by Amnesty International's Research Department and Legal Office to corroborate individual testimony and ensure the integrity of the final published reports for which Amnesty International takes full responsibility. |
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