Two on-line petitions for you to sign – Will it make a difference? Yes it will.

If you are on-line you will often come across some truly tragic stories regarding people who are being abused horrendously or who have their human rights being trampled into dust, and often you will find a petition for you to sign associated with it.

So will it make any difference?

You might be tempted to think that it will not help, but I’d like to argue that in fact it will.

So here are two petitions that I would like to encourage you to sign up for please – it will only take a brief moment.

Overturn Asia Bibi’s death sentence #saveAsiaBibi

Over on Change.org is a petition that is directed to David Cameron, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, and the Government of Pakistan.

The story is …

Four years ago, a mother of five kids in Pakistan named Asia Bibi was sentenced to die for blasphemy.

Asia was alleged to have made disparaging comments about Islam after neighbors objected to her drinking out of their water glasses because of her Christian faith — a charge she has denied. This week, a High Court in Pakistan upheld Asia’s death sentence, which means that she now faces execution unless Pakistan’s Supreme Court and the global community works to save her.

Join me in asking your government to speak out on behalf of Asia, and help bring the global community together to #SaveAsiaBibi.

So far over 103,000 have signed … they need to get that petition up to 150,000 so please do go sign it, it only takes a moment.

 

Amnesty International UK – STOP GAMBIA’S ANTI-GAY BILL

Amnesty International has a petition rolling over on their site …

The Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh is currently reviewing a Bill which could see Gambians imprisoned for life if they are even suspected to be gay or lesbian.

Among those who could be charged with ‘aggravated homosexuality’ are people living with HIV.

Consensual sex between adults of the same sex is already punishable with up to 14 years in prison. This new, poorly defined law could be used to further discriminate against and intimidate those even suspected of being members of the LGBT community.

Tell the president to reject this bill before it’s too late.

Click here to go and take some action. simply fill in your name, and your email address, then hit Submit and that sends an email on its way.

So will signing either of these make any difference?

In one word … yes.

Past campaigns have been successful and where it can be clearly demonstrated to the various authorities that they are being watched by the world, then such pressure can indeed cause them to pause and reconsider.

As the petition numbers increase then so does the pressure, and so taking a few moments really can help somebody who truly does need some help. Both of these relate to grow breaches of rather basic human rights, so please take a moment to add your voice of protest.