Founded in 1961, Amnesty International is a grassroots activist organization whose one-million strong members are dedicated to freeing prisoners of conscience, to gaining fair trials for political prisoners, to ending torture, political killings and "disappearances," and to abolishing the death penalty throughout the world. Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) is the U.S. Section of this international human rights movement.



Amnesty International works to:



Free all prisoners of conscience detained anywhere for their beliefs or because of their ethnic origin, sex, color or language -- who have not used or advocated violence.

Ensure fair and prompt trials for political prisoners.

Abolish the death penalty, torture and other cruel treatment of prisoners.

End extrajudicial executions and "disappearances."

The USC chapter of Amnesty International USA is extremely involved as Freedom Writers and as part of the Urgent Action Network. Biweekly meetings are scheduled and the organization is completely student-led.