Forty years ago, two Portuguese students who had raised their wine glasses in a toast to freedom were jailed.
Forty years ago, a candle ensnared in barbed wire would have been treated as just another decorative ornament.
Forty years ago, this situation changed with the publication of an article, The Forgotten Prisoners, in the British newspaper The Observer. Written by a British lawyer, Peter Benenson, the article aroused international concern over the issue of human rights violations.
Consequently, the concept of Amnesty International was brought to life.
Today, Amnesty International has more than one million members and supporters in 162 countries and territories. This year, we hope you will join us in our campaign to promote and protect all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.