Banbury Amnesty International meeting's guest will focus on shrinking human rights in eastern Europe

Ulrike Schmidt’s talk will involve such things as the treatment of LGBTI people, freedom of expression, persecution of human rights defenders, unfair trials and reproductive rights. Her focus will be the human rights situation in the countries of the eastern European area, with a focus on Poland and Hungary.

She will also consider Amnesty’s campaigning to address human rights violations and how people can get involved.

Organiser Ian Myson said:”Both Poland and Hungary for example have experienced attacks on human rights driven by current authoritarian-leading governments.”

Ms Schmidt is Amnesty UK’s Country Coordinator for Central and Eastern Europe. She has been an active member of Amnesty since 1979, describing it and the fight for Human Rights as her life-time passion.

She works as a teacher and craftswoman making furniture and musical instruments. She has been Amnesty UK country coordinator for Central and Eastern Europe for eight years and for the last three of those years been Regional Coordinator for Europe.

The meeting takes place on Monday, October 23, 7.30pm at the Dupuis Centre (Ground Floor, Bowen Room) next to St John’s Church, 25 South Bar Street, Banbury.

Amnesty says the war in Ukraine has exacerbated the negative human rights trends of previous years by fuelling insecurity and inequality, giving a fillip to authoritarian forces and a pretext for further clampdowns on basic freedoms.

Everyone will be welcome to the evening which will include a Q&A session. Refreshments will be provided and admission is free.