Human Rights Day

A talk on Hollywood scandals was given at a conference marking Human Rights Day.
Speaker Tim Tubbs described a litany of human-rights abuses perpetrated by film studios.
Racial, sexual and political discrimination was practised by moguls who, paradoxically, made films with liberal-humanist appeal such as Twelve Angry Men, Gandhi and Cry Freedom.
The conference, staged at Hull University's Scarborough campus by the town branch of Amnesty International, featured several other speakers.
They were introduced by John Munro of the host group.
Tony Howson spoke about political events in Ukraine and, with Felix Hodcroft, gave a stirring rendition of Bob Dylan’s Chimes of Freedom, reading it as poetry rather than singing it as a song.
Sanna Eriksson of York University's Centre for Applied Human Rights talked about its work and Egyptian human-rights defender Christeen Maher spoke about the parlous state of women’s rights in her country.
Jackie Fearnley talked about her work with asylum seekers, one of whom accompanied her. Marius Botondi is from Cameroon, where torture is “endemic”, she said.
Amnesty full-timer Hugh Sandemann travelled from his London home to give an update on human rights in north Africa.
Ten women from local choir Global Voices brought the meeting to a musical end.
A letter-writing session is held at Westborough Methodist Church on the last Thursday of each month (except December) from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.
For further information about Scarborough Amnesty, visit its Facebook page or ring secretary Rod Heath on 01723 377108.
CAPTION L-R, back: Hugh Sandeman, Jackie Fearnley and John Munro. Front: Tim Tubbs, Tony Howson and Felix Hodcroft.