Redeeming Mahadine – Rutherford Campaign Week 2018
Students campaigned and petitioned during Rutherford campaign week along with Amnesty International for the release of Mahadine, a man imprisoned and tortured for speaking against the Chadian government on social media. Each year, a new Amnesty International* case is chosen and Rutherford students campaign for this particular cause.
The campaign started off with the senior Rutherford prefects introducing the Write for Rights campaign, in which all of Rutherford House wrote letters expressing their views about the situation to the Chadian government.
On Wednesday morning, 7R embarked on a sponsored silence to reflect on the privilege of having a voice – the money raised will be used to send experts to meet Mahadine, observe his trials and interview officials. Braving the cold weather, 7R and 8R then went outside to stage a silent protest during lunchtime and held signs and banners in support of Mahadine. During tutor time, members of 7R had the unique opportunity to introduce Mahadine’s case and the Write for Rights campaign to the rest of the Year 7 students. Clement Kwan from 7R, one of the students who presented said, “At the beginning I was very nervous but once I started speaking it was a piece of cake – it was a fun time helping out Amnesty and we can help to save Mahadine!”
Throughout the week, students also set up a display board and petitioned around the school to get signatures in support of the cause. On social media, the hashtag campaign was created for students to post pictures with the hashtag ‘#redeemmahadine’ in support of Mahadine.
Head of Rutherford House Mr Chan says: “It has been a humbling week for me. The presentation by the student leaders at the start of the campaign was powerful and inspirational, they empowered the students in 7R to go on stage later on in the week and present their cause to the rest of Year 7, galvanizing their peers to join the letter-writing campaign. Our students at their best. Truly wonderful!”
*As an international organisation with the aim of defending human rights, Amnesty International tackles issues such as freedom of expression and discrimination across the globe.
Click here to see more information about Mahadine’s case
By Alice zhang Media Team
