Appendix. Sample letters

Sample letter A

Dear Prime Minister, I write to appeal to you, on humanitarian grounds, to release ......... .   Yours truly,

Sample letter B

Your Excellency, I write to appeal to you, on humanitarian grounds, to spare the life of......... presently under sentence of death.   Yours sincerely,

Sample letter C

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to you, in the spirit of friendship that has always existed between your country and mine, about the plight of ......... who I understand has been detained for nearly three years under the Internal Security Act without any reason being given. If this information is correct, this would appear to violate Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says "No one shall be subject to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile". I therefore appeal to you to look into this case urgently, with a view to releasing ......... .   Yours respectfully,

Sample letter D

Dear Minister, I write this letter as a Board Member of the Moravian Friendship Association to appeal to you to ensure that Professor ........., a prisoner held in ......... State Prison, is given the medical treatment she requires and an adequate diet. In view of the seriousness of this case, I would ask you to make inquiries to satisfy yourself personally that the conditions under which she is kept in prison are in keeping with the basic standards expected today by all members of the international community. I would like to add that our Association, whose function it is to promote friendship and goodwill between the peoples of our two countries, has every confidence that the human rights enshrined in your Constitution are fully observed in your country.   Yours sincerely,

Sample letter E

Your Excellency, I am a clerk in government service in Sri Lanka, and I also work in a voluntary Buddhist social service organization. I am deeply concerned at the news that ......... has been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment in your country for publishing an article critical of the government. If this is true, it appears to be a harsh and unjust punishment. I appeal to you on humanitarian grounds, and in furtherance of the principle of freedom of expression enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to review this case with a view to releasing .......... Yours sincerely,

Sample letter F

Your Excellency, In my capacity as President of the Women's Institute of Toronto, I am writing to you on the subject of the recent arrest of ......... who is, I understand, in detention under the regulations for the Suppression of Rebellion. In view of the information available to me concerning this case, ......... is deprived of her freedom in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. May I take the liberty of drawing to your attention the specific violations of the Declaration apparently involved in her case. Her arrest under the regulations for the Suppression of Rebellion constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the Declaration. She has been held since her arrest without charge (at least as far as is publicly known) and without trial, which constitutes a violation of Articles 9 and 10 of the Declaration. The only reason which has been given for the arrest of ......... is her role in the legal and legitimate opposition in the public life of your country, not only as a parliamentarian, but as a political worker conducting actions guaranteed the full protection of your Constitution. It therefore appears that the rights proclaimed in Articles 18 and 19 of the Declaration have also been violated. Motivated solely by respect for human rights, I appeal to you to intervene personally in this case to secure the immediate release of ......... from detention or to grant her the right to an early, fair and open trial. Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my highest consideration, Yours sincerely,

Sample letter G

Riverside Languages 22 High Street Manchester M5 6XJ Mrs. S. Stone Human Resources Manager Northern Manufacturers Ltd. The Industrial Estate Oldham OL3 7RJ 30th January 2004   Dear Mrs. Stone,   Thank you for your letter of 13th January enquiring about the services offered by Riverside Languages.   We teach French, German, Spanish and Japanese to both groups and individuals.Classes take place in our school in the centre of Manchester, or on your company’s premises. For individual classes we are able to teach all levels from beginner to advanced. For groups, the availability of higher-level classes depends on demand.   About half our teachers are native speakers of the languages taught. The rest are fluent speakers and most have lived in the countries where these languages are spoken. All our teachers are graduates with a further qualification in language teaching, and between them they have accumulated many years of teaching experience both at home and abroad.   We can offer intensive courses tailor-made for particular groups or individuals. However, our standard courses for groups consist of 4 hours of classes per week, divided into 2 sessions, and last for six months. At the end of that time, students who pass the final exam will receive a certificate stating the level they have attained, and will be allowed to progress to the next level. We also run courses preparing students for external exams in the languages we teach.   Price depends on a number of factors, including the size of the group, any special requirements, and where the class takes place. I would be happy to come to your office to discuss this at your convenience. Please call me on 0161-364 8749 to arrange a suitable time. I look forward to hearing from you.   Yours sincerely, Carl Thomas Carl Thomas Director, Riverside Languages