Amnesty Officers

Sir,—I would be pleased if you would mention in Salient the election of officers to the Kelburn Group of Amnesty International.

Amnesty is an international organisation which has no political or religious affiliations, but which seeks to relieve the distress of "prisoners of conscience" who have been imprisoned or otherwise restricted in their, activities as a result of political or religious views.

The Kelburn group has "adopted" three "prisoners": Vladimir Bykovsky, a writer in Russia who has been detained at a mental institution in Moscow; Mohamed Saleh Ali, who has been imprisoned in Bahrein; and John Aitchison, a theological student who has been banned under the Suppression of Communism Act in South Africa.

The Kelburn group of Amnesty is one of more than half a dozen groups that have. been set up in New Zealand. It meets monthly at the university. The meetings last about an hour.

The outgoing members of the committee were Mr. R. S. Clark (chairman), Mr. K. Willis (secretary), and Mr. H. B. Roberta (treasurer). The members of the incoming committee are Mr. J. R. Boyes (chairman), Mrs. Louise Clark (secretary) and Dr. M. Griffin (treasurer).