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Peter Benenson

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Peter Benenson

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Also known as Peter James Henry Solomon

English human rights activist (1921-2005)

Person · Open Library

Works
4

Top works

  • Persecution, 1961 (A Penguin special)
  • A free press
  • The future of legal aid
  • A water conservation scenario for the residential and industrial sectors in California

via Open Library + Wikidata

Quotes

  • Open your newspaper any day of the week and you will find a report from somewhere in the world of someone being imprisoned, tortured or executed because his opinions or religion are unacceptable to his government … The newspaper reader feels a sickening sense of impotence. Yet if these feelings of disgust could be united into common action, something effective could be done.
  • Pressure of opinion a hundred years ago brought about the emancipation of the slaves'.

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Key facts

Born
Peter James Henry Solomon , ( 1921-07-31 ) 31 July 1921, London , England
Died
25 February 2005 (2005-02-25) (aged 83), Oxford , England
Resting place
Nuneham Courtenay graveyard
Alma mater
Balliol College, Oxford
Known for
Founding the global human rights organisation Amnesty International
Spouse s
Margaret Anderson (?–1972; divorced; 2 children), Susan Booth (1973 –2005; his death; 2 children)
Parent s
Flora Benenson , Harold Solomon

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image
Peter Benenson.jpg
Show 4 more facts
date of birth
1921-07-31
date of death
2005-02-25
name in native language
Peter Benenson
Commons category
Peter Benenson
Sources (3)

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Article

Peter Benenson (born Peter James Henry Solomon; 31 July 1921 – 25 February 2005) was a British barrister, human rights activist and the founder of the human rights group Amnesty International (AI); a global movement of more than 10 million people, currently, and in over 150 countries and territories who campaign to end abuses on human rights and to secure the release of political prisoners.

He refused all honours for most of his life, but in his 80s, largely to please his family, he accepted the Pride of Britain Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2001. In the 1980s, he became the Chairman of Association of Christians Against Torture. Also, in the 1990s Peter Benenson organized aid for Romanian orphans. He also founded a group to aid victims of celiac disease which he had.

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