AI Taiwan

Memorandum of Understanding Between The Taiwan Section and the International Executive Council of Amnesty International

　　As part of the Section status recognition process, the Taiwan Section of Amnesty International (AIT) agrees with the IEC to abide by the provisions of the present MOU and to consult with the IEC on its implementation and monitoring. This MOU will be agreed by the Board of AIT and by the IEC; members of AIT will be fully informed about its provisions. The Board of AIT and the IEC will respond to any query members of AIT may have about this MOU.

　　AIT and the IEC agree the following:

1. Section Status Recognition AIT is recognized as a Section in accordance with AI policies on Section Status which state that, when recognizing Sections, AI does not take any stand on issues of territoriality and that Section recognition does not imply support or otherwise for the jurisdictional claims of governments.

2. Work on the Peoples Republic of China, including Hong Kong and Macao In view of the sensitivities involved in cross-strait relations affecting Taiwan, AIT will:
   • Abstain from campaigning on human rights issues and cases in the PRC, including Hong Kong and Macao;
   • Abstain from lobbying governments (including the Government of the ROC) and intergovernmental organizations on PRC issues;
   • Abstain from taking up cases of refugees in Taiwan from the PRC;
   • Abstain from campaigning on individual death penalty cases;
   • Abstain from carrying out media activities on the PRC other than reactive: that is, providing AI documents or news releases on request. AIT will not make any public statements on its own about AI's concerns in the PRC, and will refer all media interview requests to the IS (London or Hong Kong Regional Office).

3. Independence and Impartiality AIT will ensure that cooperation between AIT and other NGOs is consistent with the above points and with AI s Guidelines on Cooperations with other NGOs.

4. Information to the AI Movement The IEC will ensure that the AI movement is properly informed about the section status of AIT and about the points above.

5. Publicity about Section recognition AIT and the IS will ensure that publicity about the recognition of AIT as a Section explicitly disavows any position on territorial issues and any recognition or otherwise of the Government of the ROC. They will make clear that recognition results from an internal AI procedure which is purely a measure of the development of the membership structure and of the success of human rights activism in Taiwan.

6. Fundraising AIT will consult on major fundraising activities with the IEC, the HK Regional Office and the IS, in particular to check compliance with international guidelines on fundraising.