Peter Benenson, whose vision inspired the most widespread (and effective) human rights campaign in history, passed on February 25 after a devoting more than half his life to helping oppressed people all over the world fight for justice, freedom and dignity. Amnesty Intenational began in 1961 after Benenson called for a one-year appeal to draw attention to two students imprisoned in Portugal for drinking a toast “to liberty;” forty-four years later the organization that champions the civil rights of human beings from the Maldives to Mexico to here in the U.S. remains a thorn in the side of those who would rather dismiss them.
The grandson of a Jewish banker, Benenson organized students to help Jews who had fled Hitler