OUTGOING mayor Melanie Odell joined the Haslemere Amnesty International Group on May 13 to celebrate its 40th birthday and rededicate a tree in Town Meadow to all prisoners of conscience around the world.

The tree at the centre of the town centre park was planted by the group in 1988 to commemorate all Prisoners of Conscience.

At the time, the group was campaigning for one particular prisoner, Dr Alija Izetbegovic, who was imprisoned for 14 years in Yugoslavia for his political beliefs.

It now has a new dedication plaque at its base and is hung with pictures of current prisoners of conscience.

Haslemere Amnesty chairman Maggie Hamilton said: “Amnesty International believes that ‘Only when the last prisoner of conscience has been freed, when the last torture chamber has been closed, when the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a reality for the world’s people, will our work be done.’

“We will continue to write letters in order to ensure the ongoing safeguarding of humans.”

• The town’s Amnesty International letter writing group meets every third Tuesday of the month at 45 High Street, from 2.30pm.