Peter Benenson

Peter Benenson was a British lawyer and human rights activist who founded Amnesty International in 1961. Motivated by a desire to protect individuals unjustly imprisoned for their opinions or beliefs, he launched a campaign called "Appeal for Amnesty" after reading about two Portuguese students detained for drinking a toast to freedom. His efforts helped shine a global light on human rights abuses, leading to the formation of Amnesty International, an organization dedicated to defending people worldwide from torture, imprisonment, and other violations of their basic rights. Benenson’s work significantly contributed to the global human rights movement.