Peter Berenson Biography

Upon Benensons return to London in later 1960 after an extended holiday in Italy, he and Eric Baker begin work on creating an organisation which reflects their collective thinking. Benensons conversion to Roman Catholicism influenced him towards a new internationalist thinking based upon Christianity and the teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in which injustice must be struggled against regardless of where it occurs or to

Benenson stumbles across an article in The Daily Telegraph about two Portuguese students imprisoned for a simple toast to freedom while riding the tube, Enraged at the injustice, Benenson begins an international organisation

Amnesty International is born from Peter Benensons long history of communist party support that had begun at Eton during the Spanish Civil War, where he organized aid for Basque Orphanages and became radicalised in favour of the Republicans

Amnesty International is founded by Peter Benenson, an English lawyer who had converted to Roman Catholicism in 1958. Founds Amnesty International for political prisoners.

Benenson and his friend Alec Digges, an Irish communist, members of the International Brigade Association at the same address (2 Parton Street WC1, London) take control of the Amnesty shell.

Benenson has a book published, "Persecution" , which details the cases of several prisoners of conscience investigated and compiled by Benenson and Baker.

Benenson has a book published, "Persecution" , which details the cases of several prisoners of conscience investigated and compiled by Benenson and Baker

Benenson and Baker, in consultation with other writers, academics and lawyers, write via Louis Blom-Cooper to David Astor, editor of The Observer newspaper, who, on May 28, 1961, publishes Benensons article The Forgotten Prisoners.

Marks the launch of Appeal for Amnesty, 1961, the aim of which is to mobilize public opinion, quickly and widely, in defence of these individuals, and in particular communist party members, who Benenson named "Prisoners of Conscience".

Marks the launch of Appeal for Amnesty, 1961, the aim of which is to mobilize public opinion, quickly and widely, in defence of these individuals, and in particular communist party members, who Benenson named "Prisoners of Conscience"

Benenson and his friend Alec Digges, an Irish communist, members of the International Brigade Association at the same address (2 Parton Street WC1, London) take control of the Amnesty shell. Amnesty International is founded by Peter Benenson, an English lawyer who had converted to Roman Catholicism in 1958

The leadership decide that the Amnesty appeal would form the basis of a permanent organisation, which on 30 September 1962 is officially named "Amnesty International"

Death of Peter Berenson