Practicing tourniquets in the hotel room

What I saw in Afghanistan and Ukraine — and why we need your support [View in Browser]( [Amnesty International candle logo]( [HELP NEEDED: CRISIS RESPONSE »]( Dear {NAME}, I’m a bomb expert. My job at Amnesty is to document all kinds of munitions, conduct post-blast investigations, and prove when internationally banned weapons are used. I also work with Amnesty’s Crisis Evidence Lab, which uses digital reconstructions, open source research, and satellite imagery to investigate and document human rights violations. While it’s impressive what we can do from afar, there’s no substitute for going to the front lines, talking to eyewitnesses, and collecting physical evidence. And that’s what I do: deploy to countries in crisis like Afghanistan and Ukraine. In Ukraine, I traveled to the front line in Mykolaiv, and proved conclusively that the Russian government was killing civilians with “cluster munitions” — a war crime. In Afghanistan, I was on the ground in Kabul when the city fell to the Taliban. Later, my team interviewed survivors and family members to prove that the Taliban was carrying out targeted killings of ethnic and religious minorities. Doing this work costs money. Interpreters are expensive. Finding a safe place to stay can be pricey. Trustworthy drivers are hard to find (never mind the fuel shortages). That’s why I’m writing to you today: It’s almost Giving Tuesday, one of the most important fundraising times of the year for Amnesty. [Your donation today will be doubled, giving us twice the resources to investigate, report, and respond to crises like these.]( Supporter Record for {NAME}: Email Address: {EMAIL} Giving Tuesday 2X Match: Unclaimed Suggested Donation: $100 [2X MY GIFT!]( Before Amnesty, I served in the U.S. Air Force as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer. I’m honored to bring that experience to Amnesty, where I can now use my knowledge of weapons to amplify the stories of civilian victims of war and prove crimes. Because the truth is, very few human rights organizations have an investigator with my expertise. After a Russian missile strike that killed nineteen people in a television tower, I searched through the rubble myself to identify the weapons used. Having the right people with the right expertise on-site is irreplaceable. [Brian Castner examines rubble of destroyed building in Ukraine]( Me, carrying out a field investigation in Rivne, Ukraine in March 2022. I’m sifting through the rubble after Russian forces carried out a missile strike, and analyzing munitions fragments to identify the types and models of weapons used. Amnesty’s Crisis Response team doesn’t have a security detail. We don’t show up as part of a convoy. We wear body armor, carry medical kits, and keep ourselves trained — including practicing applying tourniquets in our hotel rooms. My team does everything we safely can to stretch a dollar. At the end of the day, we can investigate more leads, hire more experts, and spend time in more countries, if we get more donations from people like you. [Your Giving Tuesday donation is what helps make my work possible — and it’ll be doubled for two times the impact… giving us twice the resources.]( {NAME}, if the past few years have taught us anything, it's that world leaders are growing emboldened to violate human rights — and we must be prepared to hold them accountable. That’s exactly what Amnesty is here to do — [and exactly why we need your support.]( Gratefully, [Brian Castner] Brian Castner Senior Crisis Advisor & Weapons Investigator Amnesty International *We are doing our best to keep Giving Tuesday information up to date. If you have already made a donation, thank you for your generosity! [DONATE NOW]( © 2022 Amnesty International USA 311 W 43rd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036 | 1-800-AMNESTY Please don't reply to this email. You can send questions to aimember@aiusa.org. We’re so happy you’re here to hear about the most important updates on human rights! If necessary, you can [opt to receive fewer emails]( or [unsubscribe here](. [supporter]