SMU Amnesty President locked away for 72 hours (Photo by Lindsey Perkins, The Daily Campus)

Eating only bread and water, SMU Amnesty International President Kristin Schutz will remain in a wooden cage for 72 hours. The Amnesty Annual Mock Jail began Wednesday at 10 a.m. in front of the flagpole, where Schutz will remain for the duration of the event.

“The mock jail made its debut with SMU Amnesty back in the late ’80s, and for the most part, has been around most every year,” said Laurie-Leigh Nix, president emeritus of SMU Amnesty International.

The event was designed to draw signatures for petitioning a political prisoner’s release. In 2004, SMU gathered over 1,500 signatures, aiding in the release of a political prisoner in China. This year, the mock jail will feature another “prisoner of conscience.” “The goal is to get 2,000 signatures,” said Nix.

The student-run organization is one of the oldest on campus, established in 1985. Amnesty International can be found in city groups across the world, but according to Schutz, “most of the activism happens on college campuses.”

“On this campus awareness is the number one goal,” said Schutz. “I think people have the wrong conception of what a prisoner of conscience is, and we hope to raise awareness among students about what they stand for and the fact that they exist all over the world.”

Although Schutz will be the only student inhabiting the mock jail, many other student volunteers will aid in the collection of petition signatures.

Jesusita Santillan, a senior political science major, helped Schutz set up Wednesday morning. Like Schutz, Santillan hopes the mock jail will raise awareness among students.

“These prisoners are incarcerated for their thoughts, for their beliefs and for their expression,” she said, “not for anything violent or criminal.”

Rachel Ball, the current vice president of SMU’s Amnesty International group, protested in a wooden cage in 2004. With the contribution of 1,500 student signatures from SMU, the prisoner she protested for was released.

“I think this is evidence that doing this is well worth everyone’s while and really does make a difference,” said Ball. “A lot of students wonder what petitions really do, and this shows the effect it can have.”

This year, Schutz and SMU’s Amnesty International group is petitioning for the release of Fessahaye Joshua Yohannes from Eritrea and Ma Khin Khin Leh from Mynamar. Yohannes, a journalist, is currently detained without trial for criticizing the government of Eritrea, and Khin Leh is incarcerated for peaceful protest after democratic election results in Mynamar were ignored.

“What they were imprisoned for, we really value,” said Schutz. “Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are rights that are not realized in other countries.”

The protest has already begun to draw student interest. Freshman Stuart Imel said, “I think this experience is really going to change people’s minds. I am very proud of Kristin.”

Over the next 72 hours, approximately 16 people will be taking shifts to aid in the collection of petitions. Friday morning will conclude the student protest.