Amnesty Internaional – “It happens not here. But now.”

With this campaign “It happens not here. But now”, Amnesty International, Switzerland wants to call in consciousness that the human rights in many places are hurt daily. These are not abstract findings, for humans concerned on the posters, it’s bitterly experienced reality. Amnesty would like to sensitize how important it is to activeate yourself and protect human rights. As you may know, Switzerland is consisted of Cantons (regions), where every region has it’s own primar language: Italian, German, French or Romansh – this is why the posters are in different languages… Check the image gallery inside this post for more pictures! I would like to thank personaly to Sandro Feuillet, for providing us with these pictures. Thanks Sandro!













79 Replies to “Amnesty Internaional – “It happens not here. But now.””

  1. You have got to be kidding. The point is that these pictures of images of poverty and torture aren’t happening there in Switzerland- they’re just illusions. The real acts are happening all over the world. It’s supposed to make people stop and think.

    Personally I think it’s a really good ad campaign. Wish they did it here.

  2. the idea is, people are concerned about terrorism/poverty/disease but they are not willing to do anything about it because it isn’t affecting them as it isnt happening near them.
    these posters are trying to show that just becuase it isnt happening in that place, that it isn’t happening at all and infact we should be trying to help, because it may just happen there someday

  3. this is one hell of a campaign, kudos to the person who made it and may the message be received well, and hopefully people will react on it too.

  4. It’s an amazing way to get an important social message through an illusion technique, I really liked it, those guys really know their job….wow many times for Switzerland and Amnesty International.

  5. Amazing campaign. It takes something like this kind of REALITY in the face for people to stop what they are doing and take note. Hopefully, anyhow. I doubt these would be placed anywhere in the U.S. Too many chickens don’t like scary things…or could it be people don’t like to be reminded of the horrific realities that occur daily around the world?

  6. They should put one in the Nike’s head office with children making shoes in a sweat shop… or signs with ice caps melting in suburban areas of the United States of America.

    I think those who think that libertarianism and free market economy can cure the diseases of the world should see more pictures like these.

  7. i live in geneva switzerland and i back this campaign because im originally african and this is a topic that ppl around the world living large ignore and thing of as off puttin but is a real factor of our lives today… i just hope that ppl that see this add realize that these are not illusions but real f*kin facts that are goin on… we dont need to kill each other to get what we want we cant find peaceful means of helpin ourselves while helpin the other party too.. thats all thank you to this website of great illusions and common sense for promoting such am amazing 1

  8. They ould have positioned the last one better, it looks like he’s gonna take a dump on the phone.
    After seeing that i wouldn’t want to use that phone

  9. Why isn’t the US doing anything like this? We are supposed to be HELPING the world, and with all the “Fight on Terrorism” phlem that’s being thrown around, I think something like this would really help his hopeless cause

  10. I live in Winterthur, Switzerland and they’ve been up here for a while too. The first time I walked past one I thought, wtf, I know that place. Before realizing it was just here at the station. Those ads look best in pictures of them. In real life it’s almost impossible to find the right angle… I’ve tried to make a picutre with my cellphone but it didn’t really work out.

  11. why are the last couple pf pictures in French? is French an official language in Switzerland also???? or the same campaign is done in france??

  12. That’s amazing. I don’t think it would work in America, though. There would be FAR too many people complaining about how cude and morbid it is. It’s sad, but I think that they would get their way and the posters wouldn’t be put up.

  13. Equating terrorists in U.S. custody and innocent people subjected to tyranny and despotic rule is the reason why this campaign of equivocation would not fly in America, even the leftists here wouldn’t buy it.

  14. bored and happened to go here really makes you think wish some one would do ads like this in u.s. also put on them the people of all nationalities fighting in iraq

  15. i get it its happening not at that bus stop or whatever but its happening to some poor soul in the world somewhere its suppost to make you think about life and we should thank god 4 our life in this country ( england for me america for u?) all the while its cool coz its the same scene with some ova peep oos not really dere

  16. Woa this is absolutely genuis!
    great way to make people stop and think about this for a minute!
    GREAT ADS! BRAVO!

  17. Those who don’t get it probably don’t know what “Amnesty International” is… Check out their website!

    It is a good campaign and excellently done… Except maybe for some shots that could have been put somewhere else (like that phone booth shot).

  18. Okay I may be only 13 years old but those pictures are really breathtaking in a painful, sad way. It really shows that just becasue bad things aren’t happening aroud you personaly, it could happen and it is probely happening somewhere else. I wish they had these adds in the USA… I have bookmarked this page and I hope to show it to everyone I know.

  19. imagine you were in an airport or in a tube station an you just walk arond the cornet youb would be seriously freaked out if you saw one of those ,as it would take a while to understand.also some of them are slightyl off the behind scene, aslo did yuo noitce that if yuo arrgange leteters diffeerntly in a wrod yuo stlli raed teh wrod teh saem

  20. its not only an amazing illusion, but an awesome campaign. its breathtaking.
    i have to say, those are really sort of diturbing pics… i guess thats the point tho, huh??

  21. these are REALLY sad!!
    don’t get my wrong… they’re awesome illusions… but how could anyone stand to see these?
    imagine living somewhere near these poster or worse; where life was actually like this
    *shudders in horror*

  22. That’s the point, some people actually DO live in places where things like this happen.

    So many people, especially in the US, are so sheltered, and all they know about other places is what they hear on the news.

    WAKE UP!!! There are things going on in other countries that our media and our government don’t tell us. People are beaten and killed everyday simply because they don’t share the same beliefs as somebody else.

    Makes you appreciate the freedom we have here, doesn’t it?

  23. This is for those of you who say we need these in America: No we don’t. The reason they aren’t in America is because Americans already give more to poverty stricken nations than the rest of the world, through charity and the taxes we pay. And Amnesty International, like everything “international” is probably mostly funded by Americans.

  24. dg…What the heck man? I think your one of those people that need to see the real thing. Open your eyes dude seriously…if you lived in one of those poverty stricken countries we’re your scared someone’s going to cut your throat open while you sleep, you’d be disgusted at what you just said. Ever seen Blood Diamonds? Think about ten year old kids marching off to war to be slaughtered. Throwing money at them isn’t doing anything. Great illusion too by the way. I respect that.

    Think for a moment…seriously…

  25. biclops said…
    They could have positioned the last one better, it looks like he’s gonna take a dump on the phone.
    After seeing that i wouldn’t want to use that phone.”

    I CANNOT believe that you just said that! Just shows how IGNORANT some people can be. The people that are represented by these bilboards are REAL, they are SUFFERING right now. And you JOKE about a man being TORTURED?

    I can see how Guantanamo Bay prison and George Bush can still get away with such human rights ABUSES as people sit and LAUGH at the images.

    http://www.amnesty.org.uk

    1. nah that isnt part of the illusion at all. But yeahh, hahaha they wer ment to look transparent

  26. Incredible ad-campaign! Too bad it must too much work/expensive to do on a larger scale.. Would be an eye-opener around the western world

  27. I love the idea! I wish they put that up around here! but it would be bad for children to see some of the bloody ones, some kids can handle it but some can't.
    But the Point is really Clear.
    It could happen anywhere! and its happening wether we like it or not. People should do something about it but they wont, im particating in the fight against world hunger, im a vegitarian & i help out more when i can. I just cant believe how ignorant people are its kind of sad

  28. It’s a very good message, I think. It happens, not here, but now.I think it’s very true.
    People are suffering all over the world in so many ways, it may not be where you are right there, but it’s happeneing somewhere in the world right at that moment. It’s very true and shocking.

    Thank you for uploading these. [x]

  29. It’s sad to think that things like these are happening around the world. It just takes your breath away.

  30. wow, that is pretty cold… sure it looks cool, but WOW really, why those!? that was seriously a foolish move…

    1. Yes, glad you think it is so humourous, try working with refugees or reading some of their stories, I;m sure you would find it hilarious to discover the brutality of torture and the ensuing trama. Just bedcause you have been born into a country without war now try opening your eyes to the world around you, but perhaps your mental capacity is diminished?????

  31. i take french [im in 6th ] and well mais maintenant means but now in french . but everyone new tht

  32. I think that’s wrong, yeah it’s giving off a GREAT message but what about the little kids then walk down the street seein that?????
    *Great Illusion By The Way*

  33. These are excellant, but I worry about those suffering the post traumatic stress of torture confronting them ofr the first time, should be warnings in the media, before being placed in public

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *