What is the Urgent Action Network?
The concept is simple: Take Action, Change a Life.
Urgent Actions ask our community of volunteers to flood the mailboxes, inboxes, phones and social media of authorities when someone is in imminent danger of human rights violations. Your letters, emails, phone calls, faxes and Tweets have helped to halt executions, support human rights defenders and free prisoners of conscience—people jailed solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs and identity.
Please note that the US postal service has suspended service to some countries in light of COVID-19 – reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.
How Does It Work?
STEP 1: Sign Up Today!
Sign up to receive Urgent Action emails. You can choose to receive all emails or a more limited number. You can also choose to receive emails on specific issues or regions.
STEP 2: Take Action Now!
Urgent Action emails specify the case, local and international government officials to contact, their contact information and suggestions about what to write, say or Tweet.
Our Educator’s Guide
Are you an educator looking for ways to engage your students in human rights? Find out how your students can show their power through letter writing!
In many cases, your action on these cases leads to better conditions for prisoners and their eventual release. Those individuals at the center of these Urgent Actions often send their thanks to Amnesty International, citing that these messages serve as a source of hope.
Browse Urgent Actions
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Four Families Ordered Released From Detention (USA: UA 59.17)
On 17 August, four-year-old Carlos and 16-year-old Michael along with their mothers, Lorena and Maribel (all names changed to protect their identities), were ordered released from Berks County Residential Center…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Harassment of Dissident Iranian Cleric Must End (Iran: UA 78.14)
Dissident Iranian cleric Seyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi has faced continued intimidation and death threats by the Iranian authorities since his release from prison on 4 January. He is under 24…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Pakistani Defender Forcibly Disappeared (Pakistan: UA 192.17)
Human rights defender and Convenor of Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh, Punhal Sario, has been forcibly disappeared in Sindh Province, southern Pakistan. This is another example in a string…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Pastor Released After Over Two Years Of Detention (North Korea: UA 139.17)
Lim Hyeon-soo, a 62 year old Canadian pastor, has been released from a North Korean labour camp after spending more than two and a half years in detention. Convicted of…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Risk Of Unfair Trial For Forcibly Returned Activist (China: UA 259.15)
Dong Guangping’s court hearing scheduled for April 2017 has been cancelled by authorities with no reason provided. Charged with “subverting state power” and “crossing the national border illegally”, Dong Guangping…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Russia Drops Case Against Rights Defender (Russian Federation: UA 121.16)
The criminal case against prominent Russian human rights defender Valentina Cherevatenko for “violation of ‘foreign agents’ law” was closed on 19 June due to an “absence of the elements of…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Harassed Priest Granted Fellowship Abroad (Sri Lanka: UA 116.17)
Since being summoned for questioning by the Sri Lankan police for hosting a memorial for the war dead, Father Elil Rajendram was successful in securing a court order directing the…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Falun Gong Practitioner Indefinitely Detained (China: UA 216.16)
A judge has asked the prosecutor to collect further evidence for the trial of Falun Gong practitioner, Chen Huixia, for her indictment of “using an evil cult to undermine law…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Syrian-Kurdish Opposition Activist Released (Syria: UA 123.17)
Syrian-Kurdish opposition activist Mohsen Taher was released from Allaya prison in Qamishli, north-eastern Syria, on 29 July. He had been detained since 9 May by Asayish forces, the police force…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! All 28 Men Suspected Of Being Gay Released (Bangladesh: UA 112.17)
The five remaining men still being held on bail, of the 28 who were arrested at a social event outside of Dhaka, were released on 21 July 2017. Initially suspected…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Egyptian Prisoner Of Conscience Released (Egypt: UA 176.17)
Human rights defender Tarek Hussein was released on 27 July. After being arbitrarily detained for 40 days, the former prisoner of conscience has now joined his family.
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: More Uighur Students At Risk Of Forcible Return (Egypt: UA 168.17)
Another 10 Uighur students were forcibly returned by the Egyptian authorities back to China, bringing the total to 22 in July, while approximately 200 more remain at risk of being…