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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
The reason we could resist the ban and move forward was the international support and solidarity by Amnesty International activists around the world. We could not have gone further without your support.
I am very grateful for all the support I received while I was in prison. Life in prison was very difficult and I was treated badly, but the support of those who believed in me made me strong.
My case once again showed how important solidarity and attention are in protecting the freedom of speech and human rights. I admire your noble work and boundless courage, dear activists.
Browse Urgent Actions
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Blasphemy Conviction Demonstrates Intolerance (Indonesia: UA 106.17)
Christian Jakarta Governor, ‘Ahok’, was sentenced to two years imprisonment on 9 May 2017. Convicted of blasphemy against Islam, Amnesty International considers him to be a prisoner of conscience, who…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Lawyer and Activists Detained For Facebook Posts (Thailand: UA 105.17)
Detained lawyer Prawet Prapanukul, Danai, Wanchai and three others were arrested by a joint military security force on 29 April and held in an unknown location for five days before…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Activists Given Six-Month Suspended Sentence (Chad: UA 92.17)
Two Chadian activists Nadjo Kaina Palmer and Bertrand Sollo have received a six-month suspended prison sentence. They are appealing this judgment. The two activists were arrested and charged with conspiracy…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Syrian Father Of Three Missing For 1403 Days (Syria: 101.17)
Today is Ali Mohammed Mostafa’s 55th birthday. He is a father of three who has been forcibly disappeared for nearly four years, and his family still has no information about…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Iranian Arrested At 15 Risks Imminent Execution (Iran: 94.17)
Peyman Barandah is at imminent risk of execution on 10 May in Shiraz’s Adel Abad prison, Fars Province, Iran. He was 15 years old at the time of his arrest,…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Philippines Senate Must Oppose Death Penalty (Philippines: UA 282.16)
Bills to reintroduce the death penalty in the Philippines are pending before the Senate, which resumed session on 2 May 2017. Despite the Philippines being a state party to an…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Opposition Activists Released Without Charge (Sudan: UA 75.17)
Three political opposition activists, Mohamed Hassan El Bushi, Amin Saad and Motaz Al Ajail, were released without charge on 25 and 30 April. The three had been detained without charge…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Dutch-Iranian Prisoner Denied Heart Surgery (Iran: UA 100.17)
Dutch-Iranian national Sabri Hassanpour, who has been detained in Tehran’s Evin prison since his arrest on 19 April 2016, is being denied urgently needed open heart surgery by the Iranian…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Iranian Filmmaker Keywan Karimi Released (Iran: UA 19.16)
Iranian filmmaker Keywan Karimi was released from Tehran’s Evin prison on 19 April 2017. He had been imprisoned since 23 November 2016. Keywan Karimi was a prisoner of conscience.
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Pro-Biafran Activist Released (Nigeria: UA 198.16)
Sunday Chucks Obasi (30) who was abducted from his home in Amuko Nnewi Anambra State on 16 August 2016 by Nigerian security agents has been released on bail.
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! General Law On Torture Improved And Passed (Mexico: UA 11.17)
On 19 April the lower house of Mexican congress approved their version of the General Law on Torture and sent it back to the Senate for final approval before it…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Man Arrested At 15 Faces Imminent Execution (Iran: UA 94.17)
Peyman Barandah, who was 15 years old at the time of his arrest, is due to be executed on 10 May in Shiraz’s Adel Abad prison, Fars Province, Iran. He…