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 Update: Human Rights Defender’s Prison Sentence Upheld (Saudi Arabia: UA 86/16)
The Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh has upheld Saudi Arabian human rights defender Issa al-Hamid’s 11-year prison sentence. It is feared that he could be detained at any time to…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Salvadoran Asylum Seeker Released (USA: UA 54/17)
Salvadoran woman Sara Beltran Hernandez has been granted bond and released from detention. She had been held in a Texas detention centre for 15 months, despite having a claim to…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Activist Sentenced To 10 Years For Graffiti Protest (Azerbaijan: UA 114/16)
Azerbaijani youth activist Bayram Mammadov was sentenced to 10 years in prison on 8 December for a graffiti protest. Fellow activist Giyas Ibrahimov was also sentenced to 10 years…
Urgent Action
Good News! – Russian Federation: Activist Released Dimitry Vorobyovsky (UA 109/16)
Activist Dmitry Vorobyovsky, who had been taken to a psychiatric hospital on 6 May and subjected to involuntary psychiatric treatment, was released following a court order on 12 May. …
Urgent Action
Russian Federation: Provide Medical Care to Olga Gisich (UA 113/16)
A lawyer sentenced to eight and a half years’ imprisonment for alleged extortion and damage to property after a possibly unfair trial is in urgent need of specialized medical…
Urgent Action
Stop Action! – Malaysia: Sentence Reduced and Fine Upheld for Hishamuddin Rais (UA 111/16)
Activist Hishamuddin Rais has had his nine-month jail sentence reduced to a fine following a unanimous decision by the Court of Appeal on 16 May. The Court of Appeal…
Urgent Action
Indonesia: Halt Executions (UA 110/16)
Three death row prisoners were moved on 8 May to Indonesia’s Nusakambangan prison island, where 13 executions were carried out in 2015.
Urgent Action
Good News! – Oman: Sulaiman Al-Ma’mari Released (UA 107/16)
Omani writer, journalist and human rights activist Sulaiman al-Ma’mari was released without charge on 19 May, following 22 days detained in solitary confinement.
Urgent Action
Iran: Release Amir Amirgholi (UA 108/16)
Iranian activist Amir Amirgholi was sentenced in early 2016 to 19 years and six months in prison following an hour-long trial on charges that stem from his peaceful activism.
Urgent Action
Russian Federation: Release Dmitry Vorobyovsky (UA 109/16)
Activist Dmitry Vorobyovsky was forcibly taken from his home to the Voronezh Regional Neurological Dispensary on the evening of 6 May. Once there he underwent involuntary psychiatric treatment.
Urgent Action
Good News! – Mexico: Ildefonso Zamora Released (UA 106/16)
Urgent Action
Good News! – Sudan: Eight Students Released (UA 105/16)
Eight students who were arrested while at the office of the human rights lawyer, Nabil Adib, in Khartoum on 5 May have been released on 19 June and 21 June.…