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: ACTIVIST’S DETENTION EXTENDED (Russian Federation: UA 34.21)
On June 23, 2021 the Moscow District Court in Nizhnii Novgorod extended Mikhail Iosilevich’s arbitrary detention until August 28, 2021. His trial may start in September. He is accused of…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: RELEASE ALL PEACEFUL PROTESTORS (Cuba: UA 88.21)
On July 11, 2021, protests took place across Cuba over the economy, lack of medicines, and long-term restrictions on freedom of expression. Potentially hundreds of protestors are in prison and…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: TWO YOUTHS ARRESTED AT 17 FACE EXECUTION (Iran: UA 83.21)
Iranian young man Hossein Shahbazi is facing imminent execution for a crime that took place when he was just 17 years old. Despite a global outcry in late June 2021…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: TORTURED PRISONER STILL DENIED MEDICAL CARE (Belarus: UA 173.20)
Viachaslau Rahashchuk is a taxi driver from the Belarusian city of Pinsk who was arbitrarily detained, tortured and later sentenced to six years in prison. He has remained behind bars…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: DEFENDER BEATEN AND DENIED HEALTH CARE (Iran: UA 84.21)
Azerbaijani Turkic human rights defender Alireza Farshi DizajYekan is arbitrarily detained in Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary for advocating for mother tongue rights, posting online about imprisoned activists and other peaceful…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: THREE MOLUCCANS ARBITRARILY ARRESTED AND DETAINED (Indonesia: UA 82.21)
Pieter, Alexander and Benjamin, pro-independence political activists from Molucca, have been arbitrarily arrested and charged with treason for their role in keeping a Republic of South Maluku (RMS) flag “Benang…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: LECTURER SENTENCED FOR WHATSAPP MESSAGE (Indonesia: UA 76.21)
Saiful Mahdi, a university lecturer at the Syiah Kuala University in Aceh Province, was sentenced for defamation to three months in prison and a fine of Rp 10 million (approximately…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: DETAINED FOR DEFENDING WOMEN AND GIRLS’ RIGHTS (Venezuela: UA 80.21)
Vannesa Rosales is a teacher and women and girls’ rights defender in the state of Mérida (West). On October 12, 2020, officers from the Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations Unit…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: LAWYER DETAINED WITHOUT TRIAL FOR OVER A YEAR (Sri Lanka: UA 62.20)
Hejaaz Hizbullah, a prominent Sri Lankan lawyer, was arrested on April 14, 2020 and has since been detained on trumped-up charges under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Hejaaz…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: WOMEN INFLUENCERS JAILED FOR ‘INDECENCY’ (Egypt: UA 78.21)
Egyptian women social media influencers Hanin Hossam and Mawada el-Adham were convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms by Cairo’s Criminal Court on June 20, 2021 for inciting “indecent” content,…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER ABDUCTED WITHOUT TRACE (Pakistan: UA 79.21)
Seengar Noonari, Labour Secretary of the Awami Workers Party (AWP) and lifelong activist, was abducted from his home at 3am on June 26, 2021 in front of his wife and…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: TWELVE MEN RISK EXECUTION AFTER UNFAIR TRIAL (Egypt: UA 77.21)
Twelve death row prisoners are at imminent risk of execution after Egypt’s highest appeals court, the Court of Cassation, upheld their death sentences on June 14, 2021 following a grossly…