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 Victory! Charges Dropped and Detainee Released (Venezuela: UA 125.20)
Nicmer Evans, a Venezuelan political scientist and communicator, was unconditionally released on 1 September as part of a group of 110 individuals recently pardoned by Nicolás Maduro. After being arbitrarily…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Russian Doctor’s Persecution Continues (Russian Federation: UA 77.20)
Doctor Tatyana Revva, employed in a hospital in Kalach-on-Don, southern Russia, continues to face reprisals for exposing personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages and other issues with the COVID-19 pandemic. She…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Covid-19 Threatens Indigenous People’s Lives (Ecuador: UA 114.20)
In August, the Ecuador government published a national protocol to respond to COVID-19 among Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous and human rights organizations in the Amazon said this protocol was not adequately…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Opposition Activists Rearrested; One Charged (Zimbabwe: UA 84.20)
Opposition activists Joana Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia Chimbiri, together with their lawyer, were rearrested by the police on 31 July while on their way to Harare Central Police Station…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Justice for Gender-Based Violence Survivor (Mozambique: UA 130.20)
On 12 June, the 2nd Criminal Appeal Section of the Judicial Court of Maputo’s City overturned the decision that found the aggressor of Women Human Rights Defender, Josina Machel, guilty…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Uyghur Model Held Incommunicado for Months (China: UA 106.20)
Merdan Ghappar has not been seen or heard from since March 2020, after his messages and photos describing his poor detention conditions were shared on social media. Detained since January…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Seven Papuan Activists Released from Prison (Indonesia: UA 100.20)
On 17 June 2020, seven Papuan activists were convicted of treason (makar) and sentenced to between ten and 11 months in prison for their role in an anti-racism demonstration in…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Mapuche Spiritual Leader Ends Hunger Strike (Chile: UA 127.20)
On 18 August 2020, the spiritual leader of the Mapuche people in Chile, machi Celestino Córdova Tránsito, decided to end his hunger strike after reaching an agreement with the government,…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Beninese Journalist Ignace Sossou is Free (Benin: UA 8.20)
Investigative journalist Ignace Sossou was freed from Cotonou prison on 24 June after having served six months in arbitrary detention. On 19 May, the Cotonou Court of Appeal reduced his…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Jehovah’s Witness’ Sentence Commuted (Russian Federation: UA 107.20)
On 3 August, the Pskov Regional Court, in western Russia, commuted Gennadiy Shpakovsky’s six-and-a-half-years’ prison sentence to a suspended sentence of the same duration including two years on probation. The…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Niger Journalist Samira Sabou Has Been Freed (Niger: UA 117.20)
Samira Sabou, a journalist and President of the Niger bloggers association, was freed from Niamey pris-on on 28 July after the judge dismissed all charges of defamation against her. She…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Serious Health Concerns for Maldivian Politician (Maldives: UA 121.20)
Ahmed Adeeb, former Maldivian Vice President, suffers from several ongoing health conditions. Arrested in 2015 for what were believed to be politically motivated charges, his convictions were overturned last year…