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?
![](https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/themes/thinkwp-aiusa/assets/images/default-image.png)
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.
![](https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/themes/thinkwp-aiusa/assets/images/default-image.png)
![](https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/themes/thinkwp-aiusa/assets/images/default-image.png)
![](https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/themes/thinkwp-aiusa/assets/images/default-image.png)
![](https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/themes/thinkwp-aiusa/assets/images/default-image.png)
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.
![](https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/themes/thinkwp-aiusa/assets/images/default-image.png)
![](https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/themes/thinkwp-aiusa/assets/images/default-image.png)
![](https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/themes/thinkwp-aiusa/assets/images/default-image.png)
![](https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/themes/thinkwp-aiusa/assets/images/default-image.png)
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: Protect Transgender and Intersex People’s Rights (Hungary: UA 92.20)
On 28 May Hungary’s President signed a new law adopted by parliament on 19 May and whose Article 33 bans legal gender recognition for transgender and intersex people in violation…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Man with Claims of Innocence Executed in Missouri (USA: UA 80.20)
Walter Barton was executed on 19 May 2020. He was on death row in Missouri, USA since 2006 for the 1991 murder of a woman and always maintained his innocence.…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Two Bahrainis Released After 8 Years in Jail (Bahrain: UA 236.12)
On 23 May 2020, Ebrahim Ahmed Radi al-Moqdad was released from Jaw prison. His co-defendant in the case, Jehad Sadeq Aziz Salman, was released earlier on 18 March 2020. The…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Evictions of Vulnerable People (Peru: UA 90.20)
On 22 May 2020, Peruvian President MartÃn Vizcarra extended strict measures to tackle COVID-19, including lockdowns and curfews until 30 June. Impacted by these measures, many vulnerable people, such as…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Blogger Prosecuted for Humorous Post (Tunisia: UA 91.20)
On 2 May 2020, 27-year-old Tunisian blogger Emna Chargui shared a Facebook post that she found on social media of text that imitates the verses of Quran to make fun…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Journalist Awaits Dismissal of Arbitrary Charges (Venezuela: UA 37.20)
Darvinson Rojas is a Venezuelan journalist and prisoner of conscience. He was arbitrarily detained for reporting on COVID-19 and conditionally released on 2 April 2020. To date, the politically motivated…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Domoina Ranabosoa Still Faces Charges (Madagascar: UA 41.20)
Domoina Ranabosoa was released from pre-trial detention in Antanimora prison, Madagascar, on 7 April, but still faces charges. Amnesty International calls on the judicial authorities to immediately and unconditionally drop…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Health Concerns for Detained Blogger (Sri Lanka: UA 85.20)
Ramzy Razeek, a retired government official and social media commentator, has been detained since 9 April 2020 without charge or proper access to a lawyer. Suffering from several medical complications,…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Independent Booksellers Tortured by Police (Viet Nam: UA 78.20)
Two members of the Liberal Publishing House – a local independent publisher that sells books considered sensitive by the government – have been detained and tortured by police in Ho…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Activists Facing Harassment and Intimidation (Angola: UA 71.20)
Members of the non-governmental organization Mission of Beneficence Agriculture of Kubando, Inclusive Technologies and Environment (MBAKITA) are facing harassment and intimidation, including death threats and attacks, in Cuando Cubango province,…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Political Leader Imprisoned for Speech (Algeria: UA 48.20)
On 27 April 2020, the trial of the leader of the opposition Algerian political party, Union Démocratique et Sociale (UDS), Karim Tabbou, was postponed to 1 June 2020 due to…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: University Student at Risk of Torture (Iran: UA 76.20)
Iranian university student Ali Younesi has been arbitrarily detained since 10 April 2020. His family believes he is being held in Tehran’s Evin prison, where he has been denied access…