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?
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.
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.
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.
Browse Urgent Actions
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Human Rights Defender’s 10-Year Sentence Upheld (United Arab Emirates: UA 200.15)
On 31 December 2018, prominent human rights defender, Ahmed Mansoor, had his 10-year prison sentence upheld by the State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi. He…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Queer Artist Accepts Agreement to Avoid Prison (Paraguay: UA 110.18)
Bruno Almada Comas, a young queer artist, was accused of “acts of exhibitionism” and risked prison, based on a performance denouncing violence and discrimination against LGBTI people in Paraguay. He…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Human Rights Defender Loses Final Appeal (Bahrain: UA 249.14)
On 31 December 2018, Bahrain’s Court of Cassation upheld the five-year prison sentence of human rights defender and prisoner of conscience Nabeel Rajab. He was convicted of “spreading false rumours…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Activist Sentenced to Two Years In Prison (China: UA 235.17)
Chinese human rights defender Zhen Jianghua was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and sentenced to two years in prison on 28 December 2018. The executive director of “Human…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Deported Bahraini at Risk of Ill-Treatment (Bahrain: UA 209.18)
On 20 October 2018, Ali Mohamed al-Showaikh was deported from the Netherlands and arrested upon arrival at Bahrain International Airport. For more than ten weeks since, he has been held…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Hunger-Striking Academic In Critical Condition (UAE: UA 183.15)
Dr Nasser bin Ghaith’s health has severely deteriorated. The prominent Emirati economist and academic has been on hunger strike for over 70 days in al-Razeen prison in the United Arab…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Indigenous Communities Attacked and at Risk (Venezuela: UA 210.18)
The Pemón Indigenous communities in the Canaima National Park (western Venezuela) were the target of a violent attack during a two-day military operation, for which there was no justification. The…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! 200 Families No Longer at Risk of Forced Eviction (Paraguay: UA 137.18)
Families from the Guahory Community, Eastern Paraguay, are no longer at imminent threat of forced eviction. The implementation of the Joint Action Plan for Punishable Actions for Trespassing on Property…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Chinese Veteran Activist Executed (China: UA 3.17)
Xu Youchen, 58, was executed on 15 November 2018 after the China Supreme People’s Court approved his death sentence the month before.
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Christian House Church Members Criminally Detained (China: UA 211.18)
Li Yingqiang is among about 100 members of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, Sichuan province, who have been detained after a raid by the police on 9 December…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Human Rights Organizations at Risk (Nicaragua: UA 160.18)
As the National Assembly approved cancelling the legal registration of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH), the National Police broke into their offices, and the premises of other three…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Syrian Refugee Granted Asylum in Canada (Malaysia: UA 180.18)
Hassan al-Kontar has been granted asylum and arrived in Canada on 26 November 2018 after having been stranded in Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia for about seven months. Arrested…