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 Victory! – Lawyer at Risk Granted Protection Measures (Chile: 134.18)
Chilean human rights defender and lawyer Karina Riquelme is no longer considered under imminent threat. The Supreme Court of Justice of Chile ordered protection measures for her on 25 September…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Activist Shot by Police Denied Proper Medical Care (Indonesia: UA 177.18)
Papuan political activist, Yakonias Womsiwor, has been suffering from severe pain in both his legs for more than two weeks after being shot by police. Despite being unable to stand…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Teacher Trade Unionist in Need of Medical Care (Iran: UA 174.18)
Imprisoned Iranian teacher and trade unionist Mohammad Habibi is in poor health and is being denied the urgent specialized medical care he needs. He is a prisoner of conscience, serving…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Farm Workers Face Imprisonment for Insulting Flag (Indonesia: UA 173.18)
Two farm workers, Sawin and Sukma, were arrested and detained by the police on 24 September 2018 for “insulting the national flag”, which they deny doing. Both men have been…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Chinese Refugees at Risk of Refoulement (Thailand: UA 175.18)
Chinese human rights defenders YANG Chong and WU Yuhua, UNHCR-recognized refugees, have been charged with immigration offences in Thailand. They could be deported to China, where they would face risks…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Human Rights Activists Sentenced in Unfair Trial (DRC: UA 38.18)
On 24 September, a court in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) found Grâce Tshiunza, Mino Bopomi, Cedric Kalonji and Carbone Beni guilty of “insulting the president”, “publication of subversive…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Community in Nigeria Drinking Polluted Water (Nigeria: UA 172.18)
There is an urgent need for the government and multinational oil company Shell to ensure a regular supply of safe water to people in the oil-producing Niger Delta region of…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Two Relatives of Environmental Members Killed (Colombia: UA 88.18)
On 22 September, two relatives of members of the Rios Vivos Movement were killed in Antioquia, Colombia. These killings come after several others of environmental human rights defenders, members of…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! – Dalit Rights Activist Released (India: UA 248.17)
Chandrashekhar Azad ‘Ravan’, a prominent Dalit rights activist, has been released from Saharanpur District Prison on 14 September. He was being held in administrative detention without charge or trial under…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Ex-Minister Arbitrarily Held After Book Release (Eritrea: UA 170.18)
Former Eritrean Minister of Finance, Berhane Abrehe, was taken to an undisclosed location by security agents on 17 September. His arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention come just days after he…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Wave of Detentions of Students and Activists (Nicaragua: UA 169.18)
Detention of student leaders and other social activists have increased in Nicaragua as the government persists in its strategy of persecution and criminalization as a punishment against those taking part…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Legislators Could Pass a Discriminatory Law (Guatemala: UA 163.18)
Guatemala’s Congress is at the verge of passing a law to ban abortion, same-sex marriage and inclusive sex education. The bill 5272 “to protect family and life” directly threatens the…