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: Governor Vetoes Abolition of Death Penalty (USA: UA 84.18)
Share: On This Page We have received updated information regarding this case and require no further action from the Urgent Action Network. Thank you to all those who sent appeals.…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Grave Fears for Missing Uighur PHD Student (China: UA 122.18)
Guligeina Tashimaimaiti has not been heard from since 26 December 2017, when she returned from Malaysia to her hometown in Yili, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. Her family fear that she…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Health Fears for Detainee Without Access to Lawyer (Maldives: UA 118.18)
Lahiru Manikkuadura, a Sri Lankan citizen, has been detained in the Maldives without a trial date since September 2016 and, following recent and restrictive changes in legal procedures, is being…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Trust Fund Boss Goes Missing From Police Custody (Lesotho: UA 113.18)
Head of the Maesaiah Thabane Trust Fund (MTTF), Makarabo Mojakhomo’s whereabouts are unknown after police claim that she escaped from custody on 31 May in Maseru, Lesotho’s capital. She was…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: More At Risk As Thailand Resumes Executions (Thailand: UA 119.18)
Thai prison authorities carried out the country’s first execution in nearly a decade on 18 June 2018. Amnesty International fears that others on death row may be at imminent risk…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Disappearances Insufficiently Investigated (Mexico: UA 120.18)
From February to May 2018 at least 33 people were reported disappeared in Nuevo Laredo, northern Mexico. Authorities have been losing crucial time to investigate and family members are being…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! – Turkish Court Acquits Rapper (Turkey: UA 107.18)
On 19 June, an Istanbul court ordered the immediate release of rapper, Ezhel, after acquitting him of ‘publicly promoting the use of drugs’ on the basis of insufficient evidence of…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Qatari National Arbitrarily Held Incommunicado (Saudi Arabia UA: 114.18)
Qatari national Nawaf al-Rasheed was arbitrarily arrested in Kuwait and has been detained incommunicado in Saudi Arabia since 12 May.
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Indigenous People Threatened And Displaced (Colombia: UA 112.18)
More than 200 indigenous Nasa Embera Chamà from La Delfina reservation in Buenaventura (West), Colombia, are currently displaced following an armed attack to a member of their community on 8…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Family of Prisoner of Conscience Denied Visits (Cuba: UA 32.17)
Cuban authorities have suspended family visiting rights of human rights defender, Dr Eduardo Cardet, for six months as punishment for his family’s activism on his case, according to his wife.…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! – Palestinian Prisoner of Conscience Released (Israel/OPT: UA 26.18)
On 6 June, Palestinian activist and human rights defender, Munther Amira was released from Hadarim Prison in Israel after serving his prison sentence. He was sentenced to six months in…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Activist Released on Bail, Set to Stand Trial (Zambia: UA 94.18)
Fumba Chama, affectionately known as Pilato, was released on a 3000 USD bail on 21 May. His trial will begin on 25 June. Pilato was arrested on 16 May on…