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: 11 Women Ill-Treated and Arbitrarily Detained (Iran: UA 68.18)
At least 11 women from Iran’s Gonabadi Dervish religious minority have been arbitrarily detained in inhumane conditions, without access to their lawyers, since 20 February following the violent dispersal of…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! – Alabama Ends Pursuit of 2nd Execution Attempt (USA: UA 29.18)
An agreement signed on 27 March means that Alabama will not pursue another death warrant for Doyle Hamm, whose execution on 22 February was called off after the lethal injection…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Human Rights Defender to Resume Hunger Strike (Iran: 142.16)
Prominent Iranian human rights lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani went on hunger strike on 21 March, after the authorities denied his request for judicial review and blocked his leave for the Iranian…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Ohio Governor Commutes Death Sentence (USA: UA 47.18)
On 26 March the Governor of Ohio granted clemency to William Montgomery, who was scheduled to be executed on 11 April. The governor has commuted the death sentence to life…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Family Seeking Asylum Released From Detention (USA: UA 53.18)
Asylum seekers 15-year-old Astrid and her father Arturo were released from immigration detention at the Berks County Residential Center on 23 March after the successful petition by their lawyers to…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Activist Released and Given Deportation Reprieve (Russian Federation: UA 61.17)
On 15 February, Ali Feruz was released and arrived in Germany a few hours later. The release came after the Supreme Court’s decision on 25 January to uphold the activist’s…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! – Forcibly Returned Woman No Longer at Risk (North Korea: UA 253.17)
Detained since 3 December 2017 in North Korea for leaving the country without legal permits, Koo Jeong-hwa’s family reports that she is no longer at risk of being sent to…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! – Kashmiri Photojournalist Released on Bail (India: UA 43.18)
Kamran Yousuf was granted bail and released from prison on 14 March 2018, following six months of pre-trial detention. He has been charged with several criminal offences including ‘waging war…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Peaceful Pashtun Activists Face Criminal Cases (Pakistan: UA 61.18)
Criminal cases have been filed against Manzoor Pashteen and other leaders of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (Movement for the Protection of Pashtuns), for peacefully calling for equality and justice for…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: 48 Asylum Seekers at Risk of Refoulement (Mexico: UA 58.18)
48 people including families and children, who came to Mexico looking for protection, are at risk of being deported to possible persecution or grave human rights violations in their countries…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Incommunicado Venezuelan Detainee at Risk (Venezuela: UA 50.18)
Gilber Caro, whose fate and whereabouts were unknown since 2 March, was brought to a trial hearing on 13 March, where his lawyers and relatives were able to see him…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Executed After 32 Years on Death Row (USA: UA 55.18)
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.…