The Urgent Action Network
Sending an Appeal
- Writing a Telegram
- A telegram has three parts: the government official's address, text and signature. Information on the official's addresses is found in the appeals section of each Urgent Action appeal. The full mailing address of the government official is followed by the more brief telegram address.
- The text of the telegram should be short and to the point. The signature should include your name and mailing address so that the official can respond to your appeal.
Sample Texts:
- REQUEST IMMEDIATE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE PRESENT WHEREABOUTS ARRESTED BY TREASURY POLICE __________(DATE)__________(PLACE) IN FRONT OF __________ WITNESSES
- OUR LAW FIRM URGES YOU TAKE QUICK ACTION TO ENSURE PHYSICAL INTEGRITY OF (detainee)__________ WHO IS PROMINENT LAWYER AND RESPECTED CITIZEN IN YOUR COUNTRY
- WE BELIEVE DEATH SENTENCE GIVEN __________ IS UNJUST AND UNWARRANTED. PLEASE COMMUTE FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS
- EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT NEWS REPORTS HERE THAT __________ HAS BEEN PLACED IN ISOLATION AND DENIED FAMILY AND LAWYER VISITS. PLEASE ALLOW MORE HUMANE TREATMENT OR UNCONDITIONALLY RELEASE HIM/HER NOW.
- STRONGLY URGE YOUR GOVERNMENT ADDRESS SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT REPORTED TORTURE OF __________ WHO IS RESPECTED CITIZEN FROM (TOWN). WE ARE CONCERNED THAT HE MAY BE ILL-TREATED WHILE IN DETENTION AND ASK FOR YOUR ASSURANCES THAT IF TRUE THIS IS CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. HE SHOULD BE EXAMINED BY DOCTOR
- Cost of Telegrams
- Sending a telegram is expensive. The cost is calculated per word, so make your texts brief. Abbreviations and punctuation such as commas and periods count as words, so omit them and all unnecessary articles and other words whenever possible.
- For example, in a letter you may write:
- I am extremely concerned about the witnessed arrest and subsequent `disappearance' of the well-known and highly respected magazine publisher, __________. I respectfully ask that you take time from your busy schedule to investigate this case and make public his present place of detention.
- However, in a telegram it would be more appropriate to send the following text:
- CONCERNED ABOUT WITNESSED ARREST THEN DISAPPEARANCE OF RESPECTED MAGAZINE PUBLISHER __________ . PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND REPORT WHEREABOUTS
- Telegram Carriers
- There are many companies that will send telegrams for you. You may find a listing of them in the 'Telegraph Service' section of your Yellow Pages directory -Western Union is a well-known carrier. Aside from telephoning a company and dictating a telegram, it is also possible to use your computer and the internet to send the telegram by using the services of an Internet Service Provider, MCI Mail, etc.