Hope can be hard to find, especially with all the challenges facing our communities, our country, and the world. But it’s important to celebrate the humanity and compassion that define our growing movement for human rights.
Our advocacy and pressure campaigns are working. You’ve helped free people unjustly detained, shine a light on violations, and strengthen campaigns for human rights around the world.
Here’s some of what we achieved together in 2025.
JANUARY
USA
In one of his last official acts, President Biden commuted the life sentence of Indigenous elder and activist Leonard Peltier.
Amnesty has raised serious and ongoing human rights concerns about the fairness of the trial that led to the conviction of Peltier over 50 years ago. Amnesty has examined this case for years, following the leadership of Tribal nations and Indigenous Peoples. Amnesty observers were present at his trial in 1977, and, along with its millions of members and supporters around the globe, we have long campaigned for his human rights.
Cameroon
Dorgelesse Nguessan was released on January 16 after spending more than four years in prison for participating in a protest. The hairdresser and single mother had never been politically active yet joined a protest after growing concern about the high cost of living. She was charged with insurrection, tried by a military court and sentenced to five years in prison on December 7, 2021.
Dorgelesse was part of Amnesty International’s 2022 Write for Rights campaign, where thousands of supporters called for her release. Amnesty also provided short-term relief support to assist Dorgelesse and her family through the difficult moments of her detention. On January 16, the Court of Appeal reduced her sentence.
I thank you for all the efforts you have devoted as I was arbitrarily detained,” said Dorgelesse. “I thank those who directly or indirectly work for your organization and contributed to my release.
February
Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory
Mohammed al-Halabi, a Palestinian aid worker, was released as part of the prisoner-hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
Al-Halabi was the former Gaza director of World Vision, a humanitarian organization. He was arrested at the Erez crossing in 2016 and wrongfully convicted of diverting funds to Hamas after a deeply flawed and lengthy trial.
Amnesty had been campaigning for his release for years, and we got to speak with him upon his return to his damaged home in Gaza, where he told us: “Even during my darkest hours, I knew that many people believed in my innocence, that supporters of justice were campaigning for my release. Their solidarity will always be engraved in my heart.”
USA
After years of advocating, we are thrilled to celebrate the news that the Alabama Governor has commuted Rocky Myers’ death sentence. After over 30 years on death row, this moment could not come any sooner.
Thanks to the hundreds of thousands of activists across Alabama, the country, and the world who took action for Rocky Myers by sending letters, making phone calls, and signing petitions.
Check out this touching video of Rocky first hearing the news of his clemency!
March
Mali
Malian author and activist Etienne Sissoko was released after serving one year of arbitrary detention, stemming solely from the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.
The Minister of Justice in Mali stated, “I received more than 8,000 emails from Amnesty International calling for the release of a single individual. It’s harassment.” That’s proof of Amnesty’s impact in action!
Etienne addressed Amnesty members in his message below to all those who campaigned for his release.
“Thank you to the human rights organizations, especially Amnesty International, and to the individuals who bravely demanded justice.”
Philippines
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by police on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.
Thousands of people, mostly from poor and marginalized communities, were unlawfully killed by the police – or by armed individuals suspected to have links to the police —during Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs.” Amnesty has been calling for his arrest for a number of years and described it as “a long-awaited and monumental step for justice.” He is now due to stand trial at the ICC.
April
USA
On March 17, U.S. immigration authorities detained Alberto, the father of a Venezuelan family of four, separating him from his wife and two children. Despite the family having pending asylum applications, he was charged with “illegal” entry to the United States.
His case is an example of the Trump administration’s use of a provision of immigration law to target individuals and families that have been in the United States for years. Following calls from Amnesty and others, Alberto was granted bond and released from ICE detention on April 21 and was reunited with his wife and two children.
May
USA
Cesar, Norelia, and their three young children came to the U.S. seeking safety from persecution in Venezuela. Even though they have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and pending asylum applications, ICE charged them with “illegal” entry and unlawfully detained the parents, separating them from their children. The Trump administration even tried to designate Cesar and Norelia as “alien enemies,” putting them at risk of being sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador.
Amnesty mobilized and packed courtroom after courtroom, issued an urgent action, and lifted up their story. Our campaigning, in close collaboration with their legal teams, has now resulted in four judges in three states ordering them to be released and reunited with their children! They are back home, but the Trump administration is continues to target and separate families like theirs.
Chile
Romario Veloz was shot and killed by an army captain during social unrest in La Serena, Chile, in 2019. The police officer who shot Romario Veloz was imprisoned in May, setting a precedent in cases of human rights violations committed by state agents. Despite the victory, widespread impunity for police violence continues. Romario was part of Amnesty’s Eyes on Chile investigation (2020). Amnesty provided support to Romario’s young child, helping her access education as well as covering the legal expenses for the family’s quest to seek justice.
June
USA
More than 130,000 Amnesty supporters called for the release of Mahmoud Khalil. After more than three months of unjust detention, a federal judge ordered his release as his legal proceedings continue in immigration and federal courts. He has finally been granted freedom to return home, embrace his wife, and hold his newborn son for the first time.
Mahmoud was targeted for exercising his human rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. These rights must be respected in the U.S. and around the world.
Amnesty is in communication with Mahmoud’s attorneys, and we will let you know when there is more to do related to his immigration case. In the meantime, thank you to all who took action to help free him.
Hungary
On June 28, Budapest Pride proceeded despite restrictive anti-Pride laws and police targeting the march. Around 200,000 people, including over 280 Amnesty International activists and staff from Hungary and 22 other countries, including AIUSA’s Executive Director Paul O’Brien, peacefully demanded equality and assembly rights.
This was Budapest’s largest Pride in 30 years, symbolizing strong public resistance to discrimination and highlighting the resilience of Hungary’s LGBTI community. Amnesty’s “Let Pride March” campaign helped raise awareness, mobilize activists, and urge police to respect peaceful protest. With over 120,000 global actions supporting the event, it demonstrated that solidarity can overcome oppression, though challenges for LGBTI rights in Hungary persist.
July
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory
On July 24, an Israeli court lifted the travel ban on Ahmad, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, allowing him to accept an invitation from Amnesty International to travel to Italy with his family. Amnesty International organized the trip for Ahmad, securing an invitation letter from its Italian section, which was used in court by his lawyers at the Adalah Center to challenge the travel ban, which significantly strengthened his case.
The ban was imposed on Ahmad, as part of the conditions of his release in February 2024, after he was detained for almost four months for chanting slogans during a protest against the genocide in Gaza.
After returning from Italy, Ahmad thanked Amnesty International: “This trip meant the world to me and my family – we truly appreciate it. It was incredibly meaningful to feel the care and effort that went into organizing this trip, and it gave us the opportunity to breathe and enjoy quality time together.”
Saudi Arabia
Fahd Ezzi Mohammed Ramadhan was released from prison in Saudi Arabia after more than 18 months of arbitrary detention despite never being formally charged. Fahd believed his detention was due to sympathizing online with a critic of the Saudi royal family.
Following his release, he shared this message with us:
[Knowing] that Amnesty International was working on my case helped me mentally because it meant there was light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you to all the people who supported me and my family.
August
Syria
In 2023, Syrian asylum seeker Ahmad Aabo had his temporary protection revoked while he was living in Türkiye due to being a person living with HIV. On August 26, he had his status restored following calls from Amnesty International. His social security was reactivated, restoring his access to free healthcare.
“The urgent action appeal helped me breathe again. I want to send my sincere gratitude to everyone. Simply because of my HIV+ status, I endured persecution, I was detained. I feared being detained every time I saw a police officer,” said Ahmad Aabo.
“Now I have my ID card again, I have regained my rights. This is the impact of the urgent action. Thanking you is not enough. I wish that no one goes through what I have been through. People living with HIV should be supported. They should not endure torture. I thank all those who signed appeals for me, all those who stood by me from the bottom of my heart.”
September
Egypt
Alaa Abdel Fattah, is an Egyptian-British activist, writer, and software developer. He rose to prominence during the 2011 Egyptian revolution and has been repeatedly targeted by Egyptian authorities for his peaceful activism and criticism of the government. His most recent arrest was on September 29, 2019, amidst a widespread crackdown on protests. In December 2021, he was sentenced to five years in prison by an Emergency State Security Court on spurious charges of “spreading false news,” related to a social media post. He was due to be released in 2027, as the Egyptian authorities decided not to deduct his pretrial detention period from the prison sentence.
Amnesty International extensively campaigned for his release for years, and he was finally granted a presidential pardon and released in September. His release would have never happened without the tireless campaigning and pressure by his mother Laila Souif and his sisters, Mona and Sanaa Saif.
Türkiye
Tens of thousands of appeals sent by Amnesty activists helped secure the release from pre-trial detention of human rights defender and LGBTI+ activist Enes, who was imprisoned after he criticized the crackdown on mass protests following the detention and imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu during a speech at the Council of Europe in March.
When he returned to Türkiye on August 5, he was taken into police custody and remanded to pre-trial detention the same day. On September 8, he was released at the first hearing after Amnesty International issued an urgent action on his behalf. His next hearing is scheduled for February 23, 2026.
Following his release, Enes Hocaoğulları said:
Thanks to a successful campaign, I was released from pre-trial detention at my initial hearing. However, the fight is not over for my case, nor for freedom of expression more broadly. But it goes without saying that I’d be in a much different place without the success of these campaigns —especially the one coordinated and operated by Amnesty International.
October
Afghanistan
Following months of advocacy by the Sports & Rights Alliance and Amnesty International, FIFA finally announced that it would establish and fund an Afghan women’s refugee team.
The Afghanistan women’s football team, which was first formed in 2007, had disbanded after the Taliban took over in 2021, with players forced to evacuate the country for fear of reprisals. Since leaving Afghanistan, the team had continued to campaign for their right to play and to represent their country.
In October, FIFA organized a tournament in Morocco so the team could play its first international matches against Chad, Tunisia and Libya. The team was renamed Afghan Women United. Khalida Popal, founder and former captain of the team, said:
We have been fighting for so long, it’s kind of tiring, it’s too much. But at the end of the day, when you see the players returning back on the pitch, you get this feeling that it’s all worth it. It was all worth it to see this young generation of women representing our country. It was quite emotional for me.
November
Tunisia
After 18 months of unjust imprisonment, Tunisian lawyer and media commentator Sonia.
Amnesty has been campaigning for Sonia’s release since she was arrested and sentenced on bogus charges of “spreading false news” in 2024. The organization has issued urgent actions on her behalf, and Sonia features in this year’s Write for Rights campaign.
This outcome is a tangible demonstration that persistent pressure and solidarity can make a real difference. We will continue to support Sonia in Write for Rights, demanding her full freedom by calling on the Tunisian authorities to quash her unjust sentence and drop all other charges against her.
Argentina
Progress was made in the fight for justice for Sofía Fernández, a 39-year-old trans woman who died in police custody in April 2023, in Pilar, Buenos Aires province, two days after being arrested by local police. In July, the charges against nine of the ten officers charged in the case were initially dismissed; however, in November, the Court of Appeals ordered all ten officers to stand trial.
Three of them will face charges of aggravated homicide motivated by transphobia and committed by police officers.
Amnesty International has provided support to Sofía’s family for over two years, providing financial assistance for expert reports and legal representation.
December
Global
Write for Rights calls on millions of people to come together to change the lives of individuals around the world whose rights have been violated. By taking just a few minutes to write a letter, post on social media, or sign a petition, anyone can help change the world and even save a life.
Together we will prove that, even in the most adverse of circumstances, humanity can, must and will win out.
Because of you, we’ve met injustice in the U.S. and around the world with steadfast action.
Our movement is showing up for communities at risk, and we have no plans of slowing down. As we face a dangerous rollback of human rights, we will need to mobilize again and again. It’s always been up to us to defend human rights—and we rose to the challenge again this year.
We look forward to working together in 2026!