Urgent Action Network

Answer the call to defend people under immediate threat of grave human rights abuse.

Albert Woodfox, spent 44 years in solitary confinement
Albert Woodfox, spent 44 years in solitary confinement

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.

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!


Messages of Thanks

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.

— ODTÜ LGBTI Solidarity Student Organized Pride March in Turkey (UA 83.18)

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.

— Munther Amira Palestinian Human Rights Defender (UA 26.18)

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.

— Bobomurod Abdullayev POC from Uzbekistan (UA 232.17)

Browse Urgent Actions

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: ARTIST JAILED FOR CRITICIZING PRESIDENT (Tunisia 27.24)

Share: On This Page On January 31, 2024, the Monastir court of appeals in Tunisia sentenced artist, Rached Tamboura, to…

April 1, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: PALESTINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER IS RELEASED (Outcome IOPT 2.24)

NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS. On February 29, Palestinian human rights defender and…

March 27, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: FORMER MP’S CONVICTIONS MUST BE QUASHED (Zimbabwe Second UA 90.22)

On January 30, 2024, former opposition leader, Job Sikhala, was released after 595 days of arbitrary detention. Job Sikhala was…

March 26, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: JAILED HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER AT RISK OF TORTURE (Equatorial Guinea 21.24)

On March 1, Anacleto Micha Ndong, an Equatoguinean human rights defender, was transferred to the Malabo prison of Black Beach…

March 26, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: RELEASE CONVICTED ANTI-WAR LOCAL POLITICIAN (Russia 23.24)

The Russian authorities are putting the health and life of Aleksei Gorinov at risk due to his treatment and conditions…

March 26, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: JOURNALIST ARRESTED UNDER STATE OF EMERGENCY (Ethiopia 20.24)

On November 13, 2023, Belay Manaye, co- founder and presenter of Ethio News, a YouTube based news channel, was arrested…

March 26, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: PROTESTER RISKS DECADES IN PRISON FOR T-SHIRT (Egypt Second UA 90.23)

Arbitrarily detained protester Mahmoud Hussein faces up to 25 years in prison simply for wearing a T-shirt with an anti-torture…

March 25, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: LAST CHARGE AGAINST LEILA DE LIMA CONTINUES (Philippines Fourth UA 48.22)

Court proceedings on the third and final bogus charge against human rights defender and former Philippine senator, Leila de Lima,…

March 22, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: POLITICIANS UNJUSTLY HELD FOR OVER A YEAR (Tunisia Third UA 52.23)

Opposition politicians Jaouhar Ben Mbarek, Khayyam Turki, Issam Chebbi, Ghazi Chaouachi, Ridha Belhaj, and Abdelhamid Jelassi have been arbitrarily detained…

March 22, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: THREE INDIVIDUALS CRIMINALISED FOR POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA (Argentina 19.24)

Nahuel Morandini, Roque Villegas, and Lucía González are prosecuted only for expressing opinions about a public figure on social media.…

March 22, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: STOP PUNISHING WOMEN PROTESTERS (Afghanistan 112.23)

Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, women protesting Taliban’s draconian policies have been forcibly disappeared, arbitrarily arrested,…

March 22, 2024

Urgent Action

Urgent Action: DROP CHARGES AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER (Gambia Second UA 40.22)

In May 2022, the Gambian President accused human rights defender, Madi Jobarteh, of being a “troublemaker” who wants to bring…

March 14, 2024