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.
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: Missing Human Rights Defender At Risk Of Torture (Viet Nam: UA 197.17)
Former prisoner of conscience, Nguyễn Bắc Truyển was last seen on 30 July 2017 after dropping off his wife outside…
August 22, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Abortion Decriminalized In Chile (Chile: UA 161.17)
Chile’s Constitutional Tribunal has ruled in favour of decriminalizing abortion under three specific circumstances. This is an important step toward…
August 22, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Palestinian University Professor Released (Israel/OPT: UA 140.17)
University professor Ahmad Qatamesh was released from administrative detention by the Israeli authorities on 13 August. His three month detention…
August 22, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Journalists Out Of Immediate Danger (Paraguay: UA 154.17)
Menchi Barriocanal and Oscar Acosta, Paraguayan journalists and married couple who were threatened with imprisonment by President Horacio Cartes, have…
August 21, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Four Families Ordered Released From Detention (USA: UA 59.17)
On 17 August, four-year-old Carlos and 16-year-old Michael along with their mothers, Lorena and Maribel (all names changed to protect…
August 18, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Harassment of Dissident Iranian Cleric Must End (Iran: UA 78.14)
Dissident Iranian cleric Seyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi has faced continued intimidation and death threats by the Iranian authorities since his…
August 17, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Pakistani Defender Forcibly Disappeared (Pakistan: UA 192.17)
Human rights defender and Convenor of Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh, Punhal Sario, has been forcibly disappeared in Sindh…
August 14, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Pastor Released After Over Two Years Of Detention (North Korea: UA 139.17)
Lim Hyeon-soo, a 62 year old Canadian pastor, has been released from a North Korean labour camp after spending more…
August 10, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Risk Of Unfair Trial For Forcibly Returned Activist (China: UA 259.15)
Dong Guangping’s court hearing scheduled for April 2017 has been cancelled by authorities with no reason provided. Charged with “subverting…
August 9, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Russia Drops Case Against Rights Defender (Russian Federation: UA 121.16)
The criminal case against prominent Russian human rights defender Valentina Cherevatenko for “violation of ‘foreign agents’ law” was closed on…
August 8, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Harassed Priest Granted Fellowship Abroad (Sri Lanka: UA 116.17)
Since being summoned for questioning by the Sri Lankan police for hosting a memorial for the war dead, Father Elil…
August 8, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Falun Gong Practitioner Indefinitely Detained (China: UA 216.16)
A judge has asked the prosecutor to collect further evidence for the trial of Falun Gong practitioner, Chen Huixia, for…
August 3, 2017