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: Smear Campaign Against Environmental Defenders (Guatemala: UA 167.17)
Members of the Centre for Environmental, Social and Legal Action (CALAS) have been the target of a smear campaign after…
July 7, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Opposition Activist In Maximum Security Prison (Cuba: UA 164.17)
After ending a reported 39-day hunger strike, Cuban opposition activist Jorge Cervantes, allegedly detained for contempt in May, was transferred…
July 6, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Armed Attack Against Members Of COPINH (Honduras: UA 60.16)
On 30 June unknown assailants attacked Berta Zuniga Cáceres, Sotero Chavarría Fúnez and José Asunción Martínez, coordinators of the Civic…
July 6, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Nader Abdulemam Released After Serving Term (Bahrain: UA 51.17)
Prisoner of conscience, Nader Abdulemam, was released from Jaw prison on 30 June after completing his six-month prison sentence.
July 6, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Activist And Lawyer Held At Military Facility (Democratic Republic of the Congo: UA 162.17)
Jean-Marie Kalonji, an activist with the youth movement Quatrieme voie/ il est temps, was arrested by military security forces on…
July 5, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Nigerian At Risk Of Execution In Saudi Arabia (Saudi Arabia: UA 156.17)
Nigerian national Suliamon Olufemi remains at risk of execution in Saudi Arabia. On 19 April, 11 of his co-defendants were…
July 5, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Detained Without Charge Since July 2016 Cafe Attack (Bangladesh: UA 163.16)
2 July 2017 marks the one year anniversary of Hasnat Karim’s arrest and detention. He was caught up in the…
July 3, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Kurdish Activist In Critical Health Released (Syria: UA 151.17)
Syrian Kurdish opposition activist Suleiman Abdulmajid Oussou was released on 24 June. He had been detained by the Asayish forces…
July 3, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Hundreds At Imminent Risk Of Forced Eviction (Turkey: UA 158.17)
Hundreds of residents in neighbourhoods of the Sur district in Diyarbakır province, south eastern Turkey, are at imminent risk of…
June 29, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Romani Families Left Homeless, Others At Risk (Italy: UA 146.17)
Around 600 Romani individuals fear destruction of their homes in the informal settlement of Germagnano in Turin, northern Italy. At…
June 29, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Risk Of Excessive Force Against Protestors (Guatemala: UA 153.17)
People peacefully protesting against a mining project in Casillas, Guatemala, and by-standers were tear gassed and dispersed by riot police…
June 26, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Human Rights Defender Charged With Obstruction (Malaysia: UA 152.17)
Human rights defender and lawyer Siti Kasim has been charged with “obstruction” in connection with a raid on a transgender…
June 23, 2017