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: Turkish Man Detained And At Risk Of Extradition (Thailand: UA 122.17)
Myanmar-based Turkish education professional, M. Furkan Sökmen was detained in Yangon International Airport on 24 May and last known to…
May 26, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Teacher At Risk If Extradited To Turkey (Georgia: 121.17)
Mustafa Çabuk, a Turkish secondary school teacher living in Georgia, is at imminent risk of extradition to Turkey, where he…
May 26, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Fear For Hunger Strikers’ Well-being (Turkey: UA 107.17)
Academic Nuriye Gülmen and primary school teacher Semih Özakça, were remanded in Sincan prison, in Ankara, on 23 May. They…
May 24, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Police Use Tear Gas On Peaceful Protesters (Colombia: UA 117.17)
Residents of the city of Buenaventura in Colombia have reported police repression, including the use of tear gas, at peaceful…
May 24, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Defenders’ Home Invaded, Safety At Risk (Venezuela: UA 114.17)
Unidentified persons broke into the residence of Venezuelan human rights defenders Yonaide Sánchez and Nelson Freitez. There is concern that…
May 23, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Community Leader Freed After Charges Dropped (Togo: UA 104.17)
Salomée T. Abalodo, farmer and community leader, has been released after the Tribunal of Pagouda (Kara, northern region of Togo)…
May 23, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Women’s Rights Activist In Critical Health (Iran: UA 127.15)
The health of Iranian women’s rights activist, Atena Daemi, has sharply deteriorated. After 46 days on hunger strike, she is…
May 23, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Lawyer On Bail Remains Under Tight Surveillance (China: UA 88.17)
Human rights lawyer Xie Yang was released on bail the day after his trial for “inciting subversion of state power”…
May 23, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Reprisal For Speaking Out Against 1988 Massacre (Iran: UA 248.16)
Prisoner of conscience Maryam Akbari Monfared has been threatened with an additional three-year prison term and exile to a remote…
May 22, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Bahraini Man’s Death Sentence Upheld On Appeal (Bahrain: UA 252.14)
11 May, the Bahrain High Court of Appeal upheld the death sentence imposed against Maher Abbas Ahmed. His case will…
May 18, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Three Activists Sentenced to Prison In Secret Trial (Laos: UA 184.16)
According to sources, three Lao human rights activists, Soukan Chaithad, Somphone Phimmasone and Lodkham Thammavong, were sentenced to between 12…
May 17, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Ensure Safety Of Three Extradited Men (Turkey: UA 102.17)
Three Turkish men who had been arbitrarily arrested and detained in Malaysia between 2 and 4 May under anti-terrorism legislation…
May 17, 2017