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: Environmental Defender Intimidated (Guatemala: UA 85.17)
On the night of 3 April, unidentified people situated in front of human rights defender Rafael Maldonado’s house in Guatemala…
April 6, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Human Rights Defenders Of Water At Risk (Chile: UA 82.17)
Members of the Defence Movement of Earth, Environmental Protection and Access to Water are facing death threats because of their…
April 6, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Student Convicted For Posession of ‘Illegal’ Books (Malaysia: UA 79.17)
Research student Siti Noor Aishah has been sentenced by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to five years in prison for…
April 6, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Human Rights Lawyer Receiving Death Threats (Myanmar: UA 77.17)
Human rights lawyer Robert Sann Aung has been receiving death threats and insulting messages since the assassination of another prominent…
April 4, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Texas Appeal Court Blocks Execution (USA: UA 72.17)
On 7 April, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a stay of execution in the case of Paul Storey,…
April 3, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Activist Dr. Ali Esa Mansoor Al-Ekri Released (Bahrain: UA 296.11)
Dr. Ali Esa Mansoor al-Ekri, a Bahraini consultant surgeon and activist, has been released after completing his five-year prison sentence.…
April 3, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Bipolar Disorder Not Raised at Trial, Execution Set (USA: UA 68/17)
Jack Jones, aged 52, is scheduled to be executed in Arkansas on 24 April for a murder committed in 1995.…
March 28, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Fair Trial Concern Revisited As Execution Looms (USA: UA 67/17)
Stacey Johnson, aged 47, is scheduled to be executed in Arkansas on 20 April for a 1993 murder. Three state…
March 28, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Execution Set Despite Diagnosis Of Schizophrenia (USA: UA 66/17)
Bruce Ward is scheduled to be executed in Arkansas on 17 April. He has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. In…
March 27, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Paramilitary Invasion Of Humanitarian Zones (Colombia: UA 62/17)
Inhabitants of the Jiguamiandó river basin have reported the presence of paramilitary groups in their territory. The increase in paramilitary…
March 23, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Hundreds Of Roma At Risk Of Forced Evacuation (Italy: UA 63/17)
A community of approximately 1300 Romanian Roma is facing an imminent forced eviction from the informal settlement of Gianturco in…
March 22, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Execution Set After 25 Years On Death Row (USA: UA 64/17)
Don Davis is scheduled to be executed in Arkansas on 17 April. He has been on death row for 25…
March 22, 2017