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
Mexico: Investigate Cases of Enforced Disappearances (UA 83/16)
Public officials in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua have intimidated relatives of disappeared people and are pressuring them to…
April 11, 2016
Urgent Action
Russian Federation: Establish Whereabouts of Khusein Betelgireev (UA 82/16)
Khusein Betelgeriev, a well-known songwriter and performer from Chechnya, Russian Federation, was taken away by two uniformed men from…
April 8, 2016
Urgent Action
Indonesia: Release Steven Itlay and Jus Wenda (UA 80/16)
A Papuan political activist arrested on 5 April as a result of his peaceful political activities has been suffering…
April 8, 2016
Urgent Action
Good News! – Turkey: Academics Released (UA 78/16)
Turkish academics Muzaffer Kaya, Esra Mungan, Kıvanç Ersoy and Meral Camcı were released from pre-trial detention on 22 April.
April 7, 2016
Urgent Action
Iran: Release Hossein Ronaghi Maleki (UA 236/13)
Blogger and pioneering anti-censorship activist was released on temporary medical leave on 4 May. He suffers from major health…
April 1, 2016
Urgent Action
Good News! – Indonesia: Prisoner Granted Medical Care (UA 289/15)
Malukan prisoner of conscience, Johan Teterissa, was granted medical treatment by prison authorities for a condition affecting both his legs…
March 31, 2016
Urgent Action
Good News! – Alternative Housing Provided For Ten Families (Mongolia: UA 77/16)
Ten families from Building #3 in Ulaanbaatar (UB), previously facing homelessness during this severe winter, have been provided with…
March 31, 2016
Urgent Action
Russian Federation: Investigate Attacks Against Human Rights Defenders (UA 57/16)
Members of the Joint Mobile Group (JMG) have been repeatedly threatened by the Chechen authorities and targeted with increasing…
March 31, 2016
Urgent Action
Iran: Provide Urgent Medical Treatment to Afshin Sohrabzadeh (UA 76/16)
Afshin Sohrabzadeh, a member of Iran’s Kurdish minority serving a 25-year prison term in “internal exile” at a remote…
March 30, 2016
Urgent Action
South Sudan: Release Professor Leonzio Angole Onek (UA 64/16)
Prof. Leonzio Angole Onek was arrested on 7 December 2015 in Juba, South Sudan and taken to the National…
March 29, 2016
Urgent Action
Iran: Quash the Conviction of Yousef Kakehmani (UA 75/16)
Iranian Kurdish farmer Yousef Kakehmami, already serving nine years in prison after two unfair trials, has been sentenced to…
March 29, 2016
Urgent Action
Somalia: Transfer Saado Jaamac Aadan’s Case to a Civilian Court (UA 65/16)
Mrs Saado Jaamac Aadan, a civilian, was arrested by police in Somaliland and has been charged in a closed…
March 29, 2016