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: FLORIDA SETS ITS SIXTH EXECUTION OF THE YEAR (USA: UA 86.23)
The State of Florida is due to execute Michael Zack on 3 October 2023 for a murder committed in 1996.…
September 26, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER DETAINED FOR PROTESTING(Argentina: UA 74.23)
Alberto Nallar, a human rights lawyer who took an active role during the protests in Jujuy Province that began on…
September 26, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: ACTIVIST SENTENCED FOLLOWING REFOULEMENT (Algeria 82.23)
On 4 July, a court of appeal in Algiers confirmed the sentencing of Amazigh activist Slimane Bouhafs to three years…
September 21, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: RELEASE WOMEN DIRECTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT (Russia: 81.23)
Theatre director Evgenia Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk are being arbitrarily detained since 5 May and face prosecution for authoring…
September 21, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: RELEASE JOURNALIST JAILED FOR CRITICAL VIEWS (Burundi: UA 13.23)
On May 2, 2023, the Court of Appeal of Mukaza in Bujumbura, Burundi, upheld the conviction of Burundian journalist Floriane…
September 20, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE ON HUNGER STRIKE (Bahrain 100.22)
Paragraph Formats Danish-Bahraini human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja (aged 62) has been on a water-only hunger strike since 9 August…
September 18, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER MUST BE RELEASED (Egypt: UA 80.23)
Since his arrest on September 10, 2017, Egyptian authorities have arbitrarily detained Ibrahim Metwaly, human rights lawyer and co-founder of…
September 18, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: RELEASE TERMINALLY ILL PALESTINIAN PRISONER (IOPT: (UA 78.23)
Walid Daqqah is a terminally ill Palestinian prisoner who was diagnosed with a rare case of bone marrow cancer. His…
September 5, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: EXECUTION IMINENT IN TORTURE TAINTED CASE (Vietnam: UA 79.23)
TAKE ACTION: Please take action as-soon-as possible. This Urgent Action expires on November 10th, 2021. Write a letter in your…
September 5, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: EGYPTIAN-BRTISH ACTIVIST STILL UNJUSTLY JAILED (Egypt 132.19)
Egyptian-British prominent activist Alaa Abdel Fattah remains arbitrarily detained in Wadi al-Natrun prison and denied access to consular visits. On…
September 5, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: 11 BAHA’IS FORCIBLY DISAPPEARED AT GREAT RISK (Yemen: UA 60.23)
On May 25th 2023, armed Huthi forces stormed a peaceful gathering of Baha’is in Sana’a, Yemen. They detained and forcibly…
September 5, 2023
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: ACADEMIC, CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT, DETAINED (Azerbaijan: UA 77.23)
Gubad Ibadoghlu, a renowned political economist and civil activist, was detained on July 23rd, 2023 on fabricated charges of the…
August 28, 2023