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: FREE JOURNALIST SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS (Algeria: UA 37.23)
On 2 April, the tribunal of Sidi M’hamed in Algiers convicted prominent Algerian journalist Ihsane El Kadi to five years in prison, of which two suspended, a fine of 700,000…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: TAJIK DISSENTER DEPORTED AND CONVICTED (Tajikistan: UA 25.23)
On January 18th, 2023, Germany deported Abdullohi Shamsiddin to Tajikistan, where he was subject to enforced disappearance and then reportedly held in solitary confinement by the State Committee for National…
Urgent Action
URGENT ACTION: EDUCATION ACTIVIST ARBITRARILY ARRESTED (Afghanistan: UA 35.23)
Matiullah Wesa was arbitrarily arrested by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) on 27 March 2023, while returning from evening prayer at the mosque. Following the arrest, the GDI…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS MUST BE RELEASED (Democratic Republic of Congo: UA 31.23)
King Mwamisyo and Elias Bizimungu are two activists with the citizens’ movement, LUCHA in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They were arrested in April and September 2022, respectively, on…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: TORTURED SON OF OPPOSITION FIGURE HELD INCOMMUNICADO (Egypt: UA 29.23)
Anas al-Beltagy, who has been arbitrarily detained for over nine years solely due to his family links, is being held in incommunicado in the Badr Prison Complex, some 70 km…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: EXECUTION WOULD BREACH INTERNATIONAL LAW (USA: UA 23.23)
Texas intends to execute Andre Thomas, a Black man, on 5 April 2023. He was sentenced to death in 2005 by an all-white jury after his lawyers failed to challenge…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: DETAINED MPS MUST BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY (Eswatini: UA 113.21)
Members of Eswatini Parliament Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube have been arbitrarily detained since 25 July 2021 on trumped-up charges, including those under the Suppression of Terrorism Act. While…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER’S CONVICTION UPHELD (Morocco/Western Sahara: UA 91.22)
On 20 February, the Rabat Court of Appeal upheld the conviction against human rights defender Rida Benotmane, imposed by a lower court on 7 November 2022, on charges relating to…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: ACTIVIST HELD WITHOUT CHARGE FOR 200 DAYS (Cameroon: UA 1.23)
Peace activist Abdul Karim Ali has been arbitrarily detained without charge since 11 August 2022. While the authorities have provided no formal reason for his detention, he was interrogated repeatedly…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: TORTURED BELGIAN AID WORKER FORCIBLY DISAPPEARED (Iran: UA 22.23)
Iranian authorities are subjecting Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele to enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment. He is held in solitary confinement in a windowless basement cell and is denied…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: FORCEFULLY RETURNED CRITIC HELD INCOMMUNICADO (South Sudan: UA 17.23)
On 4 February, Morris Mabior Awikjok Bak, a South Sudanese critic, was reportedly arbitrarily arrested, allegedly by armed Kenyan security forces and a South Sudanese man in civilian dress in…
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: EXECUTION SET AFTER 32 YEARS ON DEATH ROW (USA: UA 16.23)
The State of Florida is scheduled to execute Donald Dillbeck on 23 February 2023. Now aged 60, he was sentenced to death in 1991 after only eight jurors voted for…