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: EDUCATION ACTIVISTS ARBITRARILY DETAINED (Afghanistan 9.24)
Share: On This Page On October 17, 2023, Ahmad Fahim Azimi and Seddiqullah Afghan, two activists working with the education…
February 14, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: KUWAITI BIDUN ACTIVIST SENTENCED ON APPEAL (Kuwait 7.24)
On January 31, 2024, a Kuwaiti Court of Appeal convicted and sentenced Mohammad al-Barghash, a defender of the rights of…
February 8, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: EXECUTION SET DESPITE FAIR TRIAL CONCERNS (USA 6.24)
Ivan Cantu, a 50-year-old Hispanic man, is scheduled to be executed in Texas on February 28, 2024. He was convicted…
February 6, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: WOMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER AT RISK OF EXECUTION (Yemen 8.24)
Fatma al-Arwali, a 34-year-old human rights defender, is at risk of execution after the Huthi-controlled Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) in…
February 5, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: UNJUSTLY JAILED LAWYER FACES NEW CHARGES (Egypt 190.18)
On October 31, 2023, human rights lawyer, Hoda Abdelmoniem, was due to be released after serving her unjust five-year prison…
February 5, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: SYRIAN KURDISH STUDENT DISAPPEARED IN SYRIA (5.24 Syria)
Fidaa Mohammad Qassem, an 18-year-old English student who lives in Kobani, a Kurdish-majority town under the de-facto control of the…
February 5, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: LGBTI+ ACTIVIST CRIMINALISED FOR GRAFFITI PROTEST (Argentina 3.24)
Pierina Nochetti, a lesbian human rights activist, is facing criminal charges of “aggravated damage” for allegedly painting graffiti in protest…
February 5, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: RELEASE PALESTINIAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER (IOPT 2.24)
Munther Amira, Palestinian human rights defender and social worker, has been arbitrarily detained by Israeli forces since December 18, 2023.…
January 19, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: TWO YOUNG MEN AT IMMINENT RISK OF EXECUTION (Saudi Arabia 103.23)
Abdullah al-Derazi and Jalal Labbad are at risk of imminent execution after Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court secretly upheld their death…
January 18, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: JAILED NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE’S HEALTH AT RISK (Iran 105.15)
Iranian authorities have been subjecting arbitrarily detained human rights defender and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Narges Mohammadi to torture…
January 18, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: JOURNALIST’S SENTENCE CONFIRMED ON APPEAL (Algeria 37.23)
On October 12, 2023, the Algerian Supreme Court rejected two appeals made by Ihsane El Kadi’s lawyers, effectively upholding his…
January 18, 2024
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: FOUR KURDISH MEN AT GRAVE RISK OF EXECUTION (Iran 19.22)
Anwar Khezri, Farhad Salimi, Kamran Sheikheh and Khosrow Basharat, all from Iran’s Kurdish Sunni minority, are at grave risk of…
January 18, 2024