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 Victory! Crimean Tatar Leaders Released (Ukraine: UA 205.16)
Crimean Tatar leaders Ilmi Umerov and Akhtem Chiygoz, both sentenced to prison by the de facto authorities in Russian-occupied Crimea,…
November 10, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Unlawful Execution Of Mexican National In USA (USA: UA 239.17)
Share: On This Page We have received updated information regarding this case and require no further action from the Urgent…
November 9, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Florida Carries Out Its Third Execution of 2017 (USA: UA 214.17)
We have received updated information regarding this case and require no further action from the Urgent Action Network. Thank you…
November 9, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Journalist Facing Charges For Exposé Book (Poland: UA 196.17)
Investigative journalist Tomasz Piątek is facing criminal charges for a book he published in June, alleging a link between the…
November 9, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Ministry Of Interior Drops Terrorism Charges (Chile: UA 234.17)
The Chilean Minister of Interior submitted an application to the court for the crimes of four Indigenous Mapuche men to…
November 8, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Arkansas Supreme Court Stops Execution (USA: UA 202.17)
On 7 November, the Arkansas Supreme Court granted a stay of execution in the case of Jack Greene, a 62-year-old…
November 8, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Saudi Arabian Writer Zuhair Kutbi Released (Saudi Arabia: UA 188.15)
On 23 June, Saudi Arabian writer Dr Zuhair Kutbi was released after serving two years in prison. He remains banned…
November 7, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Victory! Human Rights Lawyer, Activists Released (Tanzania: UA 244.17)
Thirteen health and human rights activists, including two South Africans and one Ugandan, have been released after the court found…
November 3, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Environmental Rights Defender To Appeal Suspended Sentence (Madagascar: UA 237.17)
Malagasy environmental human rights defender Raleva has been released after the Mananjary Tribunal in Madagascar handed him a two-year suspended…
November 1, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Drop Charges Against Human Rights Defender (Bahrain: UA 165.17)
Bahraini woman human rights defender Ebtisam al-Saegh was released from Isa Town Detention for women, in the Bahraini capital Manama…
October 31, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action Update: Law Leading To Military Impunity Sanctioned (Brazil: UA 236.17)
The Brazilian President sanctioned the law that transfers to the Military Court the ability to try human rights violations and…
October 25, 2017
Urgent Action
Urgent Action: Iranian Prisoner Of Conscience Critically Ill (Iran: UA 242.17)
Prisoner of conscience Mohammad Nazari, who has been unjustly languishing in prison for over two decades, is critically ill and…
October 23, 2017