Changing lives and policies
We free people from prison who are being held unjustly because of who they are or what they believe. We change laws to protect millions of people’s human rights. We transform societies to be more fair, free, and just.
Featured Victory
Marilin* (31) and Yunior* (11), have been released! Before the family’s release this week, Marilin faced an anniversary no parent would want: one year of lockup with her child simply for seeking safety here in the United States.
Marilin and Yunior were featured in our family detention campaign surge – several weeks of sustained actions, from grassroots activism to billboards, to drive attention to the dozens of families who are invisible behind detention walls in Pennsylvania and Texas. We want them and the government to know they’re not forgotten, and that we are working to free them all.
Thank you all for your continuing support and activism on these case campaigns. Our collective action shines a bright light on these families and the unlawful detention of them and so many more people detained in immigration facilities, and helps push the needle for their release.
Browse Victories
Victory
Urgent Action Victory! Human Rights Defender Acquitted Of All Charges (Zimbabwe: UA 169.16)
Pastor Evan Mawarire, a human rights defender in Zimbabwe, was acquitted of the charge of ‘subversion of constitutional elected government’ on 29 November.
Victory
Urgent Action Victory! Investigations Into Human Rights Defender Closed (Malaysia: UA 263.16)
The Malaysian police have officially closed all investigations into Maria Chin Abdullah, who was detained under security laws for organizing a rally on free and fair elections. Placed in solitary…
Victory
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, were taken to an airport and flown to Turkey on 25…
Victory
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 man who was scheduled to be executed on 9 November.…
Victory
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 be reclassified and no longer considered “terrorist crimes”. The men…
Victory
Urgent Action Victory! Saudi Arabian Writer Zahair 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 from travelling and writing on social media. The conditions of…
Victory
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 that there was insufficient evidence against them. The 13 were…
Victory
Urgent Action Victory! Texas Court Issues Stay Of Execution (USA: UA 230.17)
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has granted a stay of execution to Clinton Young, who was due to be put to death on 26 October. The case is remanded…
Victory
Urgent Action Victory! All LGBTI People Detained In Mass Raids Released (Azerbaijan: UA 223.17)
All LGBTI persons detained during the raids carried out across Baku on 23 September have been released. The authorities must ensure prompt, impartial, thorough and effective investigations are carried out…
Victory
Urgent Action Victory! Poet Commemorating Liu Xiaobo Released (China: UA 201.17)
Poet Wu Mingliang, better known by his pen name “Langzi”, and Peng Heping were released on 22 September after being criminally detained since August. It is believed Wu Mingliang’s detention…
Victory
Urgent Action Victory! Sudanese Activist Released Without Charge (Sudan: UA 157.17)
Elgassim Mohamed Seed Ahmed has been released from the custody of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) without charge. He was arrested in Saudi Arabia in December 2016 together…
Victory
Urgent Action Victory! Court Blocks Execution, Decision Awaited (USA: UA 216.17)
The US Supreme Court prevented the State of Georgia from executing Keith Tharpe on 26 September, to give the Justices more time to consider the claim that juror racism infected…