In November and December, millions of messages sent will help people around the world facing human rights violations

Cases include UK volunteers working to help people access safe abortion across Europe and students in the USA who risk deportation for attending protests

‘Sending a letter or email might seem like a small act, but when sent in their thousands they can change lives: those in power are forced to take notice’ – Kerry Moscogiuri

Take action here

Amnesty International is calling on people across the UK to take part in its flagship letter writing campaign, Write for Rights, in support of 11 individuals or groups from around the world who have been persecuted, jailed, or abused for standing up for human rights.

Every year, as part of the campaign, people around the world write millions of messages, offering comfort to those whose rights are being abused and collectively pressuring authorities to act.

In November and December, these powerful messages will help support 11 cases from the UK to Ecuador. By writing a message online, posting on social media, signing a petition, or sending a physical card, people can stand in solidarity with a number of people, including:

·       UK volunteers for the Abortion Support Network who are working tirelessly to ensure safe access to abortion for people across Europe

·       Young activists in Cambodia who have been jailed for protecting their environment

·       Fifteen young Indigenous activists from the Ecuadorian Amazon who are challenging gas flaring operations that harm their health and environment

·       Students across the USA who face detention and deportation for taking part in recent protests

·       Photojournalist Sai Zaw Thaike, who has been imprisoned and tortured for speaking out in Myanmar

·       Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer who has been arbitrarily detained in Tunisia since 2024 for peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression

Kerry Moscogiuri, Director of Campaigns and Communications, said:

“Write for Rights shows just how powerful our voices can be when we come together to expose injustices around the world.

“Sending a letter or email might seem like a small act, but when sent in their thousands they can change lives: those in power are forced to take notice.

“This winter, we urge people across the UK to take these simple actions to help people across the world facing human rights abuses or putting their lives on the line to protect their rights.

“From the UK-based volunteers who are working tirelessly to ensure that people across Europe can access safe abortion, to students across the USA who face detention and deportation for taking part in recent protests – we must speak up for those whose rights are at risk.

“At a time when authoritarianism is on the rise and communities are becoming more divided and isolated, it is more important than ever that we come together and use our voices to offer hope to those who need it.”

Successes from previous Write for Rights campaigns:

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world took part in Write for Rights 2024, sending nearly five million messages of support and appeals to authorities. Here are some updates on the people featured in last year’s campaign and well as those from previous years:

·       Ana da Silva Miguel, also known as Neth Nahara, was arrested at her home in Luanda on 13 August 2023 after broadcasting a live video on TikTok criticising President João Lourenço. She was convicted of ‘outrage against the state, its symbols and bodies’, and sentenced to two years in prison and a fine. On 25 December 2024, the president's office announced that 50 individuals, including Neth Nahara, would receive pardons. She was released from prison on 1 January 2025

·       Human rights defender Rita Karasartova was arrested in 2022 along with 26 others for opposing a new border agreement that gave control of a freshwater reservoir to Uzbekistan. She was initially detained for organising ‘mass disorder’ and later charged with attempting to ‘violently overthrow the Government’, which carries a potential 15-year sentence. Rita and at least 21 others were acquitted on 14 June this year: a significant victory for justice and human rights in Kyrgyzstan, even though the prosecutor has filed an appeal against the ruling.

·       In 2021, Amnesty campaigned for Egyptian human rights lawyer Mohamed Baker, who received a presidential pardon in July last year and was released from prison the following day. He is now safely reunited with his loved ones.

·       Cecillia Chimbiri and Joanah Mamombe were acquitted by the Zimbabwean High Court in July 2023 of communicating falsehoods and obstructing the course of justice. The two – together with Netsai Marova, who did not face trial as she is out of the country – were arrested and abducted in May 2020 following a protest on the Government’s failure to provide social protection during the Covid 19 pandemic. Amnesty campaigned for them during the 2022 Write for Rights campaign.

Write for Rights

Write for Rights is Amnesty International’s global campaign that runs between 1 November – 31 December 2025.

For more information on how to get involved and the ways in which you can write messages of support, visit our Write for Rights website.