wRITE FOR rIGHTS

Take action and change a life

Every year, Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign brings people from around the world together to fight for justice and dignity and to build a shared future.

Amongst others, this year’s campaign features people on the front lines of climate change and environmental destruction, fighting to protect their communities from droughts, gas flares, development projects and pollution.  

The people featured in this year’s campaign are from all around the world. From an Indigenous reindeer herder fighting to protect her community’s land in Norway, to a photojournalist jailed for reporting on a cyclone in Myanmar, and a little boy who lost his life after falling into a pit toilet at his pre-school in South Africa, all these people are connected because their human rights have been violated.

By writing letters, signing petitions and sharing stories, you can make change happen. Write for Rights has a real impact. People have been freed, achieved justice, and have felt the solidarity from others around the world through difficult periods of their lives.

It can take less than a minute to take action and change a life today. Join Write for Rights now.

Now, write a letter

Signing a petition is a great way to take part in the campaign. But did you know there are other ways to take part in Write for Rights?  

Imagine being locked away, alone, not knowing if anyone cares where you are. Now imagine receiving a letter from someone, telling you they believe in you. That’s what real letters can do: bring hope to people in the direst of situations. When letters arrive in huge numbers, they are also an unmistakable reminder to prison authorities and others that the world is watching. 

If you want to lend your pen to this kind of direct action, download our handy letter-writing kit.

Get the write for rights kit

Featuring template letters, case cards and more.

How does Write for Rights work?

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People in more than 200 countries and territories support those whose rights have been violated. Writing millions of letters, emails and social media posts and signing petitions…

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…putting pressure on governments, leaders and decision makers…

…showing love and support for people and their families…  

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…and making change happen – releasing activists, securing justice for those whose rights have been wronged and protecting people who fight for change. 

Good news stories

Russian authorities arrested and detained artist and anti-war activist Aleksandra (Sasha) Skochilenko in April 2022 for replacing price tags at a grocery shop with information about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Following huge public campaigning through Write for Rights 2022, Sasha was freed in a historic prisoner swap in August 2024, after more than two years in prison.

Aleksandra (Sasha) Skochilenko

In October 2023 Human rights defender Rita Karasartova was arrested for publicly opposing a new border agreement and charged with attempting to “violently overthrow the government”. Over 400,000 actions were taken for Rita during Write for Rights 2023 and on 14 June 2024, Rita was acquitted!

Rita Karasartova

Joanah Mamombe and Cecillia Chimbiri were abducted and tortured after leading an anti-government protest in Zimbabwe and charged with various crimes including that they had faked their abduction. Supporters wrote over half a million messages on behalf of the women and on 5th July 2022 they were acquitted of “communicating falsehoods and obstructing the course of justice” by the High Court.

Joanah Mamombe and Cecillia Chimbiri

In June 2021, NGO worker and human rights defender Germain Rukuki was released from prison after being found guilty of a slew of sham charges and sentenced to 32 years in prison in Burundi. He was jailed before getting a chance to hold his youngest child, born just weeks after he was taken in July 2017. His family fled the country for fear of reprisals. Germain will soon be reunited with his family, after more than 400,000 actions calling for his release. 

Germain Rukuki

Magai Matiop Ngong was only 15 when he was sentenced to death. But thanks to the amazing support of people like you, his death sentence was cancelled in July 2020. People around the world wrote an incredible 765,000 actions, including letters and tweets, calling for Magai’s life to be spared –and it worked.

Magai Matiop Ngong

Gulzar Duishenova’s campaign for disability rights paid off in March 2019 when Kyrgyzstan finally signed up to the Disability Rights Convention. Supporters wrote nearly 250,000 messages backing her calls.

Gulzar Duishenova

Father of seven and online activist Mahadine was freed in April 2018 after more than 18 months in a Chad prison on fabricated charges. 690,000 people wrote for his freedom.

Mahadine

US whistle-blower Chelsea Manning was freed in May 2017, after her 35-year prison sentence was cut short by outgoing President Barack Obama. More than a quarter of a million people wrote for her release.

Chelsea Manning

Albert Woodfox finally walked free in February after nearly 44 years in solitary confinement in a US prison. “I can’t emphasise enough how important getting letters from people around the world is. “It gave me a sense of worth…[and] strength.”

Albert Woodfox

Moses Akatugba was granted a full pardon in Nigeria after pressure from Amnesty supporters. He had been wrongfully sentenced to death for a crime committed when he was 16. “The story changed when Amnesty International came in.

Moses Akatugba

Find out more

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Read about our successes

Over 4.6 million actions in 2024.

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Check out our Write for Rights videos

Meet all the individuals and hear their stories.

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Get our school and activist toolkits

Guidance for teachers and activists to bring Write for Rights into their classrooms and communities.

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