Write a letter, change a life

Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign transforms the lives of people whose rights have been wronged. 

Write for Rights supporters are united by their desire to make a difference. In recent years, we’ve seen real change to people’s lives because of your action. From Zimbabwe to Guatemala, activists have been released and justice delivered.

This year’s campaign features people from around the world, all connected because their human rights have been violated. Some by their governments, others by the police, or by big corporations. All because of who they are and what they do.

Together, we can fight for their rights. 

Join Write for Rights today. 

I really appreciate the thoughts, the love and the solidarity. It means so much to me and I don’t take it for granted.

Netsai Marova, Zimbabwean opposition activist

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 below.

GET THE WRITE FOR RIGHTS KIT

FEATURING TEMPLATE LETTERS, CASE CARDS AND MORE

get the toolkit

HOW IT WORKS

People in more than 200 countries and territories write millions of letters, emails, tweets and petitions…
…for people who’ve been harassed, threatened and locked up, just for who they are …
…and put pressure on governments, leaders and decision-makers…
…to make change happen – releasing activists and protecting people who champion what’s right.

Success stories

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

Ales Bialiatski, a political prisoner in Belarus, was released in 2014 after receiving 40,000 letters. “The huge quantity of letters gave me a powerful sense of optimism. When I received them I was very, very happy.”

Ales Bialiatski

Vladimir Akimenkov was released in December 2013 after being detained following a protest in Bolotnaya Square, Moscow, Russia. “I want to express my deep gratitude. Your letters influenced my release.”

Vladimir Akimenkov

The Mexican government accepted responsibility for the rape by soldiers of Valentina Rosendo Cantú and Inés Fernández Ortega. “Without your letters, your action and your solidarity, we would have not achieved this moment,” Valentina said.

Valentina Rosendo Cantú and Inés Fernández Ortega

Jabbar Savalan, a youth activist jailed in Azerbaijan, was pardoned and released in 2011 within days of your letters arriving in the country. “The support I received was so great that I did not feel like I was imprisoned.”

Jabbar Savalan

Ethiopian opposition leader Birtukan Mideksa was released from jail in 2010 after featuring in Write for Rights the year before. “Your letters kept hope alive at the darkest hours of need.

Birtukan Mideksa

Find out more

Read about our successes
Over 5 million actions in 2022.
read now
Take 15 minutes to learn more about Write for Rights
Take a short online course.
start now
Get our school and activist toolkit
Guidance for teachers and activists to bring Write for Rights into their classrooms and communities.
download

Check out our write for rights videos

watch now