TAKING ACTION OFFLINE
Join Amnesty International's annual Write For Rights campaign
Every year, passionate people across the motu come together to fight injustice and support people whose human rights are under threat.
Whether you do this with a group of friends, classmates, your family or by yourself, the words you write will change lives.
Take action by signing petitions, writing letters to authorities, sending messages of support, attending a Write for Rights event or organising your own event.
Over the past few years your actions have made a real difference to people’s lives. From Zimbabwe to Guatemala to Kyrgyzstan, activists have been freed and justice has been served.
This page has all the resources you’ll need to make your participation in Write for Rights powerful and creative!
HOW TO TAKE ACTION
Sign a petition
Tell decision-makers to take action and bring justice to these cases.
Write a letter
Pen a letter to bring hope to people in the direst of situations.
Host an event
Get your friends together to create powerful change.
2024 CASES
Discover this year's Write For Rights cases and find all the resources you need to take action
From being jailed for critcising Angola's president on TikTok to facing lawsuits for protecting disability rights in South Korea, these 9 cases represent passionate human rights defenders facing injustice.
You can take action right now:
- Sign a petition demanding the governments around the world protect these people.
- Write a letter of support to these human rights defenders.
Bringing your pen to paper and writing to these incredible people facing injustices can bring about real change.
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.
Take action today with these 9 cases below!
Neth Nahara – Angola
Neth has been imprisoned for going on TikTok and openly criticizing President João Lourenço. Neth must be immediately and unconditionally released, since her conviction and ongoing arbitrary detention stem solely from the peaceful exercise of her human rights, including the right to freedom of expression.
Maryia Kalesnikava – Belarus
In 2020, Maryia Kalesnikava was abducted by the Belarus authorities. She was later arrested, detained and later sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges including “undermining national security” and “extremism”. Maryia must be immediately and unconditionally released from prison, and her unjust conviction must be overturned.
Şebnem Korur Fincancı – Türkiye
Şebnem is a forensic medicine expert and continues to fight for human rights in Türkiye. In a bid to silence her and stop her important work, for years the Turkish authorities have subjected Şebnem to baseless criminal investigations. The Turkish authorities must stop their harassment of Şebnem.
Wet’suwet’en Nation Land Defenders – Canada
In 2019, Coastal GasLink Pipeline Ltd (CGL) began constructing a fossil fuel pipeline through the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s ancestral territory, without the consent of the Hereditary Chiefs and their clans. Now they are being criminalised for protecting their ancestral lands.
Other Resources
Let us know how it went
Please use this form to let us know about your action taking
Organise your own Write for Rights event
Write for Rights is a great time to come together to take action and celebrate a year of human rights wins.
Whether it’s coming together with friends and family to write letters and solidarity messages, hosting a film screening or setting up a stall to gather petition signatures.
Big or small, Write for Rights event are an amazing way to increase action and, ultimately, increase impact.
No matter what kind of Write for Rights event you decide to host, we’re here to support!
ATTEND AN EVENT
Head along to one of the events happening across the motu.
Whanganui – Letter Writing
14 November (12- 2pm)
Wellington – Movie Screening
24 November (Arrive from 4:45pm for a 5:45pm screening)
Taieri – Event
24 November
Nelson – Workshop
7 December (2pm-4.30pm)
WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU TAKE AN ACTION
Fantastic, you've just taken part in Write For Rights 2024. Thank you so much!
Whether you signed a petition, wrote a letter, hosted or attended an event, you have done something extraordinary – you have made lasting change for those facing injustice.
The final step for you is to report back on how everything went.
We are keen to hear your feedback so we can continue to improve the actions we offer for the Write For Rights campaign.