What is the Rapid Response Network?
The concept is simple: Take Action, Change a Life.
Rapid Response appeals ask our community of advocates to flood the mailboxes, inboxes, phones and social media of authorities when someone is in imminent danger of human rights violations.
Your letters, emails, phone calls, faxes and Tweets have helped to halt executions, support human rights defenders and free prisoners of conscience—people jailed solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs and identity.
A juvenile facing the death penalty. A woman flogged for the clothes she wears. The disappearance of three sisters who speak out against their brother’s imprisonment. Such are the cases we ask our Rapid Responders to take action for on a daily and weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis.
STEP 1: SIGN UP TODAY!
Sign up to receive Rapid Response Appeals.
You can choose to receive emails on a daily and weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. You can also choose to receive emails on the following specific issues.
- Anti-Death Penalty
- Climate justice & environmental defenders
- LGBTQIA+/MVPFAFF rights
STEP 2: TAKE ACTION
Rapid Response Appeals specify the case, local and international government officials to contact, their contact information and suggestions about what to write, say or Tweet.
New Zealand can make a unique difference due to our position on the International Date Line. We receive information overnight and email you with how you can take action in the morning.
This means you are among the first in the world to receive and respond to our appeals.
Not sure if your letters will make a difference?
These letters have helped halt executions, end the harassment of human rights defenders, and free prisoners of conscience.
Have a look below for some of the recent life-changing wins the Rapid Response network has achieved!
All
Egyptian human rights defender released
Released after five years unfair detention
Guatemalan Congress shelves discriminatory law
Activists jailed for anti-president t-shirts freed
Lifelong Pakistani activist returned after ‘disappearance’
Satire performers win early release from prison
Rainbow halo women acquitted
Opposition members released
Egyptian human rights defender released
Ibrahim Ezz el-Din was released on 26 April 2022 after 34 months of arbitrary detention, stemming solely from his peaceful human rights work. He is an Egyptian human rights defender and prisoner of conscience
On his release Ibrahim sent this message to all those who campaigned for him:
“My colleagues, defenders of human dignity and the right to a decent life. Throughout the almost three years I spent in prison, I felt that every day I was losing a part of my soul, and losing hope of returning to life again, to freedom. The only thing that enlightened my days and gave me hope was the news I was receiving that people still remember me and demand my freedom. In the darkest moments of despair that] I lived inside prison, the news of the campaigns calling for my release was my only motivation to keep going and have hope. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to campaigning and defending me from inside and outside Egypt.
“ I especially thank Amnesty International, and all its employees and members: you were the rays of sun in pitch dark. Words of thanks cannot express my gratitude to all of you. We need to keep talking about the detainees, as it will give them hope of escaping the injustice inflicted upon them. Thank you all.”Ibrahim Ezz el-Di
Released after five years unfair detention
The Huthi de facto authorities in Yemen released 30-year-old British national Luke Symons along with 13 other foreign detainees on 24 April, 2022. Luke Symons was arbitrarily detained in 2017 on the grounds that he “possessed a British passport.” He spent five years in detention without charge or trial.
He had been accused of espionage for the British government, however, he was never charged nor did the Huthi authorities provide any evidence to back up their allegations.
Luke Symons’ release followed sustained campaigning by his family, his local Member of Parliament representative, and Amnesty International.
Satire performers win early release from prison
Three members of the satirical poetry troupe Peacock Generation were among over 23,000 prisoners released in a general amnesty on Myanmar New Year, 17 April 2021.
Arrested two years earlier, Zayar Lwin, Paing Phyo Min and Paing Ye Thu, were serving between a five-and-a-half and six-year prison sentences solely for their satirical performances criticising the Myanmar military.
Rainbow halo women acquitted
Three Polish women - Elżbieta, Anna and Joanna- faced up to two years in prison simply for using posters depicting the Virgin Mary with a rainbow halo symbolic of the LGBTI flag around her head and shoulders
In March 2021, they were acquitted.
Ela, one of the defenders, says
“We have many friends, we have the support of the whole world. Here also a big thank you to Amnesty International, because what you guys are doing really gives me that feeling that I will never walk alone.”'
Opposition members released
Togolese political activists Brigitte Kafui Adjamagbo and Gérard Yaovi Djossou were released from detention on 17 December 2020. At the end of November, they were arrested and charged for ‘criminal conspiracy’ and ‘undermining the internal security of the state’ after calling for a demonstration to denounce the results of the February 2020 Presidential election.
‘‘Huge thanks to Amnesty, your mobilisation was really effective,’’ said Brigitte. ‘‘During my detention, my family informed me about all you have done. Thanks so much.”Gérard
