People all around the world face human rights violations at the hands of their own government. Often it can be for simple, everyday actions that we take for granted – like voicing their opinions, just for being who they are or peacefully standing up for what they believe in.
Some of these people will be subjected to torture and ill-treatment, unfair trials, enforced disappearances, and tragically in some cases, sentenced to death or left languishing on death row for decades.
Amnesty keeps governments accountable for their actions and reminds them of the international laws and instruments by which they are bound – like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – to keep people safe and free in their countries. To make this happen we need your support.
Here are 5 individuals at risk you can take action for today:
1. Pakhshan Azizi
Pakhshan Azizi is an Iranian humanitarian aid worker, at risk of imminent execution. She was detained and forcibly disappeared solely in relation to her peaceful human rights activities, including providing support to women and children in northeast Syria who were displaced following attacks by the Islamic State armed group.
On February 5th, her lawyer said he was notified the Court has rejected the request for a review of the conviction and that her execution could now be carried out at any moment. Urgent global action is needed: sign the petition now.
2. Mahmoud Khalil
Mahmoud is a U.S. lawful permanent resident who was arrested and detained by immigration authorities for exercising his freedom of speech in support of Palestinian rights and against the ongoing genocide in the occupied Gaza Strip.
He has not been charged with a crime yet is being held in a detention centre and authorities have informed him that they have “revoked” his permanent residency status and placed him in deportation proceedings.
No one should be ripped away from their family and sent to detention just for exercising their right to protest, and no one should be deported for speaking out for human rights. Sign the petition and demand U.S. authorities release Mahmoud immediately.
3. Manahel al-Otaibi
Manahel al-Otaibi, a fitness instructor and outspoken advocate for women’s rights, is serving an 11-year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia merely for promoting women’s rights and expressing herself on social media.
She wrote tweets supporting women’s rights and posted pictures of herself enjoying a day at the mall. In the pictures, she is not wearing the abaya, a traditional robe, and these things alone were enough for the authorities to target her.
Manahel was arrested and charged with violating Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Cyber Crime Law. Her case was referred to the counter-terrorism court, notorious for grossly unfair trials and draconian punishments.
In January 2024, Manahel was sentenced to 11 years in prison in a secret hearing. Sign the petition and demand that Manahel is immediately and unconditionally released, and all charges against her are dropped.
4. Dr Hussam Abu Safiya
On 27 December 2024, the Israeli military raided Kamal Adwan hospital and arbitrarily detained its director, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, along with other medical staff and patients.
The raid put the hospital, the last functioning major medical facility in the North Gaza governorate, out of service. Dr Hussam Abu Safiya’s whereabouts are still unknown.
Sign the petition and demand that the Israeli authorities immediately release Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and all Palestinians arbitrarily detained, including healthcare workers who are protected under international law.
5. Narges Mohammadi
Narges Mohammadi is an Iranian rights defender, and her health is failing. Iran’s authorities convicted Narges of several trumped-up offences in connection with her human rights work and sentenced her to 16 years in prison in 2016. She was finally released in 2020 but in April 2022 was once again sentenced to over 10 years in prison and 154 lashes, charged with “spreading propaganda against the system”.
She has suffered several heart attacks and yet is being denied the health care she desperately needs. We must act now.
Thank you
Thanks to incredible Amnesty supporters, we bring torturers to justice, change oppressive laws and free people jailed for voicing their opinion. Together, we are unstoppable.
GOOD NEWS: After more than a year behind bars, Neth Nahara, alongside five other arbitrarily detained government critics in Angola have been released. Neth, a mother of two young children, was jailed for criticising Angola’s president on TikTok. She was summarily tried, convicted, and sentenced to six months in prison – later increased to two years. Responding to Neth’s release, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Sarah Jackson, said:
“At last, Neth Nahara, Adolfo Campos, Gildo das Ruas, Tanaice Neutro and Pensador are free. We are overjoyed that they are home with their loved ones.
“Though we celebrate their release, these five people should never have been locked up. Authorities arrested them solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. We look forward to them receiving the medical care that authorities deliberately denied them in prison.
“Angola’s government must respect everyone’s rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and end arbitrary detention and torture in the country. They must urgently hold accountable anyone suspected of responsibility for violating the rights of these five activists.”
Amnesty International campaigned extensively for the release of the five with petitions, public statements, events and more, and supported them through their families and legal representatives during their imprisonment.
Click here to learn more about our impact.
Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 10 million people who take injustice personally. We are campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all – and we can only do it with your support.
Act now or learn more about how we protect Individuals at risk.
