You can make a difference: Good news from Write for Rights in 2023
Challenging injustice and changing lives
Write for Rights is the world’s biggest human rights event. Started by Amnesty International over 20 years ago, this annual campaign brings together millions of compassionate people from around the world to make a stand for freedom, justice and equality. By collectively challenging injustice, we change lives. And every time we secure justice for one individual, we move closer to a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. This year we’re taking action for individuals and communities from 10 different countries who are courageously speaking truth to power.
Your words can change people’s lives. This is how.
Every year, people from around the world take part in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign. It’s a really easy way to make a big difference by doing something “little”. It doesn’t take much time – all you need to do is write a letter, send a post or sign a petition. Honestly, it’s that easy to change the world! Since Write for Rights started in 2001, millions of people have changed the lives of those whose human rights have been taken away. In fact, over the past 20 years more than 56 million actions have been taken, while over 100 people featured in our campaign have seen a positive outcome in their case. It’s a privilege to see how your actions make a difference.
Meet three incredible people whose lives have been changed for the better and find out what people power means to them.
Artist and anti-war activist freed
After huge public campaigning, artist and anti-war activist Aleksandra (Sasha) Skochilenko was freed in a historic prisoner swap in August 2024. The deal was brokered between Russia and Belarus on the one hand and Germany, Norway, Poland, Slovenia and the USA on the other.
Russian authorities arrested Sasha in April 2022 after she replaced price tags at a grocery shop with information about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She was charged with disseminating “false information” about the country’s military activities.
“I want to say a huge thank you to Amnesty International. It’s hard to put my gratitude into words, because, to a large extent, I am here thanks to you,” said Sasha.
Human rights defender acquitted
Rita Karasartova is a human rights defender and expert in civic governance from Kyrgyzstan. For over a decade she dedicated her life to providing independent legal advice, helping people whose rights had been violated.
Alongside 26 others, Rita was arrested for opposing a new border agreement giving control of a freshwater reservoir to Uzbekistan.
Charged with attempting to “violently overthrow the government”, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, Rita and 21 other defendants were acquitted on 14 June 2024.
“I would like to express my huge, huge gratitude. Your timely actions – these letters, petitions, signatures, and the huge number of letters that went to the court, that went to the prosecutor’s office – it was all very powerful,” said Rita.
“In fact, it was very empowering to us all… Of course, the acquittal was totally unexpected. I don’t even know how to process it in my head. We had been playing with all sorts of scenarios, different outcomes in our heads, but we didn’t think we would all be acquitted! I thank you all.”
Student visa granted
In August 2017, Myanmar’s military unleashed a deadly crackdown on Rohingya Muslims – an ethnic minority who have faced decades of severe state-sponsored discrimination in Myanmar. Over 620,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh after security forces unleashed a campaign of violence, killing an unknown number of Rohingya; raping Rohingya women and girls; laying landmines; and burning entire Rohingya villages.
Fearing for their lives, then 17-year-old Maung Sawyeddollah and his family walked 15 days to Bangladesh, where they reached Cox’s Bazar refugee camps. Fuelled by his desire to become a lawyer, Sawyeddollah wanted to seek justice for the suffering around him.
Alongside his studies, he started a campaign calling for Facebook’s owner, Meta, to take responsibility for the way its algorithms amplified anti-Rohingya incitement on the Facebook platform, fuelling the Myanmar military’s violence.
As part of his campaign, Sawyeddollah called on Meta to pay reparations– including funding for educational programmes in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps – with the hope that education would help rebuild the shattered lives of people in his community.
In 2023 Sawyeddollah was facing serious security risks in the refugee camps. Together with partners Victim Advocates International and Dev.tv, Amnesty International put together resources to help ensure Sawyeddollah’s safety. Through Amnesty’s Global Relief Team he was provided with urgent financial assistance to support his security needs throughout the year.
In August 2024, Sawyeddollah was granted a student visa and moved to the USA to study. He landed in New York City on 19 August 2024, and he is now an international student at New York University.
Amnesty worked hard support Sawyeddollah’s university applications – and it couldn’t have been done without you!
“I extend my heartfelt thanks to my parents, family, friends, relatives, and well-wishers who encouraged me to persevere. I am especially thankful to many individuals and organizations, including Amnesty International, without whose support this journey would not have been possible,” said Sawyeddollah.
According to Amnesty’s Senior Campaigner for Write for Rights, May Carolan:
“Amnesty is at its best when we’re working alongside human rights defenders who are at risk, like Sawyeddollah, supporting them in their darkest moments and making sure their voices are heard.
“Thank you so much to everyone who supported Sawyeddollah’s case through Write for Rights and ensured that the Rohingya cause is not forgotten by the international community. Since the campaign, Sawyeddollah has gone on to become the first Rohingya to be issued a student visa directly from the refugee camps in Bangladesh.”
This year’s campaign will feature ten individuals and groups from all around the world. From a TikToker in Angola to a women’s rights defender in Saudi Arabia, these inspiring people are connected because their human rights have been violated.
Every action makes a huge difference, as you can see from the stories above, so please do write a letter, sign a petition or share our social media posts. With your help, we’re hoping to help change the lives of even more people this year.
CALL TO ACTION: Transform the lives of people whose rights have been wronged. Join Write for Rights today.
These are a handful of those lives changed over nearly two decades of Write for Rights.
