Does it work?
Yes, responding quickly to grave human rights abuse can save lives.
You may find more information on the websites of Amnesty International Org. On this page, we provide some information on the successes our members witnessed in the past. Please note that the information is out of date. We prefer spending on our time writing over updating this page. Still – take a look at the success stories from our members below.
Some statistics
Results from 2016 analysis of the Urgent Action database
Some numbers from 2014
In 2014, there were 616 total Urgent Actions (of which about 300 were new cases, the others were “follow-ups”). About 70 confirmed positive outcomes. More than 200 UAs for the Middle East and North Africa. More than 8.000 individuals were covered by the UAs, out of which were more than 60 journalists and more than 20 lawyers and 150 “prisoners of conscience” (= politically motivated non-violent) and almost 90 death penalties and more than 200 freedom of expression.
Some success stories
Success stories from the UK section Good news Amnesty International UK
Some of the success stories our members piled up in the past (not updated)
USA – Death Penalty
-> A federal court issued a stay of execution for Texas death row prisoner Scott Panetti less than 8 hours before he was scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection on 3 December. Further information on UA: 292/14 Index: AMR 51/058/2014
Bahrain – Activist released
-> Bahraini activist Zainab Al-Khawaja was released on 19 November after more than a month in detention for ripping up a picture of the King in court. Further information on UA 259/14 Index MDE 11/045/2014
Singapore – landmark ruling death sentence commuted
-> In a landmark ruling in Singapore, the death sentence of Malaysian man Yong Vui Kong was commuted to life imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane in November 2013. Yong Vui Kong had been on death row for over five years on drug charges. Further Information on UA: 296/09 Index: ASA 36/001/2014
Mexico – end to five years in pre-trail detention
-> Prisoner of conscience and torture victim Ángel Amílcar Colón Quevado was released from prison in Tepic, Nayarit state, after more than five years in pre-trial detention. Further information on UA 184/14 Index AMR 41/040/2014