Act Now to Save Vahid’s Life

Emilio,

Welcome to this global movement of human rights defenders.

I lead our research team, overseeing missions to document human rights violations, so that we can shine a light on injustice — and put an end to it.

I believe in Amnesty because I’ve seen firsthand the power of our collective action — each of us doing a small part — to protect human rights. We hold leaders accountable. We help refugees find safety. We free prisoners of conscience.

How do we do it? We unite the 10 million voices that make up this movement globally, we get loud, and we win.

Emilio, we could really use your voice today on a case we’re working on.

Vahid Afkari’s life in Iran was once focused on his close-knit family. He enjoyed singing, dancing, and reading with his two brothers, Habib and Navid. But now — everything is different.

As I write this, Vahid is in solitary confinement, where he has been for more than two years. He and his brothers were arrested by Iranian authorities after joining peaceful protests against political repression. They were separated, tortured and forced to sign false confessions.

You can help secure justice for Vahid. Tell Iranian authorities to free him now »

Tragically, in 2020, Vahid’s brother Navid was executed in secret — with no warning to his family.

Thousands of people around the world and in Iran have spoken out against the injustice the Afkari family has faced and demanded that Vahid and Habib be released. And the pressure worked — Habib was released in March 2022!

But Vahid still needs our help. He’s waiting in solitary confinement for some kind of reprieve.

Will you use your voice today to demand that Iranian authorities release Vahid immediately? Click here and your letter will be sent directly to the Iranian Embassy.

Emilio, I’m so grateful that you’re here. This is what we were founded to do: protect prisoners of conscience, demand their release, and refuse to give up until they’re free.

I’ll be honest — being a researcher can be emotionally exhausting. Many of the survivors of human rights abuses I interview have experienced severe trauma. Their courage and resilience in speaking with me, despite their past experiences, is awe-inspiring. And many tell me that Amnesty gives them hope for a better future… one with dignity and justice.

Their stories enable us to shine a brighter light on their individual cases and the human rights violations that governments are committing. From this, I see so clearly that our work matters.

I’m grateful to be just one person among a talented, hardworking team at Amnesty. But we wouldn’t be here without supporters like you.

Thank you again for your commitment to our all-important work.

Rachel Ward
National Research Director
Amnesty International USA

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