What You Can Do Now
URGENT ACTION: Reaching Outside the U.S. for Help
These steps are designed for civilians without political power, relying on international organizations that monitor or intervene when a nation is committing systemic abuse.
There's a lot info here. I get it. Just go through each section in order and you'll have a neatly packaged message to send out by the end.
First, choose who you want to reach out to.
Section 1 lists the options. Reaching out to the first two options at the same time will give the maximum impact for fast and effective results.
Second, choose actions you'd like to report.
Section 2 gives you the bullet points of what information to include when you reach out. You can use this same format if you'd like.
Third, format your message.
Section 3 provides templates for three of the organizations allowing you to copy and paste before adding in your own details.
And lastly, expand your vibrational impact.
Section 4 briefly explains how to make your action even more impactful.
Section 1: Who to Contact
Section 2: What to Include
Section 3: What to Say
Section 4: How to Amplify
________________________________________________________________
Who to Contact
(Do step 1 and step 2 together for maximum attention and escalation.)
1. Submit Reports to United Nations Human Rights Bodies
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
- Accepts civilian reports of human rights violations
- You can file as an individual or group
- This info feeds into international review mechanisms like Universal Periodic Review and Special Rapporteurs (who investigate and raise diplomatic alarms)
File here: https://spsubmission.ohchr.org
What it is:
- A general submission form to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
- This sends your report into the official review pipeline used by various UN bodies, including treaty committees and Special Procedures
- It’s formal, structured, and asks for detailed information (your identity, the nature of the violation, etc.)
Best for:
- Documenting widespread or repeated violations
- Submitting information on behalf of a group or community
- Creating a record in official UN archives
Pros:
- It’s official, traceable, and part of the formal UN system
- Helps build a case for country-level review or global action
Cons:
- It may take time to receive a response (if any)
- Less personal or targeted
- Do with step 2 for fast and formal
2. Contact UN Special Rapporteurs Directly
These independent UN experts focus on specific human rights abuses. Your community can email them directly with evidence or personal stories.
- Summary executions / extrajudicial killings
Email: extrajudicialexecutions@ohchr.org - Freedom of assembly & protest suppression
Email: freedomassembly@ohchr.org - Enforced disappearances (kidnapping and abductions)
Email: urgent-action@ohchr.org
Include:
- A subject line with URGENT: HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES – UNITED STATES
- A summary of events (dates, cities, known details)
- Any photos, videos, eyewitness statements, or links to documentation
- Indicate you are a civilian with no political ties seeking international protection and investigation
What it is:
- A direct line to UN-appointed experts who investigate specific human rights abuses (e.g., extrajudicial killings, disappearances, suppression of protest)
- Rapporteurs are often the first to raise alarms publicly and push for urgent action
Best for:
- Urgent, specific, and well-documented abuses
- Personal accounts, video/photo evidence, or high-risk cases
- Asking a specific rapporteur to investigate or speak out
Pros:
- More direct, often reviewed faster
- Rapporteurs can issue urgent appeals or public condemnations
Cons:
- It’s not a formal complaint in the system (unless they escalate it)
- May require follow-up or coordination
- Do with Step 1 for fast and formal
3. Reach Out to International Human Rights NGOs
These organizations are not U.S. government–affiliated:
- Amnesty International (template below)
https://www.amnestyusa.org/report-urgent-actions/
(They escalate global abuses to international bodies)
Best for: Urgent campaigns, global visibility
Fastest Reaction: if you label your story correctly
Action: Email your report to urgentaction@amnesty.org (Subject Line-> New Urgent Action: Human Rights Crisis in the U.S.)
- Human Rights Watch (HRW) (template below)
(Report events, offer evidence, request investigation coverage)
Best for: Investigative journalism, UN influence
Fastest Reaction: if you provide credible documentation and a direct ask
Action: Email hrwnyc@hrw.org (Subject Line-> URGENT Human Rights Crisis in the U.S.)
- CIVICUS Monitor (template below)
(They publish civilian reports of state repression)
Best for: Civil society protection, activist safety
Fastest Reaction: they may publish your report within days
Action: Email geneva@civicus.org (Subject Line-> Civic Space Violations in the U.S.: Abductions & Killings)
- Front Line Defenders
(Protection for at-risk activists)
Best for: Activist safety
Action: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/emergency-support and use their emergency contact line if needed
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
(Well-connected to European human rights courts and UN agencies)
Best for: Global campaigns, legal actions
Action: Email fidh@fidh.org with documentation and urgent appeal
________________________________________________________________
What to Include
What If I Don’t Have Evidence?
You can still send a report based on what you’ve seen, heard, or experienced. Tell your story. Every report adds weight to the pattern and shows that these aren’t isolated incidents. If you feel unsafe, that’s valid and worth reporting. There is power in numbers. The more reports they recieve, they louder the message will be.
Lead with These 3 Things
In your subject line or first paragraph, include:
- Who is being harmed (civilians, protestors, children, activists, etc.)
- What is happening (kidnappings, extrajudicial killings, threats, disappearances)
- Why it’s urgent (happening now, escalating, no domestic recourse)
Include Evidence & Details
- Links to photos/videos/testimony
- Names, locations, dates
- Your contact info or someone who can follow up
- A call to action: e.g., “Please issue an alert,” “Can you investigate and escalate to the UN?”
Pro Tip: Amplify Publicly at the Same Time
- Post to social media and tag the orgs (@amnesty, @hrw, etc.)
- Use hashtags like #HumanRightsViolations #USCrimes #CallToUN
________________________________________________________________
What to Say
EMAIL TEMPLATE 1: Amnesty International (Urgent Action Team)
To: urgentaction@amnesty.org
Subject: URGENT ACTION REQUEST – Systemic Human Rights Abuses in the United States
Dear Amnesty International Urgent Action Team,
I am writing to request immediate attention and intervention regarding ongoing human rights violations occurring inside the United States.
There are widespread and credible reports of:
- Extrajudicial killings by state and federal actors
- Kidnappings and enforced disappearances of civilians
- Targeting of peaceful protestors and political dissenters
- The complete breakdown of protections under U.S. law
We no longer have access to internal protections. Police, ICE, and federal agencies are complicit in the abuses or failing to intervene.
This is not an isolated incident, but part of a coordinated pattern. We are urgently asking Amnesty International to investigate, speak out, and include this crisis in your international campaigns.
Location(s): [insert state/city/region]
Dates of incidents: [insert timeframe]
Documentation: [link to folder/video/testimony]
We are reaching out as civilians with no political power, but with an urgent need for international attention. Please let us know how we can assist further.
Sincerely,
[Your Name or Alias]
[Optional: Contact info or email]
EMAIL TEMPLATE 2: Human Rights Watch (HRW)
To: hrwnyc@hrw.org
Subject: REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION – Ongoing Human Rights Abuses in the U.S.
Dear Human Rights Watch team,
We are reaching out as civilians within the United States who are experiencing and witnessing alarming human rights violations, including:
- Unlawful detainment and kidnappings
- Murders carried out or covered up by state actors
- Suppression of protests and free speech
- Fear-based enforcement by ICE, federal agents, and local law enforcement
We believe these actions meet the criteria for international investigation and must be documented immediately.
Attached is a collection of details and first-hand evidence gathered by our community. This includes:
- [Insert summary of evidence: video, witness accounts, dates, locations]
- [Insert public links or secure access to documentation]
We are calling on Human Rights Watch to investigate, amplify, and advocate for international response, as we are no longer protected by our internal systems.
Thank you for your time and your work.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Optional: Role in your community or org, if relevant]
[Optional: Contact info]
EMAIL TEMPLATE 3: CIVICUS Monitor
Submit directly via:
geneva@civicus.org
Recommended submission (brief box format):
Title: Civilian Reports of State-Enabled Violence and Suppression – USA
Summary: We are a collective of U.S. civilians reporting a breakdown in civil rights. Protestors, activists, and innocent people are being kidnapped, detained without cause, and killed with impunity by various state and federal actors. There is no internal system of protection available.
Ask: We are requesting that CIVICUS publicly monitor, document, and share these abuses to increase global pressure.
Evidence: [insert links to photos, videos, written testimony]
Contact: [Optional]
What to Report
- Kidnappings / disappearances
- Extrajudicial killings
- Suppression of protests
- Threats to safety by law enforcement
- Use of force or fear to suppress dissent
- Abuse of power by public officials
- Witnessing or recording violations
Always Include
- Dates & locations
- Names (if known)
- Links to videos or screenshots
- Written witness accounts
- Patterns or repeat behavior
Suggested Subject Lines (for any org/email)
- URGENT: Human Rights Abuses in the United States
- REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION – Systemic Violence
- Escalating Violence, No Internal Recourse – Civilian Appeal
- Crisis Documentation – Urgent Attention Requested
________________________________________________________________
How to Amplify
Help your community speak even louder:
- Text or email this page to others looking for action steps
- Share this page in your social bios, linktrees, or story highlights
- Tag the orgs on social media when you post about this
- @amnesty, @hrw, @civicusmonitor, etc.
- @amnesty, @hrw, @civicusmonitor, etc.
- Use high-visibility hashtags:
#HumanRights #USCrimes #UNNow
What If I Don’t Have Evidence?
You can still send a report based on what you’ve seen, heard, or experienced. Tell your story. Every report adds weight to the pattern and shows that these aren’t isolated incidents. If you feel unsafe, that’s valid and worth reporting. There is power in numbers. The more reports they recieve, they louder the message will be.
You don’t need a title to make an impact.
You don’t need permission to be a witness.
Your voice, your experience, and your truth are powerful — and they matter.
Love,
Sam
