Amnesty International UK have published new findings revealing the continued importance of writing letters 

Younger people especially wished they were sent more handwritten letters  

Around 75% of people who responded have received at least one handwritten or typed letter in the past year 

Amnesty’s Write for Rights campaign sees millions of letters and emails sent each year to support people facing human rights abuses  

‘We appeal to letter-lovers to join the year’s campaign by scribing in solidarity to support those for whom a letter truly can be life-changing' - Sacha Deshmukh 

Amnesty International UK has published polling revealing how sending and receiving handwritten letters continues to be a powerful way to communicate for people young and old across the UK. 

The polling conducted for Amnesty’s Write for Rights campaign was enabled thanks to funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 

The campaign goes back to the Amnesty’s very foundation - with early campaigners writing letters of support and solidarity, and today also sending online messages, to those who are affected by human rights abuses, as well as letters demanding action from governments around the world. 

Polling conducted with Savanta in November revealed that people of all ages who have sent a letter in the last year say they did so to stay in touch (42%), to let others know they care about them (26%), or to express gratitude or admiration (31%). These are values which sit right at the very heart of the Write for Rights campaign, where letters sent to people facing human rights abuses have been given hope – and often a better chance of freedom - during their bleakest moments. 

The findings also revealed that even in an age of WhatsApp dings and constantly pinging emails, younger people aged 18-34 are most likely to say they wished they received more letters (49% vs. 31% of 55+) and regret not keeping letters from the past (41% vs. 32% of 55+).  

Over half (55%) of UK adults have sent at least one letter in the past year, with two in five of (38%) sending between one and five letters.  

Nearly half (47%) of UK adults agree that they still keep letters they have received in the past, while around two in five wish they received more letters (39%) and regret not keeping letters in the past (36%).  

75% of people who took part received at least one handwritten or typed letter in the last year and shared their personal feelings as to why letters hold significant value: 

• "For sentimental reasons, they remind me that someone cared." – Female, 77, South West 
• “To keep memories and remember that someone loves and cares about me enough to handwrite me a letter” – Female, 24, London 
• “I keep letters because they are often tied to meaningful memories and emotions.” – Male, 34, Yorkshire and Humberside 
• “They are letters from family members who have died and it makes me feel happy to hold and read them – Female, 58, South East 
• “They are from an old flame for whom I still care” – Male, 53, East Midlands 

Sacha Deshmukh, CEO of Amnesty International UK, said: 

“In an age where we are more likely to email than put pen to paper, send a text than pick up the phone, our poll reveals quite how much joy a handwritten letter continues to bring people in the UK.   

“In an ever-fragmented world that can at times feel overwhelming, handwritten messages of love and solidarity have real power.   

“For those unjustly imprisoned or harassed across the world, receiving letters through our Write for Rights campaign – which takes place with support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery - can be a lifeline. These people are often targeted by unscrupulous governments that attack fundamental human rights including freedom of speech.  

“We appeal to letter-lovers to join this year’s campaign by scribing in solidarity to support those for whom a letter truly can be life-changing.” 

Write for Rights 2025: From Turkey to TikTok 

Amnesty is calling on people across the UK to take part in its flagship letter writing campaign, Write for Rights, in support of individuals from around the world who have been persecuted, jailed, or face human rights abuses for standing up for their rights.   

In this year’s campaign, Amnesty will campaign with and for nine individuals who are suffering abuses, including:

• Ana da Silva Miguel, also known as Neth Nahara, was arrested in August last year after broadcasting a video on TikTok criticising President João Lourenço. The next day, Angola’s first stage court convicted her of an “outrage against the state, its symbols and bodies”. She was sentenced to six months in prison and fined one million kwanza (approximately $1,200). Last September, Angola’s second stage court extended Neth’s sentence to two years, following an appeal by the public prosecutor. During her imprisonment, authorities denied Neth her daily HIV medication for eight months, which severely impacted her health. 
• Oqba Hashad, an Egyptian business student, has been arbitrarily detained for nearly five years without trial solely because of his brother’s human rights activism. Despite a court order for his release, he remains detained in horrific conditions, including being denied a proper prosthetic leg. Prison authorities have interrogated Oqba on multiple occasions about his brother’s activism and contact with his family. Egypt, as a state party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, must ensure detainees with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation and health services. 
• Professor Şebnem Korur Fincancı, head of the Turkish Medical Association, faces more than seven years in prison because of her human rights work. Professor Fincancı is a prominent human rights defender, anti-torture advocate and forensic medicine expert. In October 2022, she was arrested and put in pre-trial detention. A criminal investigation was launched against her after she called for an independent investigation into allegations that Turkish armed forces might have used chemical weapons in Kurdistan Region of Iraq in comments during a live TV interview. Professor Fincancı was later convicted of trumped-up charges of “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation”. She is currently awaiting the result of an appeal, but also faces additional charges linked to her human rights work. 

Power of the pen: Recent successes from previous Write for Rights campaigns 

Human rights defender Rita Karasartova was arrested in 2022 along with 26 others for opposing a new border agreement that gave control of a freshwater reservoir to Uzbekistan. She was initially detained for organising ‘mass disorder’ and later charged with attempting to ‘violently overthrow the Government’, which carries a potential 15-year sentence. Rita and at least 21 others were acquitted on 14 June this year: a significant victory for justice and human rights in Kyrgyzstan, even though the prosecutor has filed an appeal against the ruling. 

She subsequently expressed her gratitude for the countless letters she received from Amnesty supporters during the campaign, emphasising that each one gave her immense hope and strength, reinforcing her belief in the power of solidarity. 

In 2021, Amnesty campaigned for Egyptian human rights lawyer Mohamed Baker, who received a presidential pardon in July last year and was released from prison the following day. He is now safely reunited with his loved ones. 

Cecillia Chimbiri and Joanah Mamombe were acquitted by the Zimbabwean High Court in July 2023 of communicating falsehoods and obstructing the course of justice. The two – together with Netsai Marova, who did not face trial as she is out of the country – were arrested and abducted in May 2020 following a protest about the Government’s failure to provide social protection during the Covid 19 pandemic. Amnesty campaigned for them during the 2022 Write for Rights campaign.