Mohammed al-Qahtani released from prison!

Local Chapters, Updates

Dr. Mohammed al-Qahtani, a Saudi human rights activist and scholar and the focus case of Group 39, has been released on January 10, 2025, after more than 12 years in detention. During this time, he has been subjected to incommunicado detention, forced disappearance, inadequate health care, and assault. Group 39 has been advocating for his release since 2019, and we are relieved to hear about this positive development. Now released, he remains under a 10-year travel ban, which prevents him from being reunited with his wife and five children, who all now live in the United States.

2024 Write for Human Rights

Call to Action, Local Chapters, Main Events

Download poster/flyer

Join Amnesty International Pittsburgh (Group 39) and many other inspiring Pittsburgh rights groups and community leaders on Monday, December 9, 2024, 6-9pm at Calvary Episcopal Church for our annual Write-for-Rights event.

This year marks the 39th annual gathering in Pittsburgh! During the event you can contribute to writing hundreds of letters on important human rights cases of our time.

Stop in and stay as long as you can. Write letters. Talk to other activists. Check out information tables about local groups working in Pittsburgh on local, national and international issues. There will be a candle-lighting ceremony at about 7:15pm.

Case information, letter writing materials, and light refreshments will be provided.

Tabling at farmers markets

Local Chapters

Members of Group 39 have been tabling at farmers markets in Bloomfield and Squirrel Hill in June and July. We have been collecting signatures for several petitions:

  • For our focus case, the imprisoned human rights advocate and scholar Mohammed al-Qahtani in Saudi Arabia.
  • To support a bill that abolish the federal death penalty.
  • To support press freedom in Israel.
  • To call for efforts to protect civilians in the civil war in Sudan.

At each occasion, we have been able to collect 100-200 signatures!

PA Advocacy Day to End Gun Violence

Call to Action

AI Group 39 is partnering with CeaseFirePA and many other organizations to demand action on gun violence at the PA State Capitol in Harrisburg on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. To sign up, use this link: https://act.ceasefirepa.org/a/advocacyday24?ms=amnesty39


4,600 Pennsylvanians are victims of gun violence every year. Each death or long-term injury leaves behind devastated families and torn-apart communities. Gun violence has been (and continues to be) a major campaign focus of Amnesty International USA. You can read more about AIUSA’s research on this topic here: https://www.amnestyusa.org/reports/in-the-line-of-fire-human-rights-and-the-u-s-gun-violence-crisis/.

But there are proven measures to reduce the gun-violence epidemic: universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders, mandatory reporting of lost and stolen guns, safe storage requirements, etc. Last year, the PA House passed some of these measures, partially in response to a similar advocacy day in 2023. Now we need to push on the PA Senate to do their part, so that these bills can become law!

We hope you’ll join on May 7! You’ll meet with legislative offices and attend a mid-day rally on the front steps of the Capitol with elected leaders, survivors, youth, faith leaders, medical professionals, and other advocates to demand policies that would make Pennsylvania safer.

Sign up here: https://act.ceasefirepa.org/a/advocacyday24?ms=amnesty39
Once you sign up, you’ll receive more information about transportation options (including buses and carpools), online training to prepare for your meetings, and an exciting list of speakers for the rally.