HUMAN rights group Amnesty International has launched a global “Write for Rights” campaign to help people facing human rights abuses around the world.

The campaign will involve millions of letters and emails in support of nine individuals who have been persecuted, jailed or face human rights abuses for standing up for their rights.

Sacha Deshmukh, chief executive of Amnesty International UK, said: “Sending a letter or email might seem like a small act, but when sent in their thousands they can change lives: those in power are forced to take notice.”

Among the nine supported in the current campaign are Professor Sebnem Korur Fincanci, head of the Turkish Medical Association, who faces more than seven years in prison because of her human rights work.

Amnesty said Prof Fincanci is a prominent human rights defender and anti-torture advocate.

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, said Amnesty.

Prof Fincanci was later convicted of trumped-up charges of “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation” and is currently awaiting the result of an appeal, but also faces additional charges linked to her human rights work.

Oqba Hashad, an Egyptian business student and another of the nine supported in the campaign, has been arbitrarily detained for nearly five years without trial solely because of his brother’s human rights activism.

Ms Deshmukh said: “The people we have focused on this year are all imprisoned because the governments of their countries value power over free speech.

“By joining this campaign, people in the UK — and indeed around the world — can help improve their chances of getting justice.”

Amnesty said previous campaigns had won freedom for persecuted individuals.