#letterToHope
امید • (umēd, ummēd / omid, ommid): Hope, optimism, faith.
For more than two years, Omid has been behind bars.
the reason? he steered a boat to survive.
In July 2022, Omid was arrested in Greece for doing what so many people fleeing danger are forced to do: take the helm of a boat in order to survive. For this act, he was prosecuted as a smuggler, convicted in Rhodes, and sentenced to an astonishing 66 years and 6 months in prison. For nearly two years, Omid has remained behind bars in Avlona prison - waiting, hoping, and holding on. On June 8, 2026, he will finally stand before the court of Rhodes for his appeal.
This is a critical moment:
a chance to challenge an unjust conviction that criminalizes survival itself.
As his legal representative, the Human Rights Legal Project is launching a campaign to support Omid’s fight for justice. We are raising funds to cover essential legal costs for his appeal - ensuring he has the strongest possible defense at this decisive stage.
But financial support alone is not enough, solidarity makes the difference.
We invite you to write letters to Omid—messages of strength, hope, and humanity that remind him that his fight, is also ours.
Prison isolates, letters break the isolation.
Send a #LettertoHope, let him know he does not stand alone.
write to omid
“I've always wanted to write letters for someone”
Omid M.