Amnesty International badges and campaigns

For over six decades, Amnesty International has been a global force for human rights — standing up for the imprisoned, the silenced, and the oppressed.

The Power of the candle wrapped in barbed wire

But Amnesty's power hasn’t just come from courtrooms and policy papers. From lapel pins to protest posters, Amnesty has mobilized millions through striking campaigns and symbolic merchandise. Their iconic yellow candle-in-barbed-wire logo has become a global shorthand for resistance and hope.

The candle wrapped in barbed wire, designed in the early 1960s, is more than a logo — it’s an activist symbol recognized worldwide. It has appeared on every piece of Amnesty merchandise since the beginning: shining a light in the darkness, while never ignoring the barbed wire that still surrounds many lives.

Whether screen-printed on a banner, sewn into a patch, or pressed into a lapel pin, the symbol has united generations of campaigners under one message: hope cannot be silenced.

Badges and other symbolic merchandise

Amnesty’s use of design — especially badges, buttons, stickers, and t-shirts — has always gone hand in hand with its mission: to bring visibility to invisible struggles. These wearable statements have long been used to spread awareness, unify supporters, and create solidarity across borders.

Common Amnesty badge themes

• Prisoners of Conscience: Campaigns often featured the names or faces of political prisoners or human rights defenders, with buttons reading “Free [Name]” or “I Am [Name].”
• Stop Torture: Red and yellow badges with bold typography were widely distributed during global anti-torture campaigns.
• Death Penalty Abolition: Candles with broken nooses or broken shackles symbolized this long-running fight.
• LGBTQ+ Rights: Rainbow-themed Amnesty logos were often made into pins and stickers for Pride events worldwide.

Merchandise with purpose

• Lapel Pins and Buttons: Minimalist but powerful, often given out at events, rallies, or with donations.
• T-Shirts and Hoodies: Featured slogans like “Protect the Protest,” “Write for Rights,” and “Demand Justice.”
• Posters and Zines: Distributed to schools, shops, and community centers to raise awareness on ongoing issues.

Whether worn at marches or pinned to backpacks, Amnesty merchandise acts as a global voice — uniting supporters from Manila to Madrid under one symbol: the candle in barbed wire.

Major campaigns over the years

1961 – Founding: The Forgotten Prisoners

What began with a letter in The Observer led to the birth of Amnesty. Early supporters used hand-printed badges and letter-writing kits to advocate for unjustly jailed individuals.

1970s – Prisoners of Conscience

Amnesty popularized this term, focusing campaigns on individuals imprisoned for their beliefs. Advocacy packs included badges with names and case numbers, often worn by supporters during vigils.

1980s – Stop Torture

Campaigns used powerful black-and-red visuals. Badges and stickers displayed broken instruments of torture and slogans like “Torture Is a Crime.”

1988 – Human Rights Now! (Amnesty’s 30th Anniversary)

Global benefit concert tour with Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, and Sting. Concert-goers received exclusive Amnesty badges and merchandise.

1998 – International Campaign to Ban the Death Penalty

Amnesty’s abolition work ramped up with international calls for moratoriums. Broken noose badges and candle logos were used in all campaign materials.

2001–2009 – Stop Violence Against Women

A global campaign that used art, fashion, and workshops. Supporters wore safety-pin style badges and shirts with quotes from survivors and activists.

2007 – Protect the Human

Amnesty, Oxfam, and IANSA united to regulate arms sales. The campaign used street art, yellow hand badges, and branded body outlines to symbolize victims of gun violence.

2010s – Write for Rights

Annual global letter-writing campaign — the world’s biggest human rights event. Schools, bookshops, and cafes received toolkits with posters, candles, and advocacy pins.

2020 – I Welcome Refugees

Part of Amnesty’s work around the Syrian refugee crisis and global displacement. Badges and shirts featured open-door motifs and “Refugees Welcome” text in multiple languages.

2022 – Protect the Protest

A response to rising anti-protest laws globally. Stickers, posters, and t-shirts featuring bold black-and-yellow typography were used in public spaces worldwide.

Statement to society

Amnesty’s campaigns succeed not only through petitions and reports, but through the emotional power of design. Their use of badges, pins, shirts, and visuals invites people to turn empathy into action — in a classroom, at a concert, or in the streets.

These artifacts continue to circulate — not just as collectibles, but as historical markers of progress, struggle, and global solidarity. When you wear the Amnesty badge, you're not just showing support. You're becoming part of a global movement for justice.

Badges

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