(2018-11-29). Amnesty International Urges Revocation of Israeli Cyber Firm's Spyware License. imemc.org Amnesty International has called on the Israeli ministry of military affairs to suspend the license of a cyber firm which was reportedly in talks with Saudi Arabia, to sell super-stealth spyware to the country and amid revelations that the company's software had been used in "a series of egregious human rights violations." …
(2018-11-29). Should Saudi Crown Prince Be Charged With War Crimes? G20 Host Argentina Considers Probe. democracynow.org 
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman could face prosecution in Argentina for alleged complicity in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi-led humanitarian crisis in Yemen. On Wednesday, an Argentine prosecutor reportedly accepted a request by Human Rights Watch to prosecute the crown prince, just hours after he landed in Argentina ahead of the G20 summit. Argentina recognizes universal jurisdiction for war crimes and torture, which means it is able to press charges against the crown prince while he is in the country. We speak with Reed Brody, counsel and spokesperson for Human Rights Watch, and…
(2018-11-29). Gay Emancipation Goes to Market. truthout.org The fight for LGBTQ rights didn't begin with sexuality. In his new book, Roderick A. Ferguson asserts that the singular focus on sexuality and marriage was the result of a depoliticized movement that only served to maintain a white, heteronormative and capitalist status quo. One-Dimensional Queer demands that we reexamine the intersectional history of the LGBTQ movement, which was rooted in many other movements of the '60s and '70s, to find instruments of true radical change. The following excerpt explores the beginnings of that depoliticization that occurred almost immediately after the Stonewall riots. | In her…
(2018-11-29). Trump's Trade War with China: Imagine What Would Happen if China Decided to Impose Economic Sanctions on the USA? globalresearch.ca In formulating these veiled threats, the Trump administration should think twice. These measures would inevitably backlash on the U.S. economy. China is not dependent on US imports. Quite the opposite. America is an import led economy with a weak manufacturing base, heavily dependent on imports from the PRC.
(2018-11-29). Israel High Court Rules to Allow and Expand Use of Torture. mintpressnews.com In a ruling that directly violates international law and conventions against the use of torture, the Israeli High Court ruled that Shin Bet was justified in torturing a Palestinian prisoner, setting a dangeroius precedent.
(2018-11-29). US immigration policy leaves millions in limbo. zcomm.org As non-citizens or residents, immigrants in US detention centers are not afforded the basic rights and accommodations that are supposed to be provided to regular prisoners. Samuel's case is revealing…
(2018-11-29). Pitzer College Faculty Votes Support BDS for Palestinian Rights. imemc.org Earlier this month, Faculty at Pitzer College in California overwhelmingly voted to pass two motions providing support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights. In the first motion, faculty rejected a decision taken last year by the college's president and trustees to nullify a Student Senate resolution in support …
(2018-11-29). Viet Nam: Ludicrous charge against activist accused of 'insulting national flag' must be dropped. amnesty.org A charge of "insulting the national flag" against prominent Vietnamese human rights activist Huynh Thuc Vy amounts to an attack on freedom of expression by the authorities and must be dropped, Amnesty International said ahead of her trial on Friday. | It is rare for the authorities to prosecute a human rights activist for this charge, which carries a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment, in a disturbing sign of the intensifying crackdown against peaceful dissent in the country. | "This ludicrous charge must be dropped as it is aimed solely at silencing a dedicated, peaceful human rights activist. This is…
(2018-11-29). Bangladesh: Further information: Activist released on bail after months in detention: Shahidul Alam. amnesty.org Shahidul Alam, photographer and outspoken social activist, has been freed on permanent bail after spending more than 100 days behind bars for comments he made in an interview with Al-Jazeera in August 2018. In detention, he was ill-treated and subjected to prolonged detention merely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression.
(2018-11-29). Malaysia: Report details shocking abuses against Indigenous peoples defending their land. amnesty.org Indigenous communities across Malaysia face relentless harassment, intimidation, arrest, violence and even death as they peacefully resist attempts to force them off land they consider ancestral, a report by Amnesty International reveals today. | | The report,
(2018-11-29). Amnesty International launches worlds biggest human rights campaign. amnesty.org Women human rights defenders around the world are facing unprecedented levels of abuse, intimidation and violence, said Amnesty International as it launched its global Write for Rights campaign, in a bid to shine a spotlight on brave women who have been harassed, jailed, tortured or even killed for their human rights work. | Women continue to face multiple forms of discrimination, targeted because of their gender and other characteristics, as well as for their human rights work. However, women refuse to stay silent and have been at the forefront of the battle for human rights in 2018. | "Across the world, women a…
(2018-11-29). The Forest is Our Heartbeat: The struggle to save Indigenous land in Malaysia. amnesty.org Across Malaysia, extensive land development is adversely affecting Indigenous peoples, posing a threat to ancestral lands, traditional ways of life and a wide spectrum of human rights. The Indigenous peoples of Malaysia comprise over 67 ethnic groups composing 14% of the country's population. They reside in almost every state and territory within the Federation and are afforded special recognition in the country's constitution. Despite this, they continue to suffer from disproportionate levels of poverty and ongoing social exclusion, in part due to an absence of formal recognition of their land as well as a lack…
(2018-11-29). Philippines: First conviction of police officers in 'war on drugs' shows its deadly reality. amnesty.org Responding to the guilty verdict handed to three policemen for the murder of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in the Philippines, Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International's Regional Director for East and Southeast Asia, said: | "Kian's killing is emblematic of the horrors of the 'war on drugs', and this verdict further confirms that it is a brutal, murderous campaign that claims innocent lives. | "While welcome, this verdict does not go far enough. The first conviction of police officers in this deadly campaign has come far too late. While three officers have been found guilty, more should be held to account, includ…
(2018-11-29). Retail and fast food workers get organised. greenleft.org.au 
The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) was formed in late 2016 as a response to growing dissatisfaction among retail workers with the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA). The Labor right-controlled SDA is notorious for negotiating enterprise bargaining agreements (EBAs) that contain below award wages and eroding the rights and conditions of workers. | Green Left Weekly's Joel McAlear and Rachel Evans interviewed Coles worker and RAFFWU representative Danielle Hynes about her experiences in the sector and involvement with this dynamic, new union. | *** | Is retail an important indus…
(2018-11-29). Ukraine: Barriers to Free Movement for Older People. hrw.org 
| | An older man with a disability sits on an old luggage cart preparing to cross the Stanitsa Luhanska border point in Eastern Ukraine. With wheelchairs rarely available, older people and others with mobility disabilities may resort to crossing by carts or sleds pushed by strangers, for a fee. April 6, 2018. | © 2018 John Wendle for Human Rights Watch | (Kyiv) — Older people who need to travel between the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine and governme…
(2018-11-29). DR Congo: Mass Rape Trial Crucial for Justice. hrw.org 
| | The leader of the Mai Mai Sheka militia group, Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka, campaigns for a seat in parliament ahead of the November 2011 national elections, despite being sought on a Congolese arrest warrant for crimes against humanity, including sexual violence. Walikale, North Kivu, November 24, 2011. | © 2011 AFP/File | (Goma) — The trial of a militia leader for mass rape and other grave crimes is crucial for justice in the …
(2018-11-29). US: Cervical Cancer Deaths Up for Black Women. hrw.org 
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(2018-11-29). La declaración de los Derechos Humanos cumple 70 años. indybay.org El 10 de diciembre, día internacional de los Derechos Humanos celebramos el 70 aniversario de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos…
(2018-11-29). China, Iran Solve Oil Payments Problem. iranian.com Iran and China have found a way for China to continue buying Iranian crude and pay for it without risking a U.S. sanction breach, an Iranian official said, as quoted by Fars News. "A Chinese bank will start its banking exchanges with the Iranian side on December 2," the head of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce, Asadollah […]
(2018-11-28). Yemen's Human-Rights Defenders Are Fighting Increasingly Desperate Odds. thenation.com Yemen's Human-Rights Defenders Are Fighting Increasingly Desperate Odds…
(2018-11-28). Hatewatch Headlines 11/29/2018. splcenter.org Border Patrol's use of tear gas an ill omen; High court poised to reverse LGBT rights; How Trump picked up a meme from 4chan on Twitter; and more.
(2018-11-28). Video: 'Moderate Rebels' and Western Media Speculate that "Assad was Guilty" of Chemical Attack in Aleppo. globalresearch.ca 739 ISIS members have been killed by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the province of Deir Ezzor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) claimed. 452 members of the SDF were killed during the same period, according to …
(2018-11-28). UN Announces $9.2M in Sanctions Relieving Aid to Venezuela. mintpressnews.com 
The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has assigned US $9.2 million during the month of November to reinforce existing efforts to alleviate the impact of Venezuela's economic downturn, UN officials announced Monday. | The funding, most of which has already been disbursed, will target sectors hardest hit by US-led sanctions, such as health and nutrition. With the support of UN bodies present in Venezuela, it will be channeled through government organizations which run the public healthcare and organize a series of subsidized food programs
(2018-11-28). US Complicity in Saudi Arabia's Genocide in Yemen Spans Both Obama and Trump. theantimedia.com 
As a scholar of genocide and human rights, I believe the destruction brought about by these attacks combined with the blockade amounts to genocide. (CONVERSATION) — A Saudi-led coalition of states has been aggressively bombing Yemen and imposing an air and naval blockade of its ports for more than three years, leading U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to describe Yemen as "the world's …
(2018-11-28). A Mexican Perspective on Trump's Border Crisis. progressive.org "You've got a President of the United States who is a racist. Instead of having the United States be a world leader in human rights, Trump wants to be world leader of racism. It's very difficult."
(2018-11-28). How Trump Weaponized the Government's Refugee Resettlement Agency. aclu.org The Office of Refugee Resettlement was supposed to protect vulnerable immigrant children. Now it's an arm of Trump's deportation force. | Back in April, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, both under the Department of Homeland Security, entered into a memorandum of agreement with an obscure government agency known as the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services. The office, known by its initials ORR, had traditionally served vulnerable immigrant youth coming to the United States without an adult. The agency took custody of those c…
(2018-11-28). Airbnb Pressured to Remove Listings in Illegal Israeli Settlements on Occupied Palestinian Land. therealnews.com 
House-sharing company Airbnb was pressured to remove listings in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, after a campaign by human rights organizations. CODEPINK's Ariel Gold says this is a big victory for peace activists
(2018-11-28). Israeli High Court Rules to Allow, Expand Use of Torture. imemc.org In a ruling that directly violates international law and conventions against the use of torture, the Israeli High Court ruled Monday that Israeli intelligence officers were justified in their use of torture against a Palestinian prisoner. The ruling sets a precedent for the future use of torture and the expansion …
(2018-11-28). In the Muscogee Creek Nation, the free press isn't free. peoplesworld.org 
OKMULGEE, Okla.—"I think it's just this second go-round is the tribe exploiting its rights," Sterling Cosper, former Mvskoke Media manager, said. "It has sovereignty to decide what's best for it." Cosper resigned November 8 following the decision of the Muscogee (Creek) National Council to repeal the tribe's Free Press Act of 2015. By repealing the …
(2018-11-28). Government Use of Tear Gas Is Illegal in War. It Should Be Illegal Here, Too. aclu.org The chemical agent is outlawed in international warfare but used regularly by police here at home. | This piece originally appeared at The Washington Post's PostEverything. | Pictures of migrant women and children fleeing in panic as tear gas canisters were fired at them by U.S. border agents this week shocked many Americans, but the Trump administration praised the Border Patrol for responding " …
(2018-11-28). HRE workshop participants use storytelling to call attention to Lebanon's migrant workers. amnesty.org Youth from Beirut take action to abolish Lebanon's Kafala system after participating in a Human Rights Education Workshop. | In a small community bookshop and coffeeshop — snug within the hip area of Mar Mikhael, Beirut — university students, youth, activists and migrant workers gathered to share stories of oppression and resilience in an event put together by Amnesty youth volunteers. |
(2018-11-28). Honduras: State must ensure access to justice for victims of post-election repression. amnesty.org One year after the Honduran security forces began their repression of those involved in mass post-election protests, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International, said: | "We reiterate our call for investigations into all cases of unnecessary or excessive use of force by the Honduran authorities during the post-election period last year, including killings, arbitrary detentions and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The people responsible for this brutal repression must be brought to justice without further delay." |
(2018-11-28). Mexico: Amnesty International urges the president-elect to take action for human rights during his first 100 days. amnesty.org Amnesty International launched a campaign today urging President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador to take concrete measures during the first 100 days of his administration to improve the human rights situation in Mexico. | "The government of President-elect López Obrador has a historic opportunity to build a Mexico in which the human rights of every individual are respected and protected," said Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International. |
(2018-11-28). 100 days for Mexico: Open Letter to the President-elect for his first 100 days in office. amnesty.org Amnesty International adresses Mexican President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who takes office on 1 December 2018, and calls on him to take concrete actions during his first 100 days as President to improve Mexico's grave human rights crisis. The letter is published as part of the "100 Days for Mexico" campaign.
(2018-11-28). Stranded refugees and migrants must be immediately allowed to dock in Italy or Malta. amnesty.org Twelve refugees and migrants who have been stranded in the Central Mediterranean on a Spanish fishing boat for almost a week must be allowed to disembark in Europe as soon as possible, said Amnesty International. | Six days after they were rescued from the water by the Nuestra Madre de Loreto vessel, the 12 – including two children – remain on board in overcrowded conditions and stormy waters. |
(2018-11-28). 100 días por México: Carta abierta al presidente electo para sus primeros 100 días de gobierno. amnesty.org Amnistía Internacional se dirige al presidente electo de México, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, quien tomará la administración el 1 de diciembre del 2018, y le pide tomar acciones concretas durante sus primeros 100 días de gobierno para mejorar la grave crisis de derechos humanos que sufre México. La carta se publica como parte de la campaña "100 días por México".
(2018-11-28). Israel: 'Rogue' NSO Group must have licence revoked over controversial surveillance software. amnesty.org Amnesty International is taking legal advice in order to revoke the export licence of Israeli-based NSO Group, after it was revealed the cyber firm's spyware had been used in an attempt to spy on an Amnesty staff member. | A recent investigation by Haaretz newspaper uncovered the firm's sophisticated surveillance tool "Pegasus" was offered to authorities in Saudi Arabia last year. | Two weeks ago, Amnesty International Israel submitted an urgent request to the Israeli Ministry of Defence, demanding that NSO Group's defence export licence be revoked in light of an attempted cyber attack on an Amnesty staff member…
(2018-11-28). DRC: UN must investigate disturbing 'cover-up' claims over murders of experts. amnesty.org Responding to reports that the United Nations "covered up" information implicating senior Congolese military and security officers in the killing of UN investigators Zaida Catalan and Michael Sharp in March 2017, Amnesty International's Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes Joan Nyanyuki said: |
(2018-11-28). Julián Carrillo defended the forest with his life. amnesty.org The first time I arranged a meeting with environmental defender Julián Carrillo, I wanted to visit him at his home in the Rarámuri community of Coloradas de la Virgen in the Sierra Tarahumara, Chihuahua. But various people and organizations told me that if I went there, "the bad guys" (organized crime), would not let me through and if I did manage to get there, it would put my life and the lives of members of the community in danger.
(2018-11-28). G20: Argentine Probe of Saudi Crown Prince Advances. hrw.org 
| | Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, attends a bilateral meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the Executive Suite at UN Headquarters in New York. | © 2018 Albin Lohr-Jones/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images | (Buenos Aires) — The Argentine judiciary on November 28, 2018, took steps toward a formal investigation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's possible responsibility…
(2018-11-28). Russian Rap Under Fire. hrw.org 
| | Husky singing to his fans from the top of a car. Krasnodar, 2018. | © Screengrab from YouTube | Last week, Husky, a popular Russian rapper, was detained by police for singing to his fans in the street — one of the latest in a growing list of Russian musicians suffering from a crackdown by authorities. | His arrest in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar came after several of his shows in different cities had been cancelled through the intervent…
(2018-11-28). Prominent Rights Activist Goes On Hunger Strike In Iran Prison. iranian.com A prominent Iranian rights activist and political prisoner has started a hunger strike to support another prisoner of conscience whose health is deteriorating in prison. Nasrin Sotoudeh's family announced on November 26 that she has started a hunger strike in Tehran's notorious Evin prison to protest the deteriorating health of Farhad Meysami, who himself has […]
(2018-11-28). The Real Effect Of Iran Sanction Waivers. iranian.com On the day U.S. sanctions against Iran went into effect, Brent crude traded at US$72.68 a barrel. Today, three weeks later, Brent is down to US$59.59 a barrel and President Trump is congratulating himself on the low oil prices. Instead of shooting up to US$100, oil prices are falling and the U.S. waivers granted to […]
(2018-11-27). Argentina Opens War Crimes Inquiry on Saudi Crown Prince for Role in Yemen War. theantimedia.com 
(MEE) — Argentina has opened up an inquiry on whether to press criminal charges against Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, for his role in leading the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Monday. The inquiry was opened after HRW and an Argentine federal prosecutor lodged a complaint against …
(2018-11-27). China Has Detained a Million Muslims in Reeducation Camps. thenation.com China Has Detained a Million Muslims in Reeducation Camps…
(2018-11-27). Pitzer College Faculty Votes Support BDS for Palestinian Rights. bdsmovement.net 
Pitzer College Faculty Votes Support BDS for Palestinian Rights: UpdateFaculty at Pitzer College in California have overwhelmingly voted to pass two motions that support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights. As Israel's attacks on Palestinian education escalate, professors and students are standing up for Palestinian rights. | Academic Boycott …
(2018-11-27). "Tear Gassing Children Is Outrageous": US Condemned for Violence Against Asylum Seekers. theantimedia.com 
(CD) — As legal experts and human rights advocates overnight and Monday morning continued to denounce the tear gassing of children and other asylum seekers by U.S. forces at the Mexico border on Sunday, Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among Democratic lawmakers who slammed the Trump administration for its treatment of refugees as she issued a reminder that vulnerable …
(2018-11-27). The War in Yemen is Not a War, It is a Massacre. counterpunch.org 
The numbers are mind-blowing: Since the beginning of the conflict in Yemen, an estimated 85,000 children under five may have died from extreme hunger and disease, according to the last analysis by Save the Children, the international health and human rights organization. Although children are the most affected by the conflict, 14 million people are at risk of famine, according to data compiled by the United Nations. More
(2018-11-27). UN Announces $9.2m of Funding Following Maduro's Request for Sanctions-Countering Assistance. venezuelanalysis.com The medical and nutritional supplies will reinforce existing UN support for government social programs targeting pregnant women, young children, and HIV carriers.
(2018-11-27). Haiti: Authorities must avoid excessive use of force during protests. amnesty.org In response to the violence in Haiti following the Petrocaribe protests, Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International, said: | "Amnesty International is concerned about the unrest in Haiti following several citizen protests demanding transparency in relation to the use of Petrocaribe funds. We have received worrying reports of the use of force by police against civilians during these protests leading to several people being killed and injured as a result of clashes with firearms". | "The Haitian state is legally obliged to ensure that the use of force in the context of protests is legitimate, n…