(2019-01-10). 17 Years Later, Guantanamo Prison Remains a Threat to Human Rights. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-01-10). William Barr Was an Ardent Champion of Mass Incarceration. aclu.org The last time he was attorney general, Barr proclaimed that only prisons reduce crime, and that we need a lot more of them. | In 1992, a little less than a year into his new job, Attorney General William P. Barr added to the zeitgeist of "tough-on-crime" policies when he issued the Bush administration's " 24 Recommendations to Strengthen Criminal Justice." Barr's harsh approach, which included expanding capacity for pretrial detention and offsetting the cost of such expansion with the labor of inmates, was distilled by the Office of Policy…
(2019-01-10). Nation's Top Teachers Will Hold 'Teach In' at Child Detention Camp. zcomm.org In February, educators will gather outside a massive detention camp for migrant children and stage a 24-hour "teach in"
(2019-01-10). The BDS movement salutes Angela Davis. bdsmovement.net 
The BDS movement salutes Angela Davis : PACBI StatementThe Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), a founding member of the BDS movement for Palestinian rights, salutJanuary 10, 2019 | By: | | Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
(2019-01-10). Mexico Releases 16 Political Prisoners, 368 Cases Under Review. telesurenglish.net Mexico's Interior Minister Olga Sanchez announced that 16 political prisoners had been released so far and that the federal government is reviewing the 368 cases of people illegally detained. | RELATED: | Mexico: AMLO Fights Fuel Theft, Fresh Shortages | In a press conference Tuesday, Sanchez said federal authorities confirmed that in some cases people detained had no sentence due to lack of evidence of any crime. "We have bee reviewing 368 cases we have on the table and we have freed 16, many o…
(2019-01-10). Trump Administration is Intent on Weakening Civil Rights Enforcement. counterpunch.org When new U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was asked on "60 Minutes" whether she thinks President Donald Trump is a racist, she responded with the candor that makes her a compelling force in Washington: "Yeah, yeah, no question." This, of course, lit up the social media, with Trump supporters denouncing Ocasio-Cortez and progressives praising her. One would think More
(2019-01-10). What Are Federal Employees' Rights to Protest the Government Shutdown? aclu.org People don't lose their First Amendment rights if they work for the government. | Standing up for your First Amendment right to protest can be challenging — especially if you're a government employee. | Since Dec. 22, nearly 800,000 government employees nationwide have been affected by the partial federal government shutdown, putting a stop to work and paychecks. Despite President Trump's claim that federal workers " agree 100 percent with what I'm doing," many have wond…
(2019-01-10). Rescinding a Human Rights Award to Angela Davis Was Cowardly and Unfair. progressive.org One would think that opposing Israel control of Palestinian territories seized in the 1967 war, which the international community recognizes as a foreign belligerent occupation, would not be particularly controversial.
(2019-01-10). Amnesty calls for international probe into Khashoggi murder. aljazeera.com Rights group marks 100 days since Khashoggi's murder with demonstration at consulate, renews call for credible probe.
(2019-01-10). US Senators Vote Down Anti-BDS Bill. telesurenglish.net The United States Senate has struck down a bill aimed at blocking any boycott of Israel spearheaded by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement Tuesday, a bill which lawmakers and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have heavily criticized. | RELATED: | Bernie Sanders Slams 'Absurd' Anti-BDS Bill Amid Gov't Shutdown | Legislation reaf…
(2019-01-10). An Agenda Unveiled: How Reuters Joined the US Government's Offensive Against Iran. mintpressnews.com 
A 2013 Reuters report on Iran's Setad has been cited in four books and was recently used to justify more sanctions on Iran by Mike Pompeo, but a look into the report's sources and accuracy reveal questionable journalism and a clear agenda.
(2019-01-10). In defense of human rights and Angela Davis. peoplesworld.org 
This week, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) in Alabama came under fire after reversing its decision to honor the famed activist, educator, and philosopher Dr. Angela Davis. Davis, who has a long history in the civil rights movement as an advocate for the oppressed, was set to receive the institute's Fred Shuttlesworth Human Rights …
(2019-01-10). Rally: Shut Guantanamo and Prosecute John "Torturer" Yoo. indybay.org UC Berkeley Law School…
(2019-01-10). A Bloody Day of Protest in Sudan. hrw.org 
| | This picture taken on January 9, 2019 shows tear gas fumes erupting during a protest in the Sudanese capital Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman. | © 2019 AFP/Getty Images | Yesterday's protest in the Sudanese city of Omdurman was particularly bloody. Government security forces responded to peaceful demonstrations with live ammunition, rubber bullets, and tear gas, killing at least three protesters and injuring several others, in broad daylight. As in pr…
(2019-01-10). US: Suit Filed Over Immigration FOIA Request. hrw.org 
| | An image of the first page of the complaint from a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed on behalf of Human Rights Watch by Nixon Peabody. | © 2019 Human Rights Watch | (San Francisco, January 10, 2019) — Human Rights Watch filed suit today against the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for their failure to respond adequately to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for detailed immi…
(2019-01-10). Unjustly Jailed Blogger Faces New Charges in Azerbaijan. hrw.org 
| | Mehman Huseynov. | © 2017 Aziz Karimov | Azerbaijan authorities know no limits when it comes to silencing government critics. As everyone was celebrating the New Year, Azerbaijan authorities were busy pressing new charges against one of the country's most popular anti-corruption bloggers, Mehman Huseynov. | Huseynov has been serving a 2-year prison sentence after he was prosecuted for defaming an entire police station in Baku, because he…
(2019-01-10). Why Trump's Portrayal of Undocumented Immigrants Couldn't be More Wrong. hrw.org 
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(2019-01-10). EU: Postpone Vote on Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. hrw.org 
| | Deputies attend the opening ceremony of the National Assembly's autumn session in Hanoi, Vietnam October 23, 2017. | © 2017 Reuters | (Brussels) — The European Parliament and the European Council should postpone the ratification of the proposed EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement until the Vietnamese government takes concrete steps to improve its increasingly abusive human rights record, Human Rights Watch said today. In Vietnam's latest m…
(2019-01-10). Thailand: Insurgents Bomb School, Attack Hospital. hrw.org 
(New York) — Separatist insurgents in Thailand's southern border provinces targeted a school and a hospital in renewed attacks, Human Rights Watch said today. Deliberate attacks on civilian structures are war crimes. | | | Family photo of police medic Capt. Sineenath Kongput, who was seriously wounded in a car bombing in Thepa district, Songkhla province, Thailand, on January 8, 2019. | © Private | On the morning of January 8, insurgents detonated a bomb outside Thairath Wi…
(2019-01-10). Trump's "national emergency" threat and the danger of presidential dictatorship. wsws.org Congressional Democrats and the corporate media are deliberately downplaying the danger to democratic rights and constitutional norms embodied in Trump's threats.
(2019-01-10). Resignations rock US civil rights institute after it strips Angela Davis of award over pro-BDS views. rt.com 
Three members quit the board of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute after its controversial decision to first award, then to rescind an award for iconic activist Angela Davis, following objections to her anti-Israel statements.
(2019-01-10). 'Shock Doctrine' Author Naomi Klein Worries 'What Next?' If Trump Succeeds in Inventing a 'National Emergency'. commondreams.org "What further roll back of rights… become possible under the banner of 'emergency?'" asks author and activist. "What is to stop him from declaring emergencies again and again if this works?" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-01-10). After 17 'Shameful' Years of Guantanamo Prison, Rights Group Demand 'Stain' on Nation's History Be Shuttered. commondreams.org On the eve of the 17th anniversary of Guantanamo Bay's opening, human rights advocates made yet another call Thursday for the prison to be closed and the dozens of prisoners held there to be transferred—calling attention back to an institution that has long since faded from American headlines. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-01-09). Venezuela Has Defeated US Interventionism: Evo Morales. telesurenglish.net Venezuela has overcome the United States' sanctions and interventionist attempts, Bolivian President Evo Morales said Wednesday at the Military Academy in Caracas. | RELATED: | Maduro: Venezuela Faces Coup Ordered by US, Lima Group Ahead of Inauguration | "Venezuela defeated US interventionism. I must express my respect and admiration of that…
(2019-01-09). William Barr Helped Build America's Surveillance State. aclu.org Senators should ask Barr about his support for unconstitutional spying that endangers our rights. | William Barr, President Trump's nominee for attorney general, has a history of getting it wrong. From designing warrantless surveillance programs to justifying the president's power to disregard acts of Congress, Barr has advanced dubious legal theories that have been rejected by the courts, Congress, and the public. | As Barr begins the confirmation process, senators must question Barr on his record regarding the right to privacy and the Fourth Amendment — which raises serious concerns about his suitability…
(2019-01-09). Frank Chapman condemns shameful and cowardly decision to revoke award to Angela Davis. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL — Longtime leader in the Black liberation movement and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Frank Chapman, condemned the January 4 decision of the Alabama-based Birmingham Civil Rights Institute to abruptly cancel their plan to present Angela Davis with the Fred Shuttlesworth Award. Fred Shuttlesworth was a prominent leader in the civil rights movement. | Chapman stated, "Angela Davis and Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth were dearest friends and co-leaders in the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression at the same time that I served as its executive director."
(2019-01-09). Why Trump's Effort to Eliminate Disparate Impact Rules Is a Terrible Idea. aclu.org The Trump administration is reportedly looking for ways to do away with disparate impact rules, a move that could hurt millions of vulnerable people. | If no one tells you they're discriminating, is it still discrimination? | According to the Trump administration, the answer is no. In a memo reported by The Washington Post last week, the administration has placed in its cross hairs a civil rights enforcem…
(2019-01-09). "A Racist, Xenophobic Attack": Immigrant Rights Activist Decries Trump Remarks About Southern Border. democracynow.org 
President Donald Trump addressed the nation Tuesday night in his first prime-time speech from the Oval Office. He urged Congress to approve $5.7 billion to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, but he opted not to declare a national emergency to force construction of the wall, in a xenophobic speech riddled with falsehoods. We speak with Oscar Chacón, executive director of Alianza Americas, an immigrant rights group based in Chicago.
(2019-01-09). Bernie Sanders Responds to Trump's Border Wall Address, Debunking President's Lies About Immigration. democracynow.org 
After Donald Trump addressed the nation Tuesday in a speech that attacked immigrants and demanded a border wall, Sen. Bernie Sanders called out the president for lying to the American people and creating a false crisis at the border. We speak with Oscar Chacón, executive director of Alianza Americas, an immigrant rights group based in Chicago.
(2019-01-09). Chicano leader blasts Trump's racist, anti-immigrant speech. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA — Longtime Chicano and immigrant rights leader Carlos Montes condemned President Trump's January 8 Oval Office speech, stating, "We are opposed to Trump's attacks on refugees at the border – and his wall. We will continue to oppose his measures, and build the movement to dump Trump." | Trump's push to further militarize the U.S. border has resulted in a prolonged partial government shutdown. | The Los Angeles community organization, Centro CSO, has called for a January 9 bannering in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, at the corner of 4th and Soto, from 4 to 6 p.m.
(2019-01-09). Multifaceted Attack Against Venezuela on Eve of Maduro Inauguration. counterpunch.org Venezuelan President Nicholás Maduro's inauguration for his second term on January 10 is targeted by the US, the allied Lima Group, and the hardline Venezuelan opposition. They have demanded that Maduro refuse inauguration. A multifaceted attack aimed at regime change is underway using sanctions, military threats, and a campaign of delegitimization to replace the democratically elected More
(2019-01-09). Wall Can't Fix Problems at Southern US Border. hrw.org 
| | View of a part of the Benito Juarez stadium in Tijuana, Mexico, November 25, 2018. | © 2018 Jonathan Pedneault/Human Rights Watch | In his speech to the American public on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump put forward a nonsensical argument that the construction of some kind of barrier on the US-Mexico border would fix an incredible range of wildly exaggerated problems. There is a crisis on the border and throughout the…
(2019-01-09). Venezuela: Suspected Plotters Tortured. hrw.org 
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(2019-01-09). Tiffany and Co. Announces New Diamond Transparency. hrw.org 
| Starting today, Tiffany and Co. will begin sharing the origins of its diamonds with its customers, setting a new level of transparency among large jewelry retailers. As part of this welcome initiative, all of Tiffany's stores will now provide the country or region of origin for all newly-sourced diamonds above .18 carat. It's now time for others in the industry to do the same. | Transparency is the first step to improve human rights in a supply chain. When I shop i…
(2019-01-09). United Kingdom: Older People Left Without Support. hrw.org 
| | Older woman leaving a community center with programs for older people in East London. | © 2018 Stephanie Hancock for Human Rights Watch | (London) — Older people in England are at risk of not getting adequate assistance to live independent, dignified lives due to uneven assessments for social services, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. In doing so, the United Kingdom government risks failing to secure older persons' rights to health, and to live in the community. | For the 35-page report, "
(2019-01-08). Rashida Tlaib: The Senate's Anti-BDS Bill Is an Unconstitutional Attack on Free Speech. democracynow.org 
A new Senate bill would allow state and local governments to boycott any U.S. companies which are engaged in a boycott against Israel. We speak with Congressmember Rashida Tlaib, who has come out out against the bill, tweeting, "They forgot what country they represent. This is the U.S. where boycotting is a right & part of our historical fight for freedom & equality. Maybe a refresher on our U.S. Constitution is in order, then get back to opening up our government instead of taking our rights away."
(2019-01-08). In speech tonight, Trump won't talk about the real crisis — asylum seekers being denied rights under U.S. law. splcenter.org We expect President Trump's speech tonight to be filled with more falsehoods demonizing migrants who are seeking refuge.
(2019-01-08). Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Detained Children Tortured. hrw.org 
| | Exterior of the Women and Children's Reformatory in Erbil, where several dozen children are held in pre-trial detention or are serving sentences for alleged ISIS affiliation. | © 2018 Jo Becker/Human Rights Watch | (Beirut) — The Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq is torturing children to confess to involvement with the Islamic State (ISIS), Human Rights Watch said today. | Children told Human Rights Watch tha…
(2019-01-08). Australia Starts Tackling Modern Slavery. hrw.org 
| | Women work in the sewing division of a factory in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. Women constitute about 90 percent of the workforce in Cambodia's garment industry, which produces for many international apparel brands. Human Rights Watch has documented that workers in Cambodia frequently experience forced overtime, pregnancybased discrimination, and denial of paid maternity leave.
| © 2014 Samer Muscati/Human Rights Watch | A new law in Australia requires companies of a certain size operating in Australia to pu…
(2019-01-08). 1.4 Million Floridians Get Their Voting Rights Back Today, Whether Republicans Like It or Not. theintercept.com Some Florida Republicans, including Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis, have sought to sow confusion about the validity of Amendment 4, which goes into effect Tuesday.
(2019-01-07). Ari Berman: Dems Introduce Sweeping Voting Rights Bill to Combat Rampant Voter Suppression. democracynow.org 
Voting rights activists are hailing a new House bill that aims to restore voting rights to millions, crack down on the influence of dark money in politics, restore the landmark Voting Rights Act, establish automatic and same-day voter registration and other measures. The bill has been dubbed the For the People Act. It is the first piece of legislation introduced by the new Democratic majority in the House. We speak with Ari Berman, senior writer at Mother Jones, reporting fellow at The Nation Institute and author of "Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America." His latest piece is titled…
(2019-01-07). Egypt: Little Truth in Al-Sisi's '60 Minutes' Responses. hrw.org 
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(2019-01-07). China's Xinjiang Tour Should Have Fooled No One. hrw.org 
| | Officials unveil a new political education camp in Bayingolin, Xinjiang. | © Yuli County, Xinjiang | China's authorities recently escorted diplomats from a dozen countries and a handful of foreign journalists on a highly controlled visit to Xinjiang, the northwestern region where an estimated one million Turkic Muslims are being arbitrarily and indefinitely detaine…
(2019-01-07). See No Evil: Pentagon Issues Blanket Denial That It Knows Anything About Detainee Abuse in Yemen. theintercept.com A U.N. panel found that detainees in prisons controlled by U.S. allies were beaten, electrocuted, hung upside down, and raped.
(2019-01-05). DR Congo: Voter Suppression, Violence. hrw.org 
| | A polling official counts votes in a school in Kinshasa after the Democratic Republic of Congo's general elections, December 30, 2018. | © 2018 Luis Tato/AFP/Getty Images | (Kinshasa) — Widespread irregularities, voter suppression, and violence significantly marred elections on December 30, 2018 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Election officials should ensure that the announced results in the presidential, legislative, and provincial elec…
(2019-01-05). U.S. Senate's First Bill, in the Midst of the Shutdown, Is a Bipartisan Defense of the Israeli Government From Boycotts. theintercept.com Attacks on the free speech rights of Americans in the name of defending Israel seem to have no end in sight.
(2019-01-04). Headlines for January 4, 2019. democracynow.org 116th Congress Sworn In as Nancy Pelosi Elected House Speaker, House Democrats Adopt PAYGO Austerity Spending Rule, House Democrats Approve New Ethics Rules, Form Climate Committee, Trump Repeats Border Wall Demands as Gov't Shutdown Enters 14th Day, Trump Admin Wants to Send More Troops to U.S.-Mexico Border, Brazil: President's Assault on Indigenous Rights Threatens Amazon, Mexico: Mayor Assassinated Hours After Taking Office, Trump Administration Threatens Iran over Its Space Program, Former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Faces Criminal Inquiry, Google Uses "Double Irish Dutch Sandwich" Scheme to Avoid Taxes, P…
(2019-01-04). Christmas in Tornillo: Activists, Lawmakers Demand Trump Shut Down Prison Camp for Migrant Children. democracynow.org 
As the government shutdown heads into its 14th day and Trump doubles down on his demands for a border wall, we turn to look at the ongoing crisis unfolding at the U.S. border and the protesters on the ground fighting back. In West Texas, immigrant rights activists are staging daily actions to shut down the Tornillo prison camp, where thousands of immigrant youth are being detained. The organizers call themselves the "Christmas in Tornillo" occupation. On New Year's Eve, they shut down the entrance of the sprawling prison camp, where 2,300 children are being held in more than 150 tents. We speak with Juan Ortiz, i…
(2018-12-31). An Extraordinary Year for Civil Rights. naacp.org This was an extraordinary year for the NAACP. From building more political power in communities of color to fighting to protect the federal bench from those who have a record of purposefully harming our communities, we've had great successes—and it was your support that made it all happen. Here's a look at what we did […]
(2018-12-21). #SaveHakeem — Stop deportation of Bahraini refugee. greenleft.org.au 
Bahraini refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi has been held in detention in Thailand since November 27, facing the terrifying prospect of deportation to the country where he was tortured. | Al-Araibi fled to Australia in 2014 and was accepted as a refugee. In November, he travelled on UN travel documents to Thailand for a short holiday with his wife. When he arrived at Bangkok airport, Al-Araibi was arrested under an Interpoll "Red Notice" (an international arrest warrant) issued by the Bahrain government. | Interpol is not meant to issue red notices for refugees, so this red notice should never have been issued for Al-Araib…