(2019-04-07). NATO at 70: Global Enforcers of Western Imperialism. globalresearch.ca "Today, our Alliance is the strongest in history, guaranteeing the freedom of our almost one billion citizens, the security of our territory, and the protection of our values, including democracy, individual liberty, human rights, and the rule of law." — …
(2019-04-07). May Day: March & Rally for Worker & Immigrant Rights in Santa Rosa. indybay.org Santa Rosa: 777 Sebastopol Rd, Santa Rosa 95407 by Dollar Tree store…
(2019-04-06). US Extradition of Assange Would be Violation of International Law: UN Special Rapporteur. globalresearch.ca Following WikiLeaks' warning yesterday that Julian Assange faced imminent eviction from Ecuador's London embassy, widespread opposition has emerged to the illegal plans to terminate his political asylum. | Nils Melzer, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, issued a statement calling …
(2019-04-06). The Crisis of Violence Against Transgender People Is Not a "Myth" truthout.org I learned a lot about myself while sitting in the first U.S. congressional hearing about the Equality Act this week. | As debate about the act—which would extend federal nondiscrimination laws to LGBTQ people nationwide— began in earnest, I learned that I and other transgender women are tricksters and frauds intent on supplant…
(2019-04-06). Trump Administration Revokes ICC Prosecutor's Visa Over War Crimes Probe. truthout.org In a move human rights defenders decried as "shameful," the Trump administration revoked the visa of the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor this week for trying to investigate alleged war crimes committed by American forces in Afghanistan. | "What we can confirm is that the U.S. authorities have revoked the prosecutor's visa for entry into the U.S.," Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda's office said in a statement. The decision, per her office, shouldn't interfere with her travel to the United Nations headquarters in New York City. | "Wa…
(2019-04-06). America the Barbaric. wsws.org If the conditions that exist in US prisons were exposed in Russia or China, there would be a hue and cry in the press and the halls of Congress for economic sanctions and "humanitarian" military intervention.
(2019-04-06). Amid Blackouts and Food Shortages, Pence Unveils New Sanctions Targeting Venzuelan Oil Exports to Cuba. theantimedia.com (CD) — Despite Venezuela's worsening humanitarian crisis fueled by political unrest and economic sanctions, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced new sanctions targeting the government and companies that transport oil to Cuba as part of the Trump administration's ongoing effort to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Recognizing that "oil is the lifeblood" of the Venezuelan government, Pence said in …
(2019-04-06). Amid Blackouts and Food Shortages, Pence Unveils New Sanctions Targeting Venzuelan Oil Exports to Cuba. commondreams.org Despite Venezuela's worsening humanitarian crisis fueled by political unrest and economic sanctions, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced new sanctions targeting the government and companies that transport oil to Cuba as part of the Trump administration's ongoing effort to oust Venezuelan President Nicol√°s Maduro. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-04-06). When It Comes to the Death Penalty, the Supreme Court Legalized Torture Long Ago. theintercept.com 
Months before the U.S. Supreme Court sparked fresh outrage over the death penalty by upholding the planned execution of a man who risks drowning in his own blood, Justice Stephen Breyer invited Missouri Solicitor General D. John Sauer to consider the matter "as a person rather than a lawyer." | It was November 2018. Oral arguments in Bucklew v. Precythe were about halfway done. The issue at hand: Russell Bucklew, condemned to die for a murder and rape committed in 1996, suffered from a rare medical condition calle…
(2019-04-06). 'Shameful': Trump Admin Revokes ICC Prosecutor's Visa Over Probe of Potential US War Crimes in Afghanistan. commondreams.org In a move human rights defenders decried as "shameful," the Trump administration revoked the visa of the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor this week for trying to investigate alleged war crimes committed by American forces in Afghanistan. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-04-05). I Was Arrested and Detained for Passing Out Fliers Near a Courthouse. aclu.org The government has no business criminalizing political speech just because it happens outside a courthouse. | In the land of the free, people still get arrested for speaking out about what they believe in., , A little over a year ago, I was arrested and detained for 10 hours in New York City because I was handing out leaflets advocating jury nullification. I was arrested under a state law that makes it a crime to talk about judicial proceedings within 200 feet of a courthouse. I filed a First Amendment lawsuit because political speech shouldn't be a crime, no matter where it takes place. | Jury nullification is a…
(2019-04-05). Thinking About Russia: Pigeonholing Doesn't Work. counterpunch.org Black-and-white thinking rarely works and certainly not about Russia. Consider the following. Only days ago, about 100 Russian troops landed in Venezuela to deter a U.S. invasion. At home, Russian security forces continue to repress pro-democracy movements, dissidents and LGBT rights activists. The Russian military has long aided the Bashar al-Assad regime, which is responsible More
(2019-04-05). EU Clamps Down on Freedom of Speech in name of Copyright Protection. therealnews.com 
Julia Reda of the Pirate Party warns that the law does not protect creators, but large interest groups. Internet platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter will install filters and ban access to material individuals upload who do not buy the rights for everything they use…
(2019-04-05). Propuesta de ley sobre negociación colectiva recibe audiencia en Nevada. peoplesworld.org 
CARSON CITY, Nevada — Esta semana, miembros de la Local 4041 de AFSCME tuvieron la oportunidad de argumentar a sus legisladores que el momento es oportuno para que los trabajadores estatales reciban derechos de negociación colectiva. Una propuesta de ley en el senado les daría a 20 mil empleados estatales la libertad de negociar colectivamente …
(2019-04-05). Myanmar military target civilians in deadly helicopter attack, UN rights office issues war crimes warning. un.org Intensifying clashes between the Myanmar military and armed separatists that reportedly involved a deadly helicopter bombing raid on civilians earlier this week in Rakhine state, have been condemned by the UN human rights office, OHCHR.
(2019-04-05). Venezuelans brave torrential border river, face exploitation, abuse — UN urges greater protection. un.org Noting that the Venezuela refugee crisis will leave some 1.1 million children, returnees and people in-transit lacking protection and basic services across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in 2019, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) called on regional Governments to uphold their rights and protect unaccompanied, undocumented children.
(2019-04-05). The Brexit rollercoaster. greenleft.org.au 
Two very different demonstrations within less than a week of each other neatly illustrated just how polarised British politics is. | On March 23, an estimated 1 million people took to the streets calling for a second referendum or "people's vote" on Britain's decision to leave the European Union (EU). | They argue that the electorate has a better idea now of the deal it might be getting and what the consequences are for the economy and people's rights to live, work and travel freely in any of the 27 member states. | This crowd was socially liberal and mostly leftish-leaning. The People's Vote campaign leadership…
(2019-04-05). As Rumors Swirl, UN Expert Warns Extraditing Julian Assange to US Would Violate Human Rights Protections. commondreams.org While Ecuador denies plans to revoke Julian Assange's political asylum, a top United Nations human rights official has vowed to investigate fresh rumors, noting that if the WikiLeaks founder is expelled from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, he likely would be arrested by British authorities and extradited to the United States. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-04-05). An ex-soldier cleared of terrorism charges for fighting Daesh is detained by police returning from holiday. thecanary.co Jim Matthews, a former soldier cleared of terrorism charges for joining the fight against Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) in Northern Syria has accused the UK police … | Read more An ex-soldier cleared of terrorism charges for fighting Daesh is detained by police returning from holiday | By Emily Apple
(2019-04-04). Ghosts of Vietnam: Jane Fonda Scores a Victory for Women's Rights and for History. progressive.org Veterans resisted the induction of the activist and actress into the National Women's Hall of Fame. But women won out.
(2019-04-04). Corporate Media More Worried About Avocado Toast Than Human Lives. fair.org 
The New York Times ( 4/1/19) describes the impact that closing the southern border would have on "American manufacturers," "grocery shoppers and farmers," "business owners," "border residents" and, finally—in the last two paragraphs of a 33-paragraph story—on "migrants." | Trump's border policies display zero regard for human rights, but for several news outlets, as Trump foments xenophobia, what's at stake is brunch.
(2019-04-04). White supremacist symbol found spray-painted at the site of fire, civil rights center says. mronline.org 
Someone painted a white supremacist symbol at the scene where fire ravaged a building tied to the civil rights movement, according to a statement from the Highlander Research and Education Center. | Source
(2019-04-04). How VAWA Takes on the Systems That Perpetuate Domestic and Sexual Violence. aclu.org VAWA goes beyond support for survivors to addressing laws that perpetuate violence | Today the House of Representatives passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 (H.R. 1585). This VAWA bill authorizes programs and funding that support survivors of gender-based violence. But it also does more: It tackles some of the laws and institutions that perpetuate domestic violence and sexual assault across the country. Dismantling these structural causes of gender-based violence is essential to ensuring the security and dignity of survivors, their families, and communities. | Protecting the Right to…
(2019-04-04). New Images From an Alabama Prison Reveal Horrific Conditions and Abuse. aclu.org Brutal conditions and violence are unseen hallmarks of our prison system. | A trove of photographs depicting brutalized and murdered prisoners in Alabama's St. Clair Correctional Facility has thrust the treatment of our nation's 2.3 million incarcerated people into public view. The first horror is what these people have endured in prison. The second horror is that while shocking, it is not a surprise. | As a lawyer who has represented prisoners for more than two decades, I have come to expect such violence and degradation of human…
(2019-04-04). SPLC seeks release of detained journalist whose work challenged ICE, a year after he was arrested. splcenter.org Memphis journalist Manuel Duran filed a habeas petition yesterday, seeking his immediate release from detention.
(2019-04-04). UN agencies urge Brunei to repeal new 'extreme and unjustified' penal code. un.org New criminal laws in Brunei that impose the death penalty for same-sex relationships, adultery and childbirth out of marriage, "breach international human rights norms", and should be suspended or repealed said the heads of two United Nations agencies on Thursday.
(2019-04-04). Mandatory detention: A history of bipartisan cruelty. greenleft.org.au 
How did Australia go from a place where its migrant hostels fostered some of the world's most famous bands to one where the detentions centres it presides over are described as "hell on Earth"? | Prior to May 1992, there was no mandatory detention in Australia. | At most, a couple of hundred people came via boat to seek asylum each year. They were housed in places such as the Villawood Migrant Hostel. | Some of the migrants who first met and jammed at these hostels went on to form iconic bands such as the Easybeats and AC/DC. It was…
(2019-04-04). Venezuela delegation urges concrete solidarity action. greenleft.org.au 
Solidarity activists who recently returned from a fact-finding tour of Venezuela are calling for concrete actions by the Australian community to assist the Venezuelan people currently facing economic hardship, primarily as a result of harsh US sanctions. | Among the proposals raised at a March 30 forum held in the Maritime Union of Australia Sydney offices were to send a container's load of goods directly to grassroots organisations and to raise funds for an agro-ecological school. | There is also a proposal to send a solidarity delegate to Venezuela in January next year. | Freelance journalist Joe Montero told t…
(2019-04-03). Haiti stands 'at the crossroads' between peacekeeping, development — Bachelet urges strengthened 'human rights protection'. un.org With the end of the UN's peacekeeping presence in Haiti in sight, the UN's human rights chief told the Security Council on Wednesday that the country now stands "at the crossroads between peacekeeping and development", urging all concerned parties to continue building on progress made, or "risk losing it" altogether.
(2019-04-03). Supreme Court Deems Torture Of Prisoners During Executions Permissible. shadowproof.com The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Missouri may use lethal injection against a prisoner with a medical condition that will cause him to choke to death on his blood.
(2019-04-03). The Origins of Venezuela's Economic Crisis. dissidentvoice.org Venezuela has become a popular argument against socialism amongst conservatives because of the deep economic crisis it is currently traversing. Defenders of the Bolivarian project, though, say that US sanctions and economic war are to blame for the crisis. Greg Wilpert presents an analysis that tries to take all the factors into account.
(2019-04-03). U.S. Warmly Welcomed Congo's Disputed Election Results — but Has Been Sanctioning Its Election Officials Ever Since. theintercept.com 
In February, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's newly elected president, Felix Tshisekedi, held a warm meeting with the U.S. envoy to the region, John Peter Pham. Only hours after the reception, the United States slapped top Congolese election, political, and judiciary officials with sanctions. Alleging corruption on the part of the five officials, the U.S. State Department imposed visa restrictions. In late March, three of those officials who worked for the election commis…
(2019-04-02). As Trump Threatens Another Obamacare Repeal, Mother Warns That Losing ACA Would "Wipe Me Out" democracynow.org 
Just a week after President Trump's Justice Department supported a federal court ruling to wipe out the Affordable Care Act, Trump changed course in a series of tweets Monday and said he is willing to wait until after the 2020 presidential election for Congress to vote on a new healthcare plan. Trump has vowed to replace the ACA so that the Republican Party will be known as "the party of healthcare." We speak with Jamie Davis Smith, a mother of four, civil rights attorney and member of Little Lobbyists and Health Care Voter. Her daughter Claire has multiple severe disabilities. In a recent op-ed for The Washingto…
(2019-04-02). The Government's System of Censoring Its Former Employees Is Unconstitutional. aclu.org Our lawsuit argues that the government's review process for writings by millions of former government employees violates the First Amendment. | Individuals don't lose their First Amendment rights by entering into government service. By now, that is black letter law. You wouldn't know this, though, from the system of lifelong censorship that the government imposes on former intelligence agency employees and military personnel. | Under this system, known as "prepublication review," millions of former public servants must submit their writing to the government for review prior to publication. And the government can…
(2019-04-02). White Supremacist Symbol Found Spray-Painted at the Site of Fire, Civil Rights Center Says. splcenter.org Someone painted a white supremacist symbol at the scene where fire ravaged a building tied to the civil rights movement, according to a statement from the Highlander Research and Education Center.
(2019-04-02). Chelsea Manning's Attorneys Challenge Prolonged Solitary Confinement, Demand Her Release From Jail. shadowproof.com Chelsea Manning remains in conditions of prolonged solitary confinement, and her attorneys argue she should be released from jail pending her appeal. | "Ms. Manning's conditions of confinement must either be modified so as not to constitute punishment or she must be released," Manning's attorneys declared. "Since the jail cannot turn back the clock on punishment that has already occurred, her confinement in adseg in excess of 15 days already constitutes an incurable due process violation. She must therefore be released." | On March 8, Manning was detained at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alex…
(2019-04-02). Headlines for April 2, 2019. democracynow.org Whistleblower: WH Security Clearances Reversed Despite Serious Concerns, Senate Shoots Down Disaster Relief Bills as Fight over Puerto Rico Aid Intensifies, Trump: GOP Planning "Really Great" Healthcare Plan for After 2020 Election, U.K.: Lawmakers Shoot Down 4 Brexit Options as Impasse Continues, Algeria: Pres. Bouteflika to Resign as Protesters Call for Systemic Changes, West Bank: Israelis Shoot and Kill Palestinian Man During Raid, Brunei: U.N. Raises Alarm as LGBT Community Threatened by Death Penalty Law, SCOTUS Rules Against Man Who Says Lethal Injection Would Feel Like Torture, U.S.-Mexico Border Shutdown…
(2019-04-01). Civil Rights Leaders and Advocates to Hold Press Conference Ahead of First-Ever, Historic Equality Act Hearing. naacp.org FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY: March 29, 2019 Will McCullough | HRC | Will.McCullough@hrc.org | 559-892-3038 Shin Inouye | Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights | Inouye@civilrights.org | 202-869-0398 LGBTQ advocates will meet on the Hill to discuss historic federal civil rights legislation that will protect millions of LGBTQ Americans and their families from discrimination WASHINGTON — …
(2019-04-01). What to Know About the Census. naacp.org Today marks exactly one year out from the 2020 Census — the official counting of the United States population, a constitutional requirement occurring once every ten years. The decennial Census is a crucial facet of our Republic because its results serve as the basis for redistricting, the enforcement of voting rights laws, and allocating congressional …
(2019-03-31). Indianapolis rally held to support Venezuela. liberationnews.org 
"No sanctions, no coup, Venezuela we stand with you!"
(2019-03-30). University of Cape Town Votes to Condemn Israel's Violations of Palestinian Human Rights, Reserves Right to "Disassociate" Itself From Academic Institutions Enabling Violations. bdsmovement.net 
University of Cape Town Votes to Condemn Israel's Violations of Palestinian Human Rights, Reserves Right to "Disassociate" Itself From Academic Institutions Enabling Violations: UpdateThe Council of the University of Cape Town, Africa's top university, votes to reserve the right to disassociate itself from academic institutions that support or enable, directly or indirec…
(2019-03-30). South African university joins Israel boycott. bdsmovement.net 
South African university joins Israel boycott: In the NewsTshwane University of Technology, the largest residential university in South Africa, voted to respect the call for the boycott of Israeli institutions complicit in the violation and denial of Palestinian rights. | Academic BoycottDecember 13, 2017 | By: | | Electronic Intifada
(2019-03-29). Alabama Voting Rights Project helps 2,000 people cast ballots in Alabama, but many more do not know they can vote. splcenter.org Rodney Lofton had never cast a ballot before a felony conviction stripped him of his voting rights in 2015.
(2019-03-29). Venezuela's Oil Production Plummets in February Due to New US Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com The Center for Economic Policy Research in Washington DC analyzes the "very harsh impact" of the latest sanctions imposed on Venezuela's oil sector.
(2019-03-29). Tamils criticise UN resolution on Sri Lanka. greenleft.org.au 
The Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) expressed its "disappointment" with a March 21 United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on "promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka". | There have been seven similar resolutions passed since 2009, when the war between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who were fighting for an independent Tamil homeland in the north and east of the island, ended in the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils. | According to the ATC, "very little justice has reached victims and survivors" for what it describes as "mass…
(2019-03-28). Solitary Confinement: Inhumane, Ineffective, and Wasteful. splcenter.org Around the world and increasingly in the United States, there's a growing consensus that solitary confinement of incarcerated persons is, at best, an ineffective and inhumane practice with little or no carceral benefit and, at worst, outright torture.
(2019-03-25). Trump's Sanctions Kill Venezuelan People. Why Can't UN Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet 'Fully Acknowledge' That? venezuelanalysis.com Joe Emersberger takes apart Bachelet's recent comments on Venezuela and US-led sanctions.
(2019-03-23). Trump Official Boasts Crippling US Sanctions on Venezuela Are Like Darth Vader's Death Grip. thegrayzone.com A Trump administration official bragged that US sanctions on Venezuela are "like in Star Wars when Darth Vader constricts somebody's…
(2019-03-22). UPDATED: US Sanctions Venezuelan Banks After Guaido Aide Accused of Leading 'Terrorist Cell'. venezuelanalysis.com After vowing "consequences" over Marrero's arrest, the US Treasury sanctioned Venezuela's development bank BANDES and two major public banks.
(2019-03-20). Ex-UN Human Rights Expert Blasts 'Manipulation' on Venezuela: 'We Are Swimming in an Ocean of Lies'. thegrayzone.com Former UN Special Rapporteur Alfred de Zayas criticized the human rights commissioner's past reports on Venezuela, calling them "unprofessional" and…