(2019-04-08). UN special rapporteur warns the Tory government about torture and press freedom. thecanary.co United Nations special rapporteur on torture Nils Melzer has warned Britain's Conservative government about possible violations of the human rights of a journalist. Melzer … | Read more UN special rapporteur warns the Tory government about torture and press freedom | By James Wright
(2019-04-08). Kirstjen Nielsen's Brutal and Calamitous Leadership of the Department of Homeland Security Comes to an End. aclu.org She implemented some of the Trump administration's most vicious policies and repeatedly violated the law. | Late yesterday, President Trump announced that Kirstjen Nielsen has resigned as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Trump said that Kevin McAleenan, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will serve as Acting Secretary. | Nielsen's tenure as head of one of the country's largest government agencies was a humanitarian catastrophe, consistently showing a clear disregard for civil rights and people's lives. Indeed, just over a week prior to her resignation, CBP age…
(2019-04-08). Tech Companies Need to Get Serious About Confronting Hate. commondreams.org Tech and social media companies must change their terms of use and adopt corporate policies that more aggressively disrupt hateful online activities. Free Press and several allies developed a set of such policies, which more than 50 civil- and human-rights groups have endorsed. (Photo: Jenny Kane/Associated Press) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-04-08). UN Recognizes Access to Clean, Affordable Water and Climate Justice as Civil Rights Under International Law. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-04-08). MEPs reveal new drive to inspire 'creativity' among vegans. thecanary.co The EU is spearheading a new form of animal rights. It's proposed a law that, on the surface, appears to support the meat industry. … | Read more MEPs reveal new drive to inspire 'creativity' among vegans | By Glen Black
(2019-04-08). U.S. 'Terrorist' Designation Amps Up Pressure on Iran. truthdig.com WASHINGTON—The United States on Monday designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard a "foreign terrorist organization" in a move to increase pressure on the country that could also have significant military, diplomatic and economic implications throughout the Middle East and beyond. | It is the first time that the U.S. has designated a part of another government as a terrorist organization. The designation could spark Iranian retaliation as well as open hundreds of foreign companies and business executives to U.S. travel bans and possible prosecution for sanctions violations. It may also affect the ability of Amer…
(2019-04-08). UN Rapporteur: US Sanctions Against Venezuela Are 'Blunt' Way to Engineer Regime Change, Causing Blanket Starvation. thegrayzone.com US sanctions against Venezuela are like "going into microsurgery with a kitchen knife" and are holding an entire population hostage,…
(2019-04-08). Israeli Troops Arrest 19 Palestinians in West Bank. plenglish.com Ramallah, Apr 8 (Prensa Latina) Israeli forces on Monday detained at least 19 Palestinians from several parts of the West Bank, the Palestinian Prisoners" Society (PPS) reported.
(2019-04-08). 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…
(2019-04-08). Chelsea Manning, Jailed for Resisting Grand Jury, Released from Solitary Confinement. indybay.org In Northern Virginia, U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been released from solitary confinement after 28 days and moved into the general population of the Truesdale Detention Center.
(2019-04-08). Answering Rights Groups' Call, UN Human Rights Panel Demands Trump Admin Address Water Justice. commondreams.org Three months after a human rights coalition called on the United Nations to address the American government's failure to ensure water justice for its citizens, the international body included access to clean water in a list of human rights issues the U.S. must address. | 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). 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 …
(2019-04-05). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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
(2019-04-05). 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…
(2019-04-04). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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.
(2019-04-02). 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). 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). Palestinians Salute Pitzer College for Overwhelming Vote in Support of Palestinian Rights, Condemn Anti-democratic Veto by University President. bdsmovement.net 
Palestinians Salute Pitzer College for Overwhelming Vote in Support of Palestinian Rights, Condemn Anti-democratic Veto by University President: UpdatePitzer College faculty, students and staff voted overwhelmingly to suspend a study abroad program with Haifa University over Israel's discriminatory policies against Palestinians. In an anti-democratic move, Pitzer's president ve…
(2019-03-20). US Imposes New Sanctions as Venezuelan Government Denounces Takeover of Diplomatic Offices. venezuelanalysis.com Trump warned that the "toughest sanctions" have yet to be imposed.
(2019-03-15). Venezuela: US Threatens New Sanctions as Hyperinflation Slows Down. venezuelanalysis.com The US government has increased pressure against Caracas mainly by targeting the oil industry.