(2019-04-09). UN rights chief Bachelet appeals for dialogue in Sudan amid reports '70 killed' in demonstrations. un.org Sudan's authorities have an "over-arching responsibility" to protect protesters, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said on Tuesday, amid reports that 70 people have died in the latest anti-Government clashes.
(2019-04-09). Kirstjen Nielsen's Cruel Legacy: Outgoing DHS Secretary Proudly Separated Families & Caged Children. democracynow.org 
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has been forced out of her role at the helm of President Trump's immigration policy after reportedly resisting a move by the president to revive his family separation policy at the U.S. border. We look at Nielsen's legacy with Renée Feltz, a Democracy Now! correspondent and producer who has long reported on the criminalization of immigrants, family detention and the business of detention. Nielsen oversaw Trump's "zero tolerance" family separation policy last year and came under fire by Democrats for lying to Congress about the policy, as well as for withh…
(2019-04-09). Venezuela combats sanctions with solidarity. workers.org 
In its latest act of international piracy against the people of Venezuela, the U.S. government has targeted the shipment of oil between the Bolivarian Republic and socialist Cuba. These new sanctions have been imposed on the 34 ships operated by Venezuela's state-run oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., as well . . . | Continue reading Venezuela combats sanctions with solidarity at Workers.org
(2019-04-09). Utah Passed a Law to Protect Noncitizens From Automatic Deportation. aclu.org By reducing the maximum penalty for a misdemeanor by one day, lawmakers reduced the harm of an unfair federal immigration law | Utah is known for its red rock canyons, steep ski slopes, and a mega-majority Republican legislature. And now it can be recognized as one of just a handful of states to pass legislation that helps noncitizens avoid deportation if they are convicted of a misdemeanor. | The bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Gary Herbert on March 25, clarifies that misdemeanor convictions in Utah can no longer be interpreted as aggravate…
(2019-04-09). Kirstjen Nielsen's Brutal and Calamitous Leadership of the Department of Homeland Security Comes to an End. commondreams.org The detention and separation of families was part of a broad attack on asylum-seekers and immigrants generally under Nielsen. (Photo: Andrew Harnick/ AP) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-04-09). Outgoing DHS Secretary Proudly Separated Families and Caged Children. truthout.org Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has been forced out of her role at the helm of President Trump's immigration policy after reportedly resisting a move by the president to revive his family separation policy at the U.S. border. We look at Nielsen's legacy with Renée Feltz, a Democracy Now! correspondent and producer who has long reported on the criminalization of immigrants, family detention and the business of detention. Nielsen oversaw Trump's "zero tolerance" family separation policy last year and came under fire by Democrats for lying to Congress about the policy, as well as…
(2019-04-09). Spain: 16 Women Killed in 2019, Femicides Increase. telesurenglish.net So far this year, 16 women have been killed in Spain, with a higher number of women killed by gender violence between January 1 and April 8 than compared to seven in the same time frame last year. | RELATED: | Spain's Socialists Increase Lead for General Elections on April 28 | Of all those who died in 2019, only one had filed a complaint against their attacker, according…
(2019-04-09). Arreaza: Venezuela Will Send Oil to Cuba Despite U.S. Sanctions. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said Monday that his country will continue to send oil to Cuba despite the U.S. sanctions on vessels transporting oil to the Latin American island. | RELATED: | Punched-Out: US Cancels Deal Between MLB and Cuban Baseball Federation | "Venezuela will always fulfill its commitments with the brotherly people of…
(2019-04-09). #EndTheLies, Declare Reproductive Rights Advocates as Senate GOP Pushes 20-Week Abortion Ban. commondreams.org Reproductive rights advocates came together on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning to combat misinformation used by Republican lawmakers to push anti-choice legislation—including a bill currently before Congress that would impose a nationwide 20-week abortion ban. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2019-04-09). In leaked court testimony, Assange denounces his illegal detention. wsws.org The WikiLeaks founder declared: "No journalist, no citizen, should accept that what they speak about can be defined from day to day by reasons of political expediency."
(2019-04-09). Mexico, UN to Sign Human Rights Assistance Agreement. plenglish.com Mexico, Apr 9 (Prensa Latina) The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachetel, signed Tuesday with the Mexican Government an assistance agreement on this issue that includes the training of the National Guard.
(2019-04-09). Cameras Linked to Chinese Government Stir Alarm in U.K. Parliament. theintercept.com It is a Chinese state-owned company that is implicated in disturbing human rights violations. But that has not stopped Hikvision from gaining a major foothold in the United Kingdom. Through a network of corporate partners, the Hangzhou-based security firm has supplied its surveillance cameras for use on the British parliamentary estate, as well as to police, hospitals, schools, and universities throughout the country, according to sources and procurement records. | Hikvision, whose technology the U.S. government recently banned federal agencies from purchasing, is generating millions of dollars in annual revenue…
(2019-04-09). USA Fines British Bank for Violating Blockade on Cuba. plenglish.com Washington, Apr 9 (Prensa Latina) British bank Standard Chartered will pay 1.1 billion dollars for allegedly violating U.S. blockade on Cuba and sanctions against Iran, Syria, Sudan and Myanmar, the US Treasury Department reported today.
(2019-04-09). US labels Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist group. wsws.org Trump and Pompeo made a point of threatening other foreign countries, officials and businesses with retaliatory sanctions and possible criminal prosecution.
(2019-04-09). 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.
(2019-04-09). US Imposes Even More Sanctions on Venezuela as Rival Protests Held. theantimedia.com (VA) — The US Treasury Department imposed a new round of sanctions targeting Venezuela's oil industry on Friday. The measures identified 34 vessels owned by Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA as "blocked property" in a bid to further tighten the screws on Venezuela's oil sector. "Treasury is taking action against vessels and entities transporting oil, providing a lifeline to …
(2019-04-09). A Harvard Professor Filed a Shareholder Lawsuit to Restrict Shareholder Rights. theintercept.com Over the past two years, some senior officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission have indicated that they would be open to corporations foisting mandatory arbitration on their shareholders, and now a team of pro-corporate players are ready to put them to the test. Two lawyers have joined with a high-profile Harvard professor on a pivotal case that could strip away shareholders' rights to sue public companies. The Harvard professor, Hal S. Scott, runs a Wall Street advocacy group support…
(2019-04-08). Nicaragua Government Ready to Continue Peace Talks. telesurenglish.net The government confirmed today its "will and commitment to continue working towards national understanding" was unchanged. | RELATED: | Association of Caribbean States Begins Summit in Nicaragua | The Government released a press statement which indicated that a significant step forward in the peace process was made. According to the text, the government and the opposition found an agreement to strengthen the rights and guarantees of the population, as well as a deal on the release…
(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). 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). Battle of Dignity 2 Begins: Statement by the PFLP in the Occupation Prisons. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following April 8 statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). | The organization of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine inside the prisons calls for a general mobilization among its ranks, announcing the first to enter the hunger strike. | In the context of the Battle of Dignity (Karameh) 2, which was decided upon by the prisoners' movement inside the Zionist detention camps immediately after the prison administration disavowed their own agreements, the organization declares that the Popular Front in the prisons is mobilizing in…
(2019-04-08). Over 40 Groups Call on Congress to Oppose Sanctions, Military Intervention. venezuelanalysis.com Several US groups are pressuring Congress to oppose sanctions and military intervention against Venezuela.
(2019-04-08). UN Rapporteur: US Sanctions on 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). Venezuela: US Imposes Fresh Sanctions as Rival Marches Held. venezuelanalysis.com Washington further tightened the screws on Venezuela's oil industry Friday.
(2019-04-08). On the Eve of Israel's Election, Netanyahu Thanks Trump for Sanctioning Iran at His Request. theintercept.com "Thank you, my dear friend, President Donald Trump," Israel's embattled prime minister tweeted, "for answering another one of my important requests."
(2019-04-08). Israeli Forces Briefly Detain 15-Year-Old Brother of Ahed Tamimi. theantimedia.com (MEE) — Israeli forces raided the home of prominent former prisoner Ahed Tamimi overnight and detained her 15-year-old brother Mohammed in the occupied West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, their father told Middle East Eye. The teenager was released on bail on Monday evening after some 17 hours in custody. "They stormed in at around 2: 30 am. We woke …
(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…
(2019-04-05). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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!"