(2020-04-05). 'Profound lack of human decency': Oliver Stone tears into US govt over Iran & Venezuela sanctions amid Covid-19 crisis. rt.com 
The United States government has revealed its contempt for human compassion and global solidarity by refusing to lift draconian sanctions on Iran and Venezuela during the Covid-19 crisis, director Oliver Stone has argued. | Iran has suffered immensely from the virus, Stone noted in an op-ed published by the New York Daily News, but due to US sanctions the Islamic Republic is "reportedly the only country in the world that cannot buy medicines needed to fight the pandemic." | The outspoken Hollywood legend similarly condemned Washington's decision to maintain — and in some cases, increase — its economi…
(2020-04-05). Angola 3 Newsletter: DECARCERATE!!!! indybay.org We dedicate this newsletter to the men, women and children in detention centers, jails and prisons, where they are unable to social distance or sanitize–leaving them to anxiously wait for the virus to take hold in their facilities. Please encourage your local governments to take action before the virus hits.
(2020-04-05). Why The Mainstream Media Suggests Lifting Sanctions Against Iran While Not Saying Anything About Venezuela ‚Ä®. zcomm.org No other country in the world is being subjected to the type of regime change strategy that the Trump administration is applying to Venezuela…
(2020-04-05). A Simple "Democratic Transition" Framework for Venezuela: End All "Sanctions" globalresearch.ca On March 31 the US Secretary of State issued a
(2020-04-05). By Refusing to Cancel In-Person Voting, Wisconsin GOP Weaponizes Coronavirus. truthout.org Despite warnings from public health experts and legal challenges by voting rights groups, the Democratic primary and state and local elections are set to go forward on Tuesday after Republican state legislators refused to take up a proposal to cancel most in-person voting in light of the coronavirus pandemic. | After Democratic Gov. Tony Evers
(2020-04-05). More Democracy or Less? Elections in a Pandemic. zcomm.org The GOP's decade-long war on voting rights is making it harder to hold fair elections as COVID-19 spreads…
(2020-04-05). Israeli police detain Jerusalem governor. yenisafak.com Israeli police on Sunday detained Jerusalem Governor Adnan Ghaith.A video released by the Jerusalem-based Wadi Hilweh Information Center showed police forcefully detaining Ghaith from his home in Jerusalem's neighborhood of Silwan.Ghaith has been detained several times in recent months.The reason behind the detention remains unclear and the Israeli police have yet to issue an official statement.Jerusalem remains at the heart of the decades-long Mideast conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem
(2020-04-05). 'Reckless': Chaos Expected in Tuesday's Elections After Wisconsin Republicans Refuse to Cancel In-Person Voting. commondreams.org Despite warnings from public health experts and legal challenges by voting rights groups, the Democratic primary and state and local elections are set to go forward on Tuesday after Republican state legislators refused to take up a proposal to cancel most in-person voting in light of the coronavirus pandemic. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-04-04). Human Rights and Natural Facts. dissidentvoice.org 
Where do human rights come from? And can we establish a firm philosophical base for their existence? For Hobbes, a thin version of human rights stemmed from the fact that humans want to persist in their existence by doing whatever necessary to preserve their own life. From this, Hobbes deduced that humans have the "natural" …
(2020-04-04). Iran develops homegrown AI software to speed up coronavirus tests. rt.com 
Tehran has unveiled new artificial intelligence software to speed up detection of the Covid-19 virus. With US sanctions restricting access to testing kits, necessity forced one of the region's hardest-hit countries to innovate. | The software was revealed by government officials in Tehran on Saturday. Developed by a consortium of Iranian universities in only one month, it uses artificial intelligence to analyze computed tomography (CT) scans of potentially infected lungs, allowing doctors to upload images and instantly receive results. | Wearing a face mask at the press conference, Iranian Vice President for S…
(2020-04-04). It's Impossible to "Distance" in ICE Detention. Doctors Say Free All Detainees. truthout.org René Escobedo González has a cough. He's got a fever and trouble breathing. Eight of the 24 other people in his cell do as well. Locked in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention in the Jefferson County Jail in Texas, the men have asked for medical evaluation — but instead of a COVID-19 test, Escobedo González says they've been given a "pill for pain and sleep." On a call with Truthout, he said the people inside are terrified, and completely unprepared to weather a deadly glob…
(2020-04-04). Stop Tightening the Thumb Screws: A Humanitarian Message. zcomm.org One way to help others survive is to insist that the United States lift sanctions against Iran and instead support acts of practical care…
(2020-04-04). ECLAC Urges the U.S. to Lift Sanctions Against Venezuela, Cuba. telesurenglish.net The RELATED: | "It is soli…
(2020-04-04). Amid war threats, Washington blocks UN resolution demanding end to sanctions. wsws.org The Trump administration has brushed aside calls for an end to punishing sanctions against Venezuela and Iran, threatening both countries with military aggression.
(2020-04-04). 'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'. thenation.com 'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'
(2020-04-03). Protect Immigrant Communities: Fear Mounts of Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak in U.S. Border Camps, ICE Jails. democracynow.org 
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has joined thousands of medical professionals and immigration rights groups to demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement release all prisoners from immigration jails as the coronavirus continues to spread. Meanwhile, immigration advocates are working to prepare crowded encampments of asylum seekers across the U.S.-Mexico border for a potentially catastrophic outbreak of COVID-19. Since the implementation of the Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" policy, tens of thousands of asylum seekers from regions like Central America and Africa have been stranded in Mexican bord…
(2020-04-03). Detained immigrants across Deep South feel like 'sitting ducks' as ICE ignores their safety amid global pandemic. splcenter.org COVID-19 began to infect the nation at rapid speed in March, reaching every corner of the country and taking the lives of more than 6,000 people by April 3. The United Nations has dubbed the coronavirus the "most challenging" crisis the globe has witnessed since World War II.
(2020-04-03). Advice for People Fearful and Under Duress. globalresearch.ca We have a natural impulse to extend protection to the very young and to the old first; we offer sympathy and succor to traumatized refugees too. | That's reasonable. Our seniors and our children require attention as the most vulnerable; immigrants …
(2020-04-03). Amazon on strike: what workers need to know about their rights. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Kevin Gustafson, an organizer with Democracy at Work and host of the Sensible…
(2020-04-03). WAFA: "10 Detainees At Ofer Embark On Hunger Strike" imemc.org RAMALLAH, Thursday, April 2, 2020 (WAFA) — Ten Palestinian political prisoners at Ofer detention camp, southwest of Ramallah, embarked today on an open-ended hunger strike in protest against the ongoing solitary confinement of two fellow prisoners, as well as against Israel's failure to provide the conditions to prevent a high …
(2020-04-03). Political prisoners should be among first released in pandemic response, says UN rights chief. news.un.org The decision by many Governments to release prisoners to slow the transmission of new coronavirus, was welcomed on Friday by the UN's top rights official, Michelle Bachelet.
(2020-04-03). PCHR: Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (26 March — 1 April 2020). imemc.org Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) 26 March — 1 April 2020 Summary Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to violate Palestinians' human rights and commit crimes against civilians and their properties, conducting raids into Palestinian cities without regard to the state of emergency declared across the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) …
(2020-04-03). The Madness of More Nukes and Less Rights in Pandemic Times. counterpunch.org Another perilous pandemic is sweeping the country in the midst of the coronavirus one, and it has been lurking in the shadows for years just itching for a fear-ridden moment like this to break out forcefully. Right-wing repressive forces are using this unprecedented crisis to impose unconstitutional denials of abortion rights; to drastically lower voter
(2020-04-03). Mexico: Chiapas Natives Vulnerable to COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Mexican native communities in the southern state of Chiapas lack of potable water while facing the sanitary crisis due to COVID-19. | RELATED: | The National Humans Rights Commission in Mexico informed about this situation and referred to the precarious sanitation services in the region. According to the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (Coneval), Chiapas is one of the poorest Mexican states. | In the…
(2020-04-03). 7 ways to (virtually) support refugee rights on Palm Sunday. greenleft.org.au 
People seeking asylum and refugees are going…
(2020-04-02). A chronically ill boy's story sums up the coronavirus lockdown torture for millions of missing people. thecanary.co 
Note: the author's partner lives with the disease discussed in this articleAnyone who is chronically ill or disabled may be facing bigger challenges during the coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown. And there's one group of people who are more at risk than others. Yet the government is still
(2020-04-02). "There Aren't Enough Tests": As Pandemic Intensifies, Global South Prepares for the Worst. democracynow.org 
After devastating China, Europe and the United States, the coronavirus pandemic is now intensifying across the Global South. The United Nations warns the pandemic is poised to destroy fragile economies in poor nations, decimating food security, education and human rights. We speak with Yanis Ben Amor, assistant professor of global health and microbiological sciences at Columbia University and executive director of the Center for Sustainable Development at the Earth Institute.
(2020-04-02). Fighting for immigrant rights during a pandemic. splcenter.org As people across the country are confined to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, little attention has been given to a group of people whose health is in danger because they are locked away from the outside world — people in immigrant detention centers.
(2020-04-02). COVID-19 Doesn't Discriminate — Neither Should Congress' Response. aclu.org Congress' third bill addressing the impacts of COVID-19, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), was a necessary attempt to respond to this public health crisis but its exclusion of immigrant communities is downright racist and xenophobic. Immigrants were
(2020-04-02). India: Migrant workers' plight prompts UN call for 'domestic solidarity' in coronavirus battle. news.un.org Pervasive challenges remain for hundreds-of-thousands of migrant workers in India whose lives were upended by the sudden lockdown across the country, in response to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, said the UN human rights chief on Thursday.
(2020-04-02). COVID-19 should not herald rollback in rights for people with autism: UN chief. news.un.org The rights of persons with autism must be taken into account in efforts to address the COVID-19 coronavirus: "a public health crisis unlike any other in our lifetimes", the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday.
(2020-04-02). Republicans Are Using the Covid-19 Crisis to Kill Abortion Rights. thenation.com Republicans Are Using the Covid-19 Crisis to Kill Abortion Rights…
(2020-04-02). 'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'. thenation.com 'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'
(2020-04-02). Biden walks balance between relaxation of sanctions & continuing maximum pressure. iranian.com Statement from Vice President Joe Biden on Sanctions Relief During COVID-19 In times of global crisis, America should lead. We should be the first to offer help to people who are hurting or in danger. That's who we are. That's who we've always been. And, in the midst of this deadly pandemic that respects no …
(2020-04-01). COVID-19: International community must step up to prevent pandemic from devastating vulnerable on the run. news.un.org Given how quickly the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading, an outbreak is "looking imminent" in the world's refugee camps, crowded reception centres or detention facilities where migrant families are sheltering, the Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Wednesday.
(2020-04-01). New York Mobilizes Rikers Island Prisoners To Dig Mass Graves for Coronavirus Victims. mintpressnews.com Rikers Island itself is on the verge of near collapse, over 300 inmates and staff have tested positive and human rights campaigners warn conditions in the notorious prison are dire.
(2020-04-01). The Added Importance of the Census, in Light of COVID-19. aclu.org Last year around this time, my biggest worry was how the inclusion of the Trump administration's proposed citizenship question would depress participation in the decennial census. Thankfully, our Supreme Court victory means there is no citizenship question on the census. Now, I have a new worry: a global pandemic and the health of my loved ones. As it turns out, the 2020 Census plays a role here too, as it will have enormous implications on our health care for decades to come. | Specifically, the census will determine the allocation of $300 billion dollars of federal aid for the states' health care — mo…
(2020-04-01). Iranian foreign ministry's "SANCTION" graphic beamed tonight on Azadi Tower in Tehran. iranian.com …
(2020-04-01). US wrong if it thinks virus will stop China in Iran: Analysis. iranian.com China's long-running pursuit of infrastructure projects in Iran is set to continue despite intensified US sanctions as the Islamic Republic battles the novel coronavirus, analysts say. China is Iran's largest crude oil customer and a top trade partner. It regards the Middle Eastern powerhouse a key destination in China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative involving …
(2020-03-31). Government inaction puts staff and inmates in immigration detention at risk. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-03-30). Civil rights groups condemn COVID-19 authoritarianism. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-03-27). Weekend Read: SPLC demands ICE act amid pandemic to save the lives of countless immigrants trapped in its crowded detention centers. splcenter.org …
(2020-03-26). Asylum Seekers Stranded in Mexico Face a New Danger: COVID-19. aclu.org 
Since the Trump administration first unrolled its policy of
(2020-03-25). SPLC and allies seek federal court injunction in system-wide suit to protect people detained by ICE from contracting COVID-19. splcenter.org The SPLC and its allies asked a federal court today to issue a preliminary injunction requiring that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) take immediate steps to protect people in its custody, particularly those who have medical conditions making them more susceptible to serious illness and death from COVID-19.
(2020-03-23). This is No Time to Play Politics with our Democracy. aclu.org Update 03/27/2020: Congress passed a $2 trillion stimulus package intended to address the broad impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic. While it included $400 million for states to expand access to the ballot for eligible voters, as outlined in this blog, more can and must be done to safeguard our democracy. , , To ensure elections proceed and eligible Americans can vote, any federal legislative package addressing the impact of COVID-19 on our elections must include an immediate, substantial infusion of federal funding and federal requirements for no-excuse mail-in absentee voting and early in-person voting.
(2020-03-20). How the ACLU Organized to end Racial Profiling on Greyhound Buses. aclu.org Two years ago, the ACLU set a clear goal: push Greyhound to refuse Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers access to their buses to conduct warrantless searches. As part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, CBP officers were targeting bus passengers around the country, boarding their buses to racially profile, harass, and too often, detain people who they suspected of being undocumented. Of course, you can't tell someone's immigration status by how they look or sound — this practice is unconstitutional and blatantly racist. By pushing aggressively with the help of our membership and…
(2020-03-20). Grassroots effort sponsored by SPLC protects voting rights for hundreds across South Florida. splcenter.org Clutching a clipboard full of voter registration forms under his arm, Marq Mitchell knocked on the front door of a small, beige, stucco house in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
(2020-03-20). Fight To Vote: Florida man's voting rights restored by Amendment 4. splcenter.org Abdul Yaw Akachi was talking to his neighbors one sunny day in Florida when a voting rights advocate walked up to him.
(2020-03-19). We Know Prisons Need COVID-19 Plans, but our Arizona Prison Tour Suggests it's not Happening. aclu.org Earlier this month, the
(2020-03-13). No, Venezuela does not have a six child per family policy. zcomm.org I respect UK journalist Andrew Buncombe. As I noted for FAIR last year, he was one of the few corporate journalists who reported on a study linking Trump's financial sanctions on Venezuela to thousands of deaths by the end of 2018. Since 2018, Trump has repeatedly intensified the sanctions and threatened Venezuela with military action,