(2020-09-16). "A Disgrace": Amnesty International Blocked From Monitoring Trial of Julian Assange. thealtworld.com Amnesty International's Europe Director described the hearings against Assange as an "assault on the right to freedom of expression" that would have a "chilling effect on media freedom." | MPN— The high profile extradition hearing of publisher and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange continued in Central London today. But it did so without oversight from international human rights groups. Julia Hall, an expert on criminal justice and human rights for Amnesty International,
(2020-09-16). Assange on Trial: Supermax Prisons and Special Administrative Measures. counterpunch.org DAY FIVE Having had a coronavirus scare towards the end of last week, necessitating a brief suspension of proceedings for September 11, the extradition proceedings for Julian Assange resumed with Eric Lewis. The chairman of the board of Reprieve, who has cut his teeth on representing Afghan detainees in US custody and those in Guantánamo,
(2020-09-16). Life Under Seige: The Blockade on Gaza Turns Fourteen and Is Still as Illegal as Ever. mintpressnews.com 
With no foreseeable end in sight, Israel's blockade on Gaza not only runs afoul of international law, but it has also already been on the radar of the United Nations and human rights groups for well over a decade.
(2020-09-16). Nearly 3,500 Palestinians killed during Netanyahu era. yenisafak.com During the prime ministry of Benjamin Netanyahu, who signed an agreement with the UAE and Bahrain to normalize relations, nearly 3,500 Palestinians, including many women and children, were martyred and thousands of others injured in the attacks of Israeli forces.Netanyahu, shown as one of the chief architects of Israel's oppression and violations against Palestine, served as the prime minister during the two bloody attacks on the Gaza Strip under the blockade by the Israeli army.According to the data of the Israeli rights group B'Tselem, nearly 3,500 Palestinian Palestinians have been martyred in the attacks of t…
(2020-09-16). Protect lives, mitigate future shocks and recover better: UN-wide COVID-19 response. news.un.org Over the course of 2020 thus far, the coronavirus has taken hundreds of thousands of lives, infected millions of people, and wreaked socio-economic, humanitarian and human rights havoc, the United Nations said in a new report released on Wednesday.
(2020-09-16). Maduro security forces committed crimes against humanity: UN. yenisafak.com Venezuelan security forces and allied groups have committed systematic human rights violations including killings and torture amounting to crimes against humanity, U.N. investigators said on Wednesday.Reasonable grounds existed to believe that President Nicolas Maduro and his interior and defence ministers ordered or contributed to the crimes documented in the report in order to silence opposition, they said.Most unlawful executions by state agents have not been prosecuted in Venezuela, where the rule of law and democratic institutions have broken down, they added.The U.N. fact-finding mission said other national…
(2020-09-16). Nurse alleges forced sterilizations, medical malpractice at Georgia immigrant detention center. wsws.org The chilling report provides further evidence of the sadistic abuse meted out by the Trump administration in its fascistic war on immigrants.
(2020-09-16). Prisoners denied the right to vote, a new form of poll tax — WW commentary. workers.org 
Voting in Lower Peach Tree, Ala., in Wilcox County, on May 3, 1966, after passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Voter suppression in the United States is as "American as apple pie," especially when it comes to Black, Brown and other marginalized communities. Despite the passing of the Voting . . . |
(2020-09-16). Why We Want to Vote By Mail. aclu.org 
Voting by mail is the safest way to cast a ballot for many voters, whether they are immunocompromised, have a disability, or simply want to protect the health of their community. Six voters from across the country shared with us why they want to vote by mail, and why it should be an option for all voters. No excuses. |
(2020-09-16). I'm not voting for my favorite candidate this year. peoplesworld.org 
In 1968, I was persecuted for voting for civil rights activist and comedian Dick Gregory who ran for president as a write-in candidate of the Freedom and Peace Party. Well, actually I didn't vote for him, but I said I would in a straw poll conducted in my 5th-grade class. The teacher objected that Gregory …
(2020-09-16). Growing old in prison after COVID-19. workers.org 
By Major Tillery Major Tillery is an innocent man who has spent 35 years in prison because gross prosecutorial and judicial misconduct led to his fraudulent conviction for murder in 1985. He has spent 20 years in solitary confinement. Major has become an advocate for prisoners' rights against the injustice . . . |
(2020-09-16). 'Palestinian Self-Determination Not For Sale'. popularresistance.org As US President Donald Trump brought together leaders from Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates to sign deals to establish diplomatic relations, just outside of the White House, hundreds of Palestinians, civil rights and advocacy groups gathered in protest of the occasion, accusing the leaders of ignoring the voices of Palestinians. | Coming together with waves of Palestinian flags, donning traditional keffiyehs, and some wearing masks with the words "Free Palestine", the demonstrators shouted slogans: "No hate, no fear, Bibi is not welcome here", and "Occupation is a crime, normalisation is a crime".
(2020-09-16). US congresswoman honored for helping Palestine. yenisafak.com A US congresswoman has been honored for defending the rights of Palestinians in the face of Israeli human rights abuses."Honored to receive the Champion of Palestinian Rights Award from @AMPalestine today as part of Palestine Advocacy Day," US Democratic Representative Betty McCollum said Tuesday on Twitter, referring to the group American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)."Advancing peace human rights for Palestinian children all children should be a shared priority! #HR2407."House of Representatives Resolution 2407 is the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, a…
(2020-09-16). Venezuela abuses amounted to crimes against humanity: UN-appointed panel. news.un.org Grave rights violations against anti-government protesters in Venezuela, "amounted to crimes against humanity", UN-appointed rights investigators said in their first report on abuses inside the Latin American nation.
(2020-09-16). Governments urged to protect poor against modern slavery, step up development financing. news.un.org Unless governments act now, millions of the world's most vulnerable people could be pushed into contemporary forms of slavery and other exploitation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a UN independent human rights expert has said.
(2020-09-16). "The Salt of the Earth". Workers Rights in the 21st Century… globalresearch.ca Over 50 years have transpired since the lyrics of this song, Salt of the Earth, resonated then, just as much as now: | Let's drink to the hard working people | Let's drink to the lowly of birth | Raise your glass to …
(2020-09-16). Wednesday 9/16: Emergency Action: Forced Sterilizations in ICE Detention Centers (urgent webinar). indybay.org Online via zoom…
(2020-09-16). Forced Sterilization Is Nothing New to Criminalized People in the US. truthout.org The United States has long used citizenship status and perceived criminality as a means to determine whether individuals deserve basic human rights. This week's egregious allegations of
(2020-09-16). How to Do More Than Panic About Voter Suppression. truthout.org Trump's attacks on Black protesters and Black people are inextricably bound to the arguments he will make to try to invalidate the election. In this episode, Truthout's Kelly Hayes talks with voting rights activist Anoa Changa about how you can defend voting rights in the homestretch of the presidential race. | Note: This is a rush transcript and has been lightly edited for clarity. Copy may not be in its final form. | TRANSCRIPT: | Kelly Hayes: Welcome to Movement Memos, a Truthout podcast about things you should…
(2020-09-16). Palestinian inmate contracts COVID-19 in Israeli prison. yenisafak.com Another Palestinian detainee has been infected with coronavirus in an Israeli prison, raising the total count to 31, according to a Palestinian commission on Wednesday. In a statement, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-detainees Affairs said Eyad Abu Hashhash, who is held at the prison of Ashkelon, tested positive for COVID-19.The prisoner was transferred to Remon prison in southern Israel for isolation, it said.Around 4,500 Palestinians, including 41 women and 140 minors, are currently held in Israeli prisons, according to Palestinian figures.
(2020-09-16). Germany offered to build LNG terminals to avert US pipeline sanctions. yenisafak.com Berlin offered to spend 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) to build two liquid natural gas terminals in a bid to dissuade the United States from imposing sanctions over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, due to bring gas directly from Russia to Germany, Die Zeit reported on Wednesday.The weekly paper said Finance Minister Olaf Scholz made the proposal in an Aug. 7 letter before Washington imposed sanctions on companies involved in building the Baltic Sea pipeline, effectively freezing its construction.A spokesman for the German finance ministry said he could not comment on individual reports.The United States and many Europ…
(2020-09-16). EU Says Poland "LGBTQ-Free Zones" Violates Gay Community Rights. telesurenglish.net European Union Chief executive Ursula Von der Leyen on Wednesday rejected bloc members' discrimination against the LGBTQ community, precisely Poland's "LGBT-free zones" policy, violating queer people's rights. | RELATED: | "LGBTQI-free zones are humanity free zones. And they have no place in our (European) Union," Von der Leyen said in her annual allocution to the European Parliament. | In August, Poland Justice Mi…
(2020-09-15). Assange's Fifth Day at the Old Bailey: Supermax Prisons and Special Administrative Measures. dissidentvoice.org Having had a coronavirus scare towards the end of last week, necessitating a brief suspension of proceedings for September 11, the extradition proceedings for Julian Assange resumed with Eric Lewis. The chairman of the board of Reprieve, who has cut his teeth on representing Afghan detainees in US custody and those in Guantánamo, has not …
(2020-09-15). Day Five: Julian Assange Case. popularresistance.org Paused last week due to a COVID19 scare, Julian Assange's extradition hearing resumed today with witness testimony from Eric Lewis, chairman of the board of Reprieve and a lawyer who "represents Guantanamo and Afghan detainees in litigation, seeking redress and accountability for torture and religious abuse while in US custody." | Lewis confirmed that before being asked to provide expert testimony on this case, he opined in the press that he believes Assange shouldn't be extradited or prosecuted, and while he handled the facts objectively in providing his witness statement, those are still his views today.
(2020-09-15). Venezuela Rejects US Hostilities Before UN Human Rights Council. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's representative before the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council Jorge Valero Tuesday rejected Donald Trump administration's unilateral coercive measures which violate the human rights of his compatriots. | RELATED: | He recalled that the United States has looted over US$ 30 billion from the Venezuelan people in the last 4 years. | "This is an amount that the Bolivarian government will no longer be abl…
(2020-09-15). Remembering Kevin Zeese: A fighter for peace and justice. therealnews.com 
Peace activist and human rights attorney Kevin Zeese died of a heart attack on the morning of September 6. As his life partner, Dr. Margaret Flowers, and their community grieve, they celebrate his life by carrying on the work that they began together. | Zeese was known for organizing around many human rights issues, centering opposition to U.S. imperialism abroad and mass incarceration at home. He brought national attention to
(2020-09-15). Whistleblower on Doctor at ICE Facility: "Everybody He Sees Has a Hysterectomy" truthout.org A whistleblower complaint directed toward the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleges that detainees at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Georgia were medically neglected, including not being tested for COVID-19, and that an alarmingly large number of hysterectomies were being performed on detainees. | The complaint, filed with the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for DHS, states that the hysterectomies were performed on several immigrants held within the Irwin C…
(2020-09-15). Wildfires Rage Across Syria in Wake of Increased US-Led Economic Warfare. mintpressnews.com 
The combination of a ten year military war, maximum pressure economic sanctions, the deliberate destruction of essential civilian infrastructure and the blatant scorched earth policies of the American neocolonialist foreign policy-managers are designed to reduce Syria to another failed state following NATO's Libya blueprint.
(2020-09-15). Does he want to end his political ambitions? Top Eurocrat Borrell calls for Navalny's name to be attached to EU 'Magnitsky List'. rt.com 
The EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has proposed naming a new sanctions regime directed against Russia after Alexey Navalny. Such a move would surely destroy the anti-corruption campaigner's oft-stated political aspirations. | In fact, it's hard to imagine the opposition figure would approve of the idea, as it would allow his critics in Russia to paint him as a tool of the West. While English-speaking and communicative with foreign journalists, Navalny, a Russian nationalist at heart, has always rejected any notions that he's helping the US and EU further their objectives in the country — for instance,…
(2020-09-15). Three Life Sentences Plus 40 Years for Convicted Israeli Settler. globalresearch.ca Convictions of Israelis for crimes against Palestinians are rare exceptions, not the rule — almost never against soldiers and other security forces. | According to Yesh Din Volunteers for Human Rights, violence by Israeli forces and settlers occurs daily, nearly always …
(2020-09-15). Inside The World Uyghur Congress. popularresistance.org In recent years, few stories have generated as much outrage in the West as the condition of Uyghur Muslims in China. Reporting on the issue is typically represented through seemingly spontaneous leaks of information and expressions of resistance by Uyghur human rights activists struggling to be heard against a tyrannical Chinese government. | True or not, nearly everything that appears in Western media accounts of China's Uyghur Muslims is the product of a carefully conceived media campaign generated by an apparatus of right-wing, anti-communist Uyghur separatists funded and trained by the US government.
(2020-09-15). Federal Judges are Failing Incarcerated People During the Pandemic. aclu.org I am tired of members of my profession dismissing my clients' humanity. Sadly, it happens a lot: , , "Your clients are probably lying to you, which is unsurprising," reads an email from a representative of the Texas State government., , "People get better medical care in jail," claim people who have never been incarcerated a day in their lives as reason to keep people locked up during this pandemic., , "We can't trust inmates to follow the law, so how could we trust them to quarantine from others if they were released?" asks a judge who swore an oath to protect the fundamental rights of these "inmates.", , It s…
(2020-09-15). On Its 27th Anniversary: Defeat Oslo, Confront Normalization, Escalate BDS. popularresistance.org The agreement signed on the White House lawn and the famous handshake of Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat was falsely billed as a promise of peace and hope for Palestinians, denied both for decades upon decades, but was in reality a program for continued and intensified colonization and the suppression of the Palestinian liberation struggle. The entire project of Oslo was always intended to intensify the repression, division and fragmentation of the Palestinian people, while imposing a Palestinian "security" framework over the Palestinian people struggling for their rights, for return and liberation.
(2020-09-15). Syria: Bombshell report reveals 'no clean hands' as horrific rights violations continue. news.un.org Despite a reduction in largescale hostilities since a ceasefire in March, the UN Syrian Commission of Inquiry reported on Monday that armed actors continue to subject civilians to horrific and increasingly targeted abuse.
(2020-09-15). UN urges a more equal, inclusive world, marking International Day of Democracy. news.un.org The United Nations marked the annual International Day of Democracy, on Tuesday, calling on world leaders to build a more equal, inclusive and sustainable world, with full respect for human rights.
(2020-09-15). At the Polls, Episode 1: What to Expect on Election Day 2020. aclu.org We usually know what to expect on any given presidential Election Day. After all, they happen every four years. But this is the first election in our lifetime to occur during a global pandemic, and there have already been significant changes to the electoral process as more voters plan to mail in their ballots than ever before. How will that change our quintessential American tradition of watching the results roll in on election night? | Today, the ACLU's At Liberty podcast launches
(2020-09-15). Activists decry 'genocide' of China's Uighur Muslims. yenisafak.com Nearly two dozen activist groups said on Tuesday that crimes against humanity and genocide are taking place against Uighurs in China's remote Xinjiang region, where more than 1 million people are held in camps.There was no immediate response to the allegations by the Chinese foreign ministry, contacted by Reuters. China says the camps are vocational education and training centres as part of counter-terrorism and deradicalisation measures.The open letter signed by groups including the U.S.-based Uighur Human Rights Project and Genocide Watch calls on the United Nations Human Rights Council to launch an investigati…
(2020-09-15). Trump's Proposal to Further Expand Global Gag Rule Amid Pandemic Would Cut Off Healthcare Access to Millions, Rights Groups Warn. commondreams.org Reproductive rights advocates on Tuesday warned that a newly proposed expansion of the anti-choice global gag rule will put millions at even greater risk of being unable to access healthcare including abortion care. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-09-14). Day 5 of Assange trial: Wikileaks' publication of Afghan War Logs was basis for ICC case. peoplesdispatch.org Today's witness presented by the defense, Eric Lewis, tried to impress upon the fact that once Assange could be subjected to arbitrary detention methods and highlighted the tremendous contributions of Wikileaks in advancing an ICC investigation of the US…
(2020-09-14). The Cause of Julian Assange Is the Cause of Freedom — Free Assange Now. sputniknews.com Julian Assange is a victim of torture, grotesque character assassination, and shameful judicial procedures that amount to vengeful persecution, not a fair and proportional prosecution.
(2020-09-14). Australian government, Labor opposition silent on sadistic British show-trial of Julian Assange. wsws.org The Australian political and media establishment has largely responded to the vicious attacks on Assange's legal and democratic rights by pretending that they are not occurring.
(2020-09-14). Israeli Human Rights Group Highlights How Israel Makes Fishing in Gaza Deadly. mintpressnews.com 
As is the reality with most elements of Palestinian life under Israeli occupation, the greatest challenge in Gaza's fishing industry is not the whether, or fluctuations in the market — it's simply living to fish another day.
(2020-09-14). Unipolar Spin: Why Imperial Leftists Vilify Russia's Social Democracy. strategic-culture.org A lie told a thousand times becomes the truth. In reading countless articles from the Atlantic Council press outlets (NYT, WaPo, VICE News, et al), we take for granted that modern Russia is a right-wing regime controlled by an authoritarian personality bent on total domination. As a result, the debate then gets framed on why or whether its right for leftists to attack it as such, since this is used to further justify collective punishment (sanctions) against a whole people. | What escapes us is why creating propaganda that will result in collective punishment is in any way the business of self-declared leftists i…
(2020-09-14). Rise to the occasion to tackle injustice, Bachelet urges Human Rights Council. news.un.org UN Member States gathered in person in Geneva on Monday for a new session of the Human Rights Council, where UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet urged countries to "rise to the occasion" to tackle injustice everywhere.
(2020-09-14). COVID-19 outbreak at Virginia migrant detention center caused by repression of anti-police brutality protesters. wsws.org The outbreak at the Farmville detention center demonstrates the capitalist class's disdain for democratic rights and the lives of the entire population.
(2020-09-14). Beating Trump isn't enough. peoplesworld.org 
Popular forces today are in crisis, reeling from a half century of neoliberal assault and organizational and ideological collapse. Unions are at their lowest density rates in a century. The historic gains of the democratic struggles to secure voting rights, access to reproductive health, and more are also under assault on all fronts. Now, together, …
(2020-09-14). Journalism under fire: UNESCO raises alarm over surge of attacks on media workers covering protests. news.un.org Clampdowns on the media have increased sharply in 2020, the UN cultural agency said on Monday, highlighting 21 protests around the world this year in which State security forces have violated journalists' rights.
(2020-09-14). Our Unjust System Of Mass Supervision. popularresistance.org Wisconsin's disastrous system of mass supervision is at odds with our widely shared values of justice, human dignity and compassion. Detaining people struggling with poverty, housing insecurity, mental health issues and addiction issues for alleged rule violations is at odds with common sense approaches to justice. Yet, public officials in Wisconsin have been keeping its prisons and jails overcrowded for many years by doubling down on this unjust practice. | A new report by Human Rights Watch and the ACLU demonstrates the deep racial injustice and extent of the harm caused by mass supervision in Wisconsin.
(2020-09-14). 'Turkey will not compromise on rights in E.Med'. yenisafak.com The Turkish defense minister said on Monday that "sacrificing our rights in the Eastern Mediterranean is out of question"."We have rights, concerns, and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. Some countries are making counter moves and taking actions against them. We follow them with great patience," Hulusi Akar said following the Distinguished Observer Day activities of the Mediterranean Storm — a five-day military exercise.Stressing that Turkey will resolutely continue to do what is necessary to protect its rights, Akar said it is out of question to sacrifice and give up rights in the region."We are in favor…
(2020-09-14). The greatest loss of democracy and liberty in modern Britain. truepublica.org.uk At TruePublica, we believe in social cohesion, the rule of law, civil liberty, human rights and of course, democracy. Recent events, both Brexit and Covid-19, have given this government, in particular, an opportunity to act in bad faith and create a space for emergency legislation used to abuse the normal workings of representative and parliamentary …
