(2020-11-20). "A Huge Blow to Civil Society": Egypt Arrests Leading Human Rights Monitors in Latest Crackdown. democracynow.org 
In Egypt, the executive director of the country's leading human rights group has been arrested as part of an unprecedented crackdown on activists and journalists. Gasser Abdel-Razek was arrested at his home just days after two other staffers for the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights were also arrested. The move signals a major escalation of repression from the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has imprisoned thousands of people since he came to power after the 2013 overthrow of former President Mohamed Morsi. "These arrests are a huge blow to civil society in Egypt," says Sharif Abdel Kouddo…
(2020-11-20). 'The French government has no right': CAIR slams Macron's 'ultimatum' to Muslims. middleeasteye.net 
'The French government has no right': CAIR slams Macron's 'ultimatum' to Muslims | Muslim-American civil rights group labels French president's order to establish 'National Council of Imams' under government parameters 'hypocritical and dangerous' | Fri, 11/20/2020 – 19: 58 | "> | The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned French President Emmanuel Macro…
(2020-11-20). Palestinians with disabilities battling PA for vital healthcare. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinians with disabilities battling PA for vital healthcare | Covid-19 has exposed a deeply flawed health insurance system that lets disabled Palestinians down badly | Fri, 11/20/2020 – 16: 17 | Disability rights activists including Abdelrahman Awwad (C) and Shatha Abu Srour (R) have staged a sit-in for nearly three weeks in Ramallah. The banner reads: "We die of coronavirus and we die of medic…
(2020-11-20). US senators urge Egypt to take action in case of detained Christian activist. middleeasteye.net 
US senators urge Egypt to take action in case of detained Christian activist | Legislators ask Cairo to allow fair trial for Ramy Kamel or drop charges and release him | Fri, 11/20/2020 – 19: 02 | Ramy Kamel is prominent Coptic Christian activist and founder of rights group Maspero Youth Union (Twitter) | A pair of bipartisan senators called on the Egyptian government to take action in the case of an imprisone…
(2020-11-20). Campaigns to boycott Saudi Arabia G20 summit gain momentum. middleeasteye.net 
Campaigns to boycott Saudi Arabia G20 summit gain momentum | From hashtags to petitions, damning statements and full-page newspaper ads, human rights groups demand kingdom be held accountable | Fri, 11/20/2020 – 17: 12 | G20 logo is projected at historical al-Tarif in Diriyah district on outskirts of Saudi capital, Riyadh, on 20 November (AFP) | Human rights groups and activists have intensified ca…
(2020-11-20). UN experts warn 50 people face possible executions in Iraq after unfair trials. middleeasteye.net 
UN experts warn 50 people face possible executions in Iraq after unfair trials | After 21 executions this week, UN experts urge Baghdad to halt mass capital punishment | Fri, 11/20/2020 – 22: 08 | Statement by UN experts notes there are currently about 4,000 prisoners slated for execution (AFP/File photo) | UN human rights experts have said 50 Iraqi prisoners face possible execution next week following convict…
(2020-11-20). Jewish-Led Groups Condemn Pompeo For Declaring Boycott-Divestment Movement Anti-Semitic. popularresistance.org Jewish peace activists led a wave of stinging rebuke of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Thursday after he declared the peaceful Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian human rights "anti-Semitic" while visiting an illegal Israeli settler colony built on stolen West Bank land. | Pompeo became the first top U.S. diplomat to visit an Israeli settlement in the unlawfully occupied West Bank of Palestine as he lunched at a winery in Psagot, located on a hill formerly known as Jabel Tawil until Israeli forces conquered it in 1967.
(2020-11-20). FROM THE FIELD: From President to shepherd, the dreams of displaced children of the Sahel. news.un.org Engineer, nurse, breakdancer, shepherd, human rights lawyer, journalist, musician and president are just some of the future dreams harboured by young displaced people in the Sahel region of Africa.
(2020-11-20). Trump Plans Series Of Actions Against China Before Biden Inauguration. popularresistance.org The Trump administration is planning a series of hardline actions against China with the aim of making it politically untenable for a Biden administration to reverse the moves, administration officials told Axios. | According to the officials, the administration plans to sanction or restrict trade with Chinese companies, officials, and government entities. The actions will be related to alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, so-called threats to US national security, and China's fishing industry.
(2020-11-20). Thursday 12/3: What's Next for Civil Rights: Democracy in the 117th Congress Town Hall w/ Common Cause. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-11-20). UN agencies uphold human rights considerations in COVID-19 data collection. news.un.org The United Nations and 15 of its agencies have underlined their support for data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic which respects the right to privacy and promotes development.
(2020-11-20). Five reasons why a moratorium is the right next step in our fight to #CancelAnimalAg. indybay.org If you're reading this, I likely don't need to tell you that something is deeply wrong and unjust about animal agriculture. This industry tortures and kills trillions of animals each year, forces marginalized people to work in unsafe and traumatizing environments, and is a leading contributor of greenhouse gases, ocean dead zones, and pandemic-causing zoonotic diseases. We need to completely abolish animal agriculture and transition to a more just, plant-based food system, but it's not going to happen overnight.
(2020-11-19). Bill Gates and the Depopulation Agenda. Robert F. Kennedy Junior Calls for an Investigation. globalresearch.ca Robert F Kennedy Jr, an avid Defender of Children's Rights and anti-vaccination activist, has launched a petition sent to the White House, calling for "Investigations into the 'Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation' for Medical Malpractice & Crimes Against Humanity"
(2020-11-19). 'We are not afraid of you, Mike': Activists react to Pompeo's move against pro-BDS groups. middleeasteye.net 
'We are not afraid of you, Mike': Activists react to Pompeo's move against pro-BDS groups | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated any group that supports Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement as antisemitic | Thu, 11/19/2020 – 19: 35 | Palestinians demonstrate near Israeli settlement of Psagot against visit by Mike Pompeo on 18 November (AFP/File photo) | Pro-Palestine and…
(2020-11-19). UK's Raab 'directly' intervenes on behalf of arrested Egyptian activists. middleeasteye.net 
UK's Raab 'directly' intervenes on behalf of arrested Egyptian activists | Three members of a prominent human rights organisation detained after meeting with western diplomats, including the British ambassador in Cairo | Thu, 11/19/2020 – 16: 17 | Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has raised the activists' case directly with his Egyptian counterpart (Reuters) | British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has per…
(2020-11-19). Israel boycott: What is the BDS movement? middleeasteye.net 
Israel boycott: What is the BDS movement? | As the US prepares to brand the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement 'antisemitic', Middle East Eye takes a look at the campaign | Thu, 11/19/2020 – 11: 20 | People take part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration on 10 October 2015 in Paris calling for a boycott of Israel and for the recognition of the State of Palestine (AFP) | For 15 years, the Bo…
(2020-11-19). Saudi court sentences Salman al-Odah's brother to five years in prison. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi court sentences Salman al-Odah's brother to five years in prison | Khaled al-Odah's sentencing comes three and a half years after he was detained for showing solidarity with his brother on social media | Thu, 11/19/2020 – 17: 39 | Khaled al-Odah was also issued a travel ban preventing him from leaving the country (Abdullah Alaoudh/Twitter) | Saudi Arabia sentenced the brother of jailed cleric Salman al-O…
(2020-11-19). Amnesty urges G20 leaders to 'stand up for brave activists' jailed in Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net 
Amnesty urges G20 leaders to 'stand up for brave activists' jailed in Saudi Arabia | Women's empowerment features prominently on G20 Agenda, despite several activists languishing in jail or facing trial | Thu, 11/19/2020 – 18: 17 | Protesters gather at Saudi embassy in Washington to remember slain Middle East Eye columnist Jamal Khashoggi (AFP/File photo) | Member states of the Group of 20 (G20) meeting in thi…
(2020-11-19). State Department's Attack on the BDS Movement Violates Freedom of Expression and Endangers Human Rights Protection. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-11-19). City Workers Push For Collective Bargaining Rights. popularresistance.org Virginia Beach, VA – While local government employees are not legally allowed to engage in collective bargaining in the commonwealth until May 1, a group of workers from public utilities and public works making known their desire to have "a seat at the table" as soon as possible. | On Tuesday evening, ahead of City Council's formal session at the convention center, roughly 30 members of the city workforce chanted about the desire for hazard pay and fair wages before delivering a petition to the city manager's office that lists four demands.
(2020-11-19). The "Dominion" of Election Fraud? globalresearch.ca "The maintenance of Americans' constitutional rights should not depend on the good graces and sketchy ethics of a handful of well-connected corporations… who have stonewalled Congress, lied to Congress, and have questionable judgment when it comes to security…" -Sen. Ron …
(2020-11-19). Reproducing soft, hard power key to lifting sanctions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 19 (MNA) — Stressing that Biden is not Iran's friend and master key, Iranian Parliament Speaker's Special Aide for International Affairs said that reproducing soft and hard power is key to lifting sanctions.
(2020-11-19). Remembrance, Resilience, and Response: Addressing An Epidemic of Violence Against Trans and Non-Binary People. aclu.org Each year on Nov. 20,
(2020-11-19). Pompeo Tramples on International Law, Free Speech, and Human Rights With His Support for Settlements and Attack on BDS. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-11-19). Strangling Sanctions against North Korea. "Psychopathic Double Standards" at the UN Security Council. globalresearch.ca Do They Have a Conscience? | "A key difference between a psychopath and a sociopath is whether he has a conscience, the little voice inside that lets us know when we're doing something wrong, says L. Michael Tompkins, EdD. He's a …
(2020-11-18). Egypt arrests another rights activist after meeting with Western diplomats. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt arrests another rights activist after meeting with Western diplomats | Karim Ennarah was detained in the resort town of Dahab in South Sinai while on vacation, EIPR said in a statement | Wed, 11/18/2020 – 20: 05 | Some 60,000 detainees in Egypt are political prisoners, according to an estimate by Human Rights Watch (AFP/File photo) | Egyptian authorities arrested a human rights defender on Wednesday, jus…
(2020-11-18). The Mattole Salmon Return Ceremony. counterpunch.org 
Large gatherings do not find favor, during this plague-haunted time, with regulatory and administrative officials. However, increasing consciousness of indigenous peoples' rights, recognition that the land management practices of the dominant culture are failing, and their own deep desires for the restoration of historic salmon visitations to our coast, persuaded the BLM and the Humboldt County
(2020-11-18). The US's long financial war on Hezbollah – and Lebanon. middleeasteye.net 
The US's long financial war on Hezbollah – and Lebanon | The United States has piled sanctions on the Lebanese movement, but to what effect? | Wed, 11/18/2020 – 13: 14 | Supporters of Hezbollah and the Lebanese Communist Party demonstrate at the entrance of Beirut's international airport on 8 July 2020, to denounce the visit of the US Central Command chief to the country (AFP) | Over the past two d…
(2020-11-18). California day of action defends human rights of immigrants. liberationnews.org 
On Nov. 14, in response to a statewide call to action, activists in Los Angeles gathered in unity with the Alliance to Defend Immigrants. The action and car caravan, starting at Mariachi Plaza and attracting about 200 activists, demanded the abolition of ICE and accountability for its atrocities. The event was hosted by the newly …
(2020-11-18). Abdicating to Boeing: An Open Letter to FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson. counterpunch.org November 13, 2020 Stephen Dickson, Administrator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) U.S. Department of Transportation 800 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20591 Dear Mr. Dickson, It is now abundantly clear that instead of clearing out top Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operatives who have worked to make the FAA safe for Boeing, you have thrown in your
(2020-11-18). Demand immediate release of Palestinian women's movement leader Khitam Saafin. fightbacknews.org Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) demands Israel immediately release Khitam Saafin, the president of the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees, who has been jailed without charge or trial. Saafin was taken into custody on November 2 along with six other Palestinian human rights activists. Her imprisonment is another in the long list of crimes by the callous and cruel Zionist occupiers of Palestine. | Khitam Saafin is among those who stand in the forefront of the Palestinian women's movement and is a tireless organizer for social and national liberation. She has spoken at many international venues on th…
(2020-11-18). More Money For Coup Groups From US Agency For International Development. popularresistance.org Organizations that led the coup attempt in 2018 against the constitutional government of President Daniel Ortega, continue to receive foreign funding from the United States and some European countries. The latest information on USAID funding of the US-directed opposition was made available by journalist William Grigsby on Radio La Primerísima's Sin Fronteras Magazine. | USAID fiscal year 2021 (Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021) foreign assistance includes "funds to support the restoration of democracy and human rights in the region."
(2020-11-18). West Papuans urge Dutton, AFP to stop training Indonesian military. greenleft.org.au West Papuan refugees and human rights campaigners are trying to meet government and Australian Federal Police officials to request they stop counter-insurgency training of Indonesian special forces. Kerry Smith reports.
(2020-11-18). 75 Democrats urge Trump to show leniency on Iran Sanctions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 18 (MNA) — Democrats on Capitol Hill are pushing back on the Trump administration's plan to unveil stepped-up sanctions against Iran, urging the outgoing US president to be flexible and allow coronavirus aid to be sent.
(2020-11-18). Crisis, What Crisis? Hypocrisy and Public Health in the UK. dissidentvoice.org On 12 March 2020, British PM Boris Johnson, referring to COVID-19, informed the public: We've all got to be clear; this is the worst public health crisis for a generation. Since that time, we have seen lockdowns, an ongoing government-backed fear campaign, fundamental rights being stripped away, dissent censored, inflated COVID-19 death numbers and the …
(2020-11-18). Trump Administration's Refusal to Cooperate With President-Elect Biden Is Worsening COVID-19 Human Rights Crisis. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-11-18). The Healthcare Multinational Profiting off Fraudulent Detentions. dissidentvoice.org In July 2020, US healthcare multinational UHS Delaware reached a $122million settlement with the US federal government as the result of an investigation by the FBI into fraudulent detentions of psychiatric patients for profit. Following the resolution of the investigation and civil settlement, UHS must retain an independent monitor selected by the Office of Inspector …
(2020-11-18). US medicine sanctions endangered Iranians' health: MP. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 18 (MNA) — Head of Iran-Greece Parliamentary Friendship Group said that US medicine and economic sanctions have endangered the health of the Iranian people while the coronavirus outbreak has overshadowed the international community.
(2020-11-18). US imposes new sanctions on Iranian companies. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 18 (MNA) — The US imposed new sanctions on a number of Iranian officials and companies on Wednesday.
(2020-11-17). Saudi activists tell UK MPs of brutal conditions facing political detainees. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi activists tell UK MPs of brutal conditions facing political detainees | Activists told a panel focusing on two detained princes that rape, torture and killing were commonplace in Saudi jails | Tue, 11/17/2020 – 11: 39 | Former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef (R), pictured with current Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was arrested in March with little known publicly about his detention (AF…
(2020-11-17). 'Disaster for Climate and Indigenous Rights': Coalition Urges Bank of America to End Financing of Arctic Drilling. commondreams.org "Despite risks to the climate, Indigenous rights, and their own bottom line, Bank of America is the only big U.S. bank that hasn't ruled out funding for drilling in the Arctic Refuge," noted the Sierra Club. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …