(2021-01-24). Moving the Bar: My Life as a Radical Lawyer — Michael Ratner. theanalysis.news Michael Ratner (1943—2016) was one of America's leading human rights lawyers. Michael won the seminal case in the Supreme Court guaranteeing the right of habeas corpus to Guantanamo detainees. From the torture of prisoners after 911 to the massive racial profiling by the New York Police Department, Michael's voice and vision continue to resonate. His last case, which he worked on until he died, was representing Julian Assange, the editor of WikiLeaks. In a series of interviews with attorneys who knew Michael's work, Law and Disorder hosts Heidi Boghosian and Michael Smith interviewed some of Michael Ratner'
(2021-01-24). Why Calling Israel An Apartheid State Is Not Enough. popularresistance.org B'Tselem, a leading human rights group in Israel, recently released a report concluding that Israel is an apartheid state, with a regime of Jewish supremacy stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. | The report found that Israel meets the definition of apartheid under international law, which defines apartheid as "inhuman acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group of persons over any other racial group of persons and systematically oppressing them". | The report received widespread international media attention and was described as a "watershed"
(2021-01-24). Groups call for focus on Rohingya education in Bangladesh. yenisafak.com A collective of rights groups and civil society organizations has called for greater focus on education of Rohingya refugees and rehabilitation of academic institutes in areas where they are being hosted in Bangladesh."Although Rohingya children aged 6-14 years have been included in the non-formal education program initiated by the government of Bangladesh and various organizations, 83% of adolescents and youth aged 15-24 years do not participate in any education program," Cox's Bazar CSO-NGO Forum said in a statement on Saturday.The southeastern Bangladeshi city of Cox's Bazar is home to over 1.2 million Rohingy…
(2021-01-24). Europe concerned over detention of protesters in Russia. yenisafak.com The EU and European countries on Saturday raised their concern over the detention of people in Russia protesting the arrest of Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny.Tens of thousands of people on Saturday gathered in Russia to protest Navalny's detention, demanding his immediate release.Many people supporting Navalny were detained in the country while police intervened the protestors harshly."Following unfolding events in #Russia with concern. I deplore widespread detentions, disproportionate use of force, cutting down internet and phone connections," Josep Borrell, the EU foreign policy chief, said on Twi…
(2021-01-24). The Illusion of Democracy: Power and Secrecy. globalresearch.ca In 2003, millions of people protested against the invasion of Iraq. If Britain and the US had genuine democracies, where the views of ordinary people matter, the invasion, slaughter and torture in Iraq would not have happened. Our governments ignored …
(2021-01-23). Turkish appeals court overturns acquittals in Gezi trial. middleeasteye.net 
Turkish appeals court overturns acquittals in Gezi trial | Court documents say some evidence not included in reasoning for surprise original verdicts over 2013 protests | Sat, 01/23/2021 – 13: 14 | Osman Kavala has remained in jail over charges related to a failed 2016 coup attempt despite the European Court of Human Rights calling for his release (AFP) | A Turkish appeals court has overtu…
(2021-01-23). Palestinian Journalist Released After Seven Months in Prison Without Charges. imemc.org 
Israeli military authorities, which govern the Palestinians in the West Bank under martial law, released Palestinian journalist Mujahed al-Saadi Friday after he was imprisoned for seven months without charges. Al-Saadi was held in so-called 'administrative detention', a euphemism used by Israeli authorities used when they hold Palestinians for extended periods with no charges against them. He …
(2021-01-23). Biden's Secretary Of State Praises Trump's Achievements On Israel. popularresistance.org A new administration has taken over Washington with talk of justice, respect and diversity. However, when it comes to Israel-the news isn't so encouraging. | Joe Biden's foreign policy team says it wants to return to the Iran deal, but reassures the Israel lobby that that won't happen any time soon, and when it comes to actual Palestinian rights or freedom (the "peace process"), it clearly wants as little friction with the Israeli government and Israel's friends in Washington as possible. I watched all 4-1/2 hours of Tony Blinken's testimony to Senate Foreign Relations (help!), and he never mentioned occupation,…
(2021-01-23). Sri Lanka: Hundreds of plantation workers strike to defend jobs and social rights. wsws.org The determined fight by Gartmore Estate workers to defend their jobs and basic rights is an expression of rising unrest throughout the country's plantation sector.
(2021-01-23). Wednesday 1/27: The Equal Rights Amendment & the Disability Community Town Hall. indybay.org Online panel discussion…
(2021-01-22). Pandemic will not end for anyone, 'until it ends for everyone'. news.un.org The COVID-19 pandemic "will not end for anyone, until it ends for everyone", an independent UN human rights expert said on Friday, advocating for an equitable and globally-coordinated vaccine distribution programme.
(2021-01-22). UN expert condemns Egypt's detention of journalists, human rights defenders. middleeasteye.net 
UN expert condemns Egypt's detention of journalists, human rights defenders | Special rapporteur calls on authorities to stop silencing dissent and shrinking civic space in country | Fri, 01/22/2021 – 21: 23 | Egypt has embarked on brutal crackdown on dissent since 2013, jailing more than 60,000 activists (AFP) | A UN rights expert condemned Egypt for targeting journalists, human rights defenders and their fam…
(2021-01-22). Four More Detainees Diagnosed With Coronavirus In Ramon Prison. imemc.org 
The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) has reported that four additional detainees, held in the Ramon Israeli prison, have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, raising the number of infected political prisoners to seventy-three this month. In a statement released Friday, the PPS said the detainees who have been officially diagnosed with the virus are held in …
(2021-01-22). The Eric Brandt story: How a controversial cop watcher became one of the most successful police reformers in the US. therealnews.com 
Known for his role in the Occupy Denver movement and his controversial, even profane, manner of exercising his First Amendment rights, Eric Brandt has been arrested roughly 200 times while protesting police brutality and advocating for reform. But he's also quietly racked up key victories in court.
(2021-01-22). Palestinian Striking Workers Triumph. socialistproject.ca 
After 19 days of an open-ended strike demanding their human and labour rights, Palestinian workers at Yamit have suspended their strike on January 20. The workers' committee has reached this decision following an agreement with the company to meet their demands. The agreement, which still needs to go through legal procedures in Israeli courts, states …
(2021-01-22). Indigenous Land Grab On The Horizon. popularresistance.org BHP and Rio Tinto, two of the world's largest resource extraction companies, have earned themselves a solid reputation for obliterating native lands and communities throughout the world. Leaders in the international mining market, the British-Australian companies are globally condemned for their labor, environmental and human rights abuses. Today, they're hard at work to expand that reputation to Arizona, where their jointly-owned company Resolution Copper advances toward the destruction of ancestral Apache land Oak Flat. | Following the outcry caused by Rio Tinto's deliberate gutting of 46,000-year-old Aborigina…
(2021-01-22). NIAC Applauds Biden for Plan to Review Impact of U.S. Sanctions on International COVID Response. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-01-22). Rights Advocates Alarmed by US Spy Agency's Purchase of Warrantless Phone Location Data. commondreams.org "Congress must end this lawless practice and require the government to get a warrant for our location data, regardless of its source." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-01-22). Local Activists Call Attention To Housing Rights. popularresistance.org Graham, North Carolina – Amy Cooper said she and a handful of other activists came together at Court Square in Graham on Wednesday for an event touting tenants' rights while decrying evictions. | "A lot of landlords take advantage of people not knowing their rights, so one of the things we want to do is push tenants' rights so people know what they can and can't do as a tenant," Cooper said. | Cooper's thoughts echo criticism from housing advocates across the country. Last Wednesday, housing rights advocates held simultaneous nationwide demonstrations in the hopes of sparking a paradigm shift away from the curren…
(2021-01-22). EU chief calls on Putin to 'swiftly release' Navalny. yenisafak.com The European Council president on Friday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to release opposition figure Alexei Navalny."In my call with president Putin today I reiterated the EU is united in its condemnation of Alexey Navalny's detention and calls for his immediate release," Charles Michel wrote on Twitter following the phone call.According to the EU's readout of the phone conversation, Michel told Putin that the EU is united in its call on Russia to "swiftly release Mr Navalny and proceed with the investigation into the assassination attempt on him, in full transparency and without further delay."He als…
(2021-01-22). Thursday 1/21: SF BayView Editor Malik Washington Journalist Rights & Google Firing Of Dr. Timnit Gebru. indybay.org KPOO.COM San Francisco | KPOO 98.5 FM…
(2021-01-22). Violence Threatens Peace in Colombia, United Nations Warns. telesurenglish.net United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNMC) head Carlos Ruiz on Thursday pointed out that violence against former combatants, social leaders, and human rights defenders is "the most serious threat to peace" in this South American country. | RELATED: | Speaking before the UN Security Council (UNSC), he reported that 252 ex-combatants and 378 social leaders and human rights activists have been killed since the signing of the Peace Agr…
(2021-01-22). Capitol Insurrection Shows How Trends On The Far-Right's Fringe Have Become Mainstream. splcenter.org Researchers studying the far right have sounded the alarm over the threat posed by the rapid proliferation of conspiracy theories, disinformation and misinformation for years, noting that shifts in the extreme right's mobilization tactics could present new challenges to stemming a tide of violence.
(2021-01-22). Ferdinand von Schirach's Enemies: German public television puts police torture up for consideration. wsws.org The German public television network ARD began the new year with a controversial programme examining the value of police using torture to compel suspects to confess.
(2021-01-22). Advocacy to Preserve Cultural Heritage in Africa. grants.gov SFOP0007534 | Funding Opportunity ID: | 330786 | Opportunity Number: | SFOP0007534 | Opportunity Title: | Advocacy to Preserve Cultural Heritage in Africa | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Grant | Category of Funding Activity: | Other (see text field entitled "Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity" for clarification) | Category Explanation: | Democracy Fund/Human Rights Democracy Fund | CFDA Number(s): | 19.345 | Eligible Applicants: | Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Elig…
(2021-01-21). WW Commentary: The criminal injustice system is a bipartisan effort. workers.org 
Family members and prisoners' rights advocates gather outside the Contra Costa County Jail in Martinez to demand release of a prisoner suffering from medical neglect during the COVID pandemic. On Jan. 15 at the death row prison in Terre Haute, Ind., with less than a week to go of Donald . . . |
(2021-01-21). Assange cannot be extradited, but free speech arguments dismissed — an extended look. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In The Government of the United States v Julian Assange (2021), the District Judge sitting at Westminster Magistrates' Court discharged the American extradition request against the founder of WikiLeaks because there is a substantial risk that he would commit suicide. Given Julian Assange's political notoriety as an avowed whistle-blower, however, the judgment is significant for …
(2021-01-21). Tunisian groups say police arrested 1,000 people over six days of protests. middleeasteye.net 
Tunisian groups say police arrested 1,000 people over six days of protests | Rights groups said civilians who voiced support for protests on Facebook during the crackdown were also detained | Thu, 01/21/2021 – 14: 17 | Police used rubber bullets and water cannons against anti-government protests who hurled rocks and petrol bombs (AFP) | Tunisian security forces have arrested at least 1,000…
(2021-01-21). In non-binding resolution, EU parliament calls for new anti-Russia sanctions in attempt to stop Nord Stream 2 over Navalny arrest. rt.com 
An EU parliament resolution, backed by 581 MEPs out of 675 present, has directed its member states to ramp up sanctions against Russia to stop the Nord Stream 2 project "once and for all," linking it to Alexey Navalny's arrest. | The EU member states should take "an active stance" on the opposition figure's 30-day arrest in Russia. This is according to a non-binding
(2021-01-21). In non-binding resolution, EU parliament calls for new anti-Russia sanctions that would stop Nord Stream 2 over Navalny's arrest. rt.com An EU parliament resolution, backed by 581 MEPs out of 675 present, directs members to ramp up sanctions against Russia to stop the Nord Stream 2 project "once and for all," linking it to opposition figure Alexey Navalny's arrest. | The EU member states should take "an active stance" on Navalny's 30-day arrest in Russia. This is according to a non-binding
(2021-01-21). Politicians among 48 arrested in huge Italian bust on 'Ndrangheta mafia, hundreds of millions in cash seized. rt.com 
Anti-mafia police carried out sweeping early-morning raids against Italy's most powerful mafia, the 'Ndrangheta, on Thursday, arresting 48 people and placing the leader of a political party under investigation. | Officers from the Direzione Investigativa AntiMafia (DIA) immediately jailed 13 people, while 35 were placed under house arrest, with multiple politicians, low-level mob bosses and businessmen among those detained, according to local media. | The crackdown on the organized crime syndicate, based in Calabria, southern Italy, primarily targeted the economic arm of its operations, which prosecutors said…
(2021-01-21). "Wrongful Life" Revisited. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In Evie Toombes v. Dr. Philip Mitchell [2020] EWHC 3506 the High Court has given renewed consideration to claims for, so called, "wrongful life". Can a disabled person ever claim damages on the basis that they would not have been born but for the defendant's negligence? The Court answered that question with a resounding "yes". …
(2021-01-21). PCHR: Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. imemc.org 
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Summary for January 14 — 20, 2021 Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to commit crimes and multi-layered violations against Palestinian civilians and their properties, including raids into Palestinian cities that are characterized with excessive use of …
(2021-01-21). WW commentary: Diet discrimination in prisons, jails, and detention centers. workers.org 
Imam Siddiqui Abdullah Hasan, on death row in Ohio, was falsely convicted of the murder of a guard during the 1993 Lucasville prison rebellion. The rebellion started after Muslim prisoners objected to being forced to take a tuberculosis test containing alcohol, in violation of their religious practice. The interlocking systems . . . |
(2021-01-21). Diet discrimination in prisons, jails, and detention centers. workers.org 
The interlocking systems of prisons, jails and detention centers were built up by descendants of those made rich from colonial conquest of this continent. The prison-industrial complex continues to benefit this very class of people every day by its existence. As the Prisoners Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party stated . . . |
(2021-01-21). Major Victory for BDS Movement in Spanish Court Ruling. imemc.org 
The Electronic Intifada Activists in Spain are celebrating a big legal win against Israel lobby efforts to punish support for Palestinian rights. Their victory also exposes a lie that European Union officials are spreading to discredit BDS — the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. On 11 January a court in Valencia dismissed a criminal complaint …
(2021-01-21). Dozens of experts call on Longleat to give the 'UK's loneliest elephant' her last chance for companionship. thecanary.co Dozens of experts have thrown their weight behind calls for giving the ' Anne, who currently resides at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park, hasn't seen another elephant for 19 years. A French sanctuary has
(2021-01-21). 135 Civil Rights Groups Oppose New Domestic Terrorism Statutes, Say Tackle Far-Right Violence With Existing Laws. commondreams.org "Members of Congress should not reinforce counterterrorism policies, programs, and frameworks that are rooted in bias, discrimination, and denial or diminution of fundamental rights like due process." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-01-21). 135 Civil Rights Organizations Oppose a New Domestic Terrorism Charge. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-01-21). Martin Luther King's Radical Anticapitalism. popularresistance.org In a posthumously published essay, Martin Luther King, Jr. pointed out that the "black revolution" had gone beyond the "rights of Negroes." The struggle, he said, is "forcing America to face all of its interrelated flaws—racism, poverty, militarism and materialism. It is exposing the evils that are rooted deeply in the whole structure of our society. It reveals systemic rather than superficial flaws and suggests that radical reconstruction of society itself is the real issue to be faced." | But it had not started out that way. Over the course of a decade, the black struggle opened up a deeper interrogation…
(2021-01-21). Medevac refugees released from torture centres, activists vow to continue the campaign. greenleft.org.au The release of refugees from detention has given activists hope that there will be a change in policy. But, as Chloe DS writes, they won't stop organising until all refugees are released from onshore and offshore prisons and given permanent protection.
(2021-01-21). Palestinian inmate dies after receiving Israel vaccine. yenisafak.com Palestinian inmate Maher Saasaa has died after recently receiving the coronavirus vaccine, according to the Palestinian Commission of Detainees' and ex-Detainees' Affairs.The Israel Prisons Service announced late Wednesday the death of Saasaa, 45, from Qalqilah, in northern West Bank, who suffered from several chronic diseases.The cause of death was unclear, according to an official statement.Israeli authorities told his family that an autopsy would be performed Thursday.The family said he was exposed to medical negligence during his detention for more than 15 years.Saasaa was the father of six children."We prepa…
(2021-01-21). Barrage of New Countries and Airlines to Adopt Vaccine Passports. globalresearch.ca New York Times admits schemes could lead to "a dystopic system that would limit the rights of people who have been careful to avoid infection and are unable or unwilling to be vaccinated" | *** | Several more countries have indicated that …
(2021-01-21). Wednesday 2/3: Talk on the Mothers of the Civil Rights Movement w/ Author Anna Malaika Tubbs. indybay.org Online event…
(2021-01-21). How use of drones to secure borders threatens all our rights. truepublica.org.uk A new report published by Drone Wars UK investigates the increasing use of military-style drones by governments to patrol state borders. The study, which examines the use of drones at the borders of the UK, EU, US, Russia, China, Australia and elsewhere, concludes that drones are contributing to the militarisation of everyday borders as part …
(2021-01-21). New York City educators call for unified struggle with striking Hunts Point market workers! wsws.org Our brothers and sisters at Hunts Point have taken a courageous stand for the rights of workers everywhere, and we call on them to form their own rank-and-file committee independent of the Teamsters to carry forward their struggle.
(2021-01-21). China sanctions Trump administration officials including Pompeo, Bolton and Bannon. peoplesdispatch.org 28 officials of the Donald Trump administration were sanctioned for having "seriously violated China's sovereignty" and being "mainly responsible for such US moves on China-related issues."