(2021-02-01). Rights groups say Biden should reveal vaccine plan for Guantanamo prisoners. middleeasteye.net 
Rights groups say Biden should reveal vaccine plan for Guantanamo prisoners | Pentagon decided to pause plan to offer coronavirus vaccines to Guantanamo detainees following criticism from Republican lawmaker | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 20: 38 | It is not known how many people at Guantanamo have contracted Covid-19 (AFP) | Rights groups are calling on the Biden administration to publicly reveal its Covid-19…
(2021-02-01). Vaccine crime ring: Chinese police make 80 arrests & seize 3,000 saline-filled syringes. rt.com 
Dozens of people have been detained after Chinese police launched a crackdown on the manufacturing and selling of fake Covid-19 vaccinations. Authorities say the illicit trade has been going on for months. | Read more | | Law enforcement targeted crime rings in Beijing, as well as the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong, resulting in more than 80 arrests and the seizure of some 3,000 syringes filled with saline, state news agency Xin…
(2021-02-01). Demand Mass Clemency On 'National Freedom Day'. popularresistance.org As supporters of the #CagingCOVID campaign, the Antistasis Project is calling for decentralized actions on February 1st across the so-called United States, and internationally, in support of mass clemency for people held in jails, prisons and detention centers. | Reports updated as of Jan. 19, show at least 355,957 prisoners have gotten the virus, and more than 2,232 died as a result of it. . The pandemic has resulted in prisons and jails abusing isolation more than ever before. Social distance is necessary but solitary confinement is torture. | Crowded quarters, a lack of PPE, inadequate medical care, an aging p…
(2021-02-01). Take Action To End The Economic War At Home And Abroad. popularresistance.org It is the same neoliberal economic system, white supremacy and disregard for human life that underlie sanctions abroad and at home. The current recession and pandemic have exposed this in a brutal way in the United States. The populations that are harmed the most are Indigenous peoples and communities of color. The United States government could have taken the effective steps of cancelling rent and debt, providing a monthly income and nationalizing healthcare that other countries took but instead passed laws that funneled wealth to the top while providing minimal relief to the majority.
(2021-02-01). Is Russia waking up? mronline.org 
The reasons behind the protest actions that began in Russia in January 2021, the social forces involved, and the possible consequences.
(2021-02-01). Military in Myanmar stages a coup, detains Aung San Suu Kyi and other political activists. peoplesdispatch.org 
The military declared that state power has been handed to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, general Min Aung Hlaing, and a state of emergency has been imposed for one year…
(2021-02-01). Germany rejects France's call to halt construction on Nord Stream 2 pipeline over Navalny detention. rt.com 
Germany said it plans to complete the Russian-led Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipeline project despite opposition from France over Moscow's jailing of opposition figure Alexey Navalny. | The stance of the German government "has not changed" in recent days, deputy government spokeswoman Martina Fietz said on Monday in Berlin, after France's secretary of state for Europe Clément Beaune asked Germany to halt the project. | A spokesman for Germany's Federal Foreign Office in Berlin told Die Welt that although the project is going ahead, the German government was aware of the French position and having a "ver…
(2021-02-01). The Weekly Round-up: Employment Rights, 'Spy Cops', and Abandoned Rape Prosecutions. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In the news: The week began with the first Opposition Day of 2021, with Labour choosing to put council tax and employment rights centre of the Parliamentary stage. This followed an admission last week by Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng that the government was reviewing certain workers' rights which had been saved post-Brexit as retained EU employment law. Responding to allegations …
(2021-02-01). General Warrants to Hack Computers Unlawful: Privacy International v IPT. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In Privacy International v Investigatory Powers Tribunal, the Divisional Court held that s.5 Intelligence Services Act 1994 does not permit the government to issue general warrants to engage in computer network exploitation ("CNE") — more commonly known as computer hacking. The court also offered valuable guidance on warrants and what is required to make them lawful. …
(2021-02-01). Biden Condemns Burma Military Coup, as Critics Question Claims of Election Fraud. truthout.org 
President Joe Biden sent out a stern statement voicing consternation toward a military coup in Burma this week, threatening economic sanctions to the country if it did not return power to the duly elected government that was recently chosen by its people. | The coup in Burma (also known as Myanmar)
(2021-02-01). Headlines for February 1, 2021. democracynow.org CDC Orders Mask-Wearing on Public Transportation as Experts Urge Speedy Vaccination to Combat Variants, Johnson & Johnson Says One-Shot Vaccine Is Effective, Especially in Preventing Severe Cases, Major Racial Disparities Emerge in Vaccine Recipients as Latinx Deaths in L.A. Jump by 1,000%, Biden Meets with GOP Leaders to Discuss Stripped-Down Counter Bill to $1.9 Trillion Package, Burmese Military Stage Coup, Detain Aung San Suu Kyi, Police Arrest Over 5,100 in Pro-Navalny Protests Across Russia, Car Bomb Blasts Kill at Least 12 in Aleppo, Syria, U.N. Calls for Repatriation of 27,000 Children Stranded in al-Hol…
(2021-02-01). Triple shock of US sanctions, oil price collapse and the pandemic decimates Iranian living standards. wsws.org The "hardline" faction around the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is attacking the faction around President Hassan Rouhani who negotiated the nuclear agreement with the Obama administration, amid indications that the Biden administration intends to continue enforcing the "maximum pressure" campaign of draconian sanctions and military provocations against Iran.
(2021-02-01). UN human rights commissioner calls for probe into Sri Lanka's war crimes. wsws.org Bachelet's report comes amid US moves to present a new human rights resolution on Sri Lanka in order to pressure the Rajapakse regime in Colombo remain within Washington's geostrategic orbit.
(2021-02-01). A US HR institute calls for lifting Iran sanctions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — A US-based Human Rights Institute named "CODEPINK" called on the new US administration to lift sanctions imposed by US against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
(2021-02-01). Nicaragua: Amidst 'socio-political and human rights crisis', independent expert condemns environmental defender's death. news.un.org An independent UN human rights expert condemned on Monday the murder of an indigenous environmental defender in Nicaragua, calling for those responsible to be "duly investigated and brought to justice".
(2021-02-01). Nicaragua : Amidst 'socio-political and human rights crisis', independent expert condemns environmental defender's death. news.un.org An independent UN human rights expert condemned on Monday the murder of an indigenous environmental defender in Nicaragua, calling for those responsible to be "duly investigated and brought to justice".
(2021-02-01). Putin orders officials to prepare plans for creation of Russian Court of Human Rights as possible alternative to pan-European ECHR. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the country's Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice to assess the feasibility of creating a national court of human rights. He first expressed interest in the idea last year. | As things stand, Russia is a party to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), a body that is part of the Council of Europe. Membership of the court has been costly for Moscow, and in 2019 alone, the Ministry of Justice spent more than 1.1 billion rubles ($14 million) on 1,240 judgments. | An order published on the Kremlin website gives the Supreme Court, Russia's highest judicial bo…
(2021-02-01). Kremlin dubs some protesters 'hooligans & provocateurs,' says appeal for US sanctions proves Navalny's team are 'foreign agents'. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman has defended the police's decision to take tough measures to detain and disperse supporters of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny at rallies across the country over the weekend. | Speaking to journalists on Monday, Dmitry Peskov said that the demonstrations attracted "quite a large number of hooligans and provocateurs," which, he argued, explained the violent clashes with authorities. However, he added, the use of force had to be carefully monitored, even if it was necessary in the face of "illegal actions." | The Kremlin press secretary added that there was no…
(2021-02-01). Venezuela to Consider Over 200 Investment Projects Under Anti-Sanctions Law, Maduro Says. sputniknews.com MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Since the adoption of the anti-sanctions law, the Venezuelan government has received over 200 investment applications from foreign investors, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said.
(2021-02-01). Moscow doubles down on arrests of peaceful pro-Navalny protesters. laprensalatina.com Moscow, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- The Kremlin on Monday defended the actions of Russian police during peaceful protests a day early in over 140 cities across the country that led to the arrests of over 5,400 people. Moscow says the detentions were justified as none of the protests were legally authorized. "The police act in a …
(2021-02-01). Arrests, military control 'a serious blow' to democratic reforms in Myanmar: UN chief. news.un.org The United Nations Secretary-General has strongly condemned the detention of Myanmar's top political leaders and government officials, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, by the country's military.
(2021-02-01). UN independent experts call for 'justice, accountability and reparation to victims' in Sudan. news.un.org Recent intercommunal violence and deadly attacks in Darfur have prompted two independent UN human rights experts on Monday to urge the Government of Sudan to urgently implement strong measures to ensure the safety of civilians, including the internally displaced.
(2021-02-01). The New Water Wars. popularresistance.org Weed, California is a small timber-dependent city in rural, far-northern California. In 2016, Roseburg Forest Products (RFP), using legal bullying and exploiting a lack of clarity around water rights, began an aggressive effort to deprive the City of Weed of its main source of public drinking water — all so RFP could instead sell the spring water to the Crystal Geyser Roxane bottled water company. The historic spring, originating on the flanks of nearby Mt. Shasta, has provided the community with high-quality drinking water for the entirety of its 110-year history under an agreement with RFP's predecessor I…
(2021-02-01). Knife-Wielding Man Injures Several People in Brussels Metro, Reports Say. sputniknews.com According to as yet unconfirmed reports, the attacker injured several women and was detained.
(2021-02-01). Beijing criticizes US sanctions against Syrian nation. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Chinese Foreign Minister criticized US sanctions against Damascus in a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Faisal Mekdad.
(2021-02-01). VIDEO: Myanmar after military coup. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — After the detention of Leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior government leaders on Monday, Myanmar's powerful military has taken control of the country in a coup and declared a state of emergency.
(2021-02-01). Israelis arrest a host of Palestinians in West Bank. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Israeli forces on Monday raided the West Bank and detained a number of Palestinian citizens without any charge.
(2021-02-01). 'An Ominous Moment': Human Rights Groups Sound Alarm as Military Coup Unfolds in Myanmar. commondreams.org "The concurrent arrests of prominent political activists and human rights defenders sends a chilling message that the military authorities will not tolerate any dissent amid today's unfolding events." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-02-01). Vaccination and the Issue of "Voluntary Consent". The Rights of Individuals to Control their Bodies. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | "The Nuremberg Code explicitly rejects the moral argument that the creation …
(2021-02-01). MST calls for Bolsonaro's removal in letter to Brazilian people. peoplesdispatch.org In the letter, the MST highlights the key struggles for the next period in defense of the life and rights of the Brazilian people. They declare that forcing Bolsonaro out is urgent and necessary.
(2021-02-01). What is happening in Myanmar? peoplesdispatch.org Myanmar's military has staged a coup and detained state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi along with other top leaders of the state, including president U Win Myint. The UN said that the coup was totally unacceptable as it is an "attempt to undermine democracy and rule of law."
(2021-02-01). Freedom: The Burden of Accountability — Part 5. realprogressives.org "Great power involves great responsibility" -Franklin Delano Roosevelt | The following article is part of a larger, five—part series on accountability and reform as they pertain to freedom. Focusing primarily on American politics and history, the series draws on America's continual struggle towards that "more perfect society."Democrats prove over and over again that they are incapable of defending human rights of ordinary people but yet we are told that they are the only alternative. That is a lie. You don't have to collaborate with oppressive neoliberalism, support a party outside of the duop…
(2021-02-01). Trump's White Mob. indybay.org Trump may have been unusually heavy-handed in his race-baiting. But his approach fits perfectly with the party's approach, which it has taken at least since Republicans adopted the "Southern Strategy" in the 1968 election in the wake of the Civil Rights Acts.
(2021-02-01). Leading German columnist Heribert Prantl denounces coronavirus lockdown measures. wsws.org Prantl's current invocation of basic rights has degenerated into mendacious hollow phrases that serve to protect the privileges of a rich minority and are directed against the democratic rights of the working class.
(2021-01-31). On Contact: Radical As Reality Itself. popularresistance.org On the show this week, Chris Hedges talks to Michael Smith about civil rights attorney Michael Ratner's recently published memoir, "Moving the Bar — My Life as A Radical Lawyer". Smith was a close friend and collaborator of Ratner's for over three decades. | Michael Ratner was one of the most important civil rights attorneys in our era. He spent his life fighting on behalf of those who state and empire sought to crush, from the leaders of the prison uprising at Attica to Muslim prisoners held in Guantanamo, to Julian Assange.
(2021-01-31). Monday 2/1: Interfaith Vigil for Domestic Workers' Rights & Lives Lost During COVID w/ NDWA. indybay.org Online event…
(2021-01-31). UN Sex Crimes: Guterres' Draconian Cover-Ups Might Be Soon Over. strategic-culture.org The UN's answer to cover them up and punish journalists might be coming to an end as there are signs that member states have had enough. Will the British government lead a new cause? | It's practically impossible these days to google the word 'UN' without being hit with the wave of articles about its sexual harassment cases, which in recent years under Antonio Guterres, appears to have mushroomed into something of a pandemic. Even faithful supporters of the UN will ask themselves how can a global organisation which serenades itself on the world stage as an arbiter of human rights, be the worst offender? When does…
(2021-01-31). Hundreds detained in Russia ahead of fresh pro-Navalny protests. laprensalatina.com Moscow, Jan 31 (efe-epa).- Russian police detained hundreds of protesters across the country on Sunday ahead of demonstrations in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was detained after he returned to Russia earlier this month from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning. OVD-Info, which specializes in tracking police detentions in Russia, …
(2021-01-31). Thousands detained in Russia amid fresh pro-Navalny protests. laprensalatina.com (Update 1: Adds detail) Moscow, Jan 31 (efe-epa).- Russian police detained thousands of protesters across the country on Sunday amid demonstrations in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was detained after he returned to Russia earlier this month from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning. OVD-Info, which specializes in tracking police …
(2021-01-31). Not to back off any sanctions, cast new deal as a treaty. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 31 (MNA) — The Heritage Foundation is an American conservative think tank in Washington, DC which has a significant influence on US public policymaking.
(2021-01-31). Italian workers and students stage countrywide protests. peoplesdispatch.org Trade unionists and students took part in a general strike demanding safety and rights at their workplaces and educational institutions. The protesting workers also sought an end to layoffs and dismissals and guaranteed wages for the unemployed…
(2021-01-30). George Floyd "narrated his death," says attorney at International Inquiry. mronline.org 
George Floyd, who was publicly tortured and lynched by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020, narrated his own death, legendary civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump told the International Commission of Inquiry on Systemic Racist Police Violence Against People of African Descent in the United States at its January 25 hearing.
(2021-01-30). Health workers, students and teachers rise up for their rights in Greece. peoplesdispatch.org Health workers demanded fresh investment in the sector to combat the pandemic while students and teachers opposed the deployment of security forces on university campuses…
(2021-01-30). Pentagon halts plan to give Covid-19 vaccination to Gitmo detainees after wave of outrage from conservatives. rt.com 
Following a recent report that the Biden administration planned on vaccinating detainees at Guantanamo Bay before millions of Americans caused outrage, the Pentagon has announced the plan has been "paused." | "No Guantanamo detainees have been vaccinated," Defense Department Press Secretary John Kirby tweeted on Saturday. "We're pausing the plan to move forward, as we review force protection protocols. We remain committed to our obligations to keep our troops safe." | No Guantanamo detainees have been vaccinated. We're pausing the plan to move forward, as we review force protection protocols. We remain committ…
(2021-01-30). What is a continuing nuisance? ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Harrison Jalla and others v. (1) Shell International Trading and Shipping Company (2) Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited [2021[ EWCA Civ 63 — read judgment A traditional phrase in the common law, such as "continuing nuisance", may mean a number of things in different contexts, as we will see clearly from this oil …
(2021-01-30). Houthis hail Italy's block of arms sales to Saudi, UAE. yenisafak.com Yemen's Houthi rebels have welcomed an Italian decision to suspend the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)."Italy's announcement of halting arms sales to the countries that are engaged in an aggression on Yemen is a positive move," rebel spokesman Mohamed Abdel-Salam said on Twitter.He said the move would "contribute to protecting [Yemeni] civilians and support the peace process".On Friday, Italy's Foreign Ministry announced blocking exports of arms to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, following warnings by activists and lawmakers about the use of weapons in violation of human rights in Yemen…
(2021-01-30). Rohingya relocation: Bangladesh moves 4th group. yenisafak.com Amid constant opposition and concerns by international communities and rights defenders on safety grounds, Bangladesh on Saturday relocated the fourth batch of Rohingya refugees to a remote island in its southern sea, according to official sources.A total of 1,463 members of the persecuted community began the journey to the Bhasan Char island from the country's main port city Chattogram by naval ships."All concrete houses are fully prepared to house the new arrivals. Actually, we are ready to resettle all 100,000 Rohingya at the cluster houses on the island as per the government's initiatives," Commodore Abdullah…
(2021-01-30). Despite new Biden administration, US-China friction could remain high. yenisafak.com Chinese-US relations during the Donald Trump years went from bad to worse, but experts believe friction could climb even higher under new President Joe Biden.Besides an ongoing trade war, conflict of interests continue over a range of issues including human rights abuses against China's minority Uighurs, the status of Taiwan, national security legislation in Hong Kong, and military expansion in the South China Sea.Mushahid Hussain Sayed, a Pakistani senator for the capital Islamabad, said there would be no drastic change in the US perception of China as a competitor, but that the new president would like to engag…
(2021-01-30). Amnesty slams Houthi ban on Yemeni women. yenisafak.com Amnesty International has condemned a Houthi decision banning Yemeni women from working in restaurants, calling it "shameful and discriminatory".In a thread on its Twitter account, the human rights organization said it stands with all Yemeni women "in their fight for their rights"."Institutionalizing discrimination increases oppression on women and impedes the foundation for sustainable and gender-equitable recovery and reconstruction in Yemen," it said.Amnesty stressed that UN efforts to achieve a "peaceful reconciliation" in Yemen are impossible "without safeguarding and protecting women's rights".There was no…
(2021-01-30). UN Independent Expert: 'This Is How The Human Rights Industry Works'. popularresistance.org Indeed, a "human rights industry" exists, and many officials of the UN's Office of the High Commissioner [for Human Rights], diplomats, activists from non-governmental organisations, human rights teachers, and, of course, also many "independent experts" and rapporteurs are more or less opportunistic. | These people consider themselves "better" than others, but do not necessarily feel solidarity with the victims of human rights violations. Some of my bosses were models of integrity and professionalism, such as Professor Theo van Boven, Professor Kurt Herndl, Judge Jakob Muller, or High Commissioners Bertrand Ramch…