(2021-08-13). Heroes or Murderers? Colombian Government Defends its Mercenaries. orinocotribune.com The government of Iván Duque this week spoke up in defense of the Colombian mercenaries who assassinated Haiti's president Jovenel MoàØse at his official residence in Port-au-Prince on July 7. | PSUV deputy Diosdado Cabello, during his television program Con el Mazo Dando, referred to statements issued by Colombian officials who, before multilateral organizations, decided to intercede in favor of the former Colombian military personnel involved in the assassination. | "The latest is that the [Colombian] Ombudsperson's Office asked the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the OAS for precautionary measu…
(2021-08-13). Venezuela Rejects Accusations of Former ICC Prosecutor as Worthless. orinocotribune.com This Thursday, August 12, Venezuela's Public Ministry (MP) rejected as worthless the accusations issued by the former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, after she irresponsibly ignored the collaboration of the Venezuelan authorities in the Venezuela I case filed by the near-defunct Lima Group accusing Venezuelan authorities of human rights violations. | From his Twitter account, the Attorney General of Venezuela Tarek William Saab published a statement in which he repudiated the statement of the former ICC prosecutor regarding the preliminary examination underway on Venezuela.
(2021-08-13). Venezuela Rejects Accusations Of Former ICC Prosecutor. popularresistance.org This Thursday, August 12, Venezuela's Public Ministry (MP) rejected as worthless the accusations issued by the former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, after she irresponsibly ignored the collaboration of the Venezuelan authorities in the Venezuela I case filed by the near-defunct Lima Group accusing Venezuelan authorities of human rights violations. | From his Twitter account, the Attorney General of Venezuela Tarek William Saab published a statement in which he repudiated the statement of the former ICC prosecutor regarding the preliminary examination underway on Venezuela.
(2021-08-13). Two Years After the Largest Workplace Raid in U.S. History, a Path Forward for Undocumented Workers. ips-dc.org Immigration agents arrested over 600 undocumented workers at a poultry plant in Jackson, Mississippi two years ago in what remains the On the two-year anniversary of that raid, immigrant rights advocates are demanding that U.S. officials take action to repair the harms inflicted on the workers and their communities. | Some 230 of the workers have already been deported but another 400 are still waiting for their day in court. And while they wait, many are unable to provide for themselves because…
(2021-08-13). Cops illegally took his camera … but they weren't ready for what happened next. therealnews.com 
Holding police accountable requires defending the First Amendment right to put them on camera. This is why Philip Turner, known on YouTube as The Battousai, fought to solidify that right in Turner v. Driver, a 2017 case decided by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. However, a shocking video shows Texas police ignoring the law, detaining Turner, and confiscating his video equipment. What the officers didn't realize is that the case law resulting from the Turner v. Driver decision not only protects citizens' right to film the police, but was named after the very man whose rights they were violatin…
(2021-08-13). Has AU Declared War on Member States by Granting Israel 'Observer Status'? orinocotribune.com By Iqbal Jassat — Aug 9, 2021 | In the midst of a full-blown controversy sparked by a decision to allow Israel "observer status" at the African Union, it is crucial to note that the Zionist colonial settler regime hasn't halted its violent plunder of Palestinian rights while relentlessly pushing ahead with illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. | Strange as it sounds, the bizarre fact is that the unauthorized permission by the AU Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat has resulted in leaders of the African continent facing divisive consequences of a rash, unwise and problematic decision.
(2021-08-13). Israeli cities impose beach apartheid on Palestinians. electronicintifada.net Civil rights group slams "illegal measures" on the pretext of coronavirus.
(2021-08-13). Health workers' right to strike under threat. peoplesdispatch.org Some governments have taken the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to limit people's rights, including workers' right to organize. Across the world, health workers who have organized strikes and other actions have faced repression and threats.
(2021-08-13). Lawmakers Aren't "Progressive" If They Ignore Palestinian Rights. orinocotribune.com By Souzan Naser & Hatem Abudayyeh — Aug 9, 2021 | Even after years of dedicated judo training, both Mohamed Abdalarasool from Sudan and Fethi Nourine from Algeria refused to compete in the Tokyo Olympics when they were slated to perform against an Israeli athlete. In an official statement, Nourine said to an Algerian TV station, "We worked a lot to reach the Olympics… but the Palestinian cause is bigger than all of this." This gesture of sacrifice and solidarity with Palestinians oppressed by Israel earned Abdalarasool and Nourine hero status in the Arab world and beyond. | In another refreshing move, corp…
(2021-08-13). IDF Veterans Issue Report About Settler Violence Against Palestinians In The West Bank. southfront.org 
Illustrative Image | Written by Dr. Leon Tressell. | There is a broad consensus amongst international institutions that Israel remains the occupying power in Gaza and the West Bank. The Hague regulations of 1907 and the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 impose certain rights and obligations upon any nation that is illegally occupying a territory. | In December 1975 the United Nations General assembly passed a resolution which recited that "any military occupation however temporary" constituted "an act of aggression…
(2021-08-13). Saturday 8/28: Woman's Rights Day online event. indybay.org Zoom Event. Register at http: //tinyurl.com/WRD-RW…
(2021-08-12). UN Experts Urge US to Withdraw Illegal 'Sanctions' Against Venezuela. orinocotribune.com On Wednesday, August 11, the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, disclosed a statement issued by United Nations human rights experts who qualified US illegal unilateral "sanctions" as punishment against an innocent population and urged the cessation of these actions that violate the rule of law in Venezuela and other countries. | In a post on his official Twitter account @jaarreaza, the senior official added that "there is no doubt that this is a crime against humanity that the Prosecutor's Office of the International Criminal Court must investigate." | Likewise, the s…
(2021-08-12). China Issues Report on Human Rights Protection and Social Gains. telesurenglish.net China on Thursday presented a report highlighting its achievements in protecting the human rights of its citizens while promoting the construction of a prosperous society, a dream come true this year. | The White Paper was released by the State Council Information Office on Thursday titled "Moderate Prosperity in All Respects: Another Milestone Achieved in China's Human Rights," the white paper was released by the State Council Information Office on Thursday. It introduces China's practices and achievements in realizing moderate prosperity and advancing human rights: ending extreme poverty and securing the rig…
(2021-08-12). Rights groups ask Canada to stop its weapon sales to Saudi Arabia. peoplesdispatch.org The Justin Trudeau-led government in Canada has repeatedly ignored similar calls in the past, claiming that "there is no serious risk" of its military equipment being used for human rights violations in Yemen…
(2021-08-12). ISIS Cells Carried Out New Attacks In Central Syria, Casualties Reported. southfront.org 
File image. | ISIS cells in Syria's central region continue to launch attacks against government forces and their allies despite facing heavy military pressure. | On August 12, two Syrian fighters of an Iranian-backed pro-government group were killed when an improvised explosive device planted by ISIS exploded near them in the al-Bishri Mount on the administrative border between Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. | On the same day, ISIS cells attacked posts of the National Defen…
(2021-08-12). ACLU Sues DC, Cops Over Attacks on Journalists at 2020 Racial Justice Protests. commondreams.org "It is highly dangerous and irresponsible to allow the surveillance technology and trade sector to operate as a human rights-free zone."
(2021-08-12). Behind the 'China Panic' in Australia. greenleft.org.au Chris Slee reviews David Brophy's new book, which looks behind the fear campaign about China, and the issues of human rights, the US-Australia alliance and economic rivalries.
(2021-08-12). Russia Condemns US Groundless Accusations Against Alex Saab. telesurenglish.net On Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned the situation facing the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, who has been arbitrarily detained in Cape Verde because of an extradition request to the United States. | RELATED: | "The practice of apprehending citizens of other countries… in third countries on trumped-up charges by U.S. law enforcement has become America's infamous 'calling card'," Deputy Director…
(2021-08-12). BREAKING: Russian Top Hypersonic Scientist Detained On High-Treason Charges. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On August 12, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Professor Alexander Kuranov in Moscow. He is one of Russian top hypersonic scientists and is suspected of passing state secrets to foreign countries in recent years. | The Moscow court confirmed that the FSB had sent a request for his arrest for two months. A preventive measure will be chosen by the court later on August 12. Cases of treason are classified as "secret": the court considers them in closed doors, only the senten…
(2021-08-12). Generations of Struggle: Lessons on Defending Democracy. juancole.com 
By Liz Theoharis | — ( Tomdispatch.com ) — My father, Athan G. Theoharis, passed away on July 3rd. A leading expert on the FBI, he was responsible for exposing the bureau's widespread abuses of power. He was a loyal husband, dedicated father, scholar, civil libertarian, and voting-rights advocate with an indefatigable commitment to defending …
(2021-08-12). Confederated Salish And Kootenai Win The Day. popularresistance.org Congratulations to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on their recent acquisition of the National Bison Range. | In September 2018, I made my first official trip as assistant secretary-Indian affairs to the homelands of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The purpose of the trip was to learn about the irrigation project on the Flathead Reservation. I learned about the challenges with rate setting, aging infrastructure, the differing needs of Indian and non-Indian water users, water rights, the history behind the project and the need for a fair and just water claims settlement with the federal go…
(2021-08-12). Mexico Declares Drought Emergency. telesurenglish.net The National Water Commission (CONAGUA) on Wednesday declared the beginning of an emergency because of the occurrence of severe, extreme, or exceptional drought in the Mexican watersheds. | RELATED: | This declaration will allow the authorities to establish transitory measures to guarantee the provision of water for domestic use, in urban cities, and in basins in drought conditions. These measures include limiting existing water rights and reducing the v…
(2021-08-12). UN Rights Experts Warn Sanctions 'Hold Back' Development as PDVSA Output Slides Again. venezuelanalysis.com "The punishment of innocent civilians must end," urged UN Special Rapporteurs, calling for immediate sanctions relief for all countries affected.
(2021-08-12). Minneapolis Public Schools and teachers union pursue agreement to prioritize race in hiring and firing. wsws.org The measure's aim, in line with the Democratic Party's program of identity politics, is to undermine legislation passed during the Civil Rights movement which outlawed racial discrimination, render seniority rights moot, and stoke divisions among educators, parents and students.
(2021-08-12). Wisconsin on Track for Another 'Wolf Slaughter,' Sparking Calls for Federal Protections. commondreams.org "If President Biden and Senator Schumer truly care about ending the war on voting rights they have to use their political will to abolish the filibuster and pass the For the People Act immediately," said one organizer.
(2021-08-12). After Pegasus Exposé, UN Rights Experts Urge Moratorium on 'Life-Threatening' Spyware. commondreams.org In a first-of-its-kind ruling during the Covid-19 pandemic, Justice Amy Coney Barrett dismissed an emergency appeal from students opposed to the school's requirement.
(2021-08-12). Texas House speaker issues arrest warrants for missing Democrats in bid to pass anti-voting rights bill. wsws.org The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a restraining order that protected Democratic lawmakers from being forced into the Texas House chamber.
(2021-08-12). Family of John Lewis Joins Demand That Biden Kill Filibuster to Defend Voting Rights. commondreams.org "Blue hydrogen has large climatic consequences. We see no way that blue hydrogen can be considered 'green,'" says the report.
(2021-08-12). US Civil Rights Groups Escalate Pressure on Biden to Keep Prisoners at Home Amid Pandemic. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Barrington M. Salmon – A coalition of criminal justice activists is upping its campaign to prevent the Biden administration from forcing thousands of inmates to return to prison as COVID-19 infections continue to surge, Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) President Kevin Ring said.
(2021-08-12). Incarcerated and disabled: Keeping the struggle alive 'behind the wall'. workers.org 
The following was excerpted from a July 29 webinar held by the Disability Justice and Rights Caucus of Workers World Party that emphasized the interconnections between the struggles of disabled people and incarcerated people. Caucus members participating were comrades Betsey Piette, Brian Shea and mYia X. The entire webinar can . . . |
(2021-08-12). Unilateral sanctions against Venezuela "crime against humanity": FM. ecns.cn Imposing unilateral sanctions against Venezuela and other countries is "a crime against humanity" that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court must investigate, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza said Wednesday.
(2021-08-12). Russia and Venezuela to implement energy security joint projects. mronline.org 
Russia's Rostec will provide "advanced technology" and train Venezuelan personnel to recover the country's sanctions-hit power facilities.
(2021-08-12). Workers at Motherson plant in southern India mount indefinite strike for decent food, better conditions. wsws.org The Maoist-led union at Motherson's plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu only sanctioned the strike to contain growing worker opposition over poverty wages and a brutal work regime.