(2020-10-08). Using human rights to promote war: debunking UN's new Venezuela report. mronline.org 
Red Lines host Anya Parampil debunks a new report issued by the UN Human Right's Council which accuses Venezuela's government of "crimes against humanity". Transcript below.
(2020-10-08). The Uyghur Issue: How Can the U.S. Dare Lecturing China About the Rights of the Muslims? globalresearch.ca This article by the late Andre Vltchek was first published in 2019. | In 2019, I have written a long analysis about "the Uyghur issue"; analysis which will be soon published as a book. | For some time, I have been warning …
(2020-10-08). Palestinian administrative detainee critical after over 70 days on hunger strike. peoplesdispatch.org Maher Akhras launched his hunger strike shortly after being arrested by the Israeli authorities on July 27. Doctors are now force-feeding him in an attempt to forcibly end his hunger strike…
(2020-10-08). Resisting Corona "New Normal" Oppression: Every Civil Rights Movement Begins with a Shunned 5%. globalresearch.ca After a TV interview on
(2020-10-08). Labor Unions File UN Complaint Over 'Outrageous' Violations Of Workers' Rights. popularresistance.org United States labor leaders representing workers in several trade unions on Wednesday filed a complaint with the United Nations' labor agency, making the case that under the Trump administration, the U.S. has violated numerous international labor laws during the coronavirus pandemic. | The AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) filed the complaint in Geneva, home of the International Labor Organization (ILO), a U.N. institution dedicated to protecting workers' rights related to workplace safeguards and collective bargaining.
(2020-10-08). Tuesday 10/27: Gretchen Sorin: Driving While Black: African-American Travel & Civil Rights. indybay.org Online webinar…
(2020-10-08). Matters of International Justice: Challenging Trump's ICC Sanctions. globalresearch.ca On September 2, US sanctions — the sort normally reserved for fully fledged terrorists and decorated drug traffickers — were imposed on the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda and her colleague Phakiso Mochochoko, head of …
(2020-10-07). Center Applauds UN's Adoption of Landmark Resolution on Women's and Girls' Human Rights in Humanitarian Situations. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-10-07). Drop All Charges Against Activists And Protestors. popularresistance.org I add my voice to the millions here in our country and throughout the world who call for an end to fascist-driven police violence and repression in Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities. | Whether we call for community control, defunding, or ultimate abolition of the police, we are united in our demand for an immediate end to the state-sanctioned racist violence that routinely claims the lives of so many of our people. | Although many of us have protested, demonstrated, and organized over the decades to end racism and all its inequalities, injustices and collective pain, we have never experienced anything like…
(2020-10-07). Hearts on Fire for the 43 of Ayoztinapa. counterpunch.org 
Six years after the Night of Iguala, the case of the 43 perhaps stands as the litmus test in determining the nature of the Mexican State. What will prevail? A viable State committed to human rights, justice and democracy or an endlessly corrupted and brutal version of it?
(2020-10-07). Saudi trial resumes for Palestinian Hamas members detained by kingdom. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi trial resumes for Palestinian Hamas members detained by kingdom | At least 68 Palestinians – including veteran Hamas middleman Mohammed al-Khoudary – are standing trial on unknown charges with no access to lawyers, right group says | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 12: 18 | Mohammed Saleh al-Khoudary, and his eldest Hani have been in a Saudi prison since April 2019 (Screengrab) | Rights groups continue to raise the al…
(2020-10-07). National strike: Indonesia rises up against new anti-worker law. liberationnews.org 
Hundreds of thousands of workers and students in Indonesia have taken to the streets in a powerful wave of strikes and demonstrations opposing the enactment of a new set of laws that would dramatically weaken the rights of the working class and environmental protections. The government of president Joko Widodo pushed through this "omnibus" act …
(2020-10-07). Voting rights: 'Capitalist charity' vs workers' democracy. workers.org 
During this U.S. election season, many people are still fighting to get access to the universal bourgeois right to vote, supposedly a cornerstone of capitalist "democracy." It's been an uphill struggle since 1776 when only propertied white men who were Protestants could legally vote. Everyone else was denied — Catholics, . . . |
(2020-10-07). Germany, France & UK to propose sanctions on Russia over alleged poisoning of opposition figure Navalny. rt.com 
Germany, France and the UK will push for EU sanctions on Russian individuals over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, saying they see no other "credible explanation" for the incident than Moscow's involvement. | The proposals will target "individuals deemed responsible for this crime and breach of international norms" as well as "an entity involved in the Novichok program," the French and German foreign ministries said in a joint statement on Wednesday. | "No credible explanation has been provided by Russia so far. In this context, we consider that there is no other plausible explanation fo…
(2020-10-07). Germany & France will ask EU allies to place fresh sanctions on Russia over alleged poisoning of opposition figure Navalny. rt.com Germany and France will push for targeted EU sanctions against certain Russian individuals over the alleged poisoning of opposition figure Alexey Navalny. They insist the only explanation for the incident is state involvement. | NATO member Britain will also back the proposals which will focus on "individuals deemed responsible for this crime and breach of international norms," as well as "an entity involved in the Novichok program," the French and German foreign ministries said in a joint statement on Wednesday. | "No credible explanation has been provided by Russia so far. In this context, we consider that t…
(2020-10-07). Russian monastery run by excommunicated criminal cop-turned-monk under investigation for torture & systematic beating of children. rt.com 
Russian authorities have opened a child torture criminal case against the Sredneuralsk Convent, an Orthodox Christian community run by the controversial excommunicated monk Sergius. The clergyman already has a murder conviction. |
(2020-10-07). British MPs probe 'disappearance' of senior Saudi royals. middleeasteye.net 
British MPs probe 'disappearance' of senior Saudi royals | Six months after arrests, lawmakers seeks answers about princes considered rivals to powerful crown prince | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 11: 48 | Former Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef (R, with current Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman) was arrested in March with little known publicly about his detention (AFP) | A group of British MPs and lawyers have launc…
(2020-10-07). UN Human Rights Council Passes Dual Venezuela Resolutions. venezuelanalysis.com One resolution extends UN cooperation and has Caracas' consent, while the other extends a controversial Washington-backed mission.
(2020-10-07). Bangladesh erupts against repeated incidents of sexual abuse against women. peoplesdispatch.org On October 5, Monday, hundreds of people protested in Shahbag area of Bangladeshi capital Dhaka after a video of a woman being gangraped and tortured by at least nine men went viral on social media. The incident reportedly took place in Noakhali district's Begumganj upazila on September 2. The victim's 65-year-old father was also assaulted by some of the alleged rapists at his house in Jagannathpur upazila of Sumangunj, as per reports. | Protesters on Monday carried banners demanding the resignation of home minister Asadduzzam Khan for the government's failure to stop sexual violence against women in the country.
(2020-10-07). The Other Americans: Police Violence Isn't Just on the Rise in the United States. progressive.org Decades of police brutality in Guatemala have led to an all-time high in human rights violations and other forms of police violence amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-10-07). Texas police officer charged with murder after shooting and killing unarmed black man. wsws.org Jonathan Price intervened to prevent a fight inside a convenience store. When police officer Shaun Lucas attempted to detain Price, he stunned him with a Taser and shot him three times.
(2020-10-07). At the Polls, Episode 4: What Does it Take to Get Younger Voters to the Polls? aclu.org The younger you are, the less likely you are to vote. At least, that's been the
(2020-10-07). Belarus: 'There is no sustainable development without human rights' – a UN Resident Coordinator blog. news.un.org Belarus has been rocked by mass demonstrations, and violent state crackdowns, since the disputed August presidential election that saw Alexander Lukashenko returned to power. In this blog, Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki, the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus, explains what the unrest means for the Organization.
(2020-10-07). What To Do If Someone Threatens You At The Polls. popularresistance.org On this episode of As the South Votes, Anoa breaks down voter intimidation and steps you can take to safeguard yourself and others during the election process. This is the first presidential election where the GOP is not restricted by a consent decree banning ballot security activities and the second presidential election without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act. Documenting and reporting voter intimidation efforts is important to protecting the rights of voters and the political process as a whole.
(2020-10-07). Ex-Jail Employees Charged for Allegedly Blasting 'Baby Shark' on Loop at US Detention Center. sputniknews.com Two ex-detention officers and a supervisor at Oklahoma's Oklahoma County Jail allegedly subjected prisoners to hours of the children's tune "Baby Shark" on loop.
(2020-10-07). US Labor Unions File UN Complaint Accusing Trump Administration of "Outrageous" Violations of Workers' Rights Amid Pandemic. commondreams.org Covid-19 "has demonstrated that not only is the U.S. violating workers' rights, but those violations are resulting in people dying." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-07). Facebook to Ban Political Ads After Polls Close on Nov. 3, 'Just in Time to Have No Impact Whatsoever'. commondreams.org Critics noted that the social media giant also recently announced an algorithm change that could "make the site more toxic and less usable while endangering democracy and human rights." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-06). Shutting Down AFRICOM, International Solidarity And The US Elections. popularresistance.org October 1, 2020, marked the twelfth anniversary of AFRICOM, the United States military's presence in Africa. An international day of action was organized to call for AFRICOM to be shut down and for the US to stop interfering in Africa. Ajamu Baraka, a human rights defender and the national organizer of the Black Alliance for Peace, which coordinated the day of action, speaks about the history of AFRICOM and its impact on the continent. He also discusses why it's necessary to be anti-imperialist and to have an internationalist perspective, the changing power dynamics in the world, the upcoming elections in the Uni…
(2020-10-06). The Assange Extradition Case is an Unprecedented Attack on Press Freedom, So Why's the Media Largely Ignoring It? counterpunch.org 
The Assange case creates a precedent that mortally threatens freedom of the press in Britain. If Assange is extradited then any journalist who publishes information that the American authorities deem to be classified, however well-known or harmless it may be, will risk being extradited to face trial in America. The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, says that non-Americans like Assange do not enjoy First Amendment rights to free expression.
(2020-10-06). Julian Assange's Extradition Hearing: The Only Just Outcome Is His Freedom. dissidentvoice.org 
The testimony portion of the extradition hearing of Julian Assange, taking place in the United Kingdom, concluded after four weeks. Judge Vanessa Baraitser, who presided over the hearing, will not announce her decision until January. Until then, Assange will remain in detention in Belmarsh Prison. Under conditions that violated Assange's rights and his ability to …
(2020-10-06). Breaking The Cycle Of Colonization. popularresistance.org Indigenous peoples have suffered and continue to suffer from historic injustices as a result of dehumanization and racism and the colonization and dispossession of their lands, territories and resources, preventing them from exercising, in particular, their right of self-determination in accordance with their own needs and interests, extending to their rights affirmed in treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements entered into with the United States and its several States. We must address the urgent need to respect and promote their inherent rights as peoples.
(2020-10-06). US Supreme Court hears case of Muslims put on No Fly list for refusing to spy. middleeasteye.net 
US Supreme Court hears case of Muslims put on No Fly list for refusing to spy | Lawyer representing Muslim men tells court his clients are entitled to monetary damages, which he argued would deter future abuse of religious rights | Tue, 10/06/2020 – 21: 18 | Muslim advocates have described the use of the No Fly list as a violation of due process and equal treatment under the law (AFP) | More than 13 years ago, FB…
(2020-10-06). UN delays Libya rights investigation due to lack of funds. middleeasteye.net 
UN delays Libya rights investigation due to lack of funds | Announcement follows MEE report revealing widespread evidence of war crimes yet to be investigated by international bodies | Tue, 10/06/2020 – 13: 01 | The UN resolution to send a fact-finding mission to Libya was supported by the government in Tripoli (AFP) | The United Nations said it does not have enough funds to investigate hu…
(2020-10-06). Pandemic forces NLRB's General Counsel to 'get religion' on labor law enforcement. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—When it comes to workers' rights, Peter Robb, the National Labor Relations Board's General Counsel and its top enforcement official, seems to have "got religion" on that basic labor law goal. It only took the coronavirus pandemic to force his hand. And while Robb issued a stern memo to the agency's regions, warning them of …
(2020-10-06). Minor League baseball players get a SCOTUS win; voting rights a loss. peoplesworld.org 
At this very moment, the United States is staring down the barrel of a gun. As we inch closer to Election Day 2020, the country is seeing an uptick in coronavirus cases. Our voting rights are under siege by GOP operatives misguided by their impression that winning trumps democracy, and the highest court in the land is on the …
(2020-10-06). Human rights groups press Germany to investigate sarin gas attacks in Syria. middleeasteye.net 
Human rights groups press Germany to investigate sarin gas attacks in Syria | The criminal complaint includes an investigation into how Syrian officials ordered the use of sarin gas against civilians | Tue, 10/06/2020 – 10: 41 | The chemical attacks in Eastern Ghouta and Khan Sheikhoun killed at least 1,500 people (AFP) | Human rights groups submitted a criminal complaint to the German courts on Monday t…
(2020-10-06). Israeli-made cluster bombs used by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, says Amnesty. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli-made cluster bombs used by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, says Amnesty | The rights group says widely-banned weaponry has been fired on residential areas of breakaway region | Tue, 10/06/2020 – 14: 10 | A picture shows an unexploded rocket in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region's main city of Stepanakert on 6 October 2020 (AFP) | Israeli-made cluster bombs are being used by Azerbaijan against civili…
(2020-10-06). UK says 'we haven't yet attributed' Navalny's alleged poisoning to Kremlin, but Moscow must 'ANSWER'. rt.com 
The UK is undecided on what action to take against Moscow over the alleged poisoning of opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, claiming it hinges on the findings of chemical arms watchdog the OPCW. | "We haven't yet attributed" what happened to anti-corruption activist Navalny "to the FSB [Russia's Federal Security Service] or the Russian state, but I think there is an incredibly strong case for Moscow to answer," Raab told a parliamentary committee, on Tuesday. | As for possible sanctions, the Foreign Secretary said the United Kingdom will have to consider what further action i…
(2020-10-06). OPCW says it found traces of Novichok-class substance in blood & urine samples of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny. rt.com 
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said Tuesday that it's found evidence of a poisonous substance from the Novichok group in blood and urine samples of Russian anti-corruption activist Alexey Navalny. | As a result, the German government — which requested the study — says it intends to work out a response in collaboration with other European Union members. It looks likely that the situation will lead to a new front opening in the sanctions war. On Saturday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he expected the EU to impose penalties against Russia if the presence of Nov…
(2020-10-06). UK academic Matthew Hedges slams UAE general's bid to head Interpol. middleeasteye.net 
UK academic Matthew Hedges slams UAE general's bid to head Interpol | Hedges was detained by the Emirati government in 2018 and says he was kept in solitary confinement and subject to torture | Tue, 10/06/2020 – 17: 46 | Hedges was detained in 2018 when on a doctoral research trip to the Gulf state (AFP/File photo) | A British academic previously jailed in the United Arab Emirates on espionage charges has crit…
(2020-10-06). Netanyahu's aggressive missteps are handing his rivals the initiative. middleeasteye.net 
Netanyahu's aggressive missteps are handing his rivals the initiative | Failing to quash protests through lockdown restrictions, the prime minister has encouraged security forces to look to Palestine for inspiration | Tue, 10/06/2020 – 14: 30 | Police officers detain a person as Israelis protest against legislation banning them from holding demonstrations more than 1 km from their homes (Reuters) | Israe…
(2020-10-06). The Supreme Court Will Hear a Case That Could Destroy What Remains of the Voting Rights Act. zcomm.org And Republicans are poised to gain a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court.
(2020-10-06). Greek trade unionists, peace activists protest visit of NATO Secretary General. peoplesdispatch.org NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's visit to Greece and Turkey comes in the backdrop of escalating tensions between the two countries over maritime and energy rights in the Eastern Mediterranean region…
(2020-10-06). UN rights chief urges Iran to release jailed human rights defenders, citing COVID-19 risk. news.un.org The top UN rights official has called on Iran to release imprisoned human rights defenders, lawyers and political prisoners, citing deep concerns over their situation and heightened risk of contracting COVID-19.
(2020-10-06). Starvation used as weapon of war in South Sudan conflict, UN rights body finds. news.un.org Starvation is being intentionally used as a war tactic in South Sudan's brutal conflict, a UN-backed human rights panel said on Tuesday, releasing its latest report on the country.
(2020-10-06). Human Rights Defenders Sue German Parliament Over Anti-BDS Resolution. popularresistance.org Three human rights defenders are mounting a court challenge to the German parliament's resolution condemning BDS — the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement for Palestinian rights. | The BDS supporters are suing the German parliament for violation of their rights to freedom of expression and assembly. | Based on the widely criticized IHRA definition that is promoted by Israel and its lobby, the resolution passed by the Bundestag in May 2019 smears BDS activism as anti-Semitic.
(2020-10-06). Goal of Campaign Around Navalny Is to Create Pretext for Sanctions Against Russia – Envoy. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The goal of the campaign around Russian political opposition figure Alexei Navalny is to create a pretext for additional sanctions against Russia, said Alexander Shulgin, Russia's Permanent Envoy to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), at the 95th session of the organization's Executive Council.
(2020-10-06). UK plans to detain refugees on prison ships. wsws.org Repressive anti-immigration policies, in Britain and Australia alike, have been built up over decades by all political representatives of the ruling class.
(2020-10-05). Learn About Where the Cobb County Sheriff Candidates Land on Civil Liberties Issues. aclu.org 
The Cobb County Detention Center is in crisis. Fifty people have died in custody since 2003, and others have experienced deadly neglect, misconduct by deputies, inhumane conditions, extended lockdowns, and inadequate medical care. The sheriff's office also works with Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a program to detain immigrants who live in Cobb County, splitting apart families and promoting racial profiling. To make an informed decision, make sure you know where the candidates land on the issues. | ACLU of Georgia asked the candidates: | IssuesCraig OwensNeil Warren (inc.) | Has pledged to e…
(2020-10-05). Privatization agenda for Trump isn't just about capitalism; it's about assaulting civil rights. peoplesworld.org 
Walking down Main Street, couples, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, cannot be legally denied the right to hold hands, share a hug, or kiss—if Main Street is part of the public square, that is. Move Main Street onto private property, in our America that as a general rule gives precedence to property rights …