2019-01-29: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

86% of Venezuelans Oppose Military Intervention, 81% Against US Sanctions, Local Polling Shows
Ben Norton | grayzoneproject.com | 2019-01-29
The vast majority of Venezuelans oppose military intervention and US sanctions to try to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power,… | The post 86% of Venezuelans Oppose Military Intervention, 81% Against US Sanctions, Local Polling Shows appeared first on The Grayzone.
grayzoneproject.com/2019/01/29/venezuelans-oppose-intervention-us-sanctions-poll/

2-year-old expelled by mall, community demands disability rights
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-01-29
Wyoming, MI – Discrimination against a two-year-old girl with a disability brought close to 150 people to Rogers Plaza Town Center for "Walking with Claire" on January 27. | On a Sunday afternoon, the normally empty mall was filled with family, friends and disability rights activists wearing, "Walking with Claire" t-shirts. Some held signs reading, "Disabled lives matter!" and "We heart our community! Everybody belongs!" | The large crowd gathered to walk slowly behind Claire and her parents, Andrew Dykstra and Hiliary Goddard-Dykstra, to the far end of the mall. There everyone sat down on the floor together to r…
fightbacknews.org/2019/1/28/2-year-old-expelled-mall-community-demands-disability-rights

Defying War and Defining Peace in Afghanistan
Kathy Kelly | zcomm.org | 2019-01-29
We in the U.S. have much to learn from Afghan women human rights advocates and the People's Peace Movement regarding the futility of war…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/defying-war-and-defining-peace-in-afghanistan/

Sudan intelligence chief orders release of protest detainees
aljazeera | aljazeera.com | 2019-01-29
Decision to free those arrested during protests comes as international pressure mounts over handling of demonstrations.
aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/sudan-intelligence-chief-orders-release-protest-detainees-190129174941793.html

Animals Scored Significant Victories With the 2018 Farm Bill
Sara Amundson | commondreams.org | 2019-01-29
While Big Agriculture with its factory farming model is not too kind as a general rule, the Farm Bill did right by animals in several important respects. (Photo: Farm Sanctuary/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
commondreams.org/views/2019/01/29/animals-scored-significant-victories-2018-farm-bill?cd-origin=rss

George Orwell's Message in a Bottle
David N. Smith | counterpunch.org | 2019-01-29
Last June the United States became the only nation to withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council, which a Trump official called a "cesspool of political bias." Just one day earlier, the U.N. Human Rights office had called Trump's detention of children at the Mexican border "unconscionable." Three days later, when the U.N. rapporteur…
counterpunch.org/2019/01/29/george-orwells-message-in-a-bottle-2/

Trump Says 58,000 Texans Voted Illegally. Here's What Actually Happened
ACLU | aclu.org | 2019-01-29
Voter fraud is extremely rare. States using unreliable data to justify purges of eligible voters, unfortunately, is not. | The president of the United States is once again spreading unsubstantiated claims about rampant voter fraud and undermining faith in the integrity of our democracy. This time, he's claiming that 95,000 noncitizens were registered to vote in Texas and more than half have actually voted. These numbers,…
aclu.org/blog/voting-rights/fighting-voter-suppression/trump-says-58000-texans-voted-illegally-heres-what

Statistics of 1,400 Days of the Saudi-led Coalition War on Yemen
Yemenpress | globalresearch.ca | 2019-01-29
Ein Insaniah Center for Rights and Development in Sanaa on Wednesday released the latest statistics that included the number of civilian casualties during the 1400 days of the Saudi-led coalition war on Yemen, as well as the loss of infrastructure … | The post Statistics of 1,400 Days of the Saudi-led Coalition War on Yemen appeared first on Global Research.
globalresearch.ca/statistics-of-1400-days-of-the-saudi-led-coalition-war-on-yemen/5666910

Massive Democracy Reform Legislation Gets Its Day In Congress
George Zornick | thenation.com | 2019-01-29
Massive Democracy Reform Legislation Gets Its Day In Congress…
thenation.com/article/hr1-corruption-voting-rights-congress/

China VP Arrives in US For Talks, Huawei Detention Concerns
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-01-29
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He arrived in Washington D.C. on Monday in an attempt to move forward a new round of trade negotiations with the White House despite the extradition request of Huawei CFO sticking out like a sore thumb. | RELATED: | Canada: Gov't Sacks Diplomat Critical of Huawei CFO Extradition | Liu is heading a delegation composed of stat…
telesurenglish.net/news/China-VP-Arrives-in-US-For-Talks-Huawei-Detention-Concerns–20190129-0003.html

China Affirms Support for Venezuela, Condemns Sanctions
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-01-29
China condemned the economic sanctions imposed on Venezuela by the United States and warned that the North American nation must answer for the serious consequences of this measure towards the South American country. | RELATED | Russia, China Caution US Against A Venezuelan Coup | "The sanctions of certain countries against Venezuela will deteriorate the lives of the population. They must be responsible for the serious consequences tha…
telesurenglish.net/news/China-Affirms-Support-for-Venezuela-Condemns-Sanctions-20190129-0010.html

Chapter 4: Online Tourism Companies Doing Business in the Settlements
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/chapter-4-online-tourism-companies-doing-business-in-the-settlements/

US Unveils Criminal Charges Against China's Huawei for Violating Iran Sanctions
Middle East Eye | theantimedia.com | 2019-01-29
(MEE) — The United States announced criminal charges against China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, escalating a fight with the world's biggest telecommunications equipment maker just days before trade talks take place between Washington and Beijing. The Justice Department charged Huawei and its chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on Monday with conspiring to violate US sanctions on Iran …

US Unveils Criminal Charges Against China's Huawei for Violating Iran Sanctions

US accuses Huawei of stealing trade secrets & dodging Iran sanctions
RT | rt.com | 2019-01-29
The US Department of Justice has unsealed two indictments charging the Chinese technology giant Huawei of fraud and conspiracy to steal T-Mobile's robot technology and dodge the US sanctions to do business in Iran. | …
rt.com/usa/450004-usa-charges-huawei-iran-fraud/

Guatemala: Bill could grant immunity for grave crimes
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
Guatemala's Congress could imminently pass a law that would grant an amnesty to those suspected or found guilty of crimes such as genocide, torture, and enforced disappearances during the internal armed conflict (1960-1996). The bill could lead to the release of those found guilty within 24 hours of its approval. It would also lead to the suspension of ongoing investigations into these crimes. Guatemala's Congress must refrain from passing this bill to respect the rights of victims to justice, truth and reparation.
amnesty.org/en/documents/amr34/9750/2019/en/

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amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
–ï–ª–µ–Ω–∞ –°–µ–º–ë–Ω–æ–≤–∞ — –ø–Ä–∞–≤–æ–∑–∞–â–∏–Ç–Ω–∏–Ü–∞ –∏–∑ –ü–∞–≤–ª–æ–¥–∞–Ä–∞, –Ω–∞ –Å–µ–≤–µ–Ä&ndash…
amnesty.org/en/documents/eur57/9754/2019/ru/

Chapter 6: Settlements and Third State Responsibility
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/chapter-6-settlements-and-third-state-responsibility/

Chapter 3: Israeli Settlements and International Law
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/chapter-3-israeli-settlements-and-international-law/

Trump Looks Set to Lock Horns With Europe Over Iran Nuclear Deal
Middle East Monitor | theantimedia.com | 2019-01-29
(MEMO) — The Trump administration is apparently exasperated at the European Union's bid to bypass US sanctions on Iran. Infuriated by the EU's effort to save the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) agreed in 2015 when Barack Obama was in the White House, Washington has threatened to punish any efforts seeking to circumvent the sanctions. The …

Trump Looks Set to Lock Horns With Europe Over Iran Nuclear Deal

Mozambique: Woman human rights defender facing threats online: Fátima Mimbire
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
Woman human rights defender Fátima Mimbire has been receiving intimidating messages on social media from unknown people since 18 January. These threats began after she took up an active role in the Centre for Public Integrity's (CIP) campaign against the Mozambique government seeking to repay loans it acquired illegally and secretly. There has also been a smear campaign aimed at Fátima on social media in an attempt to further intimidate her and delegitimize her work.
amnesty.org/en/documents/afr41/9744/2019/en/

Chapter 5: Human Rights Violations | Five Case Studies
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/chapter-5-case-studies/

China: Rights Website Founder Sentenced to 5 Years
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2019-01-29
(New York) — Chinese authorities should immediately quash the conviction and unconditionally release the founder of a human rights news website, Human Rights Watch said today. On January 29, 2019, a court in Hubei province sentenced Liu Feiyue to five years in prison after convicting him on charges of "inciting subversion of state power." | Liu Feiyue. | Source: CHRD | Liu, 48, is a veteran activist and founder of Minsheng Guancha (Civil Rights and Livelihood Wat…
hrw.org/news/2019/01/29/china-rights-website-founder-sentenced-5-years

Bolton's Notepad Ominously Reads, "5,000 Troops to Colombia"
Shared by Samantha Borek | truthout.org | 2019-01-29
Intensifying speculation that the Trump administration is serious about its repeated threats of military action against Venezuela if President Nicolas Maduro does not hand over power to a hand-picked member of the nation's opposition coalition, scrawlings on a notebook held by US National Security Advisor John Bolton at a press conference Monday afternoon contained the words: "5,000 troops to Colombia." | The press conference was held to announce new sanctions against Venezuela's state-owned oil company, including the freezing of billions of dollars in assets, but also came with a fresh warning from Bolton tha…
truthout.org/articles/boltons-notepad-ominously-reads-5000-troops-to-colombia/

Afghanistan: Protect human rights defenders
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
Against the backdrop of unrelenting civilian casualties in Afghanistan, Amnesty International called on the government to do more to protect human rights defenders as the country's human rights record was reviewed at the UN Human Rights Council. | At Afghanistan's Universal Periodic Review last week, member states of the UN Human Rights Council emphasized that the Afghan government needs to do more to introduce a protection mechanism for human rights defenders, implement existing laws, enhance women's participation, and protect civilians in conflict. | "There have been some welcome advances when it comes to human…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/01/afghanistan-protect-human-rights-defenders/

.Tell TripAdvisor to pull out of illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
Learn to shoot like a soldier, ride a camel or take a tour of historic sites — all on stolen land! Thanks to help from TripAdvisor, these are all activities you can do when visiting one of the many illegal Israeli settlements. : | TripAdvisor lists more than 70 different properties, activities and attractions in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). By doing so, TripAdvisor is boosting the settlement economy and contributing to settlement expansion. The company's promotion of settlements as a tourist destination helps to "normalise" and legitimise them to the pub…
amnesty.org/en/get-involved/take-action/tripadvisor-occupied-palestine-territories/

A Member of Congress Tried to Go to an Immigration Activist's ICE Check-in. ICE Tried to Block Her
Nick Pinto | theintercept.com | 2019-01-29
"It's a way for ICE to continue doing their work in the shadows, like secret police. It's much easier to detain someone when nobody's watching." | The post A Member of Congress Tried to Go to an Immigration Activist's ICE Check-in. ICE Tried to Block Her. appeared first on The Intercept.
theintercept.com/2019/01/29/ice-ravi-ragbir-yvette-clarke-congress/

PETA leads outrage after killer whale at SeaWorld dies in 'prime of life' from mysterious illness
RT | rt.com | 2019-01-29
Animal rights activists have lambasted SeaWorld, a chain of US amusement parks famous for its circus-style killer whale shows, over the death of a 30-year-old orca, who was apparently killed by a mysterious illness. | …
rt.com/usa/450015-whale-orca-dies-seaworld/

"Very Dangerous": US Seizes Venezuela Oil Assets, Renews Threat of Military Action
Jessica Corbett | theantimedia.com | 2019-01-29
(CD) — The Trump administration intensified its interference in politically-fractured Venezuela on Monday by announcing the seizure of billions of dollars in assets connected to the nation's state-owned oil company, a move critics decried as part of a "dangerous" U.S. policy to help opposition forces overthrow elected president Nicolás Maduro. National Security Adviser John Bolton and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the sanctions …

"Very Dangerous": US Seizes Venezuela Oil Assets, Renews Threat of Military Action

Pakistan: Asia Bibi must finally get her freedom
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
Responding to the Supreme Court's decision to uphold its ruling, again acquitting Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges and ordering her release, Amnesty International's South Asia Campaigner, Rimmel Mohydin, said: | "Asia Bibi must finally get her freedom and an end to her ordeal. After nine years behind bars for a crime she didn't commit, it is difficult to see this long overdue verdict as justice. But she should now be free to reunite with her family and seek safety in a country of her choice. | "The authorities must also resist and investigate any attempts to intimidate the Supreme Court. They have a duty to protect…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/01/pakistan-asia-bibi-must-finally-get-her-freedom/

Iran: Labour rights activists at risk of further torture: Esmail Bakhshi and Sepideh Gholian
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
Iranian labour rights activists Esmail Bakhshi and Sepideh Gholian, who were rearrested on 20 January after speaking out about beatings and other abuse they suffered in detention in late 2018, are at grave risk of further torture. The authorities must release them immediately and unconditionally as they are prisoners of conscious jailed solely on the basis of their peaceful activism in defence of workers' rights.
amnesty.org/en/documents/mde13/9745/2019/en/

South Korea: TV producer held in North Korea for 50 years: Hwang Won
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
Hwang Won, a former TV producer from South Korea, was not allowed to return to his home country after arriving involuntarily to North Korea on a hijacked plane on 11 December 1969. Despite repeated requests from his family, the North Korean authorities have refused to disclose information regarding Hwang Won's vital status or whereabouts for the last 50 years. South Korean authorities must call on the North Korean authorities to provide accurate information on Hwang Won, who will turn 82 this year.
amnesty.org/en/documents/asa25/9751/2019/en/

Chapter 2: The Tourism Industry of the Settlements
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/destination-occupation-chapter-2-tourism-industry-settlements/

Chapter 6: CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY UNDER INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/chapter-7-corporate-responsibility/

Trump administration imposes sanctions on Venezuelan oil industry
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-01-29
The sanctions, which amount to an act of war, were imposed in order to bolster support for a coup among Venezuelan military officers.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/01/29/vene…

UN Rights Expert Independently Investigates Khashoggi Murder
Human Rights Watch | hrw.org | 2019-01-29
Candles lit by activists protesting the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi are placed outside Saudi Arabia's Consulate in Istanbul. | © 2018 Lefteris Pitarakis/AP Photo | The decision by the United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Agnes Callamard, to investigate the brutal killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi shows courage and initiative. It is likely to anger Saudi Arabia and the kingd…
hrw.org/news/2019/01/29/un-rights-expert-independently-investigates-khashoggi-murder

China: Founder of human rights website jailed for five years
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
| Responding to the five-year prison sentence imposed by a Chinese court against Liu Feiyue, founder of human rights website "Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch, for "inciting subversion of state power", Patrick Poon, China Researcher at Amnesty International, commented: | "Today's deplorable verdict against L…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/01/china-liu-feiyue-human-rights-website-founder-jailed/

Trump Warns Europeans Not to Defy US Sanctions Against Iran
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2019-01-29
(ANTIWAR.COM) — With reports that the European Union is close to establishing its trade vehicle for facilitating trade with Iran, the Trump Administration has issued a statement warning them not to defy the US sanctions in any way. The US reimposed sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the P5+1 nuclear deal. EU nations did not withdraw from …

Trump Warns Europeans Not to Defy US Sanctions Against Iran

Chapter 8: Conclusion & Recommendations
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/chapter-8-recommendations/

1. Background: The Israeli Occupation
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/destination-occupation-chapter-1-background/

Kazakhstan: Unprecedented attacks on a human rights defender
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-29
Elena Semionova, a human rights defender in Pavlodar, in Northern Kazakhstan, is being targeted by the Kazakhstani authorities because of her work on behalf of victims of torture. Since 2015 she has been subjected to ongoing harassment ranging from verbal threats to physical violence by police officers and even an arson attack on her house.
amnesty.org/en/documents/eur57/9754/2019/en/

Twitter Explodes Over Male UAE Gender Equality Award Winners
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-01-28
A storm of tweets bombarded the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after it was clear women had been completely excluded from this year's gender-equality awards ceremony. | RELATED: | Yemeni Mothers Protest Detentions of Sons in Infamous UAE-run Prisons | "Gender balance has become a pillar in our governmental institutions," said UAE vice president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as he handed out medals and certificates to the delegation of men representing the finance…
telesurenglish.net/news/Twitter-Explodes-Over-Male-UAE-Gender-Equality-Award-Winners-20190128-0022.html

Former UN Expert: US Sanctions in Venezuela Largely Responsible for Crisis, Possible "Crime Against Humanity"
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2019-01-28
"What's at stake is the enormous, enormous natural resources of Venezuela. And I sense that if Venezuela had no natural resources no one would give a damn about Chavez or Maduro or anybody else there." — Former UN official Alfred de Zayas | The post Former UN Expert: US Sanctions in Venezuela Largely Responsible for Crisis, Possible "Crime Against Humanity" appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/former-un-expert-us-sanctions-venezuela-largely-responsible-crisis-possible-crime-humanity/254334/

Why More Americans Are Breaking Their Silence on Israel
Robert Fisk | counterpunch.org | 2019-01-28
Most folk outside the United States — and until this month, most Americans — won't have heard of Michelle Alexander. She's a civil rights lawyer and academic and has written a book called The New Jim Crow, and a few months ago The New York Times took her on as a regular columnist. Like millions of black — and…
counterpunch.org/2019/01/28/why-more-americans-are-breaking-their-silence-on-israel/

In Congress, a Threat to Americans' First Amendment Right to Boycott
ACLU | aclu.org | 2019-01-28
A new bill promotes state laws targeting boycotts of Israel — even though multiple judges have found such laws to be unconstitutional. | The Senate is scheduled to vote Monday on a bill that includes language that would encourage states to pass unconstitutional laws penalizing businesses and individuals who participate in politically motivated boycotts against Israel. | More than two dozen states have adopted such laws in the past four years. Their collective target is the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, "a glob…
aclu.org/blog/free-speech/congress-threat-americans-first-amendment-right-boycott

When Is a Democracy not a Democracy? When It's Venezuela and the US is Pushing Regime Change
Joe Emersberger | mintpressnews.com | 2019-01-28
Venezuela has as much right to call itself a democracy as does the United States. Until that is understood by enough people, the Trump administration will continue to devastate Venezuela's economy with illegal sanctions and push it towards civil war. | The post When Is a Democracy not a Democracy? When It's Venezuela and the US is Pushing Regime Change appeared first on MintPress News.
mintpressnews.com/when-is-a-democracy-not-a-democracy-when-its-venezuela-and-the-us-is-pushing-regime-change/254321/

Maduro Denounces Citgo Takeover as 'Robbery'
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-01-28
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is accusing U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton of pressuring for the country's coup. | RELATED: | Armed Forces of Venezuela Reaffirm Support for President Maduro | Washington's new round of sanctions against Venezuela's state-owned oil company, PDVSA announced in a press briefing Monday triggered a response from Maduro later that evening during a televised speech aired from Caracas. | The Bolivarian president said, "I can say that…
telesurenglish.net/news/Maduro-Denounces-Citgo-Takeover-as-Robbery-20190128-0017.html

US Hits PDVSA with More Sanctions as UNSC Fails to Pass Resolution on Venezuela
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-01-28
US Treasury imposed a de facto oil embargo against Venezuela as the diplomatic standoff over Guaido's self-proclamation continues.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14268

Uruguay "Will Never Support Militarized Intervention": Rosselli
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-01-28
Uruguay will never support an armed intervention as a means to solve an international crisis, Uruguayan ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Elbio Rosselli said Saturday. | RELATED: | US Imposes Sanctions Against Venezuelan State Oil Company | "Dialogue is not a succession of monologues," Rosselli told the international delegation during this weekend's Security Council, where the issue of Venezuela's political state and U.S. threats of militarized intervention were tabled. | With…
telesurenglish.net/news/Uruguay-Will-Never-Support-Militarized-Intervention-Rosselli-20190128-0019.html

Pope Fears 'Bloodbath' in Venezuela
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-01-28
Pope Francis said Monday he was terrified the political crisis enveloping Venezuela would descend into a "bloodbath." | RELATED: | Breaking: US Imposes Sanctions Against Venezuelan Oil Company | "What am I afraid of? A bloodbath," , adding that "the problem of violence terrifies me." | "What I'm feeling is, I'm suffering for what is happening in Venez…
telesurenglish.net/news/Pope-Fears-Bloodbath-in-Venezuela-20190128-0018.html

Cameroon: Peaceful protesters targeted in violent crackdown must be released
amnesty | amnesty.org | 2019-01-28
Following the mass arbitrary arrests of protesters in several cities in Cameroon on 26 January, Samira Daoud, Amnesty International's West and Central Africa Deputy Director said: | "The Cameroonian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release protesters detained simply for exercising their right to peaceful protest at the weekend. No one should face arrest simply for speaking out. | "The crackdown on peaceful protests across several cities undermines the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Cameroon. The authorities must end repression of protests and uphold the country's constit…
amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/01/cameroon-peaceful-protesters-targeted-in-violent-crackdown-must-be-released/

Last Process: 50 Postees: 2019-01-29 23:31 GMT (18:31 EST)

2019-01-28: News Headlines

Democracy Now! (2019-01-28). Headlines for January 28, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. & Taliban Agree to Path for Afghan Peace Deal, Federal Employees Return to Work as Gov't Agencies Temporarily Reopen, Venezuela: Maduro Gov't Defies U.S. and European Calls to Support Opposition, Philippines: Twin Bombs Rock Cathedral, Killing At Least 20, U.N. Condemns Killing of Palestinian by Israeli Settlers, Israeli Forces Kill 3 Palestinians Across Occupied Territories, Brazil: Mining Dam Collapse Kills At Least 58, Hundreds Still Missing, France: Protesters Take Streets for 11th Week, Call Out Police Brutality, Germany to Shut Down All Coal Plants by 2038, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Reinstates…

Robert Fisk (2019-01-28). Why More Americans Are Breaking Their Silence on Israel. counterpunch.org Most folk outside the United States — and until this month, most Americans — won't have heard of Michelle Alexander. She's a civil rights lawyer and academic and has written a book called The New Jim Crow, and a few months ago The New York Times took her on as a regular columnist. Like millions of black — and More

aljazeera (2019-01-28). France's Macron presses Sisi on human rights in Cairo meeting. aljazeera.com French president says he raised the issue of human rights with his Egyptian counterpart during state visit.

teleSUR (2019-01-28). Nigeria: Buhari Suspends Top Judge Before National Elections. telesurenglish.net Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari suspended a Supreme Court Judge on Friday based on corruption allegations which sparked heavy internal controversy ahead of the Feb. 16. national elections. | RELATED: | Nigerian Rights Group Estimates 20,000 Kidnapped Girls in Mali | Chief justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen is currently facing trial on charges of faili…

Joe Emersberger (2019-01-28). When Is a Democracy not a Democracy? When It's Venezuela and the US is Pushing Regime Change. mintpressnews.com Venezuela has as much right to call itself a democracy as does the United States. Until that is understood by enough people, the Trump administration will continue to devastate Venezuela's economy with illegal sanctions and push it towards civil war.

amnesty (2019-01-28). China: Disgraceful 4 and a half years prison term for human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang. amnesty.org | Responding to the 4 and a half years prison sentence handed down by a Chinese court to human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang, who was found guilty of "subverting state power", Doriane Lau, China Researcher at Amnesty International, commented: | "Today's verdict is a gross injustice. It's outrageous that Wang Quanzhang is being punished for peacefully standing up for human rights in China.

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-28). Syria: Arrests, Torture by Armed Group. hrw.org | | New fighters of the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham attend a mock battle in anticipation of an attack by Syrian government forces on northern Idlib province and the surrounding countryside, August 14, 2018. | © 2018 Omar Haj Kadour/Getty Images | (Beirut) — An armed group with links to al-Qaeda has in recent months arbitrarily arrested scores of residents in areas under their control in Idlib, Hama, and Aleppo governorates, Human Rights Watch said today. | Human Rights Watch documented 11 cases in which…

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-28). Expressing Religious Views is Risky in the Maldives. hrw.org | | The Maldivian flag flies at Jumhooree Maidan, or Independence Square, in Male, Maldives. | © 2007 (WT-shared) Jpatokal/Wikipedia | Ibrahim Ismail, the chairman of Mandhu College in the Maldives and a former lawmaker, says he believes in debate rooted in facts and backed by citations, including over religion. But Ismail, better known as Ibra, recently discovered the potential danger of such debate. | On January 7, 2019, a magistrate in Naifuri, an island in northern Maldives, sentenced a 25-year-old woman to death…

amnesty (2019-01-28). Cameroon: Peaceful protesters targeted in violent crackdown must be released. amnesty.org Following the mass arbitrary arrests of protesters in several cities in Cameroon on 26 January, Samira Daoud, Amnesty International's West and Central Africa Deputy Director said: | "The Cameroonian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release protesters detained simply for exercising their right to peaceful protest at the weekend. No one should face arrest simply for speaking out. | "The crackdown on peaceful protests across several cities undermines the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Cameroon. The authorities must end repression of protests and uphold the country's constit…

amnesty (2019-01-28). Remains from the ashes. amnesty.org …

amnesty (2019-01-28). Where is the political will for justice? amnesty.org "Dad, help me, the forces are around me," were the final, desperate words Dr. Kasipillai Manoharan heard his son, Ragihar, utter before the loud boom of a grenade explosion ended their phone call. At the time, Dr. Manoharan was trying to reach Ragihar where he said he would be at — Trincomalee's Dutch Bay beachfront. When he was near, the Army denied him entry, beaten and held at gunpoint. Dr. Manoharan then heard screams and saw flashes of gunfire. A few hours later, he was at the morgue, identifying the bullet-ridden body of his son. | Thirteen years later, Dr. Manoharan, and the loved ones of four other…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-01-28). As Trump's War Hawks Threaten Venezuela, Omar and Jayapal Demand US Rule Out Military Intervention. commondreams.org "We have to wonder, if Trump and Pompeo are so worried about human rights and democracy in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua, why do they actively support horrible regimes in Brazil, Guatemala, and Honduras?" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……

amnesty (2019-01-28). Bahrain: Verdict on opposition leader is bitter blow to freedom of expression. amnesty.org Responding to the news that Bahrain's Court of Cassation has upheld the conviction of opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, Amnesty International's Middle East Campaigns Director Samah Hadid said: | "Today's verdict is yet another nail in the coffin for the right to freedom of expression in Bahrain and exposes the country's justice system as a complete farce. The decision to uphold Sheikh Ali Salman's conviction and life prison sentence following an unfair trial highlights the authorities' determination to silence critical voices. |

amnesty (2019-01-28). Championing hope and human rights in Kibera. amnesty.org …

teleSUR (2019-01-27). Pope Francis Calls for 'Just, Peaceful Solution' in Venezuela. telesurenglish.net Pope Francis, in his first remarks on the Venezuelan political crisis, called on Sunday for a just and peaceful solution that respects human rights. | RELATED: | UK Labour Lawmakers, High-profile Activists, Academics Defend Venezuela Against Intervention | "Faced with the grave situation it is going through, I ask the Lord that a just and peaceful solution is sought and achieved in order to overcome the crisis, respecting human rights (and) the good of…

teleSUR (2019-01-27). Yemeni Mothers Protest Detentions of Sons in UAE-run Prisons. telesurenglish.net Women are demanding Yemen's officials deliver information on their imprisoned sons detained in an UAE-run prison, the Association of Mothers of Abductees said during a protest in Aden Sunday. | RELATED: | Yemen: Saudi-led Coalition Bombs Capital, Residents Say 'Deadliest in a Year' | "We call on the government, the minister of the interior and the Attorney-General to reveal the fate of the dozens of missing prisoners a…

Consortiumnews (2019-01-27). ROBERT PARRY: With the US Meddling Again in Latin America, a Look Back at How Washington Promoted Genocide in Guatemala. consortiumnews.com As the U.S. declares a new government in Venezuela, we look back at how the Reagan administration promoted human rights violations in Guatemala, including genocide inflicted on Indian villages, as the late Robert Parry reported on Feb. 21, 2013. By… Read more →

SURGENTES (2019-01-26). The Invisibility of Protester Deaths in Poor Areas. venezuelanalysis.com Twenty-eight people were killed in Venezuela between January 21 and 24. Venezuelan human rights organization SURGENTES examines who has been most affected by the spiral of violence.

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-26). Advancing Access to Justice for People with Disabilities in Armenia. hrw.org | | Artur Hakobyan gives interview to RFE/RL's Armenian Service: Radio Azatutyun. | Screenshot © RFE/RL/Radio Azatutyun | A recent decision by Armenia's highest court promises to advance the right to equal justice for people with disabilities in Armenia. | In 2015, Artur Hakobyan, a then 18-year-old military conscript reported that a military commander physically abused him on several occasions during his mandatory service. Hakobyan alleges that on one occasion, the commander dragged him by his ear and hit him in the n…

amnesty (2019-01-26). Philippines: Reject attempts to lower minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12. amnesty.org Amnesty International is deeply concerned at renewed efforts by the Philippine government to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12 years old. The proposed change is contrary to authoritative guidance on international standards relating to juvenile justice, which urges States not to lower their minimum age of criminal responsibility to the age of 12. This move is all the more disturbing when seen in the context of the Philippines' 'war on drugs', which has left thousands dead and continues to claim children's lives.

Consortiumnews (2019-01-25). Watch the 14th Vigil for Assange. consortiumnews.com Julian Assange's lawyers filed a petition with the Inter-American Court for Human Rights and WikiLeaks is mentioned in a new Mueller indictment unveiled Friday, two of the topics that were discussed on the 14th Vigil on Friday. Guests included Peter… Read more →

George Zornick (2019-01-25). It's Time to Give TSA Screeners Full Union Rights. thenation.com The shutdown has exposed how dangerous it can be to starve critical safety personnel. | The post It's Time to Give TSA Screeners Full Union Rights…

Aba Blankson (2019-01-25). My Time as an NAACP LAW Fellow. naacp.org I applied for the NAACP's law fellows program because of the organization's legacy in protecting the rights of people of color and in doing so the rights of all people. Law school has allowed me to more fully contextualize the history of race in the United States, and I recognized the crucial role the NAACP has played […]

ACLU (2019-01-25). It's Time to Update Aging Voting Equipment Before the 2020 Election. aclu.org Sixteen million voters encountered problems voting in 2016. A big culprit was aging voting equipment. | When Ronald Campbell went to his polling location in Horry County, South Carolina, to vote in the 2018 midterms, he wasn't expecting it to become an odyssey. But when he and his wife arrived at their polling location, the lines were so long that Ronald feared he and his wife wouldn't be physically able to stand for the amount of time it would take to get to the voting booth. Nevertheless, they returned to the polling location four separate times throughout the day until the line had become reasonable — th…

Rannie Amiri (2019-01-25). Silence of the Lambs: The Case of Marzieh Hashemi. counterpunch.org In the wake of the outcry after the abduction and murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi—in a foreign country and under the directive of a rogue Crown Prince—one would think the threshold to condemn the detention of an American journalist in the United States without charge or trial would be quite low. Unfortunately, it has More

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-25). Egypt's LGBT Crackdown Expands to Stifle Journalists. hrw.org | | Screenshot of an August 2018 television segment in which Egyptian anchor Mohamed Al-Ghaity interviewed an unidentified gay guest. Al-Ghaity was sentenced to one year in prison for the interview in January 2019. | © 2018 LTC TV/YouTube | An Egyptian television anchor was unexpectedly sentenced to one year in prison for interviewing a gay man on TV last week. The conviction of Mohamed Al-Ghaity,…

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-25). Tunisia: Bloggers Held for Criticizing Officials. hrw.org | | Revolutionary graffiti adorns a wall of the Prime Minister's office in Tunis, January 22, 2011. | © 2011 Reuters/Finbarr O'Reilly | (Tunis) — Tunisian authorities are investigating, charging, and in some cases detaining bloggers and social media activists merely for their peaceful criticism of public officials, Human Rights Watch said today. Several said they have begun to censor themselves because of police action and threat of prosecut…

RT (2019-01-25). While Google paid lip-service to workplace activists, their lawyers fought to strip their rights. rt.com Employees at web giant Google are in an uproar after it was reported the company had been pushing to overturn a labor law ruling protecting activists who organize over workplace email and forums.

amnesty (2019-01-25). Saudi Arabia: Access for independent monitors urgently needed amid more reports of torture of activists. amnesty.org Amnesty International has obtained new reports of torture and abuse inflicted on a group of Saudi Arabian human rights activists who have been in arbitrary detention since May 2018. These reports follow similar testimonies from November 2018 into the torture of a number of the activists, and highlight the urgent need to allow independent monitors access to those in detention, the organization said today. | According to the testimonies, a total of ten human rights defenders were tortured, sexually abused, and subjected to other forms of ill-treatment during their first three months of detention, when they were hel…

amnesty (2019-01-25). Democratic People's Republic of Korea: Gestures are not enough: Amnesty International submission for the UN Universal Periodic Review, 33rd session of the UPR Working Group, May 2019. amnesty.org This submission was prepared for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in May 2019. In it, Amnesty International evaluates the implementation of recommendations made to the DPRK in its previous UPR, including in relation its engagement and cooperation with the UN human rights mechanisms and other international human rights-related organizations.

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-25). Lebanon: Environmental Prosecutors Named. hrw.org …

amnesty (2019-01-25). Sri Lanka: Hope flickers as justice still proves elusive. amnesty.org Time is running out for the Sri Lankan authorities to deliver on its 2015 commitments to truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence, Amnesty International warned today in a new briefing. | As the tenth anniversary of the end of Sri Lanka's internal conflict looms in May, progress on UN Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1 has proceeded at a glacial pace, the hopes of the victims of crimes under international law and human rights violations and abuses during the conflict have been reduced to a flicker. |

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-25). South Dakota Rejects Restrictions on Trans Athletes. hrw.org | | Rainbow flags for sale are photographed on June 24, 2017. | © 2017 Reuters | South Dakota lawmakers have rejected a bill which would have barred transgender students from participating in athletics consistent with their gender identity. | The ACLU and other organizations spoke out against the bill, with the South Dakota High School Activities Association, the Association of School Boards in South Dakota, the South Dakota Education Associa…

Aída Chávez (2019-01-25). Congress Is Pushing Sanctions Against Supporters of Syria's Bashar al-Assad. theintercept.com On Tuesday, the House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation to impose new sanctions on the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad and its allies, and those who do business with them. The move comes a month after President Donald Trump's announcement to withdraw troops from Syria, and as some Arab governments are thawing relations with the Assad regime, which has all but secured a military victory after nearly eight years of war. The measure has been passed by the House twice in previous sessions, and a companion bill currently remains pending in the Senate. | House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Eliot…

amnesty (2019-01-25). Zimbabwe: Security forces must be held accountable for the brutal assault on human rights. amnesty.org The Zimbabwean authorities must act swiftly to ensure security forces are held to account for ongoing brutal human rights violations, including torture, rape, beatings and killings of civilians, Amnesty International said today as the crackdown continues against last week's 'stay-away'. | | Dozens o…

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-25). Venezuela: Arrests, Killings in Anti-Government Protests. hrw.org | | People listen to Venezuela's National Assembly head Juan Guaido (out of frame) during a mass opposition rally against leader Nicolas Maduro in which he declared himself the country's 'acting president', on the anniversary of a 1958 uprising that overthrew a military dictatorship, in Caracas on January 23, 2019. | © 2019 FEDERICO PARRA/AFP/Getty Images |
| (New York) — Venezuelan officials should be held accountable if security force…

Elie Mystal (2019-01-24). Black Children Don't Have Nick Sandmann's Rights. thenation.com Black Children Don't Have Nick Sandmann's Rights…

Democracy Now! (2019-01-24). Lawyer Wolfgang Kaleck: Bush, Rumsfeld & Cheney Are a Troika of Tyranny & Should Be in Prison. democracynow.org As Venezuela faces an attempted coup supported by the U.S., Brazil and the European Union, we speak with human rights attorney Wolfgang Kaleck. In November, John Bolton accused Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua of being part of a "troika of tyranny." Kaleck says the real "troika of tyranny" is George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, who should be in prison for war crimes. Kaleck is a human rights attorney who for decades has been at the forefront of the legal fight to hold powerful actors and governments around the world accountable for human rights abuses. His new book, titled "Law Versus Power: Our Global…

ACLU (2019-01-24). A Disturbing Number of Missouri Towns Evict Residents for Calling the Police. aclu.org The ACLU is urging towns across Missouri to repeal unjust 'nuisance ordinances.' | Over the last few decades in towns and cities across America, local authorities have passed laws that punish people for calling 911 with steep fines and eviction, even when they are seeking police protection. Known as nuisance ordinances, these laws present victims of crime with an impossible choice. As a domestic violence survivor in St. Louis put it: "If I…

ACLU (2019-01-24). A Trans Woman Was Charged With 'False Personation' for Giving the NYPD Her Real Name. aclu.org While in custody, officers cuffed Linda Dominguez to her cell using pink handcuffs and repeatedly called her by her old first name. | On her way home from the bus stop on a spring night in the Bronx last year, Linda Dominguez cut across a park because it was the most direct route to her apartment. Even though others leaving the bus were also crossing the park, three officers from the New York City Police Department singled out and arrested Linda, a Latina transgender woman, and took her to the precinct. | Linda, who doesn't speak English, had no idea why the police had stopped her or what they were arresting her…

ACLU (2019-01-24). Arizona Provides Me Unequal Healthcare Because I'm Transgender. aclu.org I'm part of a class-action lawsuit to ensure that the state of Arizona includes transition-related health care in its insurance coverage. | I'm a professor of family studies and human development at the University of Arizona, and I have dedicated my career to studying how discrimination impacts LGBTQ adolescents. I'm also transgender, and I know from experience that growing up is different — and still much more difficult — for LGBTQ youth. So it came as a disappointment when I learned that the state university where I work does not cover transition-related healthcare for its employees or their depende…

amnesty (2019-01-24). "A human rights defender should have no limits" amnesty.org Vincent, 27, grew up in Kibera, Kenya. Many of his friends dropped out of school, but he was determined to take a different path… | School was an hour's walk away. It had its good and bad sides. Some students came from rich families. It was frustrating as I didn't understand why we were poor. But I came to realise that's life and I wanted to make the best of the situation. | In Kibera, poverty is a huge problem. People live here because they do not have the opportunity or means to live elsewhere. Young people start taking drugs at an early age, gender-based violence is rife and children, especially girls, are r…

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-24). Russia: First Criminal Case under 'Undesirables' Law. hrw.org | | Anastasiya Shevchenko at her court hearing in Rostov-on-Don on January 23, 2019. | © Alissa Vasilyeva, Rostov-on-Don, 2019 | (Moscow) — Russian authorities opened their first criminal case against a Russian activist for alleged involvement with a so-called "undesirable" foreign organization, Human Rights Watch said today. On January 23, 2019 Rostov-on-Don court placed Anastasia Shevchenko, a member of the Open Russia Civic Movement (ORCM), under hou…

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-24). Iran: Prominent Labor Activist Rearrested. hrw.org (Beirut) — Iranian authorities on January 20, 2019 arrested two activists who had alleged that authorities tortured them in detention, Human Rights Watch said today. The arrests of Ismael Bakhshi, a prominent labor rights activist, and Sepideh Gholian, a journalist and labor rights activist, came the day after Iranian state television broadcast confessions that they said they were forced to make in detention. | | | Screen shot from Islamic Republic of Iran Broad…

amnesty (2019-01-24). "Kibera should be seen as a place of hope" amnesty.org Kibera should be seen as a place of hope. There's great potential here. I have grown up in the slums. I have been to primary and secondary school here. Now I am taking electrical engineering at university. This is just one story. Many other people are taking other courses, but people don't see them, they just see the small evil that is happening. | I am aware of the issues that exist in the slums, but the fear of them remaining encourages me to speak out. | Gender-based violence is a big issue. People fear mentioning it. They don't want to talk about domestic violence, but I want to break this silence. Through my…

amnesty (2019-01-24). China: Secret detention places writer at risk of torture. amnesty.org Responding to the Chinese authorities' confirmation that Australian-Chinese writer Yang Hengjun has been detained on suspicion of "endangering national security", Joshua Rosenzweig, East Asia Research Director at Amnesty International commented: | "The Chinese authorities have serious questions to answer over the detention of Yang Hengjun, but it could be months before we find out anything more about his condition or what they're accusing him of doing. | "If it's true that Yang is being held under 'residential surveillance in a designated location', then there is cause for serious concern over his wellbeing. Faci…

amnesty (2019-01-24). Iran's 'year of shame': More than 7,000 arrested in chilling crackdown on dissent during 2018. amnesty.org The Iranian authorities carried out a shameless campaign of repression during 2018, crushing protests and arresting thousands in a wide-scale crackdown on dissent, said Amnesty International, a year after a wave of protests against poverty, corruption and authoritarianism erupted across the country. | The organization has today revealed staggering new figures showing the extent of the Iranian authorities' repression during 2018. Over the course of the year, more than 7,000 protesters, students, journalists, environmental activists, workers and human rights defenders, including lawyers, women's rights activists, m…

amnesty (2019-01-24). "Educating people through entertainment – key in Kibera" amnesty.org Julian, 24, is a member of Wasanii Sanaa in Kibera. Since she joined the youth organisation she's grown in confidence and is now a role model in her community… | I've spent my whole life in Kibera. In my community there's a lot of drugs, which leads to young people dropping out school. As kids grow up, they become thieves or fall pregnant. My parents have always been strict, but if you don't have people to take care of you, it's as though there's no way out. | Some of my friends in high school took drugs and they wanted me to join in I said no, and ran the risk of looking uncool, but it wasn't the path for me.

amnesty (2019-01-24). Russian Federation: Human rights defender under house arrest: Anastasia Shevchenko. amnesty.org On 23 January, Anastasia Shevchenko, an Open Russia human rights defender from Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia, was put under house arrest and may face up to six years in prison if convicted. This is the first time the Russian authorities have opened a criminal case under the repressive "undesirable organizations" law. It is a worrying precedent and could open the floodgates to the prosecution of hundreds of Open Russia members across the country. Anastasia Shevchenko is a prisoner of conscience. She must be immediately and unconditionally released.

Human Rights Watch (2019-01-24). Saudi Arabia: Let Outside Monitors See Detainees. hrw.org | (Beirut) — Saudi authorities should immediately allow independent international monitors to enter Saudi Arabia and meet with detainees, including those who have alleged torture, Human Rights Watch said today. The detainees should include the prominent princes and business leaders held as part of a so-called corruption probe, and the prominent women's rights advocates detained since May 2018. | Media outlets have reported that Saudi authorities opened two investigations into the torture allegati…

Last Process: 50 Citations: 2019-01-28 20:57 GMT (15:57 EST)