(2019-01-27). Black Lives Matter. Do Elections? zcomm.org Barbara Ransby profiles today's Black freedom fighters, who are posing sophisticated new answers to old Left questions—like how to engage in electoral politics…
(2019-01-27). Saudi billionaire Mohammed al-Amoudi released from detention. aljazeera.com The tycoon, who had a net worth estimated to be $10.9bn, was detained as part of 'anti-corruption purge' in 2017.
(2019-01-27). Yemeni mothers protest over sons held in secret UAE-run prisons. aljazeera.com Rights group demands the Yemeni government 'reveal the fate' of the missing, as 86 prisoners go on hunger strike.
(2019-01-27). Auschwitz Survivors Pay Homage as World Remembers Holocaust. truthdig.com WARSAW, Poland — The world marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday amid a revival of hate-inspired violence and signs that younger generations know less and less about the genocide of Jews, Roma and others during World War II. | In Poland, which was under Nazi German occupation during the war, a far-right activist who has been imprisoned for burning the effigy of a Jew gathered with other nationalists Sunday outside the former death camp of Auschwitz ahead of official ceremonies remembering the 1.1 million people murdered there. | Since last year's observances, an 85-year-old French Holocau…
(2019-01-27). Netanyahu Forms Alliances with Far-Right Authoritarian Leaders. therealnews.com 
Shir Hever says Netanyahu is abusing his image as a protector of the Jewish people, and cuts deals with far-right and anti-Semitic heads of state, absolving them of their racism towards Jews in exchange for their superficial support for the State of Israel. All this, to win the upcoming Israeli elections
(2019-01-27). Sights and Sounds from Oakland's 5th Annual Reclaim King's Radical Legacy Events. indybay.org On Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Oakland on January 21, 2019, the Anti Police-Terror Project hosted a powerful and moving day of civil rights speakers, marches, children's activities, drums, music, song, and dance. In tribute to families who have lost loved ones to police violence, guns were melted and cast into into stars, displayed in a pattern recreating the constellations visible in the night sky when Oscar Grant was murdered ten years ago. These video clips capture some of the sights and sounds from morning and evening events.
(2019-01-26). Australia: Hundreds of immigration detainees launch hunger strikes. wsws.org The detainees describe their living conditions as "worse than a prison."
(2019-01-26). What the mountain taught the mouse. mronline.org 
Inequality is sexist. It is also transphobic and racist. This is a reality demonstrated by Oxfam's recent report on wealth and inequality, and a reality well understood by the people who live it. | Source
(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…
(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
(2019-01-25). Data Reveals Driving as a Person of Color in Illinois Leads to More Unjustified Searches. aclu.org Baseless traffic stops and inconsistent search standards harm the public trust and damage police-community relationships. | In January 2016, Richard Jackson, a Black man, was driving to his home on Chicago's West Side when he noticed a car trailing him. As he turned into the alley leading to his driveway, the unmarked police car pulled him over and four officers leapt out, demanding that he lower all four of his car's windows. Jackson's grandparents, who live with him, watched from their home's window in fear. | After running his license, one officer told Jackson he would be let go with a warning. But when Jackso…
(2019-01-25). The Covington Altar Boys, Institutional Racism and the Doctrine of Discovery. counterpunch.org The smirking Covington Altar Boys episode brings back memories of when I was attending a 99% white, elite, all boys Catholic High School. It was in 1963/65, the peak of Catholic culture in the US, with John Kennedy in the White House and Pope John XXIII in the Vatican. As a Freshman, I joined 264 More
(2019-01-25). Weekend Read: 'I'm going to be paying it down until I die.'. splcenter.org The women incarcerated in Corinth, Mississippi, have a phrase for it: "sitting it out." We have another name for it: "debtors' prison."
(2019-01-25). Roaming Charges: American Hunger Games. counterpunch.org 
Gary Webb and I both grew up in Indianapolis. As teens we spent a lot of time in the nearby cultural mecca (for baseball fans) of Cincy. One of Webb's first gigs as a young reporter was covering crime and politics in Covington, just across the Ohio River. He said it was one of the most corrupt & racist cities in the US and told me those years in northern Kentucky were the best training he got for probing the CIA. The antics of those punks wouldn't surprise him. More
(2019-01-25). Trump Administration Puts Religious Beliefs Over the Best Interests of Children. aclu.org The Department of Health and Human Services has exempted South Carolina from federal nondiscrimination requirements for child welfare programs. | Across the United States, there are over 440,000 children in the public child welfare system. Nearly a quarter of these children are awaiting adoption with many living in group homes because no family is available to care for them. In the end, too many of these children will age out of the system without ever becoming part of a loving family. Despite these facts, the Trump administration this week made it even harder for these children to find foster and adoptive parent…
(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 […]
(2019-01-25). 'You're Going to Let Me Die From This': Prisoners Fight to Access a Hepatitis-C Cure. thenation.com 'You're Going to Let Me Die From This': Prisoners Fight to Access a Hepatitis-C Cure…
(2019-01-25). Warnings of 'Tipping Point' in Trump Shutdown as Airport Staff Shortages Cause Major Flight Delays. commondreams.org "This is horrendous. Donald Trump must give up his racist wall and Republicans in Congress must vote now to end this shutdown. The human cost is only going to increase and more and more Americans are going to suffer." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/shutdown_protest_0.jpg…
(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…
(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,…
(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…
(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…
(2019-01-25). How Not to Report on Prison Conditions. counterpunch.org The United States, by all metrics, has one of the cruelest prison systems in the world. In addition to having 25 percent of the world's prison population (with just 5 percent of the world's people), U.S. prisons use tortuous solitary confinement, tolerate widespread sexual violence, host massive racial disparities, and routinely abuse children, among other human rights More
(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…
(2019-01-24). My NAACP Law Fellowship. naacp.org I thoroughly enjoyed my 1L summer at the NAACP and I cannot speak highly enough about my experience there. I decided to go to law school because I wanted to learn how to address the ways systemic issues such as housing discrimination and mass incarceration adversely affect the African American community. Working for the NAACP […]
(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…
(2019-01-24). American-Iranian TV Anchor Marzieh Hashemi Released From FBI Custody Without Charge. mintpressnews.com 
U.S. citizen Marzieh Hashemi, an anchor on Iran's English-language service Press TV, has been released without charge after being illegally detained for ten days by the FBI. | Hashemi was arrested earlier this month while boarding an internal U.S. flight from St. Louis to Denver where she had been filming a documentary on the Black Lives Matter movement. The 59-year-old African American is a convert to Islam and has been living in Iran for the past several years. | Her arrest prompted protests across the worl…
(2019-01-24). 3 Members of a Kansas Militia Once Plotted To Bomb a Mosque, Now Are Going to Prison. splcenter.org Three members of a militia group known as "the Crusaders" were sentenced Friday to a total of 81 years in prison for plotting to bomb Somali and Muslim communities in Kansas.
(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…
(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…
(2019-01-24). Decades of Financial Deregulation & Racist Housing Policy Brought Us 2007 Meltdown, with More to Come (Pt 2/3). therealnews.com 
Carter, Reagan, Clinton, the Bushes, Obama, and now Trump deregulated Wall Street and did nothing to help Black and Brown homeowners in America. White collar criminologist Bill Black discusses the social structure of mortgage discrimination. Part 2: The Effects
(2019-01-24). Decades of Financial Deregulation & Racist Housing Policy Brought Us 2007 Meltdown, with More to Come (Pt 1/3). therealnews.com 
Carter, Reagan, Clinton, the Bushes, Obama, and now Trump deregulated Wall Street and did nothing to help Black and Brown homeowners in America. White collar criminologist Bill Black discusses the social structure of mortgage discrimination. Part 1: The History
(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…
(2019-01-24). Mozambique: Further Information: Journalist's request for provisional release rejected: Amade Abubacar. amnesty.org On 18 January, Macomia's District Judicial Court ruled that the pre-trial detention of journalist Amade Abubacar was lawful and ordered that he remain in detention awaiting trial. Mr. Abubacar was arrested by police on 5 January and transferred from the Macomia District Police Command to military detention in Mueda district. He was held incommunicado by military forces for 12 days before being transferred back into police custody. He is currently being held at the Macomia District Police Command.
(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…
(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.
(2019-01-24). Five Years After Ferguson, St. Louis County's New Prosecutor Confronts a Racist Criminal Justice System. theintercept.com 
The 2014 police killing of Michael Brown inspired a nationwide movement to elect progressive prosecutors. Now, Wesley Bell will try to reform St. Louis.
(2019-01-23). In Montana, the Practice of Suspending People's Licenses for Outstanding Court Debt Could Soon Be Over. aclu.org Lawmakers are considering a bill that would repeal a Montana policy that permits driver's licenses to be suspended for failure to pay court debt. | In more than 40 states across the country, state governments suspend people's driver's licenses for outstanding court debts, a practice that disproportionately harms low-income people. But if a Republican legislator has his way, this destructive and counterproductive policy may soon be null and void in Montana. | On Jan. 9, Rep. Casey Knudsen (R-Malta) introduced a bill
(2019-01-23). Baltimore Rejects Plan to Arm School Police During School Day. therealnews.com 
The Baltimore school board rejected the proposal amid heated debate. Meanwhile, we get a response to an ACLU and NAACP-LDF letter demanding Maryland adequately fund Baltimore schools
(2019-01-23). Angola Decriminalizes Same-Sex Conduct. hrw.org 
| | LGBT Rainbow Flag | © 2008 Ludovic Berton (Wikimedia Commons) | Angola has finally shed the divisive "vices against nature" provision in its law, widely interpreted to be a ban on homosexual conduct. | Taking things one step further, the government has also prohibited discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation. And so anyone refusing to employ or provide services to individuals based on their sexual o…
(2019-01-23). Indonesia: Ex-Governor's Blasphemy Sentence Ends. hrw.org 
| | Former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama is released from prison but Indonesia keeps its notorious blasphemy law. | ©2019 Toni Malakian/Human Rights Watch | (Jakarta) — The expected release of the former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama from a Jakarta prison on January 24, 2019 underscores Indonesia's dangerous and discriminatory blasp…
(2019-01-23). Mauritanie: Des militants antiesclavagistes ont été libérés. amnesty.org Deux militants antiesclavagistes, Biram Dah Abeid et Abdellahi el Housein Mesoud, ont été libérés de la prison civile de Nouakchott le 31 décembre 2018. Le tribunal d'Arafat, à Nouakchott, les a condamnés à six mois d'emprisonnement, dont deux mois avec sursis. Biram Dah Abeid et Abdellahi el Housein Mesoud avaient déjà passé plus de quatre mois en prison et ont donc été libérés le jour même.
(2019-01-23). Mauritania: Further Information: Mauritanian anti-slavery activists released: Biram Dah Abeid and Abdellahi el Housein Mesoud. amnesty.org Two anti-slavery activists Biram Dah Abeid and Abdellahi el Housein Mesoud were released from Nouakchott civil Prison on 31 December 2018. The Tribunal of Arafat in Nouakchott sentenced them to six months, two months of which would be a suspended sentence. Having already spent more than four months in prison, Biram and Abdellahi were released the same day.
(2019-01-23). Guantánamo Prisoner Says Judge Used Pro-Government Rulings to Curry Favor With the Justice Department. theintercept.com 
Lawyers for Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri asked the D.C. Court of Appeals to take the extraordinary step of vacating decisions made under Col. Vance Spath.
(2019-01-22). Amid a Deteriorating Landscape for Abortion Rights, a Critical Victory in New York. aclu.org On Tuesday, New York passed the Reproductive Health Act, finally bringing state law in line with Roe v. Wade. | On the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that secured the right to abortion, the nationwide picture could not look grimmer. That's what makes Tuesday's victory in New York, which protected and expanded abortion rights in the state through the Reproductive Health Act, so important. | Across the country, anti-abortion politicians have been eroding abortion rights in state after state. Since 2011, they have…
(2019-01-22). Marchers condemn lenient sentence in Laquan murder. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – A crowd of 250 people marched in the bitter cold through Washington Park on Chicago's South Side today, January 21, to continue the fight for Justice for Laquan McDonald. The march was held in protest of the lenient sentence of only 81 months handed down by Judge Vincent Gaughan on Friday. In October 2014, the racist police officer, Jason Van Dyke, shot Laquan 16 times. | The main demand of the march was the immediate implementation of an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC). The march went past the place where Ronald "Ronnieman" Johnson was shot in the back by a cop only days b…
(2019-01-22). Uniting against racism. greenleft.org.au 
A collective of alt-right and neo-Nazi groups organised what they called a "political meeting" at St Kilda beach on January 5. It was done a week after the neo-Nazi Neil Erikson led a group of acolytes down to the same beach to harass and film African Australians in an attempt to incite violence. | Various hate-filled Facebook pages promoted the "meeting", including one described as "Rise Up Australia — Romper Stomper 2.0", a reference to a film about white supremacists in Footscray who attacked and violently assaulted Vietnamese Australians. | The event was not a "political meeting" nor was it ever intende…
(2019-01-21). MLK Day Special: Rediscovered 1964 King Speech on Civil Rights, Segregation & Apartheid South Africa. democracynow.org 
As the nation marks 90 years since the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we air a rediscovered speech he delivered on December 7, 1964, days before he received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. In a major address in London, King spoke about segregation, the fight for civil rights and his support for Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. The speech was recorded by Saul Bernstein, who was working as the European correspondent for Pacifica Radio. Bernstein's recording was rediscovered by Brian DeShazor, director of the Pacifica Radio Archives.
(2019-01-20). How to Spend MLK Day. naacp.org 
Tomorrow, our nation will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man whose dream of an America that was truly equal for all its people has inspired generations of people to fight to bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice. From the Montgomery Bus Boycott to marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, […]
(2019-01-19). For the People Act. naacp.org The first legislation to be introduced in the 116th Congress is H.R. 1, the For the People Act. H.R. 1 is a comprehensive bill with provisions to protect and support eligible American citizens to cast a free and unfettered vote and for the American people to be sure their vote was counted. The For the […]