(2019-02-21). The Government Cannot Force E-mail Companies to Copy and Save Your Account 'Just in Case'. aclu.org Police are issuing warrantless preservation demands to force email providers to seize users' private communications. | Paper letters have a final resting stop — whomever they are addressed to. From a practical standpoint, and a legal one, that feature of regular mail made understanding and applying privacy protections relatively straightforward. But as our communication technologies have changed, courts have struggled to grant a similar degree of privacy protection to communications in the modern era. | Digital communications present new problems. For example, your email does not live in your letterbox but…
(2019-02-21). Smollett Suspected of Lying About Attack, Police Official Says. truthdig.com The "Empire" actor claimed he was beaten in Chicago by two men who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs, but the inquiry shifted in recent days.
(2019-02-21). Tampa Bay students rally against Trump's 'National Emergency'. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – In the wake of President Trump's declaration of a national emergency to get increased funding to the border wall, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of South Florida (USF) held a rally to respond to the attacks on immigrants. The rally, held on campus on February 19, called for a halt to the preparation of a border wall, as well as pushing for more protections for immigrants across the country and at USF. | "This state of emergency is an abuse of power that has resulted from the implementation of racist ideas from the Trump administration. The wall is a symbol of white supremac…
(2019-02-21). The Triumphant Homecoming of Angela Davis. truthdig.com "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in his Letter From Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963. King was arrested there for his role in organizing nonviolent protests against segregation, which were being led by the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. "Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States," King also wrote in that famous letter. Civil-rights campaigners were so frequently targeted with bombs by the Ku Klux Klan that the city was often called "Bombingham." Five mon…
(2019-02-21). Pennsylvania Prison Lockdown: Public Health Crisis or Powerplay? truthout.org Note: This article is published in partnership with Solitary Watch.Patricia Marshall Vickers still remembers the week in late August 2018 when she stopped hearing from her son. Incarcerated in Pennsylvania since he was 17 years old, Vickers's son faithfully called his mother from prison at least every other day — until suddenly, he didn't. Vickers learned that other family members were also experiencing a communication blackout from their incarcerated loved ones. Still, she said, "It was scary because nobody knew what was going on." | In a rare move, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC) ha…
(2019-02-21). United Arab Emirates: Further Information: Jordanian Journalist Released: Tayseer Salman al-Najjar. amnesty.org On 12 February 2019, Jordanian journalist and poet, Tayseer Salman al-Najjar was released from al-Wathba prison in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE authorities waived the fine imposed on him and he was flown back to Jordan on the same day. A prisoner of conscience, Tayseer had been due for release on 13 December 2018, having served his three-year prison sentence, but as his family could not pay the fine imposed by the court, his detention was extended…
(2019-02-21). Sri Lanka: Amnesty International Secretary General Kumi Naidoo writes to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena. amnesty.org OPEN LETTER BY KUMI NAIDOO ON THE DEATH PENALTY | Your Excellency | I am writing to plead for the lives of prisoners who may soon be put to death if executions resume in Sri Lanka. | More than four decades ago, your country stopped the implementation of this ultimate, cruel, in human and degrading punishment, becoming one of the few South Asian countries to do so. The death penalty is now only applied by a shrinking minority of countries around the world. In December 2018, Sri Lanka was among the 121 states that voted in favour of a resolution on the "Moratorium on the use of the death penalty" at the 73rd United…
(2019-02-21). Profiteering from misery. greenleft.org.au 
The Australian Financial Review has revealed that the federal Coalition government awarded a $423 million security and cleaning contract for three Manus Island refugee detention centres to Paladin Group, a company that, at the time, was registered to a Kangaroo Island beach shack. | Incredibly, the minister for cruelty and home affairs Peter Dutton claims he knew nothing about it. However, we now know the home affairs department secretary authorised a "closed tender" fo…
(2019-02-21). Actor Jussie Smollett arrested after allegedly 'faking racist attack'. rt.com 
Empire actor and social justice activist Jussie Smollett has been arrested by Chicago police after he allegedly faked a homophobic, racist attack in the city and then lied to police about what happened.
(2019-02-21). Jussie Smollett indicted in 'racist & homophobic attack' hoax. rt.com 
Actor Jussie Smollett has been indicted on charges of filing a false police report, according to the Chicago Police Department, which earlier had officially declared the 'Empire' star a suspect in the hate crime hoax.
(2019-02-21). Sixteen Democratic-led states file lawsuit against Trump's national emergency. wsws.org As the faction fight in the ruling class intensifies, the legal question the courts will answer is: can the president usurp the powers of the legislature?
(2019-02-21). Global assault on NGOs reaches crisis point as new laws curb vital human rights work. amnesty.org Governments across the world are increasingly attacking non-governmental organizations (NGOs) by creating laws that subject them and their staff to surveillance, nightmarish bureaucratic hurdles and the ever-present threat of imprisonment, Amnesty International said in a new report released today. | Laws Designed to Silence: The Global Crackdown on Civil Society Organizations reveals the startling number of countries that are using bullying techniques and repressive regulations to prevent NGOs from doing their vital work. The report lists 50…
(2019-02-21). Creative disruption: How Sudanese protesters have used art to sustain demos. amnesty.org The protests in Sudan are in their third month now. The government's response has been brutal with many protesters killed, and many others arrested, tortured or ill-treated in detention. People's homes have been raided, patients in hospitals attacked with tear gas and live ammunition, among them children and the elderly. But the people have remained resolute in exercising their right to freedom of assembly. | Thousands of people have turned out to protest in different cities and villages every day. While the protests which began on 19 December 2018 were sparked by the deterioration of the living conditions due t…
(2019-02-21). Taiwan: Draft law to allow same-sex marriage is a huge step forward for human rights. amnesty.org Responding to the release of a draft law which will act as a legal basis for recognizing same-sex marriage in Taiwan, Annie Huang, Amnesty International Taiwan's Director, said: | "This is a huge step forward for marriage equality in Taiwan. The draft law is the first of its kind in Asia to allow same-sex marriage. It sends a strong message to the Taiwanese people and the world that Taiwan chooses love over hate, and equality over discrimination. |
(2019-02-21). Jordan: 'Fake News' Amendments Need Revision. hrw.org 
| | Jordanian parliament in session. | © 2016 Sam McNeil/AP Images | (Amman) — Proposed amendments to Jordan's 2015 Electronic Crimes Law would overly restrict freedom of expression by stipulating criminal penalties for posting "fake news" or engaging in "hate speech" online, Human Rights Watch said today. | The amendments maintain criminal penalties for online defamation but, in a positive move, would eliminate pretrial detention for this offense. Au…
(2019-02-21). Settlement Reached in Customs and Border Protection Sexual Assault Case. indybay.org Teen Was Assaulted by Border Patrol Agent in Texas…
(2019-02-20). Muslim Group Seeks Congressional Probe on Terror Watchlist. truthdig.com FALLS CHURCH, Va.—A Muslim civil rights group called for a congressional investigation Wednesday after its lawsuit revealed that the U.S. government has shared its terrorist watchlist with more than 1,400 private entities, including hospitals and universities. | The Council on American-Islamic Relations said Congress should look into why the FBI has given such wide access to the list, which CAIR believes is riddled with errors. Broad dissemination of the names makes life more difficult for those who are wrongly included, CAIR says. Many on the list are believed to be Muslim. | "This is a wholesale profiling…
(2019-02-20). Civil rights groups sue New Orleans for map of surveillance camera locations. splcenter.org Representing a Louisiana public defender, the SPLC and the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today filed suit against the City of New Orleans over its refusal to provide a map of the city's 400 real-time surveillance cameras. Though the cameras themselves are publicly visible, the City of New Orleans has refused to comply with a public records request for a map of their locations.
(2019-02-20). A Supreme Court Milestone for Students' Free Speech Rights. aclu.org In 1969, a group of public school students protesting the Vietnam War made First Amendment history that stands strong to this day. | This month marks 50 years since the landmark Supreme Court ruling that cemented students' rights to free speech in public schools, Tinker v. Des Moines. We're inspired to see that students still take advantage of their First Amendment rights and speak out on political issues today. | We grew up in Iowa, where our father was a Methodist minister. Believing that faith s…
(2019-02-20). An 'Othello' for our time: Was Shakespeare a white supremacist or anti-racist? peoplesworld.org 
PASADENA, Calif.—Fresh from that championship season, A Noise Within's Spring 2019 season blasts off with a must-see modern dress Othello that demonstrates why the Pasadena classical repertory theatre company just won the coveted Ovation Award for Best Season. Shakespeare's tragedy is on one level an extremely up-close-and-personal tale about betrayal, as well as about friendship, …
(2019-02-20). Trump's 'National Emergency' Is a Hot Legal Mess. thenation.com Trump's 'National Emergency' Is a Hot Legal Mess…
(2019-02-20). Is Trump a Racist? thenation.com Is Trump a Racist?
(2019-02-20). Insisting on Resistance in an Age of Ignorance. truthdig.com Editor's note: This article was originally published on Truthout. | Ignorance now rules the U.S. Not the simple, if somewhat innocent ignorance that comes from an absence of knowledge, but a malicious ignorance forged in the arrogance of refusing to think hard about an issue. We most recently saw this exemplified in Donald Trump's disingenuousness 2019 State of the Union address in which he lied about the amount of drugs streaming across the southern border, demonized the immigrant community with racist atta…
(2019-02-20). William Barr confirmed as US Attorney General. naacp.org On February 14, 2019, the United States Senate voted, by a margin of 54 yeas to 45 nays, in support of the confirmation of NAACP-opposed William P. Barr to be the Attorney General of the United States. He was sworn in later that day. To see why the NAACP opposed this nomination and how each …
(2019-02-20). Saudi Arabia: Saudi Activist Held in Solitary Confinement: Nassima al-Sada. amnesty.org Woman human rights defender, Nassima al-Sada, was placed in solitary confinement since early February 2019, in al-Mabahith Prison in Dammam. Nassima has been detained since July 2018 without charge or trial. Nassima's detention was part of a recent wave of arrests that targeted Saudi human rights activists. Since May 2018, at least 15 human rights activists, including several women human rights defenders have been detained without charge in Saudi Arabia. Amnesty International calls on the Saudi authorities to release Nassima al-Sada and all other human rights activists immediately and unconditionally.
(2019-02-20). ThaàØlande: Un bahreàØnite libéré retourne en Australie. amnesty.org Hakeem Ali al Araibi a été libéré du centre de détention provisoire de Bangkok le 11 février 2019, après que les autorités bahreàØnites eurent renoncé à leur demande d'extradition. Il est reparti en Australie le jour même. Hakeem Ali al Araibi a été arrêté le 27 novembre 2018 par les autorités thaàØlandaises à son arrivée à l'aéroport international de Bangkok, sur la base d'une notice rouge diffusée par Interpol demandant son extradition vers BahreàØn. Il devait y purger une peine injuste de 10 ans d'emprisonnement, et risquait d'être victime de torture et d'autres mauvais traitements en déte…
(2019-02-20). 'Irritated' by Russia, US Admiral Sends Warship to Black Sea. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — In November, a maritime incident saw Ukrainian boats enter Russian territorial waters without permission, leading to their capture and detention of their crew. US Admiral James Foggo says he is 'irritated' by that To that end, the admiral has ordered the USS Donald Cook, a destroyer, to enter the Black Sea and conduct naval exercises with Ukraine to …
(2019-02-20). John Wayne posthumously bashed for 1971 'white supremacist', 'homophobic' Playboy interview. rt.com 
Legendary cowboy actor and all-American tough guy John Wayne has posthumously infuriated social justice types, after a 1971 interview resurfaced in which the 'True Grit' actor criticized racial equality and homosexuality. |
(2019-02-20). Somaliland: Free poet detained for critical poems. amnesty.org Somaliland authorities should immediately and unconditionally release from arbitrary detention Abdirahman Ibrahim Adan, a poet also known as Abdirahman Abees, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today. | Abdirahman Abees, a popular poet with British dual citizenship, has been held at the central prison in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, for over a month, solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression. |
(2019-02-20). Thailand: Further Information: Released Bahraini Returns To Australia: Hakeem Ali al-Araibi. amnesty.org On 11 February 2019, Hakeem Ali al-Araibi was released from Bangkok's remand prison after the Bahraini authorities dropped their extradition request. He flew back to Australia the same day. Hakeem was arrested on 27 November 2018, by the Thai authorities upon arrival at Bangkok's international airport, based on an Interpol red notice requesting his extradition to Bahrain. He was expected to serve an unfair 10-year prison sentence there, and would have been at risk of torture and other ill-treatment in detention. Upon his return to Australia, Hakeem thanked the human rights organizations that had acted on his beha…
(2019-02-20). Somaliland: Free Poet Detained for Critical Poems. hrw.org 
| | Abdirahman Abees. | © 2019 Private | (Nairobi, February 19, 2019) — Somaliland authorities should immediately and unconditionally release from arbitrary detention Abdirahman Ibrahim Adan, a poet known as "Abdirahman Abees," Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said today. Abdirahman, a popular Somaliland poet and British dual citizen, has been held at the central prison in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, for over a month, solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.
(2019-02-20). Washington Post slapped with $250mn defamation suit by Covington student. rt.com 
The boy who became the face of "white privilege" when an edited video of his confrontation with an indigenous protester went viral is suing the Washington Post for defamation, asking for its entire value in a 2013 sale as damages.
(2019-02-19). Japanese American community slams Trump's National Emergency. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – On Sunday, February 17, more than 400 people filled the San Jose Buddhist Church gym for the 39th annual Day of Remembrance event. Across the country, Japanese American communities commemorate the anniversary of Executive Order 9066, which led to the incarceration of more than 100,000 Americans of Japanese descent during World War II. The San Jose event was organized by NOC, the Nihonmachi [Japantown] Organizing Committee. | This year's event came just two days after President Trump declared a National Emergency in order to build his wall on the Mexico-U.S. border. Criticism of this act and compari…
(2019-02-19). A Wisconsin School District Shrugged After High School Coaches Body-Shamed Cheerleaders. aclu.org Parents say staff are subjecting students to pervasive gender discrimination in the Kenosha Unified School District. | The cheerleaders at Tremper High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin, looked forward to the annual spring banquet as a time to celebrate their hard work in the company of over 100 friends and family members. What they never expected was for the banquet to become a humiliating exercise in body shaming. | In the banquet hall of a Kenosha restaurant in March 2018, the cheer coaches presented some squad members with…
(2019-02-19). NAACP Challenge to Prison Gerrymandering Moves Forward, First Statewide Challenge in the Nation. naacp.org February 19, 2019 CONTACT: Malik Russell / mrussell@naacpnet.org / 443-610-0361 Vanessa Mbonu /vmbonu@naacpnet.org Doni Bloomfield /‚ÄØDoni.Bloomfield@ylsclinics.org Federal judge refuses to dismiss suit over discriminatory counting of incarcerated persons New Haven, CT (Feb. 19, 2019) — The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), together with the NAACP Connecticut State Conference and individual NAACP members, won a key ruling today that allows their …
(2019-02-18). Birmingham Civil Rights Group Reoffers Award to Angela Davis—But She Says Community Should Decide. democracynow.org 
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute sparked international outrage in January when it rescinded the Fred L. Shuttlesworth award for civil rights icon Angela Davis, soon after the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center sent a letter urging the board to reconsider honoring her due to her support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Facing swift and widespread outcry, the institute then reversed its decision and reinstated the award, but Davis has yet to accept it. Democracy Now! spoke with the president and CEO of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Andrea Taylor, on Saturday, before an alternate e…
(2019-02-18). Jewish Activists Hold Solidarity Shabbat Defending Angela Davis in Birmingham & Across U.S. democracynow.org 
Jewish supporters of Angela Davis across the nation held solidarity Shabbat on Friday evening, the night before the civil rights icon had been expected to receive the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The institute rescinded the honor in January due to Davis' support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting the Israeli government and Israeli institutions. The institute later reversed this decision after international outcry, but Davis has yet to accept the award. Democracy Now! was in Birmingham on Friday and attended a Shabbat in support of An…
(2019-02-18). Minneapolis erupts in protest over Trump's 'National Emergency' declaration. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN — Hundreds of people poured into the streets on Saturday, February 16, to demonstrate against the latest escalation of President Trump's anti-immigrant policies. | The day before, Trump had declared a so-called "National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States." Under the National Emergencies Act, the declaration could grant Trump new executive powers to allocate billions of dollars in funding toward further militarizing the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump claimed these measures will allow him to fulfill the racist "build the wall" narrative that he has used to mobilize his w…
(2019-02-18). Minnesotans stand up to racists to defend Representative Omar. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – A group calling itself Patriots United put out a racist, anti-Muslim call for Minnesotans to come out on February 17 to protest U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar at her office near Target Field in Minneapolis. Jewish Voice for Peace-Twin Cities called for a counter-protest and over 80 people came out strong with signs like "Jews for Ilhan" and "Minnesotans against Islamophobia" against Patriots United's contingent of six people, holding three signs and two American flags. | Newly elected Representative Omar, of Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, which includes Minneapolis, started a national c…
(2019-02-18). Racial Equity Groups Mobilize In Support of Voting Rights Act Hearings. naacp.org Atlanta Event 2nd in Series of National Hearings to Restore Voting Rights ATLANTA (February 18, 2019) — On Tuesday, February 19, all eyes will be on Georgia when the Subcommittee on Elections of the Committee on House Administration holds its "Field Hearing on Voting Rights and Election Administration in Georgia." Scheduled for 9: 30 AM EST …
(2019-02-18). Saudi Arabia: Clarify Status of 'Corruption' Detainees. hrw.org (Beirut) — Saudi Arabia announced an end to its high-profile anti-corruption campaign on January 31, 2019, but some of those rounded up remain in detention without a clear legal basis, Human Rights Watch said today. Saudi Arabia carried out the mass arrests, including of princes, current and former government officials, and prominent businessmen, on November 4, 2017, holding some for months at Riyadh's five-star Ritz Carlton Hotel and forcing them to turn over assets in exchange for their freedom outside of any legal process. | Those who re…
(2019-02-18). How the Federal Government Undermines Prison Education. theintercept.com Aaron Kinzel grew up poor in Toledo, Ohio, and from an early age, he was pulled into a life of crime. He didn't know his father, and his mother's partners encouraged him to break into houses, sell drugs, and engage in various forms of violence. "I just grew up around a lot of bullshit," he says. "I was really groomed to be a professional criminal." | He was a teenager on probation in 1997 when he left the Midwest on an ill-fated road trip to Maine with his girlfriend. He was carrying drugs and a loaded gun when he was pulled over by a state trooper. With the officer standing outside his car window, Kinzel panicke…
(2019-02-16). NAACP Restructures to Advance Advocacy Strategy. naacp.org New York (February 16, 2019)—The nation's most prominent civil rights organization announced today during its annual national board meeting in New York, a strategic restructuring which better positions the organization to lead the critical policy advocacy and social justice work needed to ensure the rights of all people. The group also signed memoranda of understanding …
(2019-02-16). The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and NAACP to Sign Historic Memorandum of Understanding During Annual Board Meeting. naacp.org The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American Men, and the nation's oldest and largest grassroots civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) share common priorities and interests in ensuring the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons …
(2019-02-16). Response underway to Trump's National Emergency to fund wall. fightbacknews.org Washington, D.C. — Progressive organizations around the country are taking a stand against Trump's declaration of a State of Emergency, which would divert federal funds towards building a wall on the border with Mexico. | Many groups have signed on to a call initiated by the Legalization for All Network, that read in part, "To get the funding for his racist wall, Trump is taking it a step further by threatening to declare a state of emergency. With already thousands of U.S. troops mobilized to the border, a State of Emergency would heighten the tension of armed troops and border agents who already unleashed…
(2019-02-16). Locked Inside a Freezing Federal Jail, They United to Protest Their Conditions — Only to Face Reprisals. theintercept.com 
In some units where incarcerated people protested, the toilets were shut off — leaving them sleeping next to their own feces.
(2019-02-15). Black Civil Rights Advocate Takes Control of Neo-Nazi Hate Group the National Socialist Movement. splcenter.org The antisemitic and neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Movement (NSM) is now under the control of a black civil rights advocate from California who once dissolved a notorious Ku Klux Klan chapter in Mississippi.
(2019-02-15). There Is No 'National Emergency' at the Border, and Trump's Declaration Is Illegal. aclu.org President Donald Trump admits he's making his move because he didn't get his way with Congress, and in the process, he hurts American communities. | After more than a month of threats, a government shutdown, and bipartisan action by Congress, President Trump has finally declared a national emergency to spend billions of taxpayer dollars on his border wall obsession. In response, the ACLU will file a lawsuit early next week challenging this blatantly illegal executive action. | Let's get something straight upfront: There is no em…
(2019-02-15). Ibram X. Kendi on Surviving Cancer & His Anti-Racist Reading List for Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam. democracynow.org 
As we celebrate the remarkable life and legacy of Frederick Douglass on his 201st birthday, we are joined by Ibram X. Kendi, a professor of history and international relations and founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. Kendi spoke Thursday night at the Library of Congress at an event honoring Frederick Douglass. He is the National Book Award-winning author of "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America" and a contributing editor at The Atlantic.
(2019-02-15). Asylum Seekers Are Being Imprisoned in an Abandoned Factory in Mexico Under Trump Admin Policy. democracynow.org 
As Trump plans to declare a national emergency, we look at what some have called the real humanitarian crisis at the border. Riot police in northern Mexico blocked hundreds of desperate Central American migrants Wednesday as they tried to escape an abandoned factory complex where they've been imprisoned while waiting for the U.S. to process their asylum claims. More than 1,700 migrants have been held in the maquiladora in the Mexican border town of Piedras Negras since February 5, after they arrived in a caravan of people seeking asylum in the U.S. The vast majority have remained prisoners at the site, after the…