(2020-02-26). Assange detention illegal under English, European and international law, defense argues. rt.com 
Day three of the Julian Assange extradition hearing is focusing on whether the allegations against Assange amount to "political offenses." If so, it would likely be outside of the judge's jurisdiction to approve extradition. | Kicking off proceedings at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday, defense counsel Edward Fitzgerald argued that 17 of the 18 counts with which the WikiLeaks founder has been charged fall under the US Espionage Act, which makes them political on face value. He added that the 18th count, of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, was in order to carry out the other alleged offenses. | Also on…
(2020-02-26). Assange's Extradition Hearing Reveals Trump's War on Free Press Is Targeting WikiLeaks Publisher. counterpunch.org On Monday, WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange's one-week extradition hearing began at Woolwich Crown Court in SouthEast London. The judge heard the opening arguments for the prosecution and defense. The prosecution began, accusing the journalist who exposed the US government's war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan of espionage charges that would carry 175 years in jail.
(2020-02-26). SEG (New Zealand) rally in Wellington demands freedom for Assange and Manning. wsws.org Speakers denounced the persecution of the WikiLeaks founder and the whistleblower, Chelsea Manning, who are both in prison and being psychologically tortured for revealing US war crimes.
(2020-02-26). Fresno Police Department Officers Assault Homeless Man. indybay.org Fresno Police officers beat this homeless man, arrested him for resisting arrest and booked him into the Fresno County Jail.
(2020-02-26). Assange Hearing: Judge Rejects Plea to Intervene Against Mistreatment of Assange by Prison Officials. sputniknews.com Julian Assange's lawyers have repeatedly submitted unsuccessful requests to the Judge on his case, over the past few months, for her to intervene over his prison conditions, which have included denying Assange proper access to his case file.
(2020-02-26). Draconian detention law spells nightmare for Kashmiris. yenisafak.com A letter from a detainee addressed to his family in Indian-administered Kashmir says he remains "confined to four choked walls".The detainee, held under provisions of the 1978 Public Safety Act (PSA), with another 22 Kashmiri men in an Indian jail, asks his family and friends to pray for him.A copy of the letter available with Anadolu Agency says: "We are 23 Kashmiri brothers here and all of us are confined to solitary prison cells. Neither can we talk to each other nor can we shake hands but only remain confined to the four choked walls."Please pray for us as we are in helpless condition," the detainee, who did…
(2020-02-25). 'Not a real Democrat!' Florida lawsuit seeks to REMOVE Bernie Sanders from primary ballot. rt.com 
A pair of Democrats in Florida have sued to strike 2020 hopeful Bernie Sanders from the state's primary ballot, arguing the socialist stalwart is not a true member of their party and demanding votes in his favor be nullified. | The two Tallahassee men filed their lawsuit in a Leon County circuit court on Monday, calling for Sanders — who has surged to the head of the Democratic pack in recent weeks — to be disqualified from the Florida primary. As a declared independent, they argue, the Vermont senator would be "interloping improperly" and "unlawfully" in the upcoming vote in March. | Welcome to Flor…
(2020-02-25). What does it mean to be a Marxist? mronline.org 
What's in a name? Being a Marxist means being a revolutionary anticapitalist, a fighter against all forms of oppression, an internationalist who wants to end capitalism around the whole world, and a believer in the power of the working class. |
(2020-02-25). Voter suppression, anti-union labor laws make South Carolina a pivotal battleground. peoplesworld.org 
Right on the heels of the Nevada caucus, the South Carolina Democratic Primary will take place this Saturday, Feb. 29. Voters will have Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Tom Steyer, Amy Klobuchar, and Tulsi Gabbard to choose from on the ballot, while all but Gabbard have qualified for the debate in South …
(2020-02-25). Man arrested after trying to blow up a car in Pentagon parking lot. rt.com 
An Arkansas man led Pentagon security on a wild chase after allegedly trying to blow up a car parked near the building. He was arrested in Arlington National Cemetery and faces charges that could land him in prison for 20 years.
(2020-02-25). Headlines for February 25, 2020. democracynow.org Harvey Weinstein Found Guilty of Rape, 2020 Democratic Candidates Gear Up for Debate as More Damning Comments by Bloomberg Surface, Bernie Sanders Defends Praise for Fidel Castro's Literacy Program, Protests in India Kill At Least 7 as Trump Continues Visit, Former Egyptian Dictator Hosni Mubarak Dies, U.K. Court Opens Deliberations on Julian Assange's Extradition Case, As Coronavirus Spreads Around the Globe, White House Requests Emergency Funding, China Sentences Bookseller Critical of Chinese Government to 10 Years in Prison, Clashes Between Haitian Police and Soldiers Leave One Dead as Anti-Gov't Protests Rag…
(2020-02-25). Assange's Extradition Hearing Reveals Trump's War on Free Press Is Targeting WikiLeaks Publisher. commondreams.org A supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange wears a sign reading 'Don't shoot the messenger' while she demonstrates outside Woolwich Crown Court prior to his extradition hearing on February 25, 2020 in London, England. Assange is wanted by the United States on charges related to the publication of classified US military documents and faces a possible maximum 175-year prison sentence. (Photo: Peter Summers/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/dont_shoot_the_messenger.jpg …
(2020-02-25). Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Condemns Trump's Call for Supreme Court Recusals. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-02-25). Women Confront Ugly Harassment at Beauty Products Plant. truthout.org At a lotion factory outside Chicago, workers endured years of sexual harassment, coercion, gender and racial discrimination, and unsafe working conditions. | Last year the women at Voyant Beauty came together to fight back. | The workers at Voyant are overwhelmingly female, and almost all long-term temps. They blend, bottle, pack, and ship beauty products for brands like Victoria's Secret, Johnson & Johnson, and Aveeno. | Black Workers Shut Out: | Before the organizing came a hiring discrimination lawsuit…
(2020-02-25). US Top Court Dismisses Lawsuit Over Shooting of Mexican Teen. telesurenglish.net The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit against a Border Patrol agent for fatally shooting a 15-year-old Mexican boy on Mexican soil from across the border in Texas. | RELATED: | The court voted five to four to uphold the dismissal already exercised by a lower court in the lawsuit against the agent Jesus Mesa, who was standing on the U.S. side of the border when he shot Sergio Adrian Hernande…
(2020-02-25). Updated: "Soldiers Abduct 28 Palestinians, Including Children, Former Political Prisoners, In West Bank" imemc.org The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that Israeli soldiers abducted, Tuesday, twenty-eight Palestinians, including children, siblings, and a young woman, from their homes in several parts of the occupied West Bank. The PPS said the soldiers abducted sixteen Palestinians from their homes in Hebron governorate, in southern West Bank. …
(2020-02-25). "It's a Beginning": Rosanna Arquette on Weinstein Rape Conviction & How He Assaulted, Spied on Her. democracynow.org 
A jury has found Harvey Weinstein guilty of rape and sexual assault, following a seven-week trial in Manhattan. The jurors convicted the disgraced Hollywood producer Monday of raping then-aspiring actress Jessica Mann in a hotel room in 2013 and of sexually assaulting production assistant Miriam Haley at his apartment in 2006 by forcibly performing oral sex on her. Weinstein was convicted of first-degree commission of a criminal sexual act and third-degree rape. But he was acquitted of two more serious charges of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape. He faces a total sentence of up to 29 years in prison…
(2020-02-24). From Being Tortured in Sri Lanka to the U.S. Supreme Court. aclu.org 
On a frigid day in early February, Vijayakumar Thuraissigiam | stands under an awning on a street corner in lower Manhattan along with one of | his attorneys, Celso Perez of the ACLU. Both are bundled in heavy winter | jackets. Perez is holding his phone up and squinting as he concentrates on the | tinny voice of a translator emanating from its speaker. | "I want them to be aware that you're traveling," Perez says | into the phone. | The voice on the other line translates what Perez said into | Tamil, the native language of Sri Lanka's largest ethnic minority. Thuraissigiam, | heavyset in his late 40s with a…
(2020-02-24). Honoring Black History Month Means Respecting the Foundation That it Stands On. aclu.org Black History Month is meant to be a | celebration of the achievements of Black Americans, in spite of our country's | history of blatant, intentional racism. Despite that intention, the American | narrative surrounding the enslaving of Black Americans has always attempted to | rewrite our past, generating a kinder, gentler image of slavery. | President Trump and his appointees are | the embodiment of that attempt to rewrite Black history. Recently, President | Trump and his appointee, Philadelphia U. S. Attorney William McSwain, mocked | the history that serves as the foundation for Black History Month. Whil…
(2020-02-24). Tampa students rally for justice for Jamee Johnson. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally at the University of South Florida calling for justice and all victims of police brutality, highlighting Jamee Johnson, a Black man who was murdered by officers in Jacksonville. At the February 19 protest, about 15 students promoted the need for community control of the police through police accountability councils. They also demonstrated for their ongoing campaign to increase Black enrollment at USF. | With chants saying, "USF shame on you! Black lives matter too!" the students used the rally to reach out to the student body about the wa…
(2020-02-23). "We want to show the DNC that the people have the power," says Milwaukee coalition. fightbacknews.org New York, NY – On February 22, a Wisconsin delegation invited a conference of nearly 60 organizations to join a major protest at the Democratic National Convention taking place in Milwaukee in July. | The members of the Coalition to March on the DNC made their announcement on the second day of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) national conference. The UNAC conference is a major gathering of international solidarity and anti-oppression activists from across North America, taking place at the People's Forum in New York City. | The coalition is calling on all progressive, left, democratic and socialist or…
(2020-02-22). Minnesota progressives say 'Don't vote for Amy Klobuchar'. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN — Minnesota progressives are urging voters around the country to reject Democratic Party contender Amy Klobuchar. | Jess Sundin, a leader in the fight against police crimes says, "Amy Klobuchar is a racist. When she was Hennepin County District Attorney, she always sided with law enforcement against the interests of community members. She never charged a single cop in 40 cases of police murder of civilians. She sent an African American child, Myon Burrell, to prison for life, despite evidence that he was not involved in the crime she prosecuted him for." | Sundin continued, "The people of He…
(2020-02-21). Malcolm X's Daughter Ilyasah Shabazz on Her Father's Legacy & the New Series "Who Killed Malcolm X?" democracynow.org 
Fifty-five years ago today, Malcolm X was assassinated. The civil rights leader was shot to death on February 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. He was only 39 years old. Details of his assassination remain disputed to this day. Earlier this month, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said he was considering reopening the investigation, just days after a new documentary series about the assassination was released on Netflix called "Who Killed Malcolm X?" It makes the case that two of the three men who were convicted for Malcolm X's murder are actually innocent and that his uncaught killers wer…
(2020-02-21). Headlines for February 21, 2020. democracynow.org Roger Stone Sentenced to 40-Month Prison Term, Trump Lashed at Intel Chief over Warning of Russian Meddling in 2020 Election, Germany Mourns Victims of Right-Wing Terror Attacks, Suspect Arrested in Stabbing at London Mosque, U.K. to Close Borders to "Unskilled" and Non-English-Speaking Immigrants, Protests Erupt as Acting ICE Director Challenges New York Pro-Immigrant Laws, Mexican Radio Journalist Murdered in Ciudad Juárez, February Flowers Bloom in Moscow Amid Record-High Winter Temperatures, 28 Arrested in Seattle Protesting Chase Bank Fossil Fuel Ties, Rail Blockades Continue as Protests Grow Against Coastal…
(2020-02-21). Weekend Read: SPLC files civil rights complaints as asylum seekers wage hunger strikes. splcenter.org …
(2020-02-21). Racist Drug Laws Lead to Racist Enforcement in Cities Across the Country. aclu.org The way which America enforces its drug laws has been Across racial and ethnic groups, Americans use and sell drugs at rates, but law enforcement has targeted Black and brown people for stops, arrests, prosecution, and | imprisonment at wildly disproportionate rates. | This race-…
(2020-02-20). The Supreme Court Will Decide Whether Asylum Seekers Receive Their Day in Court. aclu.org In March, we will be in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the right to a day in court for asylum seekers and other vulnerable noncitizens. That decision w…
(2020-02-20). U.S. Resident Indefinitely Detained Without Charge Secures His Day In Court. aclu.org Adham Hassoun will | finally have his day in court. A federal judge has rejected the government's sweeping | claim that it can, on its own say-so, indefinitely imprison him without charge | and without a fair trial. | Adham is a long-time U.S. resident and a father of three. As we previously his criminal sentence and was set to be released from prison almost three years | ago. But the government — claiming unprecedented and unconstitutional…
(2020-02-20). Venezuela files ICC lawsuit over US sanctions. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-02-19). No to religious discrimination. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-02-19). Uphold rainbow rights and kill the religious privilege bill. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-02-18). Our Vision to Transform What it Means to Be a Prosecutor. aclu.org 
It's a long-established fact that the United States is the largest incarcerator in the world. Over two million people are behind bars, roughly a quarter of whom are simply awaiting trial. Millions more are under some form of state supervision, such as parole or probation. | Many players have a hand in our mass incarceration crisis, but there's one actor with almost
(2020-02-18). Journalist: Harvey Weinstein's Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement. democracynow.org 
A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, alleges she was raped by Weinstein in a New York hotel, for which he has been charged wit…
(2020-02-18). ICE's Destruction of Records Must Be Stopped. aclu.org Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is | notorious for committing rampant unconstitutional and inhumane abuses in its | detention system — something advocates, communities, and years. Public oversight of ICE detention is about to become even harder, | further eroding accountability and endangering the health and safety of more than | 50,000 people in ICE custody every day. That's because the National Archives | and R…
(2020-02-18). There is a Coordinated Attack Against Trans Youth in State Legislatures. aclu.org Less than a | month and a half into 2020, this state legislative session has seen on bills that would harm trans youth. | Also | alarming: These bills, and the terminology used in them, use playbook. | Right now, | bills are pending in 10 states that | would criminalize l…
(2020-02-14). Weekend Read: Department of Justice may force Mississippi to fix deadly prison system. splcenter.org …
(2020-02-13). Bill Barr Wants Sheriffs to Join His Attacks on State and Local Governments. aclu.org Attorney General Bill Barr, For | Barr's Department of Justice, that escalation includes new lawsuits against | states and municipalities with immigrant-protective policies.
(2020-02-11). Desperate asylum seekers 'starving for justice' in immigrant prison hunger strikes across Louisiana. splcenter.org Guards shackled Sai Mahad to a chair, placed a mask over his mouth and snaked a long tube through one of his nostrils.
(2020-02-04). Biden Threatens Lawsuit to Halt Release of Real Iowa Caucus Results. theantimedia.com American democracy—ain't it grand?>
(2020-02-02). SPLC and the SPLC Action Fund Hire Internationally Renowned Human and Civil Rights Leader as New President and CEO. splcenter.org Margaret Huang brings 25 years of experience advocating against discrimination and oppression around the world.