(2020-11-19). Ramsey Prison terrorizes Texas incarcerated. workers.org 
Just like in this 1970s Houston Chronicle photo, Texas prisoners still pick cotton with armed guards on horseback overseeing them. Prisoners earn $0.00 an hour. "We're already stressed out because of the virus. We've all had it, and now there are new threats that it's returning. On top of that, . . . |
(2020-11-19). Saudi court sentences Salman al-Odah's brother to five years in prison. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi court sentences Salman al-Odah's brother to five years in prison | Khaled al-Odah's sentencing comes three and a half years after he was detained for showing solidarity with his brother on social media | Thu, 11/19/2020 – 17: 39 | Khaled al-Odah was also issued a travel ban preventing him from leaving the country (Abdullah Alaoudh/Twitter) | Saudi Arabia sentenced the brother of jailed cleric Salman al-O…
(2020-11-19). COVID-19 protocols: Recipe for disaster in Pennsylvania prisons. workers.org 
Bryant Arroyo (left) with Joe Piette of WWP Prisoners Solidarity Committee. Incarcerated workers across Pennsylvania are demanding that Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel reverse his disastrous decision to begin mass transfers of prisoners at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following commentary is from jailhouse organizer and environmentalist . . . |
(2020-11-19). Karl Yoneda and Elaine Black—star-crossed lovers in a class war. peoplesworld.org 
In October 1987, I covered a rally in Washington, D.C., for the People's Daily World celebrating the federal government's apology for the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. The event, which drew hundreds to the U.S. Capitol steps, was sponsored by the Japanese American Citizens League. Among those who flew into town …
(2020-11-19). Amnesty urges G20 leaders to 'stand up for brave activists' jailed in Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net 
Amnesty urges G20 leaders to 'stand up for brave activists' jailed in Saudi Arabia | Women's empowerment features prominently on G20 Agenda, despite several activists languishing in jail or facing trial | Thu, 11/19/2020 – 18: 17 | Protesters gather at Saudi embassy in Washington to remember slain Middle East Eye columnist Jamal Khashoggi (AFP/File photo) | Member states of the Group of 20 (G20) meeting in thi…
(2020-11-19). Headlines for November 19, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Passes 250,000; Nearly 1% of U.S. Population Currently Infectious, Pfizer to Seek Emergency Authorization of COVID-19 Vaccine, Touting 95% Efficacy, Lawsuit Alleges Tyson Foods Managers Wagered on Meatpackers' Coronavirus Infection Rate, COVID-19 Surge Overwhelms Hospitals as Healthcare Workers Fall Ill, Biden Says Trump's Refusal to Concede Could Set Back Vaccine Rollout by Months, Arizona Secretary of State Faces Death Threats as Trump Promotes Election Conspiracy Theories, Democratic Congressmembers Reelect Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, Australian Military Apologizes to Afghan…
(2020-11-19). Thursday 12/3: What's Next for Civil Rights: Democracy in the 117th Congress Town Hall w/ Common Cause. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-11-19). Remembrance, Resilience, and Response: Addressing An Epidemic of Violence Against Trans and Non-Binary People. aclu.org Each year on Nov. 20,
(2020-11-19). Inmate Kitchen Workers Forced To Serve Expired Meat In Prison. popularresistance.org Arizona – Incarcerated people who work in the kitchens at the Eyman, Lewis and Yuma state prisons claim they were forced to serve expired meat to their fellow inmates, resulting in foodborne illnesses. | Several inmates report being diagnosed with H. pylori infections, which they attribute to the food and unsanitary conditions in the kitchens. The inmates say they were subsequently put on antibiotics in recent days and weeks to treat the infections. | KJZZ is not naming the inmates because they fear retaliation for speaking out about the prison conditions.
(2020-11-19). Anti-Nuclear Pacifists Get Federal Prison Terms for Nonviolent Protest. zcomm.org The most dedicated peace activists you've never heard of are headed to federal prison amid a deadly pandemic…
(2020-11-18). Demand immediate release of Palestinian women's movement leader Khitam Saafin. fightbacknews.org Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) demands Israel immediately release Khitam Saafin, the president of the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees, who has been jailed without charge or trial. Saafin was taken into custody on November 2 along with six other Palestinian human rights activists. Her imprisonment is another in the long list of crimes by the callous and cruel Zionist occupiers of Palestine. | Khitam Saafin is among those who stand in the forefront of the Palestinian women's movement and is a tireless organizer for social and national liberation. She has spoken at many international venues on th…
(2020-11-18). Abdicating to Boeing: An Open Letter to FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson. counterpunch.org November 13, 2020 Stephen Dickson, Administrator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) U.S. Department of Transportation 800 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20591 Dear Mr. Dickson, It is now abundantly clear that instead of clearing out top Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operatives who have worked to make the FAA safe for Boeing, you have thrown in your
(2020-11-18). British Medical Journal accuses UK government of the "suppression of science" wsws.org The COVID-19 pandemic and the British ruling class' criminal "herd immunity" response has created a humanitarian disaster.
(2020-11-18). Pennsylvania Supreme Court shoots down Trump campaign claims of blocking Philadelphia election observers. rt.com 
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has rejected allegations by President Donald Trump's campaign team that election observers in Philadelphia were deprived of "meaningful access" to the polls, overturning a lower court's ruling. | The state's liberal-leaning Supreme Court ruled 5-2 against Trump's lawsuit on Tuesday, rebuffing claims that local election officials barred Republican poll-watchers from standing close enough to the vote-counting process to see what was happening. | "We conclude the [Philadelphia County Board of Elections] did not act contrary to law… during the precanvassing and canvassing proces…
(2020-11-18). A survivor speaks: 'I had to defend myself'. workers.org 
This is a slightly edited version of a talk given at the webinar "Women and Oppressed Genders: Survival and Resistance" hosted by WWP's Prisoners Solidarity Committee on Sept. 24. Wendy Howard with daughters Bailey (left) and Miranda (right) in front of the office of the Kern County District Attorney. . . . |
(2020-11-18). The white vote for Trump: Is multinational working class solidarity possible? workers.org 
Why did nearly 73 million people vote for Trump, given his disastrous pandemic response and the economic collapse? The answer, simply put, is racism. In a country built on white supremacy, from slavery and genocide to mass incarceration and imperialist war, it should come as no surprise that a substantial . . . |
(2020-11-18). Tutu, Gandhi, King descendants call for clemency for NYS imprisoned elder activist. mronline.org 
The Open Letter, coordinated by Fellowship of Reconciliation former Chairperson Matt Meyer, is one of many such efforts throughout the U.S. calling for relief for over-age inmates facing fatal consequences in light of multiple health crises, and throughout the world calling for freedom for all political prisoners.
(2020-11-18). Tutu, Nobel laureates, call for clemency for David Gilbert, NYS imprisoned elder activist. mronline.org The Open Letter, coordinated by Fellowship of Reconciliation former Chairperson Matt Meyer, is one of many such efforts throughout the U.S. calling for relief for over-age inmates facing fatal consequences in light of multiple health crises, and throughout the world calling for freedom for all political prisoners.
(2020-11-18). As COVID Deaths Soar, El Paso at Breaking Point with Hospitals & Mobile Morgues Filling Up. 18.224.45.15 
Some Republican governors are dropping their resistance to mask mandates, as public health officials in the United States brace for a COVID-19 surge from the Thanksgiving holiday amid already record-high infection rates. However, Republican resistance to other public health safety measures continues as coronavirus cases in Texas reach record highs for a second time during the pandemic. El Paso County, an area along the U.S.-Mexico border where 80% of residents are Latinx, is also facing one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S. and now has 10 mobile morgues to hold bodies. Some prisoners are being paid just…
(2020-11-18). Colin Kaepernick: 'Free Mumia!'. workers.org 
During a virtual press conference Nov. 16 on the critical juncture in the fight to free political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, Colin Kaepernick expressed his support. Kaepernick sacrificed his stellar athletic career in 2016 when he began to take a knee in protest against police terror during the playing of the . . . |
(2020-11-18). Egypt arrests another rights activist after meeting with Western diplomats. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt arrests another rights activist after meeting with Western diplomats | Karim Ennarah was detained in the resort town of Dahab in South Sinai while on vacation, EIPR said in a statement | Wed, 11/18/2020 – 20: 05 | Some 60,000 detainees in Egypt are political prisoners, according to an estimate by Human Rights Watch (AFP/File photo) | Egyptian authorities arrested a human rights defender on Wednesday, jus…
(2020-11-18). Hunger Strike Enters Third Week At California's Largest Prison. popularresistance.org In the southern part of California's Central Valley, about halfway between Bakersfield and Fresno, sits Corcoran, California—a small farming town surrounded on all sides by acres of cotton and tomato fields. | Perched at the town's southern tip are two of the state's largest prisons. Together, their denizens make up about 33% of the population of Corcoran. One of the facilities, the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (CSATF), is the state's single largest, housing 4,481 prisoners, about 130% of its intended capacity.
(2020-11-18). Lawsuit filed against Fort Worth and police officer who killed innocent woman. nationofchange.org "Defendant Dean in his prowl around the backyard of her home caused Atatiana fear and uncertainty. Dean shot Atatiana, causing pain and suffering. Dean failed to render medical aid to Atatiana."
(2020-11-18). "Fed Up" The SF POA Contract, Mayor Breed, Unions, The SFLC & Cops with John Crew. indybay.org Retired attorney John Crew who was ACLU Director of Police Practices talks about the effort by the Mayor of San Francisco London Breed with the leadership of the San Francisco Labor Council leadership to push through a City contract with the San Francisco Police Officers Association SF POA. He discusses the history of the SF POA including his arrest by a past president and the secret negotiations Mayor Breed and DHR Carol Eise has done with SF POA that that they are now trying to release…
(2020-11-18). Hunger Strikers Caged in the Second Wave Are "Just Trying to Survive the Winter" truthout.org "Our society created the framework for this atrocity just like the trenches of World War I created perfect incubation zones for the 1918 flu," Truthout's Kelly Hayes talks with Eric, an organizer with Oakland Abolition and Solidarity about the escalating COVID-19 outbreak at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility, where some imprisoned people have launched a hunger strike over unsafe, unlivable conditions. | TRANSCRIPT: | Note: This a rush transcript and has been lightly edi…
(2020-11-18). Why A 58-day vigil Is Going On Outside The Governor's House. popularresistance.org Demonstrators gathered outside the Executive Mansion on Sunday to demand that Gov. Roy Cooper use his powers of pardon and clemency to protect people who are incarcerated during the pandemic. | Members of Decarcerate Now NC, a coalition of organizations which say they're working to end to mass incarceration, have been holding daily vigils outside the governor's mansion since Election Day and plan to continue through Jan. 1, when Cooper begins his second term. That's a total of 58 days. | "We stand vigil to bring attention to your Administration's ongoing failure to prioritize and appropriately protect Black lives…
(2020-11-18). The Media's Quadrennial Eclipse. counterpunch.org Whatever will he do next? The cable newscasters cry, eager to ply their audiences with more of the drip, drip that keeps advertisers hooked. If you're feeling withdrawal from Disaster Don's tweets, there are pictures of his golf cart and non-news of his non-lawsuits. And Joe, oh Joe, and the next four years. How will
(2020-11-18). The Healthcare Multinational Profiting off Fraudulent Detentions. dissidentvoice.org In July 2020, US healthcare multinational UHS Delaware reached a $122million settlement with the US federal government as the result of an investigation by the FBI into fraudulent detentions of psychiatric patients for profit. Following the resolution of the investigation and civil settlement, UHS must retain an independent monitor selected by the Office of Inspector …
(2020-11-17). "A Silent Pandemic": Racism, Negligence, and Medical Assault in ICE Detention Centers. cepr.net After a whistleblower revealed that an ICE detention facility in Georgia sterilized immigrant women without consent, members of the House Judiciary Committee and Hispanic Caucus visited the facility and heard directly from the whistleblower and immigrant women who experienced forced sterilizations at the facility. Congress members called for an investigation of the Department of …
(2020-11-17). Saudi activists tell UK MPs of brutal conditions facing political detainees. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi activists tell UK MPs of brutal conditions facing political detainees | Activists told a panel focusing on two detained princes that rape, torture and killing were commonplace in Saudi jails | Tue, 11/17/2020 – 11: 39 | Former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef (R), pictured with current Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was arrested in March with little known publicly about his detention (AF…
(2020-11-17). Iraq hangs 21 men for terrorism at notorious Nasiriyah prison. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq hangs 21 men for terrorism at notorious Nasiriyah prison | The men had been convicted under a 2005 counterterrorism law but there were no details on their specific crimes | Tue, 11/17/2020 – 08: 29 | Iraq ranks fifth among countries that carry out death sentences, according to Amnesty International (Reuters) | Iraq executed 21 men convicted of terrorism on Monday at the notorious Nasi…
(2020-11-17). Kaepernick joins the call to 'Free Mumia!'. workers.org 
Philadelphia A virtual press conference on the critical juncture in the fight to free political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal was held here Nov. 16. A special highlight was a seven-minute message from Colin Kaepernick, expressing his support. Kaepernick sacrificed his stellar athletic career in 2016 when he began to take a . . . |
(2020-11-17). Union lawsuit wins UK workers right to picket during lockdown. peoplesdispatch.org During the proceedings in a lawsuit filed by Unite union against police and health authorities for threatening workers on strike, the UK government confirmed that workers on lawful industrial action have the right to picket their workplace during the COVID-19 lockdown…
(2020-11-16). "I Need That Pardon": Ronnie Long, Free After 44 Years, Demands Justice for His Wrongful Conviction. democracynow.org 
"It's a blessing within itself for me to even be sitting here right now," says Ronnie Long, free after 44 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. Long, who is African American, was convicted in 1976 of raping a white woman by an all-white jury and sentenced to 80 years in prison. In 2015, his lawyers learned that investigators had withheld exculpatory evidence proving his innocence — including semen samples and fingerprints taken from the crime scene that did not match his own — and witnesses for the state committed perjury at his trial. It would take several more years and a ruling by the 4t…
(2020-11-16). Khashoggi's fiancee calls on world leaders to boycott G20 summit. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi's fiancee calls on world leaders to boycott G20 summit | Hatice Cengiz says Jamal Khashoggi's murder alerted international community to 'ill-treatment of women and prisoners of conscience' | Mon, 11/16/2020 – 22: 10 | Cengiz said the awareness spread by journalists and reporters about Khashoggi's murder has helped shed light on Riyadh's other abuses (AFP/File photo) | Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of sl…
(2020-11-16). France, Germany and Italy face major challenges in ICU capacity this winter. imperial.ac.uk France, Germany and Italy face major challenges in ICU capacity this winter and will exceed the first peak without further suppression measures.
(2020-11-16). 'An Act of Love, An Act of Justice': Anti-Nuclear Activists Headed to Prison for US Naval Base Protest. commondreams.org "To be clear," said Martha Hennessy, granddaughter of Dorothy Day and one of the sentenced, "these weapons are not private property, they belong to the people of the United States; they belong to me, to you, to us." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/kings-bay-plowshares-955px_0.jpg …
(2020-11-16). Prisoners load bodies into mobile morgues in El Paso, Texas as COVID-19 infections skyrocket. wsws.org The winter surge in the US is well underway, with fatalities climbing as hospital systems from one region to the next reach capacity.