(2018-12-27). China's ex deputy intelligence chief jailed for life over graft. aljazeera.com Court sentences Ma Jian to life in prison for corruption offences, including accepting bribes and insider trading.
(2018-12-27). China to try Canadian on drugs charges: state media. aljazeera.com Detention of fourth Canadian in recent weeks could further test already difficult relations between Beijing and Ottawa.
(2018-12-27). Amber Heard: I Spoke Up Against Sexual Violence and Faced Our Culture's Wrath. aclu.org It's time to reform institutions that protect men accused of abuse. | This piece was originally published in the Washington Post. | I was exposed to abuse at a very young age. I knew certain things early on, without ever having to be told. I knew that men have the power — physically, socially and financially — and that a lot of institutions support that arrangement. I knew this long befor…
(2018-12-27). Headlines for December 27, 2018. democracynow.org President Trump Makes Surprise Visit to U.S. Military Base in Iraq, NYT: Queens Podiatrist Helped Donald Trump Avoid Vietnam in 1968, Trump Says No End in Sight to Partial Government Shutdown, Violence Against Women Act Expires Due to Government Shutdown, Texas: Hundreds More Migrants Released by ICE at El Paso Bus Station, Guatemala: Funeral Held for 7-Year-Old Girl Who Died in U.S. Custody, ProPublica: Sexual Assaults Pervasive Inside Jails for Migrant Children, Sudan: 37 Killed as Protests Call for an End to Omar al-Bashir's Rule, Russia Tests New "Hypersonic" Nuclear-Capable Missile, Yemen: U.N. Team Tasked w…
(2018-12-27). Investigation Finds at Least $800M in Taxpayer Money Went to Funding For-Profit Immigrant Prisons in 2018. commondreams.org While President Trump's anti-immigrant agenda has been disastrous—and deadly—for asylum-seekers fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries, a Daily Beast investigation published on Thursday found that the White House's xenophobic policies have been a major boon for the private prison industry at the expense of American taxpayers. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/immigrants_prisons.jpg…
(2018-12-27). Japanese Prosecutors Demand 5 Years in Prison for Executives Facing Trial for Fukushima Nuclear Disaster. commondreams.org More than seven years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, prosecutors in Japan on Wednesday demanded that three former executives from Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) each face five years behind bars for failing to ensure the safety of the power plant. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/fukushima_4.jpg…
(2018-12-27). The Dutch racist tradition/Goodbye to Black Pete/Fascism is coming. indybay.org Similar to the former "Blackface" [USA] and "Golliwog" [Great Britain], in the Netherlands "Zwarte Piet" [Dutch for | Black Pete] is a racist caricature, that is invented in the 19th century, the era of slavery, diehard colonialism | and racist theiries about the superiority of the "white race" | Black Pete is the stupid servant of Saint Nicholas [in Dutch "Sinterklaas] and leads to discrimination and | teasing of black children. Time to say goodbye to Black Pete!
(2018-12-27). A motel beside I-75 in Adel, GA. theintercept.com 
Hercules Brown has been in prison for murder for more than 16 years, but he has not confessed to the September 1998 murder of Donna Brown at the Taco Bell in Adel, Georgia — even though there is strong evidence pointing to his guilt, and Devonia Inman, a man unconnected to the crime, is serving a life sentence in prison for it. | Jessica Cino, a dean and law professor at Georgia State University, has spent countless hours over more than three years trying to find a way to help Inman prove his innocence, a monumental feat that means battling a court system rigged to keep him behind bars. He's exhausted his n…
(2018-12-26). The Battle to Stop Family Separation. aclu.org How a Congolese mother and child set in motion an extraordinary battle that exposed government conduct unprecedented in its cruelty and carelessness. | In March 2017, John Kelly, then Secretary of Homeland Security, said in an interview with CNN that the Trump administration was considering a national policy to separate parents from their children to deter immigrants from crossing the border into the United States. The proposal triggered a backlash because it was so unpalatable, and the…
(2018-12-26). Muslim Ban: Meet the Yemeni Americans Suing Trump in an Attempt to Reunite with Loved Ones. democracynow.org 
A group of Yemeni Americans have filed a new federal lawsuit over President Trump's Muslim ban. The suit alleges the State Department has revoked previously approved visas, preventing many Yemenis from reuniting with their families living in the United States. We speak to two of the plaintiffs and the Center for Constitutional Rights, which brought the lawsuit.
(2018-12-26). When Portland Tried to Dictate Favorable News Coverage of Its Protest Crackdowns. aclu.org Journalists rightfully turned down an offer by Portland police to observe the command center during a protest. They had at least three good reasons. | After months of facing criticism for how Portland has been policing protests, the city's mayor and police bureau recently invited select reporters to the bureau's command center to watch their policing in action. The only catch? Well, there were at least three. | But first, some background: The Portland Police Bur…
(2018-12-26). As CBP Orders Medical Checks for Minors in US Custody After Two Deaths, Critics Ask, 'Why Are They Jailing Children' In the First Place? commondreams.org As Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that it would order medical checks for all minors in its custody following the deaths of at least two children in recent weeks, critics expressed alarm at the neglect that children have faced in immigrant detention centers thus far—and issued reminders that they shouldn't be detained, especially for long periods of time, in the first place. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-9787825282_1.png…
(2018-12-26). By Shutting Down Government Over Racist Border Wall, Union Says Trump 'Gambling With Lives of Federal Workers'. commondreams.org Hitting back at President Donald Trump's evidence-free claim that "many" government employees are backing the ongoing government shutdown because they "want the wall," the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)—a union that represents thousands of scientists, administrative workers, and others—declared in a statement on Wednesday that it has "not heard from a single member who supports the president's inaction." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/trump_shutdown1.jpg…
(2018-12-26). China: Trial of lawyer Wang Quanzhang a "cruel charade" amnesty.org The trial of Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang is a cruel charade and he should be immediately and unconditionally released, Amnesty International said. | Wang is one of the few lawyers still held in detention after the Chinese government's mass crackdown in 2015, which targeted nearly 250 lawyers and activists. He is on trial at the Tianjin Municipal No.2 Intermediate People's Court accused of "subverting state power," which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. | "This is a sham trial in which Wang Quanzhang is being persecuted only for peacefully defending human rights," said Doriane Lau, C…
(2018-12-26). The Man Who Fell From The Sky: Is Revenge Justified Against Racist Murder? therealnews.com 
A page-turning murder mystery set in a Cape Verdean community during the Vietnam War and the war against The Black Panthers, by writer, scholar, and author Bill Fletcher, Jr.
(2018-12-26). Federal law enforcement agencies sued for keeping Americans in the dark about hacking activities. rt.com 
The American Civil Liberties Union, along with several non-profits, has sued seven US federal agencies over their failure to disclose information regarding government hacking activities that target the American public.
(2018-12-26). 'System of white supremacy' blocked anti-lynching law for 100yrs — law professor. rt.com 
Systemic racism and an unwillingness to confront the past have served as major roadblocks to the US adopting federal anti-lynching legislation, a law professor told RT.
(2018-12-25). A Tribute to Blacklisted Lyricist Yip Harburg: The Man Who Put the Rainbow in The Wizard of Oz. democracynow.org 
His name might not be familiar to many, but his songs are sung by millions around the world. Today, we take a journey through the life and work of Yip Harburg, the Broadway lyricist who wrote such hits as "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" and who put the music into The Wizard of Oz. Born into poverty on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Harburg always included a strong social and political component to his work, fighting racism and poverty. A lifelong socialist, Harburg was blacklisted and hounded throughout much of his life. We speak with Harburg's son, Ernie Harburg, about the music and politics of his father. T…
(2018-12-25). Second child dies in custody — US immigration authorities. rt.com 
An eight-year-old boy from Guatemala has died at a detention facility on Tuesday night, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has confirmed. This is the second immigrant child this month to die in custody.
(2018-12-24). Angela Davis on Running from the FBI, Lessons from Prison and How Aretha Franklin Got Her Free. democracynow.org 
For more than four decades, Davis has been one of most influential activists and intellectuals in the United States. An icon of the black liberation movement, Davis's work around issues of gender, race, class and prisons has influenced critical thought and social movements across several generations. She is a leading advocate for prison abolition, a position informed by her own experience as a prisoner and fugitive on the FBI's top 10 most wanted list more than 40 years ago. Once caught, she faced the death penalty in California. After being acquitted, she has spent her life fighting to change the criminal justic…
(2018-12-24). Angela Davis: We Owe It to People Who Came Before Us to Fight to Abolish Prisons. democracynow.org 
Angela Davis is a leading advocate for prison abolition, a position informed by her own experience as a prisoner and a fugitive on the FBI's top 10 wanted list more than 40 years ago. Once caught, she faced the death penalty in California. After being acquitted on all charges, she spent her life fighting to change the criminal justice system. Amy Goodman sat down with Angela Davis at Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C., in October to talk about the prison abolition movement.
(2018-12-24). From 1968 to 2018: Angela Davis on Freedom Struggles Then and Now, and the Movements of the Future. democracynow.org 
Legendary scholar and activist Angela Davis's work around issues of gender, race, class and prisons has influenced critical thought and social movements across several generations. Amy Goodman sat down with her in Washington, D.C., in October to discuss freedom struggles over the past 50 years, and where people's movements are going next.
(2018-12-23). Iraq/Kurdistan Region: Risk of Double Trials for ISIS Ties. hrw.org 
| | Cigarette burns cover the hands and arms of 18-year-old "Karim." Kurdish authorities held him for 13 months. He then returned home and was rearrested by authorities under Baghdad's control, who tortured and held him for months. | © 2018 San Saravan | (Beirut) — Sunni Arab boys who serve prison time in Iraq's Kurdistan region for Islamic State (also known as ISIS) connections risk rearrest after their release if they try to reunite with their families…
(2018-12-23). They Rescued Pigs and Turkeys From Factory Farms — and Now Face Decades in Prison. theintercept.com In the fall of 2017, Glenn Greenwald reported on a nationwide FBI manhunt for two pigs named Lily and Lizzie. The pigs had been removed from a factory farm in Utah by animal rights activists from a group called Direct Action Everywhere. From the perspective of the activists, the pigs were rescued. From the perspective of Smithfield Farms, the Chinese-owned multinational corporation that owns the factory farm, they were stolen. | Direct Action Everywhere, also known as DxE, engages in a practice calle…
(2018-12-22). Chicago city council candidates support community control of police. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – There are 212 candidates for the 50 seats in the February 19, 2019 Chicago city council elections. Of this total, 38 came out to a December 20 forum in support of an elected civilian police accountability council (CPAC). It's unusual for so many candidates to be together in one room unless they're seeking the support of a powerful union or political organization. But this wasn't an endorsement session. The candidates came to join the movement establish community control over the Chicago Police Department. | The forum was convened by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, the o…
(2018-12-22). The First Step Act Could Be a Big Gift to CoreCivic and the Private Prison Industry. theintercept.com 
As people continue to die inside CoreCivic's prisons, the First Step Act opens opportunities for the company to keep profiting from incarceration.
(2018-12-21). The Death Penalty in 2018: A Punishment on the Decline. aclu.org We have much to celebrate in 2018, and much work towards abolition in the years ahead. | An annual survey conducted by the Death Penalty Information Center shows a significant decline in 2018 in the use of the death penalty nationwide. This is as it should be — the nation is turning away from the barbaric practice of killing its people as punishment. | In 2018, 25 people were executed, marking the fourth year in a row the United States has had fewer than 30 executions. That's down dramatically from the peak of 98 executions we saw in 1999. Death sentenc…
(2018-12-21). Congress Touts First Step Act as Criminal Justice Victory—But Critics Fear Bill Makes False Promises. democracynow.org 
A major criminal justice reform bill is poised to become law after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted in its favor Thursday. The First Step Act, passed in the Senate earlier this week with an 87-12 vote, would roll back sentences for federal prisoners, including mandatory life terms for third-time offenders and mandatory sentences for nonviolent drug users. The bill is now heading to the desk of President Trump, who has pledged to sign it into law. The bill only affects federal prisoners, who make up less than 10 percent of the more than 2 million U.S. prisoners. It has been endorsed by a wide…
(2018-12-21). Spanish regional elections: Socialist Party falters, far-right advances. peoplesworld.org 
In what seems a replay of recent German and Italian elections, an openly authoritarian and racist party made major electoral gains in Spain's most populous province, Andalusia, helping to dethrone the Socialist Party that had dominated the southern region for 36 years. Vox (Voice)—a party that stands for "Spain First," restrictions on women's rights, ending …
(2018-12-21). Single Moms Get Sucked Into the Cruelest Debtors' Prison We've Ever Seen. aclu.org In Lexington County, SC, moms struggling to make ends meet get jailed for weeks or months at a time when they can't afford to pay court fines and fees | Twanda Marshinda Brown is a single mom in South Carolina who was supporting her children by working at Burger King. In 2016, a court in Lexington County fined her around $2,300 for two traffic offenses. The judge ordered her to make monthly payments of $100, even though she explained she could only afford to pay $50 a month whil…
(2018-12-21). Extremists' collectibles used to fund today's hate movement. splcenter.org Attempts to sell neo-Nazi memorabilia online are nothing new, but a recent marketing ploy attempts to use the sale of racist antiquities to fund modern-day racist activities.
(2018-12-21). Taiwan: Open Letter on legal recognition of same-sex unions. amnesty.org Dear Premier Lai, | We write concerning the results of the recent referendums in Taiwan in which same-sex marriage rights and LGBT-inclusive education in schools were rejected by voters on 24 November. We urge the Taiwanese authorities not to implement the outcomes of the referendums as this would violate human rights law, bolster discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and undermine comprehensive and inclusive education on gender and sexuality. | We would like to recall that despite the referendum results, the Taiwanese government still is under court order to enact legislation for recognizing same-se…
(2018-12-21). Émirats arabes unis: Jugement attendu pour un défenseur des droits humains. amnesty.org Le 24 décembre 2018, la Cour suprême fédérale des Émirats arabes unis doit examiner l'appel interjeté par l'éminent défenseur des droits humains et prisonnier d'opinion Ahmed Mansoor. La cour devrait rendre un verdict définitif. Le 29 mai, Ahmed Mansoor a été déclaré coupable entre autres d' ´ outrage aux Émirats arabes unis et à leurs symboles ª et condamné à 10 ans de prison.
(2018-12-21). United Arab Emirates: Further Information: Possible Verdict For Human Rights Defender: Ahmed Mansoor. amnesty.org On 24 December 2018 the Federal Supreme Court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to hear the appeal of prominent human rights defender and prisoner of conscience, Ahmed Mansoor. The court may issue a final verdict. On 29 May 2018, Ahmed Mansoor was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges including "insulting the UAE and its symbols".
(2018-12-21). #SaveHakeem — Stop deportation of Bahraini refugee. greenleft.org.au 
Bahraini refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi has been held in detention in Thailand since November 27, facing the terrifying prospect of deportation to the country where he was tortured. | Al-Araibi fled to Australia in 2014 and was accepted as a refugee. In November, he travelled on UN travel documents to Thailand for a short holiday with his wife. When he arrived at Bangkok airport, Al-Araibi was arrested under an Interpoll "Red Notice" (an international arrest warrant) issued by the Bahrain government. | Interpol is not meant to issue red notices for refugees, so this red notice should never have been issued for Al-Araib…
(2018-12-20). NAACP Launches Boycott of Facebook: Platform Is Unhealthy for African Americans & U.S. Democracy. democracynow.org 
Facebook is under fire again, this time for new revelations that Russian trolls targeted African Americans on social media in an effort to influence the vote ahead of the 2016 election. A pair of bipartisan reports published by the Senate Intelligence Committee Monday claim the Russian government focused on African Americans in its effort to suppress the turnout of voters likely to cast ballots for Hillary Clinton, spreading fake news and sowing discord in the run-up to the election. The NAACP has launched a Facebook boycott in response, demanding the social media giant be held responsible. We speak with Derrick…
(2018-12-20). The Lives We Changed in 2018. aclu.org 
Because of the generosity of ACLU members, these people are free to live their lives again. | This year hasn't been easy: Thousands of families are still suffering the effects of family separation; the Muslim ban continues to keep loved ones apart; and whole generations of family trees are being decimated by an unfair, out-of-control mass incarceration machine. But beneath the headlines, the news alerts, and the legal battles are a few glimmers of hope that ACLU supporters made possible., , Here are some of our favorite moments from 2018. | Ansly Breathes Free Again : | Ethics teacher Ansly Damus fled…
(2018-12-20). Anti-Lynching Bill Passes the U.S. Senate. naacp.org Late in the afternoon of 12/19, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed S. 3178, the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act, which was originally introduced by Senators Kamala Harris (CA), Cory Booker (NJ) and Tim Scott (SC). This crucial legislation would make lynching a hate crime, therefore eligible for the additional federal tools and resources used […]
(2018-12-20). 'Domestic Workers Don't Have Protections Against Discrimination and Harassment' – CounterSpin interview with Mariana Viturro on Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed Mariana Viturro about the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights for the December 14, 2018, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
(2018-12-20). Screen Shot 2018-12-20 at 7.46.15 AM.png. progressive.org "It was Paul Ryan and Reince Priebus who transformed the politics of Wisconsin with racist dog-whistle messaging, and that laid the foundation for Donald Trump."
(2018-12-20). Congress Just Took a Big Step Toward Ending the Shackling of Pregnant Prisoners. aclu.org Passing the First Step Act will be a step toward upholding the rights and protecting the health of pregnant prisoners. | Congress on Thursday passed the Senate version of the First Step Act, which is now headed for signature to President Trump. He is expected to sign it on Friday. | The First Step Act would, in addition to enacting other important criminal justice reforms, prohibit the shackling of p…
(2018-12-20). PRISON AND SENTENCING REFORM PASSES THE US SENATE. naacp.org On December 18, 2018, the U.S. Senate passed, by a vote of 87 yeas to 12 nays, its version of the First Step Act, legislation which begins to reform our nation's sentencing laws and prison terms. This bipartisan legislation, which has been strongly supported and promoted by the White House, offers some important improvements to the current federal criminal […]
(2018-12-20). United Arab Emirates: Further Information: Hunger-Striking Academic In Critical Condition: Dr Nasser bin Ghaith. amnesty.org Dr Nasser bin Ghaith's health has severely deteriorated. The prominent Emirati economist and academic has been on hunger strike for over 70 days in al-Razeen prison in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to protest the detention conditions and the denial of access to medical care. He is a prisoner of conscience.
(2018-12-20). UAE: Fears grow for health of unjustly imprisoned academic. amnesty.org The authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) must immediately and unconditionally release Dr Nasser bin Ghaith, a prisoner of conscience whose health has deteriorated sharply in recent days, said Amnesty International today. | Dr Nasser bin Ghaith is serving a 10-year sentence for criticizing the UAE in comments posted on Twitter after a grossly unfair politically motivated trial. | "News that Dr Nasser bin Ghaith's health has deteriorated sharply…
(2018-12-20). Algeria: Forced to leave: Stories of injustice against migrants in Algeria. amnesty.org Over the past two decades Algeria has become a country of transit or final destination of many nationals from West and Central Africa looking for employment opportunities in a variety of sectors, mainly construction and agriculture. Yet despite the large number of Sub-Saharan migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the country, Algeria still lacks a clear legal framework for migrant workers and has a law criminalizing irregular migration making it an offence punishable by up to five years in prison. Sub-Saharan migrants shared their stories with Amnesty International. Their experiences illustrate the injustice w…
(2018-12-20). Emirats arabes unis: Un universitaire en grève de la faim est dans un état critique. amnesty.org La santé de Nasser bin Ghaith s'est gravement détériorée. Cet éminent économiste et universitaire émirien observe une grève de la faim depuis plus de 70 jours dans la prison d'Al Razeen, aux Émirats arabes unis, pour dénoncer les conditions de détention et la privation de soins médicaux dans cet établissement. Cet homme est un prisonnier d'opinion.
(2018-12-20). Déjà vu on the Greek-Turkey Border. hrw.org 
| | Migrants that crossed the land border between Greece and Turkey are seen at the Pre-Removal Detention Center in the village of Fylakio, Northern Greece, February 24, 2017. | © 2017 Alexandros Avramidis /Reuters | Ten years ago, I documented a systematic pattern of brutal Greek border police pushbacks of migrants and asylum seekers at the Evros River border that divides Greece and Turkey. Last week, as I edited a new Human Rights Watch report, I felt as though I was re-reading my old report. | Here's a paragraph fro…
(2018-12-20). US Deporting Iraqis Without Valid Documents. hrw.org 
| | Protesters rally outside the federal court just before a hearing to consider a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of Iraqi nationals facing deportation, in Detroit, Michigan, US, June 21, 2017. | © 2017 Reuters/Rebecca Cook | (Beirut) — The United States government has deported at least 30 of a planned 1,400 people originally from Iraq back to their country, in some cases threatening long imprisonmen…
(2018-12-20). Iran: Imprisoned Dissident Dies. hrw.org 
| | Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj, Iran. | © 2004 Private | (Beirut) — Iranian authorities should immediately carry out an independent and impartial investigation into the death of an imprisoned activist on a hunger strike, Human Rights Watch said today. Anyone found responsible for wrongdoing in the death of Vahid Sayadi Nasiri should be held accountable. Iranian authorities have systematically failed to conduct transparent investigations into at least prio…
(2018-12-19). Trump Administration Recommends Slashing Civil Rights Protections for Students of Color. aclu.org A federal commission's post-Parkland recommendations include reversing an Obama-era guidance on racial disparities in school discipline. | On Tuesday, the Federal Commission on School Safety issued recommendations that it claims will help makes schools safer following the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. But at the center of the report is a proposal that will endanger millions of public school students, especially students of color and students with disabilities, by reversing federal guidance intended to address racial disparities in school discipline. Doing away with the guidance will weaken federal civil rig…