#humanrightsviolations — Public Fediverse posts

⚠️ #NasimehEslamzahi, prigioniera sunnita detenuta a Evin, è stata condannata a 25 anni di carcere per «baghi», ribellione armata. Nasimeh ha sempre respinto le accuse e il tribunale le ha imposto un avvocato d’ufficio per il procedimento. Madre di due bambine, Nasimeh ha partorito la seconda figlia, Tasnim, a Evin nell’aprile 2024. Madre e neonata sono rimaste per 40 giorni in isolamento in condizioni inadeguate.
#EvinPrison #Iran #StopRepression #HumanRightsViolations
https://www.en-hrana.org/nasimeh-eslamzahi-sentenced-to-25-years-in-prison/

⚠️ #NasimehEslamzahi, prigioniera sunnita detenuta a Evin, è stata condannata a 25 anni di carcere per «baghi», ribellione armata. Nasimeh ha sempre respinto le accuse e il tribunale le ha imposto un avvocato d’ufficio per il procedimento. Madre di due bambine, Nasimeh ha partorito la seconda figlia, Tasnim, a Evin nell’aprile 2024. Madre e neonata sono rimaste per 40 giorni in isolamento in condizioni inadeguate.
#EvinPrison #Iran #StopRepression #HumanRightsViolations
https://www.en-hrana.org/nasimeh-eslamzahi-sentenced-to-25-years-in-prison/

⚠️ #NasimehEslamzahi, prigioniera sunnita detenuta a Evin, è stata condannata a 25 anni di carcere per «baghi», ribellione armata. Nasimeh ha sempre respinto le accuse e il tribunale le ha imposto un avvocato d’ufficio per il procedimento. Madre di due bambine, Nasimeh ha partorito la seconda figlia, Tasnim, a Evin nell’aprile 2024. Madre e neonata sono rimaste per 40 giorni in isolamento in condizioni inadeguate.
#EvinPrison #Iran #StopRepression #HumanRightsViolations
https://www.en-hrana.org/nasimeh-eslamzahi-sentenced-to-25-years-in-prison/

⚠️ #NasimehEslamzahi, prigioniera sunnita detenuta a Evin, è stata condannata a 25 anni di carcere per «baghi», ribellione armata. Nasimeh ha sempre respinto le accuse e il tribunale le ha imposto un avvocato d’ufficio per il procedimento. Madre di due bambine, Nasimeh ha partorito la seconda figlia, Tasnim, a Evin nell’aprile 2024. Madre e neonata sono rimaste per 40 giorni in isolamento in condizioni inadeguate.
#EvinPrison #Iran #StopRepression #HumanRightsViolations
https://www.en-hrana.org/nasimeh-eslamzahi-sentenced-to-25-years-in-prison/

⚠️ #NasimehEslamzahi, prigioniera sunnita detenuta a Evin, è stata condannata a 25 anni di carcere per «baghi», ribellione armata. Nasimeh ha sempre respinto le accuse e il tribunale le ha imposto un avvocato d’ufficio per il procedimento. Madre di due bambine, Nasimeh ha partorito la seconda figlia, Tasnim, a Evin nell’aprile 2024. Madre e neonata sono rimaste per 40 giorni in isolamento in condizioni inadeguate.
#EvinPrison #Iran #StopRepression #HumanRightsViolations
https://www.en-hrana.org/nasimeh-eslamzahi-sentenced-to-25-years-in-prison/

#NargesHeydari, 38 anni, allenatrice di fitness e bodybuilding di Izeh, è stata condannata a 5 anni di carcere per «azioni contro la sicurezza nazionale». Arrestata il 19 gennaio 2026 durante le proteste, è detenuta a Sepidar. Le è stato imposto anche 1 anno di attività obbligatorie di «promozione del bene», legate al mancato rispetto delle norme sull’abbigliamento obbligatorio e sull’hijab durante la sua attività sportiva.
#SepidarPrison #Iran #HumanRightsViolations
https://hengaw.net/en/news/2026/09/article-46-1

#NargesHeydari, 38 anni, allenatrice di fitness e bodybuilding di Izeh, è stata condannata a 5 anni di carcere per «azioni contro la sicurezza nazionale». Arrestata il 19 gennaio 2026 durante le proteste, è detenuta a Sepidar. Le è stato imposto anche 1 anno di attività obbligatorie di «promozione del bene», legate al mancato rispetto delle norme sull’abbigliamento obbligatorio e sull’hijab durante la sua attività sportiva.
#SepidarPrison #Iran #HumanRightsViolations
https://hengaw.net/en/news/2026/09/article-46-1

#NargesHeydari, 38 anni, allenatrice di fitness e bodybuilding di Izeh, è stata condannata a 5 anni di carcere per «azioni contro la sicurezza nazionale». Arrestata il 19 gennaio 2026 durante le proteste, è detenuta a Sepidar. Le è stato imposto anche 1 anno di attività obbligatorie di «promozione del bene», legate al mancato rispetto delle norme sull’abbigliamento obbligatorio e sull’hijab durante la sua attività sportiva.
#SepidarPrison #Iran #HumanRightsViolations
https://hengaw.net/en/news/2026/09/article-46-1

#NargesHeydari, 38 anni, allenatrice di fitness e bodybuilding di Izeh, è stata condannata a 5 anni di carcere per «azioni contro la sicurezza nazionale». Arrestata il 19 gennaio 2026 durante le proteste, è detenuta a Sepidar. Le è stato imposto anche 1 anno di attività obbligatorie di «promozione del bene», legate al mancato rispetto delle norme sull’abbigliamento obbligatorio e sull’hijab durante la sua attività sportiva.
#SepidarPrison #Iran #HumanRightsViolations
https://hengaw.net/en/news/2026/09/article-46-1

[Alleged] #Christian Employers Can Now Discriminate Against #TransPeople

A settlement with the Christian Employers Alliance blocks the EEOC from ever investigating the group’s members for gender identity discrimination.

Bryce Covert
September 1 2026

Excerpt: "The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency tasked with protecting workers from illegal discrimination, inked an unprecedented settlement with a conservative Christian employer association that could have long-term, wide-ranging consequences.

"The lawsuit that led to the settlement was in reaction to #EEOC guidance issued under the Biden administration and after a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that Title VII protects against gender identity discrimination.
In the settlement, reached on August 18, the EEOC pledged to not pursue any claims of gender identity-based discrimination against the #ChristianEmployersAlliance — and made the pledge in perpetuity.

"The EEOC provides free investigation into complaints of discrimination and, in some cases, will bring lawsuits on behalf of employees at no cost to the plaintiffs.

"Now, however, anyone who works for a company with membership in the Christian Employers Alliance who believes they suffered gender identity-based discrimination won’t be able to avail themselves of the EEOC’s process.

"The settlement also contains an unusual provision: It applies not just to the more than 20,000 employers that are already members in the Christian Employers Alliance, but also to any future members, so long as they are members at the time that any claimed discrimination occurred.

"That means that any employer that decides to sign up for Christian Employers Alliance membership will get the benefit of blanket protection from the EEOC against all claims of #GenderIdentity discrimination, such as harassing someone for being #nonbinary or firing them for coming out as #trans .

" 'I am not aware of any settlement that just creates in perpetuity a freedom from investigation, 'said Karla Gilbride, a former EEOC general counsel under President Joe Biden who is now at the American Civil Liberties Union. 'I’ve never seen an organization get a settlement that allows protection to future members in this way.'

"The settlement will stay in place even if #AndreaLucas, the current Republican chair of the EEOC, is replaced with a Democratic chair under a future Democratic president. (The Christian Employers Alliance declined to comment, and the EEOC did not respond to an inquiry.)"

Read more:
https://theintercept.com/2026/09/01/christian-employers-settlement-gender-discrimination-eeoc/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/FnMei

#WWJD #LoveOneAnother #USPol #GBLTQRights #HumanRights #TransRightsAreHumanRights #HumanRightsViolations #ChristoFascism #Fascism #CharacteristicsOfFascism

"#Afghan #women and girls continue to live under a system of institutionalized persecution — while governments, tourists and influencers increasingly treat the regime as a legitimate partner, and #Afghanistan as a travel destination" https://ricochet.media/international/five-years-of-the-talibans-gender-apartheid-in-afghanistan/

#HumanRightsviolations #Gender #Misogyny #GenderViolence

#Mexico to request criminal charges over deaths following shooting of #HoustonTX man by #ICE

By María Verza, July 9, 2026

MEXICO CITY (AP) — "Mexico will request criminal charges over 17 Mexicans who died in ICE custody or during immigration enforcement operations by the #Trump administration, officials said Thursday.

"Mexican Foreign Minister #RobertoVelasco’s announcement Thursday morning further escalated tensions with the United States, as Mexico’s government has sharply criticized the treatment of its citizens under U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to increase deportations.

"The request, which carries no legal weight, will be submitted to state prosecutors’ offices and the U.S. Department of Justice, asking them to consider criminal charges against those responsible for the deaths.

"It will be accompanied by civil lawsuits against the companies that operate the #DetentionCenters in an effort to put an end to #HumanRightsViolations in those facilities, Velasco said.

"President #ClaudiaSheinbaum said Thursday that Mexico decided to “move beyond diplomatic channels” and escalate its complaints after an ICE agent killed Mexican citizen #LorenzoSalgadoAraujo in Houston this week. Sheinbaum said the killing 'is not only sad and regrettable, but also appears to have been targeted.'

" 'We are going to do everything in our power, because we cannot stand silent' in the face of the deaths of Mexicans 'whose only crime is working honestly in the United States,' Sheinbaum said."

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/mexico-ice-houston-shooting-immigration-9c3998a2666d7cb60fd095545f7bc866

#ICESucks #JusticeForLorenzo #LorenzoSalgado #HumanRights #USPol #WorldPol #VictimsOfICE #DetentionCenters #CoreCivic #AcquisitionLogistics #CampEastMontana #AbolishICE

Iran political prisoner severely injured in Iranian jail over Israel ties

Mohammad Reza Morad Bahrouzi, a detainee held over alleged communication with opposition groups or groups affiliated with Israel,…
#NewsBeep #News #BreakingNews #Assault #Attack #breakingnews #Civilrights #Humanrights #Humanrightsviolations #Iran #iranianpoliticalprisoners #IRGC #prison #Prisonsentence
https://www.newsbeep.com/620546/

Nel giorno del Primo Maggio, la realtà in Iran resta drammatica: oltre 700.000 bambini sono costretti al lavoro, privati dell’istruzione, esposti alla violenza e impiegati in attività pericolose. Un nuovo rapporto denuncia una tendenza allarmante: l’utilizzo di minori in ruoli di sicurezza.
#internationalworkersday #ChildrenRights #StopChildLabor #Iran #HumanRightsViolations
https://iran-hrm.com/2026/04/30/iran-violations-of-the-rights-of-child-laborers-and-female-headed-households/

L’UNICEF ha ricevuto segnalazioni di campagne di mobilitazione in Iran che coinvolgono anche bambini, nonché di bambini impiegati ai posti di blocco.
Chiediamo alla Repubblica Islamica dell’Iran di porre fine a qualsiasi forma di reclutamento di minori.
Il reclutamento e l’impiego di bambini da parte di forze armate o gruppi costituiscono una grave violazione dei diritti dei minori.
#UNICEF #ChildRights #Iran #IranWar #ProtectChildren #StopChildRecruitment #HumanRightsViolations

@fabio Also due to these regulations I cannot buy antibiotic ointment when the Czech regime is depriving me of healthcare when I have an infected eczema and am afraid it will produce sepsis and I die, because antibiotic ointment ran out and when I call a dermatologist and tell I need it urgently she gives me an appointment 4 months (!!!) in the future!

In a corrupt developing 3rd world dictatorship Cambodia it is possible to buy antibiotic ointments without prescription and also dermatologist wait there is only 7-10 days, not 4 months.

I feel

e x t r e m e l y s t r o n g c o n t e m p t

towards the Czech regime.

#healthdeprivation #deprivation #czech #czechia #czechregime #czechrepublic #failedstate #contempt #regulations #overregulation #bureaucracy #overbureaucratization #healthcaresystem #healthcare #antibiotic #prescription #otc #overthecounter #ointment #eczema #infection #infected #sepsis #death #lethal #dangerous #danger #hazard #risk #eu #deathbybureaucracy #deathbyregulation #kafkaesque #humanrights #humanrightsviolation #humanrightsviolations #righttohealth #humanrighttohealth #basichumanrighttohealth

How communities in #SacrificeZones suffer environmental injustices in #Mexico, #Chile, #Nigeria and #Indonesia (analysis)

Daniela Sepulveda and Angélica Arellano, 9 Apr 2025

"Across continents, 'sacrifice zones' resemble wounds carved deep into the fabric of our planet. These are regions where ecosystems and livelihoods have been ravaged by fossil fuel and other industries that promise progress but leave devastation in their wake. These are places where big business and transnational corporations are contaminating the rivers, darkening the skies, and making the soil barren; where the toll of development is paid in human suffering and ecological destruction.

"What unites these 'sacrifice zones' is the shared story of areas where prosperity for the few is built on the suffering of many, and where communities fight to mend the fractures inflicted upon their land, health and dignity.

"Here are four case studies highlighting the experiences of communities and civil society organizations collaborating with us in the Coalition for Human Rights in Development’s Community Resource Exchange.

#Tula, #Mexico

"In the #TulaTepejiApaxco region, where the #Toltec plains once supported rich #biodiversity and #CulturalHeritage, the water and air are now saturated with pollution. This devastated landscape was declared both in 1975 and again in 2005 by the U.N. as one of the most polluted places on Earth, marking it as an #EnvironmentalDisaster zone. Since the early 20th century, the arrival of #CementPlants, #refineries, #ChemicalFactories, a #coal-fired power plant and #LimeKilns has transformed the region. Backed by all levels of government, these industries have destroyed the area’s ecological balance and ruined the health of its people, poisoning the water, air and soil with #ToxicWaste.

"Prominent among these polluters are cement giants like #Holcim, #CEMEX, #CementosFortaleza and #Clarimex, whose operations release harmful gases that exacerbate the region’s environmental and public health crises. One of the epicenters of this environmental catastrophe is the #TulaRiver, which receives 150,000 liters (nearly 40,000 gallons) of untreated wastewater every second from Mexico City and the Valley of Mexico. These 'black waters' are teeming with industrial and hospital waste plus sewage, overwhelming the river and its tributaries.

"The #EndhóDam, originally built to support local #agriculture, has become a toxic dumping ground, poisoning thousands of people who rely on wells for drinking water. Despite decades of warnings, local and national governments have allowed this contamination to persist. The poisoned waters have killed fish, flooded the land with toxic sludge, and led to a surge in cancer, leukemia, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases among the 15,000 inhabitants living along its banks. In 2021, a devastating flood related to the overflowing Tula River left 17 dead and displaced thousands, a stark reminder of the ongoing risks of government inaction.

"The region now faces a massive public health crisis, and the recent declaration by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to designate the area as an ecological restoration zone is a necessary but overdue step. This declaration covers municipalities such as #Atitalaquia,TepejiDelRío, #Tepetitlán and Tlahuelilpan, where 498 businesses have been identified as generators of hazardous waste, including 14 that produce hydrocarbons. The study, based on a water, air and soil analysis, could mark the beginning of recovery if it is implemented with urgency and seriousness.

"Over the years, organizations like #RedDeConcienciaAmbiental '#QueremosVivir' have resisted, bringing visibility to the devastation and fighting to halt deforestation and continued pollution. In the words of one of the leaders of Queremos Vivir ('We want to live'), 'There needs to be a legal solution, because it’s that urgent. We believe there is still a way to reverse it, and we have time to show the newly elected president #ClaudiaSheinbaum the dire situation we’re in.'

"Their demands include a reduction in the water flow of the Tula River through holistic water management solutions, and government accountability for decades of environmental neglect, calling for reparations for both industrial pollution and the catastrophic 2021 floods.

"While they welcome Sheinbaum’s promises to clean the river and launch a circular economy project, they emphasize that meaningful environmental justice must not be delayed any longer. After stating the communities’ demands through tears, the Queremos Vivir leader said, 'Are we really just going to be destined to be a sacrifice zone? The damage is so severe, the degradation we are in, that if we don’t protect it, don’t defend it, then what are we going to do?' "

Read more:
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/how-communities-in-sacrifice-zones-suffer-environmental-injustices-in-mexico-chile-nigeria-and-indonesia-analysis/

#SEZs #Antofagasta #Nigeria #Indonesia #HumanRights #HumanRightsFreeZone #CorporateColonialism
#Exploitation #RaceToTheBottom
#HumanRightsViolations
#Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation
#EconomicSacrificZones
#ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #TraditionalLifestyles #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #EnvironmentalRacism #Exploitation

#SEZs in #India: Balancing Economic Growth and #Environmental Concerns

July 27, 2024

"Picture this: vast stretches of industrial land buzzing with activity, modern factories producing goods for global markets, and thousands of job opportunities emerging overnight. This is the promise of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India. But behind this gleaming facade lies a complex web of environmental challenges and social concerns that demand our attention. SEZs represent one of India’s most ambitious economic policies, designed to accelerate industrial growth and boost exports, yet they often come at a significant cost to the environment and local communities.

[...]

"[T]he rapid expansion of SEZs has raised significant environmental red flags. The most pressing concern is land acquisition, which often involves converting fertile agricultural land into industrial zones. This conversion not only reduces the country’s agricultural capacity but also disrupts local ecosystems and biodiversity.

"The establishment of SEZs typically requires large tracts of land – sometimes spanning thousands of acres. Much of this land is acquired from agricultural areas, leading to the displacement of farming communities who have depended on these lands for generations. For instance, the proposed #RaigadSEZ in #Maharashtra would have required over 14,000 hectares of #agricultural land, leading to massive #protests from local farmers.

"The conversion of agricultural land to #IndustrialUse has long-term implications for #FoodSecurity. As India’s population continues to grow, the loss of productive #farmland could exacerbate food shortage issues in the future. Moreover, agricultural land often has better soil quality and water retention capacity compared to industrial land, making this conversion environmentally costly.

"Industrial activities within SEZs generate various forms of #pollution. Air pollution from #manufacturing processes, water #contamination from industrial effluents, and #SoilDegradation from chemical usage are common problems. The concentration of industries in SEZs can create pollution hotspots that affect air and water quality in surrounding areas.

"#WaterScarcity is another critical issue. SEZs require substantial water resources for industrial processes, often competing with local communities for this precious resource. In water-stressed regions, this competition can lead to conflicts and further environmental degradation.
Human rights and social displacement

"The human cost of SEZ development cannot be overlooked. Land acquisition for SEZs often involves displacing local communities, particularly small farmers and agricultural workers. These communities frequently receive inadequate compensation and struggle to find alternative livelihoods.

"The displacement process can be traumatic for local communities who have strong cultural and emotional ties to their land. Traditional occupations like #farming, #fishing, and #SmallScaleTrading are disrupted, forcing people to adapt to entirely new economic realities. The promised employment opportunities in SEZs often don’t materialize for displaced communities, as they may lack the required skills for industrial jobs.

"Women in these communities face particular challenges, as they often have limited access to alternative employment opportunities and may lose traditional income sources like kitchen gardening or small-scale agricultural activities. The social fabric of rural communities can be severely disrupted, leading to increased poverty and social inequality."

https://csr.education/urban-planning-development/sezs-india-economic-growth-environment/#environmental-concerns-the-hidden-costs

#HumanRights #HumanRightsFreeZone #CorporateColonialism
#IMFLoanSharks #Exploitation #WorldBank #RaceToTheBottom
#HumanRightsViolations
#Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation
#EconomicSacrificZones
#ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #TraditionalLifestyles #EnvironmentalRacism #Exploitation
#CorporateColonialism

The #environmental burdens of #SpecialEconomicZones on the coastal and marine #environment: A remote sensing assessment in #Myanmar

Thiri Shwesin Aung, Indra Overland, Roman Vakulchuk, Yanhua Xie
November 2022

"Special economic zones (#SEZs) are unusual parts of the world economy in terms of law, institutions, and economic functions (Chaisse and Dimitropoulos 2021). SEZs are geographically delimited areas created to facilitate industrial activities through fiscal and regulatory incentives and infrastructure support (UNCTAD 2019). Such zones carve out jurisdiction as a subset of the overall state jurisdiction for the purposes of enacting different laws and regulations that are more trade and investment friendly (Zeng 2021). Since the year 2000, SEZs have mushroomed in developing countries to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), accelerate industrialization and create jobs (Aiyer 2017). There are 5400 SEZs in 147 economies around the world. Asia is home to three quarters of them (UNIDO 2015). They have been a core element of the economic development strategy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and currently all ASEAN member states have SEZs (Aggarwal 2022).

"As part of an export-oriented development strategy, the zones commonly include industrial mega-areas that accommodate large-scale infrastructure, deep-sea ports, logistical infrastructure for oil and gas, hotels and tourism, and industrial complexes (Aggarwal 2022). They are primarily defined by a specific regulatory regime and a dedicated governance mechanism designed to relieve customs and tariffs and reduce the burden on businesses from permits, licenses, employment laws, and land access. In return, host governments expect investors to create positive spillover effects, such as facilitating innovation, boosting employment, raising exports, and diversifying the economy. The global experience of SEZs have been mixed, with some countries achieving successful economic outcomes, while others struggle to overcome market failures, institutional constraints, and social and environmental costs (Aggarwal 2022; Zeng 2021).

"The lax regulatory regimes of SEZs often raise concerns about environmental, social, and #HumanRights standards, as well as possible conflicts over #LandRights (Brussevich 2020). Several SEZs have failed to yield the expected economic benefits while having severe adverse impacts on the environment and local communities (Adunbi 2019; Aritenang and Chandramidi 2020; Chaisse and Ji 2020). On the other hand, while SEZs can be hotspots for environmental #mismanagement, they can also provide opportunities for implementing environmental policies specifically designed to regulate industries within the zones. Also, certain environmental advantages may ensue from the introduction of foreign financial resources and environmental technologies that are otherwise not readily available (Richardson 2004).

"However, according to the 'race to the bottom' literature, most SEZs have a net negative impact on the environment and local communities (Richardson 2004; UNIDO 2015; ZENG and DOUGLAS, 2012).

"Despite this contradiction, existing studies focusing on the direct and indirect impacts of SEZs have been rare (#WorldBank, 2017). Particularly, the magnitude and intensity of SEZ impacts on the environment remain understudied.
SEZs tend to be located in remote regions. As such, SEZ-related information and data are generally scarce, making it difficult to assess the environmental consequences of such zones. Many SEZs are also located in countries where there is limited scope for independent environmental assessment due to #authoritarian rule, #corruption, and/or #secrecy surrounding deals with foreign investors. Recent improvements in access to satellite data and computing platforms for machine learning have greatly improved the ability to comprehensively assess SEZs in any location in the world in near real time (Ali et al., 2020; Jensen et al., 2019). This article demonstrates how these technologies can be applied to provide evidence related to the environmental impacts of SEZs. The method is tried out on the Kyaukpyu SEZ in Myanmar. Myanmar is an authoritarian country and the #KyaukpyuSEZ is a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative (#BRI) located in an inaccessible part of #Myanmar. This is precisely the type of case where independent access can be limited and a remote sensing approach can be useful.

"From 2010 onwards, Myanmar was navigating its economic transformation and a partial loosening of military rule. SEZ development was prioritized as a critical element of the country's industrialization (Oxfam 2017). The three most notable ongoing SEZ projects are the Kyaukpyu SEZ in the rural but strategically important Rakhine State, which is also the largest SEZ in Myanmar, the Thilawa SEZ on the outskirts of Myanmar's former capital Yangon, and the Dawei SEZ in the Tanintharyi Region. Tanintharyi is a long narrow southern territory of Myanmar bordering the Andaman Sea to the west and Thailand to the east.

"Although they are expected to encourage economic growth and reduce poverty, all three SEZ projects continue to face local opposition, particularly the Kyaukpyu and Dawei SEZs. The International Commission of Jurists (2017) has reported that SEZs in Myanmar are linked to human rights violations and environmental abuses (Donateo 2017). Although Myanmar's SEZ law adopted in 2014 reaffirms the applicability of environmental regulations to SEZ development, it does not clearly delineate responsibilities between developers and the state (DICA 2014). The law also does not conform with international human rights standards (MCRB 2018)."

Read more:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352938522001173

#RaceToTheBottom #HumanRightsViolations #Pollution #EnvironmentalDegradation #EconomicSacrificZones #ForcedRelocation #ForcedDisplacement #HumanRightsViolations #EnvironmentalDegradation #IndigenousPeoples #ForestPeoples #SaveTheForests #Exploitation #CorporateColonialism

Wells residents split on town's decision to pause agreement with ICE

Brad Rogers,WGME
Thu, May 22nd 2025

WELLS (WGME) -- "This week, the Wells Police Department decided to freeze its partnership with ICE.

"The chief says it's in part because of a bill before the state legislature that would ban local police from working directly with ICE.

"The Wells Police Department is the only known department in Maine to sign a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE.

"But the police chief says they never intended to arrest immigrants.

" 'I'd like to reiterate that at no point was there ever any intent on doing proactive immigration enforcement,' Wells Police Chief Jo-Ann Putnam said.

"The now-frozen agreement set off alarms among Wells residents and seasonal businesses that rely on young people with visas to fill summer jobs, including those from Central and South America.

"CBS13 spoke with a young Venezuelan woman who is working in Wells on an H-2B visa. She says even though she's here legally, she doesn't like the idea of Wells police working with ICE agents.

"Neither does Judy Pettinga.

"The Wells Beach store owner says all this does is frighten foreign workers who are here legally."

[...]

"A bill in Augusta would ban local law enforcement from working with ICE.

"#ACLU of Maine told the judiciary committee, 'The Trump administration is terrorizing immigrants and those perceived to be immigrants, regardless of their legal status.' "

https://wgme.com/news/local/wells-residents-split-on-towns-decision-to-pause-agreement-with-ice-immigration-customs-enforcement-police-department

#ResistICE #MaineResists #Gestapo
#Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #ICERaids #ICESucks #USPol #MainePol #MaineNews #ImmigrantRights #HumanRightsViolations #HumanDecency

#HongKong: #Article23 law used to ‘normalize’ #repression one year since enactment

Just one year after its passage, Hong Kong’s Article 23 law has further squeezed people’s freedoms and enabled authorities to intensify their #crackdown on peaceful #activism in the city and beyond, #AmnestyInternational said.

" 'Over the past year, Article 23 has been used to entrench a ‘new normal’ of systematic repression of dissent, criminalizing peaceful acts in increasingly absurd ways,' said Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks.

" 'People have been targeted and harshly punished for the clothes they wear as well as the things they #say and #write, or for minor acts of #protest, intensifying the #ClimateIOfFear that already pervaded Hong Kong. #FreedomOfExpression has never been under greater attack.'

People convicted and jailed for peaceful expression

"The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (known as Article 23) took effect on 23 March 2024. Amnesty International’s analysis shows that 16 people have since been arrested for sedition under Article 23. Five of them were officially charged under the law, and the other 11 were released without charge. None of those arrested is accused of engaging in violence, while the authorities have accused two of them of #inciting violence without yet disclosing any details.

"Three of the charged individuals – after facing around three months’ pre-trial detention – were convicted for, respectively, wearing a T-shirt and #mask printed with protest slogans; #criticizing the government #online; and writing protest #slogans on bus seats. They were sentenced to between 10 and 14 months in prison.

"The remaining two charged people have been held in detention awaiting trial since November 2024 and January 2025, respectively. They are accused of publishing '#seditious' posts on social media platforms.

Article 23 entrenches denial of bail

"The presumption against bail in national security cases, originally imposed by the #Beijing-enacted #NationalSecurityLaw (#NSL), has now been extended to offences under Article 23. Among the five individuals charged under Article 23, the two who applied for bail had their applications denied because the magistrate believed they may 'continue to commit acts endangering national security' – the same reasoning used to deny bail to others prosecuted under the NSL, including newspaper founder #JimmyLai and opposition politicians.

"The remaining 11 individuals arrested under Article 23 are variously accused of publishing 'seditious' posts, commemorating the 1989 #Tiananmen crackdown and spreading 'disinformation'. Despite having been released by the police without official charge, they remain at risk of prosecution at any time because Article 23 does not impose a time limit on bringing criminal charges.

" 'Article 23 has been wielded by the Hong Kong government as a tool to suppress critical voices with the ultimate aim of eradicating them. Alongside the #NSL, it has handed the authorities virtually unchecked power to arrest and jail anybody criticizing the government. The result is a Hong Kong where people are forced to second-guess what they say and write, and even what they wear,' Sarah Brooks said.

" 'The now default use of pre-trial #detention and refusal of bail are alarming examples of how Article 23 has been used to reinforce the repressive tools first introduced under the NSL.”
‘#NationalSecurity’ as a trump card overriding established laws

"Article 23 has also been weaponized to impose additional punitive measures against dissidents already serving sentences. Under the existing Prison Rules, last amended in 2014, prisoners with good conduct were eligible for early release after serving two-thirds of their sentences. However, according to new rules set by Article 23, the prison authorities can waive this practice if the release would be 'contrary to the interests of national security'.

"Notably, at least two jailed activists have been denied early release, despite the fact that they were not convicted under Article 23 and had already begun serving their sentences before its enactment.

"One of the activists – who was convicted of incitement to wound, a charge unrelated to any national security legislation – was barred from early release despite Article 23 expressly stating that the new rules apply only to prisoners convicted of offences endangering national security.

" '#Retroactively denying early release based on vague national security justifications undermines legal certainty and due process. The government’s failure to comply with the very text that it drafted further raises serious concerns about the arbitrary application of Article 23,' Sarah Brooks said.

Extraterritorial application against #overseas #activists

"The worrying impact of Article 23 on human rights is not restricted to Hong Kong. Authorities have invoked Article 23’s extraterritorial scope to penalize a total of 13 Hong Kong activists residing overseas, including in the #UK, the #US, #Canada and #Australia. These penalties have included the cancellation of passports, suspension of lawyer licenses, removal from company directorships and prohibition of financial transactions, restricting a range of #HumanRights such as their freedom of movement, right to privacy and right to work.

"These measures have been imposed alongside arrest warrants issued under the NSL, each carrying a HK$1 million (US$128,700) bounty, for these 13 individuals and six other overseas activists.

" 'By sanctioning activists overseas, the Hong Kong government is attempting to extend its #DraconianLaws beyond its borders to target potentially anyone, anywhere. The situation has resulted in a chilling effect on individuals who persist in exercising their freedom of expression, even after departing from the city. The international community cannot afford to ignore Article 23’s intended extraterritorial reach,' Sarah Brooks said.

" 'We urge the Hong Kong and Chinese governments to immediately repeal Article 23, the NSL and any other legislation which violates international human rights laws and standards. We also call on other governments to safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms of #Hongkongers, in particular those actively defending human rights, within their jurisdictions.

" 'The rising risk of transnational repression, which Amnesty has documented and which is explicitly tied to Hong Kong’s national security legislation, demands a response by governments worldwide. As a start, that means denouncing incidents of transnational repression and pursuing accountability for criminal acts targeting activists and others in the country of residence.'

Background

"On 19 March 2024, Hong Kong’s Legislative Council unanimously voted to pass the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance based on Article 23 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution.

"The law, which took effect on 23 March 2024, introduced China’s definition of 'national security' and 'state secrets', together with other broadly defined offences which further restricted freedom of expression and the right to protest. It also replaced a widely used #colonial-era #sedition law with its own provisions on sedition which now expressly cover acts or speech which do not incite violence. The maximum prison sentence for sedition was increased from two to seven years, or up to 10 years if involving 'collusion with an external force'.

"Amnesty International submitted an analysis of its proposals to the government during the consultation period, concluding that the offences and changes to investigatory powers are contrary to Hong Kong’s human rights obligations. After the law was passed, Amnesty International issued a briefing paper providing an in-depth analysis of the effects of the law on both Chinese and non-Chinese individuals, in particular via its purported extraterritorial application."

Source:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/03/hong-kong-article-23-law-used-to-normalize-repression-one-year-since-enactment/

#AntiProtestLaws #AntiProtestLaws #CriminalizingDissent #CriminalizingProtest #HumanRightsViolations #BigBrother #NeverForgetTiananmen

BREAKING NEWS: In a shocking statement, Karoline Leavitt confirms the #TraitorTrumpRegime is taking steps on a pathway to deport AMERICAN CITIZENS to El Salvador. This is absolutely insane. A concentration camp network may be funded for the US, and there are already labor camps in the Prison-Industrial-Complex where work gets off-shored at the state-level #HumanRightsViolations #FuckTrumpMafiaRegime #FuckTrumpNaziDeathParty https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/4/8/2315354/-Anyone-seems-brandable-into-deportable-enemy-aliens-on-the-current-path-to-perfect-lawlessness #prison_industrial_complex #StopProject2025

@LukefromDC And once again, #ErikPrince's bloody fingerprints are all over that contract!

Erik Prince: How El Salvador Became a Model for Law and Order under #PresidentBukele.

August 28, 2024
A New Model of Security

"Prince highlighted the critical role of the government’s new #HighSecurity #prison, capable of holding 40,000 gang members. The facility’s stringent security measures, including full-body x-rays, extreme isolation protocols, and the removal of gang hierarchies, have broken the gangs’ control over the population. According to Prince, this prison has become a symbol of Bukele’s no-tolerance approach to crime."
https://elsalvadorinenglish.com/2024/08/28/eric-prince-how-el-salvador-became-a-model-for-law-and-order-under-president-bukele/
#HumanRights #HumanRightsViolations #ICEDetention #IllegalDeportations #USPol

@LukefromDC And once again, #ErikPrince's bloody fingerprints are all over that contract!

Erik Prince: How El Salvador Became a Model for Law and Order under #PresidentBukele.

August 28, 2024
A New Model of Security

"Prince highlighted the critical role of the government’s new #HighSecurity #prison, capable of holding 40,000 gang members. The facility’s stringent security measures, including full-body x-rays, extreme isolation protocols, and the removal of gang hierarchies, have broken the gangs’ control over the population. According to Prince, this prison has become a symbol of Bukele’s no-tolerance approach to crime."
https://elsalvadorinenglish.com/2024/08/28/eric-prince-how-el-salvador-became-a-model-for-law-and-order-under-president-bukele/
#HumanRights #HumanRightsViolations #ICEDetention #IllegalDeportations #USPol

@LukefromDC And once again, #ErikPrince's bloody fingerprints are all over that contract!

Erik Prince: How El Salvador Became a Model for Law and Order under #PresidentBukele.

August 28, 2024
A New Model of Security

"Prince highlighted the critical role of the government’s new #HighSecurity #prison, capable of holding 40,000 gang members. The facility’s stringent security measures, including full-body x-rays, extreme isolation protocols, and the removal of gang hierarchies, have broken the gangs’ control over the population. According to Prince, this prison has become a symbol of Bukele’s no-tolerance approach to crime."
https://elsalvadorinenglish.com/2024/08/28/eric-prince-how-el-salvador-became-a-model-for-law-and-order-under-president-bukele/
#HumanRights #HumanRightsViolations #ICEDetention #IllegalDeportations #USPol

@LukefromDC And once again, #ErikPrince's bloody fingerprints are all over that contract!

Erik Prince: How El Salvador Became a Model for Law and Order under #PresidentBukele.

August 28, 2024
A New Model of Security

"Prince highlighted the critical role of the government’s new #HighSecurity #prison, capable of holding 40,000 gang members. The facility’s stringent security measures, including full-body x-rays, extreme isolation protocols, and the removal of gang hierarchies, have broken the gangs’ control over the population. According to Prince, this prison has become a symbol of Bukele’s no-tolerance approach to crime."
https://elsalvadorinenglish.com/2024/08/28/eric-prince-how-el-salvador-became-a-model-for-law-and-order-under-president-bukele/
#HumanRights #HumanRightsViolations #ICEDetention #IllegalDeportations #USPol

@LukefromDC And once again, #ErikPrince's bloody fingerprints are all over that contract!

Erik Prince: How El Salvador Became a Model for Law and Order under #PresidentBukele.

August 28, 2024
A New Model of Security

"Prince highlighted the critical role of the government’s new #HighSecurity #prison, capable of holding 40,000 gang members. The facility’s stringent security measures, including full-body x-rays, extreme isolation protocols, and the removal of gang hierarchies, have broken the gangs’ control over the population. According to Prince, this prison has become a symbol of Bukele’s no-tolerance approach to crime."
https://elsalvadorinenglish.com/2024/08/28/eric-prince-how-el-salvador-became-a-model-for-law-and-order-under-president-bukele/
#HumanRights #HumanRightsViolations #ICEDetention #IllegalDeportations #USPol

#PortlandME - The American Civil Liberties Union of #Maine says dozens of federal detainees are currently being held at the #CumberlandCountyJail and many others are being held at the #FederalPrison in #BerlinNewHampshire.

"Last week, the #ACLU of New Hampshire said it confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was already holding prisoners in Berlin. The Los Angeles Times has reported more than 500 detainees could be held at #FCIBerlin.

"As of Monday, March 10, 2025, at ACLU says there were 61 people held in ICE custody at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland."

Read more:
https://www.wmtw.com/article/federal-detainees-held-maine-jail-nh-federal-prison/64148626
#HumanRightsViolations #ICEDetention #IndefiniteDetention #PrivatePrisons #Fascism #CharacteristicsOfFascism #ResistICE #ImmigrantsRights

#MaineACLU Denounces ‘Cruel’ Use of #NewHampshire #FederalPrison to Hold #ICEDetainees

By Edward TomicMarch 11, 2025

"The #Maine American Civil Liberties Union (#ACLU) has issued a statement denouncing the use of a New Hampshire federal prison by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain suspected illegal aliens.

"Last month, media outlets began reporting on a leaked memo, signed Feb. 6, that indicated ICE was intending to use #FCIBerlin, a medium-security prison in Berlin, N.H., to hold immigration detainees in custody.

"That memo noted that the units at FCI were not currently available due to there being a 'substantial amount of preparation and resources' needed before the prison could accept detainees, such as additional funding for staffing, food, utilities, clothing and other items.

"The memo also indicates that the federal Bureau of Prisons or warden at each locally designated prison may approve or reject a request by ICE to hold an ICE detainee for any reason, such as for lack of space, or medical, mental health, safety or security reasons.

"ICE lodges immigration detainers against unlawfully present noncitizens who have been arrested on criminal charges or who the agency has probable cause to believe are deportable from the U.S.

"'The government should not be using federal prisons to support the president’s #MassDeportation efforts,' said Carol Garvan, legal director of the ACLU of Maine, in a Monday statement.

"'The federal government itself acknowledged that FCI Berlin would require a ‘substantial amount of preparation,’ yet just weeks later they have already begun detaining people there,' Garvan said. 'We have strong concerns about the #inhumane treatment of people in ICE custody, and we will not stand by while our region is used to carry out these cruel policies.'"

https://www.themainewire.com/2025/03/maine-aclu-denounces-cruel-use-of-new-hampshire-federal-prison-to-hold-ice-detainees/
#HumanRightsViolations #ICEDetention #IndefiniteDetention #PrivatePrisons #Fascism #CharacteristicsOfFascism #ResistICE #ImmigrantsRights

Behind #Israel’s ‘end game’ for #Gaza: Theft of #OffshoreGas reserves

By Betsey Piette
November 14, 2023

"In 1999, #BritishGas (BG) discovered the existence of natural gas in the #GazaMarineFields, 20 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza, at a depth of 610 meters below the surface. Further exploration by BG through two successful wells — Gaza Marine 1 and Gaza Marine 2 — determined the field could contain up to 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. (EgyptOil-Gas.com, April 5, 2018)

[Fast forward to 2022...]

"On June 18, [2022], Israel gave preliminary approval for the development of a gas field off the coast of Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming progress would hinge on 'preserving the State of Israel’s security and diplomatic needs' and coordination with the Palestinian Authority and neighboring Egypt. At the same time, Hamas official Ismail Rudwan told Reuters: 'We reaffirm that our people in Gaza have the rights to their natural resources.'

"Two months before Oct. 7, [2023], the Pentagon began building a $35.8 million troop facility in Israel’s #NegevDesert, 20 miles from Gaza, allegedly as a radar site to monitor for missile attacks on Israel. The base is part of a 'secret' U.S. military presence in Israel. (The Intercept, Oct. 27)

"Since Oct. 7, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that Israel intends to kill as many Palestinians as possible in order to pressure others to leave the Gaza Strip and move to the Sinai in Egypt.

"Netanyahu has been adamant in refusing to order a cease-fire to let in aid to stop the horrific genocide being carried out in Gaza.

"The people of Gaza are well aware, as their grandparents experienced with the 1948 Nakba, that once Israelis forcefully remove Palestinians from Palestinian land, returning is a near impossibility.

"Israel’s genocidal war on Palestinians has not stopped the Israeli regime’s plans for further oil and gas exploration. On Oct. 29, Israel announced that it awarded 12 licenses for exploring additional offshore natural gas fields to six companies, including #BritishPetroleum and Italian energy giant #Eni. These awards show that Israel has no intention of letting the genocide it is carrying out against Gaza’s people interfere with its ongoing theft of Palestinian resources."

Read more:
https://iacenter.org/2023/11/15/behind-israels-end-game-for-gaza-theft-of-offshore-gas-reserves/
#BigOilAndGas #BP #BG #Genocide #LandTheft #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #Genocide #BibiIsAWarCriminal #IsraeliWarCrimes #KamalAdwanHospital #HumanRightsAreNeverWrong #StopArmingIsrael #IDF #GenevaConvention #HumanRightsViolations #NoWar #WorldWarBibi #GazaGasFields

[Thread] What are the main criticisms of the #WorldBank and the #IMF?

Bretton Woods Project - Critical voices on the world bank and IMF

4 June 2019

"World Bank-funded projects have also continually been found to be in direct, serious violation of international human rights standards. Major recurring issues include mass evictions and the forced displacement of peoples and communities for major infrastructure and agricultural projects (see Observer Spring 2015), violations of the rights of indigenous and forest peoples, targeting of human rights defenders, triggering local food insecurity, and serious labour rights violations, such as child and forced labour reportedly being used in Bank-funded projects (see Observer Winter 2016). The IFC has also been shown on several occasions to have invested in companies that avoid or evade taxes (see Observer Autumn 2016). More recently, the Bank has also acknowledged that its projects can create an environment that can foster gender-based violence, including sexual abuse and the spread of HIV/AIDS (see Observer Spring 2017).

"To safeguard against risks like these, the World Bank launched its revised Environmental and Social Framework in 2018, although it applies only to its project lending and not to its DPF.

"Many in civil society remain unconvinced that the safeguards are fit for purpose if the Bank is to deliver on its mandate to implement policies that benefit the poorest, especially as the Bank is set to focus on more complex and difficult environments from 2018."

https://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2019/06/what-are-the-main-criticisms-of-the-world-bank-and-the-imf/

#HumanRights #HumanRightsViolations #IndigenousPeoples #ForestPeoples #Exploitation #IMFLoanSharks #CorporateColonialism #CorruptGovernments #BigOilAndGas #BigMining #SaveTheForests

US military contractor CACI to face retrial over allegations of torture at #Iraq prison

Tyler Li | U. Ottawa Faculty of Law, CA
June 15, 2024

"The case against #CACI is one of many legal actions against private military contractors accused of detainee abuse, including those against #TitanCorporation (later known as L-3 Services) and CACI for their roles in alleged abuse at #AbuGhraib, as well as against #Blackwater for incidents like the #NisourSquare massacre in #Baghdad. Many of these cases faced similar legal challenges, specifically dismissals based on national security concerns and the complexities of applying US law to actions taken in war zones."

https://www.jurist.org/news/2024/06/us-military-contractor-caci-to-face-retrial-over-allegations-of-torture-at-iraq-prison/

#Iraqis #EndlessWars #HumanRightsViolations #ErikPrince #MilitaryContractors #WarCrimes #L3Services

#BigOil’s Plan To #Criminalize #Pipeline #Protests

By ExposedByCMD Editors
| June 18th, 2024
at 12:21 PM (CDT)

"#AnneWhiteHat found herself facing up to 10 years in prison after she was arrested for two counts of felony trespassing in September 2018 under one such law, which had just taken effect in Louisiana following pressure from oil and gas lobbyists.

She was one of four Native women who founded a resistance camp called L’eau Est La Vie, which was organizing nonviolent direct actions in protest of the #BayouBridgePipeline — a now-operating 163-mile pipeline owned by #EnergyTransfer that transports crude oil throughout the state. The protests ranged from a rendition of 'Crawfish the Musical' on the construction site to protesters locking themselves to pipeline equipment to tree sits in the centuries-old cypresses the company planned to tear down.

"The Bayou Bridge pipeline is the tail end of the #DakotaAccess route — White Hat had already joined her relatives to participate in the resistance camp at Standing Rock in North Dakota. 'I felt like it was a righteous cause, not to let them comfortably continue to threaten the waters of Indigenous #FirstNations,' she said. 'I was inspired from the work up North and just couldn’t let them continue down here unanswered and unchecked.'

White Hat had just finished leading a prayer ceremony when she was arrested at a boat ramp miles from the pipeline construction site. She was hauled into a sheriff deputy’s car with two other women and driven through tall sugar cane fields on the way to jail.

'It was terrifying,' said White Hat. 'We’re way out in the middle of nowhere. I was like, ‘Is this the point where I actually disappear?’

Investigative journalist Karen Savage was arrested that day, too — her second arrest under felony trespass charges as she reported on the Bayou Bridge protests. She was one of the only reporters to travel to the Atchafalaya Basin swamp, where the pipeline was being constructed.

By the time the water protectors got to the swamp, Savage said, they 'had done everything — they went to public meetings, they had petitions, they wrote letters, they tried to meet with the governor — they did everything they tell you in school, to participate and use your civil obligation in your community.' Despite their best efforts in one of the most oil- and gas-friendly states in the country, said Savage, 'nobody was listening.'"

https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2024/06/18/big-oils-plan-to-criminalize-pipeline-protests/

#BigOilAndGas #CriminalizingDissent #ACAB #HumanRightsViolations #IndigenousActivism #CorporateColonialism #IndigenousLandDefenders
#DirectAction #CorporateFascism #CriminalizingDissent
#WaterIsLife #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #EcoActivists #NoDAPL

Trial of #LandDefenders Fighting the #CoastalGasLink #Pipeline is Put on Hold as Canadian #Police Come Under Scrutiny for Excessive Force

The defense for three activists from #FirstNations argues abuse of process by security forces around the pipeline construction site, as the U.N. and Amnesty International allege excessive force, surveillance and #criminalization of land defenders.

By Keerti Gopal
January 24, 2024

"The trial of three Indigenous land defenders arrested at a pipeline construction site on #unceded #Wetsuweten First Nation land was adjourned until spring on Friday, as the court looks into potential abuses by Canadian police.

"In the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Smithers, B.C., the trial is the latest development in the nearly 12-year fight against the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline in the Canadian province.

"Land defenders #Sleydo’ #MollyWickham, #ShayLynnSampson and #CoreyJocko were found guilty of criminal contempt earlier this month, with Justice Michael Tanmen ruling that they broke a court injunction forbidding them from blocking access to construction for the Coastal GasLink pipeline.

"But immediately following the verdict, Tanmen began a week-long hearing to listen to the three individuals’ abuse of process applications, which allege that their Charter rights were violated during their arrests and detentions. During the hearing, the defense argued to stay the charges based on these applications, citing excessive force, aggressive behavior, offensive language and mocking by police.

"In Canada, the abuse of process doctrine allows courts to stay, or postpone, a proceeding on the grounds that some element of the process was unfair, and might undermine the legal system. In this case, the abuse of process application focused on treatment during and after arrests.

"The trial began on Jan. 8 and consisted mainly of witness testimony and evidence gathered in November 2021, during one of four major police raids at the pipeline between 2019 and 2023. The evidence included videos from social media and other videos taken by officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada’s national police service.

"The videos, and testimony from witnesses, including #RCMP officers, detailed the police using dogs and firearms and wielding chainsaws to cut down the doors of a cabin where Sleydo’ and Sampson were arrested. Jocko was arrested in another small structure close by.

"The activists allege police used excessive force to break down the doors and used offensive language, showing videos in which officers described arrestees as 'orcs' and 'ogres.' The abuse of process hearing will likely restart in June.

"Chief Na’Moks, a Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief and prominent advocate against the pipeline, said that the trial may serve as a template for future legal battles across Canada, where several other pipeline projects are underway.

"'This is going to affect everything else that happens, not only in #BritishColumbia but in #Canada,' Chief Na’Moks said last week. “This is the template that they want to use...and the harassment and constant abuse of #HumanRights has to stop.”

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/24012024/first-nations-activists-fighting-coastal-gaslink-pipeline/

#ACAB #HumanRightsViolations #IndigenousActivism #BigOilAndGas #CorporateColonialism #IndigenousLandDefenders
#UncededLand #DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent
#WaterIsLife #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #EcoActivists

#Wetsuweten Law Cannot ‘Coexist’ with BC Court Order, Judge Determines
Chief Dsta’hyl has been found guilty of criminal contempt.

by Amanda Follett Hosgood, #TheTyee

21 Feb 2024

"Wet’suwet’en hereditary leaders have opposed #pipeline construction through their traditional territory since before the #CoastalGasLink pipeline project was first proposed. In December 2018, the B.C. Supreme Court issued an interim injunction to the company, which prohibited anyone from blocking pipeline access roads or work sites. A year later, on Dec. 31, 2019, the court granted a permanent injunction for the duration of the project.

[...]

"Last month, Tammen determined there was sufficient evidence to convict three #Indigenous #LandDefenders — Sleydo’ Molly Wickham, Shaylynn Sampson and Corey Jocko. They were arrested the day after Dennis and later charged with criminal #contempt. Hearings have begun into an application by the defence to stay the charges based on police conduct during the arrests.

"#ChiefDstahyl’s arrest took place in October 2021, after a series of interactions with Coastal GasLink workers and security contractors on the Shea Forest Service Road on Likhts’amisyu Clan territory.

"During those interactions, Dsta’hyl and others blocked access to a work camp and 'seized and rendered inoperable' multiple pieces of machinery belonging to Coastal GasLink contractors by cutting electrical wires and removing batteries, according to evidence presented during the trial.

"When Dsta’hyl was arrested, he had four batteries from heavy machinery in the back of his pickup truck, the judge said.

"'There is little dispute concerning the basic facts,' Tammen said, noting that video evidence documenting the incidents was presented during the trial.

"'Chief Dsta’hyl, acting as an enforcement officer for the Likhts’amisyu Clan, participated in the decommissioning of a piece of heavy equipment owned by a CGL subcontractor on Oct. 17, 2021. That action consisted of removing the battery from the equipment, an excavator, thus rendering it inoperable.'

"Witnesses for the defence included other #Likhtsamisyu Chiefs, who described the Wet’suwet’en traditional clan system and its role in governing the traditional territory. Among the Chiefs’ duties is preservation and protection of the traditional territory, or #yintah, Tammen said.

"Tammen also summarized the Wet’suwet’en law of trespass, something described in detail by defence witnesses, saying permission is required to access territory belonging to a house group 'beyond just passing through it.'

[...]

"Criminal contempt penalties can include fines or imprisonment. Sentencing has been set for 9 a.m. on March 6."

https://thetyee.ca/News/2024/02/21/Wetsuweten-Law-Cannot-Coexist-BC-Court-Order/

#SLAPPs #IndigenousActivism #BigOilAndGas #CorporateColonialism #IndigenousLandDefenders #LandBack #2023PublicOrderAct #DirectAction #ACAB #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterIsLife #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #EcoActivists #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #SlowMarch

Gantry climber, #CressieGethin 22, found guilty

Court & Prison, Press / February 19, 2024

#JustStopOil supporter and gantry climber, Cressie Gethin, has been found guilty. Cressie took action in July 2022, demanding the UK government immediately halts all licensing and consents for new fossil fuel exploration and extraction.

The trial began on the 5th February at Isleworth Crown Court, with Judge Duncan presiding. The jury has found Cressie guilty by a majority of ten to two. Cressie, 22, a music student from Hereford, will be sentenced on the 3rd of May with two others. They face a possible ten year custodial sentence. [2]

During the trial Cressie was prevented from talking about her reasons for taking action and was denied any legal defence by the judge. The court heard a witness testimony from acclaimed naturalist and television presenter, Chris Packham, who commented that those taking action like Cressie “should be commended for sounding a vital alarm”. He added: “I am attending court to support Cressie Gethin because I don’t think she is getting a fair trial. I think, along with the UN, that the UK’s protest laws and sentencing of protesters are unjust, draconian, and in conflict with our basic human rights.”

Cressie climbed a motorway gantry above the M25 on the 20th July 2022, two days after the governments’ net zero strategy was declared unlawful, and one day after the UK recorded its highest ever temperature of 40.3 degrees celsius, a milestone that scientists previously thought was impossible. 61,000 excess deaths were recorded across Europe as a result of the extreme heat that summer, whilst the UK government continued to licence new oil and gas. [5]

Speaking before the action in 2022, Cressie said:

“I am terrified by the extreme heat in the UK this week, knowing that this will only get worse as we continue to extract and burn more and more fossil fuels. This country has the technology and money to begin a just and rapid transition to renewable energy immediately, but our government refuses to do so. I feel it is my duty as a human being to demand change in a way that cannot be ignored.

Thousands of people will die this week as a result of the extreme temperatures we are experiencing in the UK. We are in this situation because of increasing global temperatures caused by the emissions from burning fossil fuels. Against this backdrop, the UK government plans to open new oil and gas fields. I am dumbfounded by their negligence.

I am thinking of the countless people across the country and abroad who are now experiencing illness and death as a result of the climate crisis. People are angry that our government is continuing down the path of destruction, and we will not simply stand by and let this happen.”

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson commented:

“It would be extremely convenient for everyone if the climate crisis could be removed from our lives by the ruling of a Judge. If we could imprison the wildfires, if we could arrest famines, or if we could legislate against the rising sea waters that will leave parts of Britain submerged, that would be a fantastic outcome – but the reality is that we can’t and rapid decarbonisation is the only way of preventing these horrifying outcomes.

However, the judiciary – like the police – is proving to be an effective arm of the oil and gas industry, by silencing and imprisoning members of the public taking nonviolent action against climate collapse. Future generations will be disgusted by rulings such as this.”

As the world passes tipping points that threaten the breakdown of ordered civilization, world leaders, captured by the interests of oil lobbyists and big business, are failing to protect our communities. British citizens are sick of being led by liars and crooks. Until we stop Tory oil, supporters of Just Stop Oil will continue taking proportionate action to demand necessary change. Sign up for action at juststopoil.org.

https://juststopoil.org/2024/02/19/gantry-climber-cressie-gethin-22-found-guilty/

#SLAPPs #2023PublicOrderAct #DirectAction #ACAB #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterIsLife #BigOilAndGas #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #ClimateActivists
#ClimateJustice #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #SlowMarch

The head of the colony where Navalny was killed has been accused of abusing his power with serious consequences. Vadim Kalinin, who headed the torture prison after a business where he constantly violated the rights of employees, was charged under a grave article of the Criminal Code.

MO has learnt details of the biography of the head of the colony 'Polar Wolf', where Alexei Navalny was actually killed. Despite this, he somehow became the head of one of the main torture prisons in Russia.

In 1999, Kalinin was prosecuted for abuse of power with grave consequences under Part 3 of Article 286 of the Criminal Code. The leak from Interior Ministry databases suggested that the offence was related to some 'strategic materials'. However, the leak did not specify Kalinin's sentence. Another leak suggests that he was amnestied.

Before working in the FSIN, Kalinin raised cows and grew vegetables. In 2014, he was appointed as the general director of Salekhardagro, a company that produced dairy products. The company regularly received state orders and supplied milk to Salekhard hospitals, local administrations, kindergartens, and schools. He left the business in 2018. In 2016, he founded the company 'Arktikagro', which traded in potatoes, fruit, and nuts. However, the firm was liquidated in the same year, 2018. Three years later, Kalinin became the head of the Polar Wolf colony.

As the general director of the dairy company, Kalinin frequently violated the rights of his employees. According to the decisions of local courts (https://labytnangsky--ynao.sudrf.ru/modules.php?name=sud_delo&srv_num=1&name_op=doc&number=14241988&delo_id=1540005&new=0&text_number=1) (https://labytnangsky--ynao.sudrf.ru/modules.php?name=sud_delo&srv_num=1&name_op=doc&number=14242861&delo_id=1540005&new=0&text_number=1) (https://oblsud--ynao.sudrf.ru/modules.php?name=sud_delo&srv_num=1&name_op=doc&number=1168701&delo_id=5&new=5&text_number=1), 'Salekhardagro' did not enter into labour contracts with its employees, who were actually working off the books. The courts have repeatedly ruled that Kalinin must enter into official labour contracts.

Kalinin is registered in a small flat in the settlement of Kharp, not far from the Polar Wolf colony. According to leaked data from the Federal Tax Service, he earned more than 2 million rubles in 2021. We reached out to Kalinin for comments, but he did not respond to our messages. He also deleted his pages on VK and Odnoklassniki.

#NavalnyCase #AbuseOfPower #CriminalCode #PolarWolfColony #VadimKalinin #HumanRightsViolations #FSIN #Salekhardagro #Arktikagro #Biography #TorturePrison #Russia #InteriorMinistry #StateOrders #DairyProducts #LabourContracts #CourtDecisions #KharpSettlement #Income2021 #FederalTaxService #Investigation #Injustice #Corruption #Accountability

*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***

#GretaThunberg cleared after unlawful protest arrest

2nd February 2024, 01:49 EST

"Greta Thunberg and four co-defendants have been found not guilty of breaking the law when they refused to follow police instructions to move on during a #ClimateProtest.

"District Judge John Law threw out a public order charge due to 'no evidence' of any offence being committed adding police attempted to impose 'unlawful' conditions.

"The 21-year-old was arrested at a #ClimateCrisis demonstration near the InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair on 17 October.

"The judge said that the conditions imposed on protesters were 'so unclear that it is unlawful'.

"He added that it meant that 'anyone failing to comply were actually committing no offence'."

Read more:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68180317

#DirectAction #ACAB #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent
#WaterIsLife
#WaterProtectors
#ForestDefenders
#ClimateActivists
#ClimateJustice
#CorporateColonialism
#EcoActivists
#Censorship
#HumanRightsViolations
#Article20
#RightToProtest
#SlowMarch #BigOilAndGas #SLAPPs #2023PublicOrderAct

Inside the last-ditch effort to stop the #MountainValleyPipeline

The project is over budget and behind schedule, with a lot of hard work left to do. Its opponents hope that makes #FossilFuel companies think twice about building the next one.

By Katie Myers
Published Jan 16, 2024

"As day broke over the small mountain town of #EllistonVirginia, one Monday in October, masked figures in thick coats emerged from the woods surrounding a construction site. Three of them approached three excavators and, one by one, locked themselves to the machines, bringing the day’s work to a halt. As they did so, several dozen of their fellow protesters gathered around them, unfurling banners and chanting amid the groaning and beeping of construction equipment.

"They made their way across the field, over patches of bare earth, around sections of rusty pipe meant for burial beneath the mountain. Eventually the metal tubes will form yet another section of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which will soon carry 2 billion cubic feet of #fracked #methane from the #ShaleFields of #WestVirginia to #NorthCarolina each day. Their breath billowed in the crisp air. Beyond them stretched a bright blue sky, and mountains tinged with yellow. The past night’s rain pooled on the muddy and compacted soil beneath their feet.

"Workers in highlighter-yellow vests and hard hats milled around, some looking amused, others frustrated. One or two engaged with the #protesters, only to be told off by an irate site manager. A few miles away at the West Virginia state line, another three dozen or so activists did much the same atop #PetersMountain. One even managed to crawl under an excavator and lock herself in place, despite the cold. The others rallied around, enclosing her in a tight, protective circle.

Some might wonder why they bothered. After all, the project is, by the Mountain Valley Pipeline company’s estimate, 94 percent complete and will be wrapped up before summer. It stalled for several years amid legal fights over various permits, but Senator #JoeManchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia, almost single-handedly revived it in 2022 in exchange for his support of key Democratic priorities. Since then, the Biden administration and the Supreme Court have all but assured its completion. With the approximately 303-mile pipeline approaching the final stretch after almost a decade’s work, it might seem hardly worth fighting at this point.

"A large contingent of steadfast opposition begs to differ — and will enthusiastically explain why. The pipeline is six years behind schedule, about half a billion dollars over budget, and, despite promises that it would be done by the end of last year, delayed once again. The remaining construction is over rugged terrain, with hundreds of water crossings left to bridge. The company recently postponed, shortened, and rerouted its planned extension into North Carolina, a proposal long stymied by permitting problems with the main line. And, just last month, #Equitrans, which owns the #pipeline and many others across the country, was said to be considering selling itself. The road to the pipeline’s completion remains rocky, its opponents argue, with many opportunities to make finishing it as difficult as possible.

"'We cannot let them destroy our land and water,' said a young woman named Ericka. Like many interviewed for this story, she gave only her first name out of fear of reprisal from #MountainValleyPipelineLLC, which has begun suing #protesters in a bid to silence them. She had brought her three children to occupy the land that day. 'What are we going to drink? Where are we going to live? People have to come here and stop this.'"

https://grist.org/protest/inside-the-last-ditch-effort-to-stop-the-mountain-valley-pipeline/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

#SilencingDissent #DirectAction #ClimateCatastrophe #NoFracking #WaterIsLife #SLAPPs #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship
#HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #BigOilAndGas

ICYMI, from 2016: #StandingRock Medics Attacked by Police and Arrested

by Brenda Norrell, #CensoredNews
October 27, 2016

CANNON BALL, North Dakota -- "One of the Standing Rock medics described how police targeted medics, and violently arrested medics, while they were treating people during the violent police attack on Standing Rock water protectors on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016 at Treaty Camp, directly on the path of Dakota Access Pipeline.

"The medic could see silencers on police weapons.

"'If they are here for peace, then why do their weapons have silencers on them?'

"As the medics struggled to treat those who were victims of the police attack, they became victims and were violently arrested.

"'The vehicle we were in had red crosses on it. They knew we were medics.They sprayed me head to toe. They pointed shotguns at my back while I was treating patients."

Read more:
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2016/10/standing-rock-medics-shot-by-police-and.html

#StandWithStandingRock #DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterProtectors #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #BigOilAndGas #ACAB

Demonstrators Decry #SLAPP Lawsuits Targeting Movement Against #MountainValleyPipeline

via @igd December 21, 2023

"Report on recent protest in Abingdon, Virginia against SLAPP lawsuits targeting the movement fighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP).

"Mountain Valley Pipeline is suing dozens of pipeline opponents in multiple jurisdictions for millions of dollars as part of a campaign of ongoing repression. Penn Stuart, the law firm behind the injunctions currently being levied against pipeline fighters in Virginia, and their Lawyer Wade Massie are hired by EQT Midstream, the largest partner in the MVP. Today, people had an office party at the Penn Stuart offices in Abingdon, VA, causing a ruckus."

Read more:
https://itsgoingdown.org/demonstrators-decry-slapp-lawsuits-mvp/

#SLAPPs #DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #BigOilAndGas

Don’t Stop: Continuing the Fight against #CopCity

Six More Months in the Movement to Defend the Forest
2023-12-12 via #CrimeThinc

"Escalating Repression: #RICO and the Furtherance of the Conspiracy

"With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that the 'tactics of organized criminals' language Governor Kemp used on July 2 was not just boilerplate copy drafted by an intern, nor was the August 2 press conference simply propaganda to assure backers that the state could still protect their investments. These phrases and statements were shaping operations, carefully crafted interventions designed to position the government for their next operation: the blanket criminalization of the entire movement.

"On August 29, the Attorney General of #Georgia, Christopher M. Carr, filed an indictment with the Fulton County Superior Court, bringing charges against 61 people under Georgia’s version of the Rackeeter-Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act O.C.G.A. § 16-14-4. The indictment became public on September 5. The document, which is over 100 pages long and very poorly written, claims that the 'conspiracy' (which it names 'Defend the Atlanta Forest') was 'founded' on May 25, 2020—the day that #MinneapolisPolice officers murdered #GeorgeFloyd, precipitating a nationwide #uprising.

"This was a serious escalation. It did not catch everyone by surprise: the #AtlantaSolidarityFund has been braced for such charges since February. The authorities and their extreme-right proxies had been demanding a full-scale crackdown on the movement for over a year, spreading a conspiracy theory that the movement was a mafia controlled by a shadowy and well-connected group (a narrative some activists also reproduced, apparently with no sense of irony). According to one version of this conspiracy theory, circulated by far-right trolls, the Network for Stronger Communities (a Georgia-based nonprofit organization) operates a number of financial enterprises, including the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, that coordinate acts of terrorism in order to accumulate wealth and influence. Of the 61 accused, three were members of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund. The 42 people already facing #DomesticTerrorism charges were also indicted, as well as a number of other people whose connection to the movement was unclear. The indictment alleged that some people had committed acts in 'overt furtherance of the conspiracy' such as buying #GlueSticks for #SignMaking. [UK is using similar tactics, arresting people for just having #Superglue or #BikeLocks in their possession.]

"The RICO indictment was not a legal procedure but a political act. It was not a judicial intervention to suppress criminal activity but a government measure to crush what the text describes as '#anarchism,' '#collectivism,' '#SocialSolidarity,' '#MutualAid.”

"It is not simply 61 people who are on trial. By dating the case to the murder of George Floyd, the prosecution showed that their real target was the entire population of millions that participated in the consequent revolt. This is not an unusual court case, but a new chapter in the fight between those who seek to preserve the hierarchies of a structurally white supremacist society and those fighting to destroy it root and branch. The indictment does not present a list of crimes. It describes the contours and values of a rival society emerging within the movement to stop Cop City, aspiring to reinvent the world according to a different logic.

"The Fulton County Judge assigned to the RICO case immediately recused himself. Until then, judges had not recused themselves from cases related to the movement even when they possessed obvious ties to the Atlanta Police Foundation."

Full article:
https://crimethinc.com/2023/12/12/dont-stop-continuing-the-fight-against-cop-city-six-more-months-in-the-movement-to-defend-the-forest

#JusticeForTort #StopCopCity #ACAB #DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #SLAPPs

#Activist, 97, among dozens arrested in #Australia #climate protest

26 November 2023

Sydney, Australia, Nov 26 (EFE).- "Dozens of protesters, including a 97-year-old man, were arrested on Sunday during a #ClimateChange protest off Australia’s east coast that disrupted operations at the country’s biggest coal export port.

"#ClimateActivist group #RisingTide had organized the protest to block the traffic of coal cargo ships in the port of Newcastle since Saturday.

"The group said on its Twitter account that at least 59 people have been arrested so far.

"Since Saturday, groups of 50 to 60 protesters have been taking turns in rostered two-hour shifts getting on canoes and inflatable boats and preventing ships from leaving the port.

"Among the protesters who went out to sea was Alan Stuart, a 97-year-old religious pastor.

"Stuart said he was doing it for his grandchildren and future generations after being pulled out of his boat by the police.

"'I am doing this for my grandchildren and future generations because I don’t want to leave them a world full of increasingly severe and frequent #ClimateDisasters,' he said. 'I am so sorry that they will have to suffer the consequences of our inaction. So, I think it is my duty to do what I can and to stand up for what I know is right.'

"Rising Tide claims that the protest prevented more than half a million tonnes of coal from leaving the Newcastle port by the time the demonstration ended.

"Protesters demand that the Australian government stop all new projects that involve the use of fossil energy and confront the #ClimateCrisis more decisively.

"The climate crisis is one of the big issues of political debate in Australia, a country exposed to the effects of #droughts and #ExtremeTemperatures.

"Australia is the world’s second largest exporter of thermal coal and the largest exporter of cooking coal."

https://efe.com/en/other-news/2023-11-26/activist-97-among-dozens-arrested-in-australia-climate-protest/

#DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #BigOilAndGas #BigCoal

More than 300 #HumanRights activists were killed in 2019, report reveals

#Colombia was the bloodiest nation with 103 murders and the #Philippines was second, followed by #Brazil, #Honduras and #Mexico

by Nina Lakhani, 14 Jan, 2020

"More than 300 human rights defenders working to protect the #environment, #FreeSpeech, #LGBTQ+ rights and #IndigenousLand in 31 countries were killed in 2019, a new report reveals.

"Two-thirds of the total killings took place in #LatinAmerica where impunity from prosecution is the norm.

"Colombia, where targeted violence against community leaders opposing environmentally destructive #megaprojects has spiraled since the 2016 peace accords, was the bloodiest nation with 106 murders in 2019. The Philippines was the second deadliest country with 43 killings, followed by Honduras, Brazil and Mexico.

"2019 was characterized by waves of social uprisings demanding political and economic changes across the globe from Iraq and Lebanon in the Middle East to Hong Kong and India in Asia and Chile in the Americas.

"The report by #FrontLineDefenders (#FLD) details the physical assaults, defamation campaigns, digital security threats, judicial harassment, and gender-based attacks faced by human rights defenders across the world, who were on the frontline of protests against deep seated #inequalities, #corruption and #authoritarianism.

"In the cases for which the data is available, the report found:
• 85% of those killed last year had previously been threatened either individually or as part of the community or group in which they worked.

• 13% of those reported killed were women.

• 40% of those killed worked on land, #IndigenousPeoples and environmental issues.


"In nearly all countries that experienced mass protests last year, human rights defenders – who mobilized #marches, documented police and military abuses, and helped citizens who were injured or arrested – were specifically targeted.

"For instance, in #Chile, in the biggest anti-government protests since the end of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship, at least 23 people were killed and 2,300 injured, with scores blinded by non-lethal projectiles.

"In #Iraq, where #Anticorruption protests during October and November left more than 300 people dead, Saba Al Mahdawi was abducted and held for nearly two weeks by unidentified militants. She was most likely targeted as a result of her work providing food, water and medical aid to injured protesters.

"#Honduras, a key geopolitical US ally, has been one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a woman, lawyer, journalist and land or environmental defender since the 2009 military-backed coup unleashed a wave of unchecked violence. Last year, targeted killings in the Central American country increased fourfold compared to 2018, as tens of thousands of people fled a toxic mix of violence, poverty and corruption, and journeyed overland through Mexico to the US southern border in search of security.
Yet despite difficult and frightening circumstances, human rights activists have continued to spearhead positive social changes.

"For instance, #Mexican #reproductiverights defenders celebrated the legalisation of abortion in the state of Oaxaca – following in the footsteps of Mexico City 12 years earlier. While in Jordan, lawmakers withdrew the cybercrime bill, which proposed restrictions to the freedom of speech and the right to privacy, after a high-profile campaign by civil society groups.

"Andrew Anderson, executive director of FLD, said: 'In 2019, we saw human rights defenders on the frontlines defending and advancing rights in Hong Kong, Chile, Iraq, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Spain and many other cities and towns around the world. And despite repression, they continue to advance visions of their societies and the world that put to shame not only their own governments and leaders, but also the international community.'"

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2020/jan/14/300-human-rights-activists-killed-2019-report

#DigitalFreeSpeech #DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest

#Activists Who Sacrificed Their Lives To Save The #AmazonRainforest

by Jana Gregorio
July 31 2020

"According to reports, on average, one activist has been killed in #Brazil every week since 2002. Most of the killings happened in remote areas of the Amazon.

"#ChicoMendes was a labor leader and activist who fought against the #deforestation of the #AmazonRainforest. In 1988, Mendes was shot and killed in front of his house by a cattle rancher named Darcy Alves.

"#NazildoDosSantosBrito was an anti-#PalmOil campaigner. In 2018, Brito was shot and killed, but none of his possessions were missing. Rights groups say he was killed due to his activism in the Amazon.

"Maxciel Pereira dos Santos was a defender of Brazil’s Indigenous people. In 2019, he was killed execution-style in front of his family members.

"For decades, the Amazon Rainforest has been the target of #CattleRanchers, #farmers, #loggers, and #miners who seek to take the forest’s land and natural resources. Over the past 50 years, about 17% of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed."

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-people-who-died-to-save-the-amazon.html

#DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #ExtractiveMining #IndigenistasAssociados #EnvironmentalRacism #IndigenousPeople #IndigenousActivists #EarthDefenders #SouthAmerica #LatinAmerica

The right to #protest is under threat in #Britain, undermining a pillar of democracy

By JILL LAWLESS
December 26, 2023

LONDON (AP) — "For holding a sign outside a courthouse reminding jurors of their right to acquit defendants, a retiree faces up to two years in prison. For hanging a banner reading '#JustStopOil' off a bridge, an engineer got a three-year prison sentence. Just for walking slowly down the street, scores of people have been arrested.

"They are among hundreds of #environmental activists arrested for peaceful demonstrations in the U.K., where tough new laws restrict the right to protest.

"The Conservative government says the laws prevent extremist activists from hurting the economy and disrupting daily life. Critics say #CivilRights are being eroded without enough scrutiny from lawmakers or protection by the courts. They say the sweeping arrests of peaceful #demonstrators, along with government officials labeling #EnvironmentalActivists #extremists, mark a worrying departure for a liberal democracy.

"'Legitimate protest is part of what makes any country a safe and civilized place to live',' said Jonathon Porritt, an #ecologist and former director of #FriendsOfTheEarth, who joined a vigil outside London’s Central Criminal Court to protest the treatment of demonstrators.

"'The government has made its intent very clear, which is basically to suppress what is legitimate, lawful protest and to use every conceivable mechanism at their disposal to do that.'"

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/britain-democracy-protest-arrests-unwritten-constitution-616078b918e27d5098890be6f9967b14

#DigitalFreeSpeech #DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterIsLife #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #SlowMarch #BigOilAndGas #SLAPPs #AbolishTheMonarchy #2023PublicOrderAct

Wired: How to Protest Safely: What to Bring, What to Do, and What to Avoid

If you’re planning on hitting the streets, here’s what you need to know.

by Louryn Stramp and Lauren Good
June, 2022

"Reproductive rights in America have drastically changed. The US Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, which opens the doors to states criminalizing abortion and blocking access to information about it. Certain legal experts note that the language used in the current draft from Justice Samuel Alito could further erode protections surrounding birth control, gay marriage, and interracial marriage, which implies additional civil rights are under threat.

"This guide to safe protesting was originally written in 2020 during the nationwide outcry over police brutality, which overwhelmingly targets Black people like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Tony McDade. Whether you’re marching for racial justice, reproductive rights, or climate conservation, our advice applies to most protests.

"If you're thinking about joining a protest near you, there are some crucial factors to consider: Police brutality is an abstract concept for some but a stark reality for others. Similarly, few people think about abortion access until they need it. There are ways you can contribute to police brutality causes or to abortion funds and independent clinics if you don't feel safe protesting or are otherwise unable to physically do so. You can also donate time to community groups, drop off supplies for protests, or contact local legislators.

How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance

"That being said, protesting is a right of all Americans under the First Amendment (more on that below). Before you head out, you should know that police across the country have acted with unnecessary force, including driving vehicles through crowds, partially blinding a photojournalist, and macing children. The list goes on and on.

"If you still want to join in, we've gathered some advice, as well as a list of items you may want to bring with you. Be careful, and stay safe.

Table of Contents

- What to Bring (and Not Bring) to a Protest
- Before You Leave
- Know Your Rights
- While You're at the Protest
- What to Avoid
- What to Do If …
- After the Protest

Read more [paywall]:
https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-protest-safely-gear-tips/

Internet Archive:
https://web.archive.org/web/20230112051520/https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-protest-safely-gear-tips/

#DigitalFreeSpeech #DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #SlowMarch #BigOilAndGas #SLAPPs

#Toolkit: #Protest #safety tips from #Greenpeace

"Protest is a powerful strategy to demand #justice. Greenpeace has been holding and supporting protests around the world for nearly 50 years. Because of this, we’ve received requests and messages asking for advice on protest tactics, digital, and physical security against #militarized #police forces. While we have compiled this from a US point of view where this Greenpeace team is based, we hope some of what is here is helpful beyond the US.

"We are continuously learning, learning from mistakes, learning from each other. The #activists that make up our Greenpeace community, also come from many protest practices and methods, including #Indigenous-led resistance to #FossilFuel #extraction, the #ImmigrantRights movement, the Movement for Black Lives, [#BLM] and others. We wanted to share some of our learnings so that you can join us in protests that demand systemic changes from fighting for #ClimateJustice to dismantling #WhiteSupremacy. We support you and are fighting with you.

"We want to acknowledge that there are many different types of protest tactics, and that this is not an exhaustive list. We also want to acknowledge that communities of color, especially Black communities and other non-Black Indigenous and communities of color, are policed differently than white communities.

"When we protest we have an opportunity to demand the world we need and to understand how the issues we face are interconnected. As we fight for environmental justice, we show up for racial justice, Indigenous rights, immigrant rights, disability rights and more. While this guide focuses on protests, even if you are not able to join us in the street you can support those who are protesting by providing supplies, donating to bail funds, providing rides, having important conversations with your coworkers, friends, families, and neighbors.

"Also, we want to remind you that we are not your lawyers. This is not legal advice, any tips contained here are only to assist you in thinking through how to engage in protest activity. We urge you to connect with your local organizing and legal community for additional support."

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/toolkits/protest-safety-tips-from-greenpeace/

#DigitalFreeSpeech #ACAB #DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #SlowMarch #BigOilAndGas #SLAPPs

Protecting #Activists from #AbusiveLitigation

#SLAPPs in the #GlobalSouth and How to Respond

PUBLISHED: JULY 2020

"In #Thailand, an agricultural company files more than a dozen suits against at least 20 #defendants, targeting #workers, #journalists, and #activists who had spoken out against alleged #LaborAbuses at the company’s chicken farm. In #India, an association of #pesticide manufacturers brings a civil defamation suit against #journalists that had reported on the harmful #health and #environmental effects of pesticide use. In the #Philippines, a #mining company files suit against 85 defendants who had conducted a #PeacefulProtest near the company’s mining site, after the company’s own security forces used #lethal violence against the #protesters. In #SouthAfrica, an #Australian mining company files suit against environmental activists who had criticized a company mine during a lecture at a local university.

What do these suits have in common? They are all “#SLAPPs,” or “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation”: suits filed not to secure relief, but to use the risks and costs of litigation to defuse criticism and opposition and discourage the exercise of fundamental freedoms. SLAPPs have long been prevalent in the #Globa North, but SLAPPs are also being used in the Global South to silence activism.

"In Protecting Activists from Abusive Litigation: SLAPPs in the Global South and How to Respond, ICNL presents the first cross-regional survey of SLAPPs in the Global South, along with the first rigorous comparative analysis of anti-SLAPP policy responses undertaken in the Global North and the Global South. Our survey shows that SLAPPs pose a serious threat to the exercise of fundamental freedoms in the Global South, particularly for activists, civil society organizations, journalists, and community members who dare to criticize powerful entities.

"Our survey, which is far from comprehensive, has identified 82 reported SLAPPs filed in Thailand, India, the Philippines, and South Africa – the most fertile fields for Southern SLAPPs – as well as #Indonesia, #Malaysia, #Armenia, #SierraLeone, and #Honduras. Key features of SLAPPs in our sample include:

- Half of the cases in our sample (41 cases) involved criminal proceedings.
- The most frequent SLAPP targets in our sample were activists and civil society organizations (CSOs) (38 cases, or 46%); journalists and publishers (17 cases, or 21%); and leaders and members of local communities (15 cases, or 18%).
- Nearly all of the cases in our sample – 75 cases, or 91% – were brought by private companies or company officials, with 34 of these cases (41%) brought by mining companies and 28 cases (34%) brought by companies associated with agricultural operations.

"Where the cause of action or charge was reported, the suit was based at least in part on a defamation charge, either civil or criminal, in 66 of 75 cases (88%).

"Of the 33 suits in our sample brought as civil actions, claims in 17 cases (52%) exceeded 1 million USD, with the average claim exceeding 10 million USD."

Full article:

https://www.icnl.org/post/report/slapps-in-the-global-south-report

#HumanRights #Whistleblowing #DigitalFreeSpeech #DirectAction #Fascism #CriminalizingDissent #WaterProtectors #ForestDefenders #EnvironmentalActivists #ClimateActivists #ClimateJustice #SilencingDissent #CorporateColonialism #EcoActivists #Censorship #HumanRightsViolations #Article20 #RightToProtest #SlowMarch #BigOilAndGas