A New Vision for Youth Justice: Imagining a World Without Youth Prisons
On any given day 50,000 youth are incarcerated in America’s juvenile justice system. Seemingly harmless names like “training schools” and “academies” are used to obfuscate an archipelago of youth prison environments sprawled across the US where minors are subjected to restraints, brutal violence, and the use of solitary confinement. A group called the Youth First […]
Oceti Sakowin Tribal Members Sue Trump Administration to Block Dakota Access Pipeline
Washington, DC — Civil liberties group RevolutionTruth along with lead counsel Bruce Afran filed an emergency lawsuit motion this evening in US District Court on behalf of nearly a dozen plaintiffs from several Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation) tribes. The plaintiffs in Jumping Eagle v. Trump demand an immediate halt to Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) construction beneath Lake […]
Leaked Trump Executive Order Easing Conflict Mineral Regulations a ‘Gift to Warlords & Corrupt Businesses’
Washington, DC — In response to reports that the President Trump is planning to issue an executive order targeting the US conflict minerals provision, also known as Section 1502 of Dodd-Frank, Carly Oboth Policy Adviser at Global Witness said: “Any executive action suspending the US conflict minerals rule would be a gift to predatory armed groups […]
Congress Votes for Corruption by Overturning Historic Transparency Law in Gift to Big Oil
Washington, DC — Today’s decision by the Republican-led U.S. Senate to overturn a rule designed to stop oil companies striking corrupt deals with foreign governments is a grave threat to U.S. national security and an astonishing gift to big oil, said Global Witness. The news comes just two days after Rex Tillerson, a longstanding opponent of […]
Hundreds Will Protest Peter King Friday Over Penning of Controversial Muslim Ban
Massapequa Park, NY – Hundreds of Long Island residents and local organizations will come together on Friday, February 3, 2017 for a demonstration outside the office of Congressman Peter King showing unity against President Donald Trump’s Executive Order banning refugees indefinitely from Syria and temporarily from 6 other Muslim majority countries. Protestors will march in front of Peter […]
Republican Vote to Eliminate Landmark Transparency Law Jeopardizes National Security
Washington, DC — Today’s vote by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to undo a rule designed to stop corruption in the oil industry poses a grave threat to U.S. national security, said Global Witness today. The oil industry is the most corrupt on the planet, according to the OECD. Yet today the House of Representatives voted […]
8 Federal Agencies Sued for Records on Trump Attorney General Pick, Jeff Sessions
WASHINGTON, DC — Multiple federal agencies are in violation of the Freedom of Information Act. Investigative journalist Jason Leopold and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) PhD candidate/Harvard Klein Center for Internet & Society research affiliate, Ryan Shapiro, filed a lawsuit this morning against the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of State (DOS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department […]
Trump uses First Days to Roll Back Oil Sector Regulations, Green Light Keystone XL & Dakota Access Pipelines
Washington, DC — The past 24 hours have seen an unprecedented number of gifts to Exxon and the oil industry, said Global Witness today. Yesterday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved former CEO of Exxon, Rex Tillerson, to lead the State Department. Today, it is expected that Republicans in the House of Representatives will introduce […]
Global Witness Responds to U.S. Senate Committee Vote on Rex Tillerson
Washington, DC — Today, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations voted in favor of making Rex Tillerson, former CEO of ExxonMobil, the most powerful diplomat in the U.S. Global Witness raised serious concerns that this appointment would pose a grave threat to both US and global security. On Mr. Tillerson’s watch, ExxonMobil was at the forefront of […]
President Obama Grants Commutation of Sentence to Chelsea Manning
WASHINGTON, DC — The Obama administration announced today the commutation of Chelsea Manning’s sentence for disclosing classified information that raised public awareness regarding the impact of war on innocent civilians. Manning will reportedly be freed in May 2017. “I’m relieved and thankful that the president is doing the right thing and commuting Chelsea Manning’s sentence,” said Chase Strangio, a staff attorney […]
Thousands Online Want to Give Chelsea Manning a Hug
Following reports that Chelsea Manning is on President Obama’s “short list” for a possible commutation, the Internet has exploded with support for the imprisoned transgender transparency advocate. Over the weekend, thousands of people started taking part in a spontaneous #HugsForChelsea campaign, posting photos of themselves with their arms outstretched as if waiting to give Chelsea Manning a hug, calling […]
Chelsea Manning Reportedly on President Obama’s ‘Short List’ for Commutation
NBC News is reporting that Chelsea Manning, who has served 7 years of a 35 year sentence, is on President Obama’s “short list” for commutation. Chelsea Manning’s attorney at the ACLU, Chase Strangio, said: “The Obama administration has done many commendable things to protect the rights of LGBTQ people, but in the case of Chelsea Manning they […]
CIA, FBI, DHS and ODNI Sued for Records on Russian Interference in 2016 Election
WASHINGTON, DC — The CIA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) are in violation of the Freedom of Information Act. Investigative journalist Jason Leopold and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) PhD candidate/Harvard Klein Center for Internet & Society research affiliate, Ryan Shapiro, filed a lawsuit yesterday against […]
FBI Sued for Records on Agency’s Role in Trump Victory
WASHINGTON, DC — The FBI is in violation of the Freedom of Information Act. Investigative journalist Jason Leopold and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) PhD candidate/Harvard Klein Center for Internet & Society research affiliate, Ryan Shapiro, filed a lawsuit this morning against the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The suit is over the FBI’s failure to comply with Shapiro and […]
100,000+ Supporters Urge President Obama to Commute Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
On Saturday, the 10th, the petition on the WeThePeople platform in support of Chelsea Manning accumulated over 100,000 signatures, four days before the December 14th deadline. The goal was reached in time to garner a response from the White House to their call for President Obama to act now to commute Chelsea’s sentence. Manning is in […]
ACLU and LGBT Groups Call on President Obama to Grant Clemency To Chelsea Manning
WASHINGTON, DC — The American Civil Liberties Union and over a dozen LGBT groups sent a letter to President Barack Obama today urging the commutation of Chelsea Manning’s sentence for disclosing classified information to the media to raise public awareness regarding the impact of war on innocent civilians. Manning is in the seventh year of […]
45 Organizations Form Growing Coalition Against Hate, Urge Trump to Eject Extremists from Inner Circle
Last week the Coalition Against Hate released the discriminatory records of individuals who have been raised as potential appointees or senior staff in a Trump administration with deep ties to racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. The Coalition urges Donald Trump to eject known extremists from his inner circle, such Senator Jeff Sessions, Representative Mike Pompeo, retired […]
Ahead of Bannon Visit 300+ MIT Faculty Sign Statement Upholding Values of Science and Diversity
CAMBRIDGE, MA — On the eve of Steve Bannon’s visit to nearby Harvard University over 300 MIT faculty and counting have taken a public stand
Chelsea Manning’s Lawyers Request Commutation of Sentence, Supporters Launch White House Petition
Washington, DC — Today, Chelsea Manning’s legal defense team released a letter sent to the U.S. Army and the Office of the Pardon Attorney, requesting the commutation of Ms. Manning’s 35 year court-martial sentence to time served and “a first chance to live a real, meaningful life.” The letter discusses the harsh and inhumane conditions […]
Community Control Over Police Surveillance Effort Launches with First Wave of Legislation in 11 Cities
NEW YORK — Local officials in 11 cities announced today that they are launching legislative efforts to bring transparency to the acquisition and use of local police surveillance technologies for the first time. The measures include mandating explicit city council approval and a public hearing process that maximizes community input into surveillance technology decisions. This […]
Joseph Buddenberg Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison in Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act Case
San Diego, CA — This morning in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, Joseph Buddenberg was sentenced to two years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Violate the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The sentencing follows his signing a non-cooperating plea agreement in which he plead guilty to conspiring to free thousands of […]
State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez Loses Re-Election After Tireless Campaigning from Chicago’s Black Youth
Chicago, IL — The following is a statement from Assata’s Daughters on their victory in #ByeAnita campaign: “Chicago Black youth have kicked Anita Alvarez out of office. Just a month ago, Anita Alvarez was winning in the polls. Communities who refuse to be killed, jailed, and abused without any chance at justice refused to allow her to […]
Black Chicago Activists Fly ‘Chicago Stands with Laquan, Hillary Stands with Rahm’ Banners Across City Skyline
Chicago, IL — This afternoon, as primary voting is underway in Illinois, airplanes are flying across the Chicago skyline towing banners linking Hillary Clinton with unpopular Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, with whom Emanuel covered up the 2014 Chicago PD’s killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald while campaigning for his own re-election. The arial […]
Imprisoned ‘Guantanamo Diary’ Author Granted Periodic Review Board Hearing
New York, NY — The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that a Periodic Review Board hearing has been scheduled for June 2 to review the detention of Guantánamo prisoner Mohamedou Ould Slahi. Slahi’s deeply personal memoir, “Guantánamo Diary,” climbed to the top of The New York Times bestseller list last year and has been translated […]