Our Voices
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Exclusive: groups call for US inquiry into police killing of ‘Cop City’ protester
Tags Share Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the Southern Center for Human Rights, and the University of Dayton Human Rights Center have filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, urging a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the police killing of “Cop City” protester Manuel Paez Terán. The petition demands the release…
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Supporting rights of incarcerated women by providing free period products
Tags Share As we move forward from Women’s History month, it is important to keep advocating for the rights of women everywhere, including the rights of incarcerated women. Many women in prison have difficulty obtaining adequate period products due to cost, resulting in women bartering with other inmates or doing without. This lack of period…
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In Shifting US Ties with Niger and Africa, Focus on Human Rights and Democracy to Strengthen Partnerships
Tags Share After Niger’s recent move to end military cooperation with the United States, how can the U.S. prioritize human rights and democracy in the region moving forward? Writing in Just Security, our staff attorney Ikechukwu Uzoma examines changing dynamics across Africa’s Sahel region and outlines key considerations for the United States’ future engagement with…
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Groups call for US inquiry into police killing of ‘Cop City’ protester
Tags Share In April 2024, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights filed a petition before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights requesting an investigation into the 2023 murder of Manuel Esteban Páez Terán (known as “Tortuguita”), an environmental activist who was killed by police while peacefully protesting the construction of Atlanta’s “Cop City” facility. Speaking with…
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This Week’s Spotlight on Human Rights
Tags Share Authoritarians Threaten Journalists Around the Globe From Vladimir Putin in Russia to the theocrats in Iran, authoritarian leaders are increasingly shutting down independent media and locking up reporters, with hundreds of journalists now in jail around the globe. Learn more ‘Every Day Is Hard’: One Year Since Russia Jailed a U.S. Reporter…
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Uganda: anti-LGBTQ+ Law Should be Repealed
Tags Share Today, Uganda’s Constitutional Court announced its verdict on a legal challenge against the draconian Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), which was signed into law by President Museveni in May 2023. The AHA is one of the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Rather than strike it down, the Court unanimously ruled that only certain provisions are nullified…
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Behind The Headlines: Turmoil In Texas As Ugly State Vs Federal Government Battle Over Who Controls Immigration Law
Tags Share This week, federal courts extended a pause on enforcement of S.B. 4, a Texas law that allows state police to arrest people they suspect crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without valid immigration status. S.B. 4 requires state judges to order people to leave the U.S. or face up to 20 years in prison if…
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Charting The Course: In Conversation With Dr. Vivienne Ming, Founder & Executive Chair Of Socos Labs
Tags Share Dr. Vivienne Ming believes there are two dominant views regarding the powerful ascendance of artificial intelligence. One view is held by the “accelerationists,” who believe AI will solve every problem, give humans more time to pursue their interests, and save the planet. Conversely, the “doomers” believe that AI will destroy everything. Dr. Ming,…
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Guards at Louisiana ICE facility accused of illegally pepper-spraying protestors
Tags Share In January 2024, ICE officers at Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana pepper-sprayed hundreds of detainees who were participating in a peaceful demonstration and hunger strike. Guards retaliated by indiscriminately deploying pepper spray – an attack that blatantly violated individuals’ rights under the U.S. constitution, federal and state law, and ICE’s own legal standards…
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Egypt must immediately and unconditionally release anti-torture protester Mahmoud Hussein
Tags Share The Egyptian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Mahmoud Hussein who is facing 25 years in prison simply for wearing a T-shirt with an anti-torture slogan, 15 Egyptian and international human rights organizations said today. Mahmoud Hussein has been arbitrarily detained since August 2023. Since then, his mental and physical health has seriously…
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Increasing Student Engagement and Empowerment Through Theater: Voces Contra El Poder in Sonora
Tags Share According to a recent poll, 50% of students say they are not engaged in what they are learning and 80% of educators are worried about students’ lack of engagement. Theater work, like the recent theater workshop in Sonora, Mexico, can increase student engagement and empower them to become human rights defenders. In March,…
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Empowering Local Leadership: Transforming Development Aid with Bottom-Up Solutions
Tags Share Coinciding with World Water Day on March 22, John Lewis Young Leader Hana Kebede shared commentary about the challenges that persist in her native Ethiopia surrounding access to clean water. Having seen firsthand how millions of Ethiopians are still living without essential infrastructure like clean water and electricity, Kebede, a senior at Tufts…
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