Our Voices
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Truthout: Groups Bring Tortuguita’s Killing to International Human Rights Commission
Tags Share This month, several nonprofit organizations, including Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the Southern Center for Human Rights, and the University of Dayton Human Rights Center, filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), requesting an investigation into the police killing of Manuel Terán, an activist known as “Tortuguita.” According to
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Groups Bring Tortuguita’s Killing to International Human Rights Commission
Tags Share “If the United States wants to claim that they are the leader of the free world and free speech, they have to answer for what’s going on in Atlanta.” Speaking with Truthout, staff attorney Delia Addo-Yobo explains why Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is requesting an investigation into the death of Manuel Esteban
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Complaint issued alleging abuse of detainees at Winn Correctional Center
Tags Share Speaking with Louisiana’s NBC 10 News, staff attorney Sarah Decker outlines the long history of abuse at Winn Correctional Center – including a January 2024 incident wherein hundreds of detained individuals were pepper-sprayed in a retaliatory attack.
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Cameras Up: An Interview with 2023 Speak Truth to Power Video Contest Winners Naba Sheikh and Tohir Hodjakulov
Tags Share Guns Down, Arms Up, the 2023 Speak Truth to Power Video Contest winning film, is a powerful exploration of the horrific prevalence of gun violence in schools and a stirring call to action. In a recent interview, filmmakers Naba Sheikh and Tohir Hodjakulov of James Madison High School, shared their reasons for making
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Defender Spotlight: Hina Jilani and Asma Jahangir – Professional Development on Positive/Negative Rights
Tags Share In this installment of our UDHR series, engage in professional development for human rights educators by learning more about positive and negative rights. Essentially, positive rights outline what a government or institution should do, while negative rights focus on what they should not do. Understanding this distinction can help determine the best way
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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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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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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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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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