Poet and teacher Ahnaf Jazeem, victim of Sri Lanka government racist campaign, acquitted
By Sanjaya Jayasekera The High Court of Puttalam last Tuesday (12) acquitted poet and teacher Ahnaf Jazeem of the charge against him framed under draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), three and half years after his wrongful arrest. The acquittal is based on the failure of the State to prove the
Australian government rams through detention and citizenship-stripping laws
By Mike Head Scenes in the Australian parliament on Wednesday made a farce of any pretence of democracy. In fact, the real face of parliament was on display, spearheaded by a Labor government in imposing deeply reactionary laws. Intent on proving itself more draconian than the Liberal-National Coalition, the Labor government again
Australian government demands parliament sits until it passes “preventative detention” law
By Mike Head. The Albanese Labor government issued an extraordinary ultimatum to the Australian parliament this week. It declared that both houses must keep sitting, beyond next week’s scheduled holiday shutdown, until they pass as yet unseen “preventative detention” legislation. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil declared, via Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio: “We
Chilling attack on free speech: NY court issues injunction against resolution opposing Gaza genocide
By Tom Hall A New York state court has issued a restraining order blocking a vote by members of the New York City public defenders’ union opposing Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The order was granted after their employers filed suit to prevent the resolution from being passed. The move is a major
US appeals court guts Voting Rights Act
By Barry Grey On Monday [20], the US Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling that effectively turns the landmark Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 into a dead letter. In a 2 to 1 ruling, the appeals court, based in St. Louis and overseeing the mid-US states
Sri Lanka: UN Special Rapporteurs say proposed social and mass media regulation laws “possibly” limit freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and privacy
By Staff Writer In a communique to the President of Sri Lanka, three Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council have expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposed social media regulation law, the Online Safety Bill (OSB) and another media related law, Broadcasting Regulatory Commission Bill (BRC). The communication is
UK Supreme Court upholds Sunak’s Rwanda Asylum Policy unlawful
By Staff Writer In a landmark ruling last Wednesday (15), a five judge bench of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom unanimously dismissed the Home Secretary's appeal to enforce Rwanda Asylum Policy, and upheld the Court of Appeal's decision that the policy is unlawful. The court concluded that there are
Germany to prosecute slogan calling for freedom for Palestine as a crime
By Justus Leicht Use of the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is now being prosecuted in Germany as a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment of up to three years or a fine. Munich Chief Prosecutor Andreas Franck, who is also the antisemitism commissioner of the
Australian government rams through bill to impose unprecedented restrictions on released detainees
By Mike Head The ruling establishment, currently led by the Labor Party, is ripping aside fundamental democratic rights, flouting even the extremely limited protections of basic legal rights in Australia’s 1901 Constitution. In just over 12 hours on Thursday, the Australian Labor government teamed up with the Liberal-National Coalition opposition to push
Definition of “extremism” broadened: UK government prepares crackdown on political opposition
By Robert Stevens The proposed definition is deeply authoritarian, providing a pretext for the suppression of virtually any form of political opposition and eviscerating the rights to free speech and political association. The British government is broadening its definition of “extremism”. On Sunday, the Observer revealed that Communities Secretary Michael Gove is close to