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
Rashida Tlaib censure vote sets precedent for criminalizing opposition to Gaza genocide
By Patrick Martin The vote by the US House of Representatives to censure Representative Rashida Tlaib (Democrat-Michigan) for her opposition to the Israeli genocide in Gaza is an unprecedented attack on democratic rights. Tlaib, the lone Palestinian-American in the House, is the first representative since the Civil War to be censured
We Can’t Depend on Elections and Legal Battles Alone to Defend Democracy
By Igor Shoikhedbrod |TRUTHOUT Karl Marx warned how easily democratic representation and rights can be lost to the forces of authoritarian reaction. By all accounts, liberalism is in a state of crisis globally. Liberalism finds itself especially under threat in its contemporary “homeland” — the U.S of the post-2016 Trump era, prompting
Supreme Court concludes hearing the Petitioners against the Online Safety Bill
Staff Writer The Speaker of Parliament confirmed on Wednesday (18) that 45 petitions had been filed in the Supreme Court (SC) of Sri Lanka challenging the constitutionality of the proposed draconian piece of law titled, Online Safety Bill (OSB). On the same day at 12.30 in the afternoon, the Supreme Court took
Constitutional amendment proposal for Indigenous Voice defeated in Australian Referendum
By Mike Head The scale and social content of last Saturday’s overwhelming rejection of the Australian Labor government’s referendum to entrench an indigenous advisory body called the Voice into the country’s constitution is becoming clearer. Overall, the referendum was defeated by about 61 percent to 39 percent, with postal votes still being
Indian Supreme Court bows down to the far-right, rejects same-sex marriage rights
By Staff Writer The Supreme Court in India today (17) refused to grant legal recognition for queer marriages, in a landmark judgement, denying equal rights to tens of millions of people. A five-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, ruled that the court could not “be re-drafting
Popular cartoonist Awantha Artigala and journalist activist Shantha Wijesooriya petition against the Online Safety Bill
By Staff Writer Renowned Cartoonist Awantha Artigala and senior journalist Shantha Wijesooriya today (12) filed a case (SD No. 91/2023) in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka challenging the "Online Safety Bill", one of the draconian law proposals of the President Ranil Wickremasinghe's government. Since October 03, when the Bill was placed
Greek government unveils savage employment bill attacking workers’ right to strike
By John Vassilopoulos Greece’s right-wing New Democracy government (ND) has unveiled a new labour bill attacking workers’ rights and conditions. It was submitted on August 25 for public consultation by the Greek Ministry of Labour. The consultation is set to run until September 8, with the bill expected to be put
Sri Lanka Constitution – 45 Years On: The Consolidation of Authoritarianism in the service of capital
By Sanjaya Jayasekera This is the speech delivered by the writer on August 1, 2023, in celebration of World Constitution Day, organized by worldconstitutiondy.org, which is sponsored by the International Bundesbrief Society. The video link is also available on their website. https://youtu.be/kptPgTTyVJE I wish you all a wonderful World Constitution Day, 2023! To celebrate