18th anniversary of U.S. invasion of Iraq--we join Iraqi calls for redress and demand Biden end militarism

On the 18th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, we issued the following statement:

Eighteen years after the United States invaded Iraq on a patently false basis, we uplift the work of Iraqi activists, civil society, and their partners building local and transnational social justice movements under extremely precarious conditions. As we join their calls for redress for past harm, we also resist the continuation of U.S. impunity and condemn President Biden for carrying on the legacy of illegal bombings.

Continue reading on our website.

Grief, rage, and solidarity in the wake of the Atlanta killings, Anti-Asian and misogynist violence

We honor the lives and mourn the loss of eight people, including six Asian women, who were targeted and killed in acts of racist and misogynist violence in the metropolitan Atlanta area on Wednesday. We join our Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in grief, rage, and righteous resistance to the intolerable reality and legacies of anti-Asian violence in this country. And we commit to dismantling the interlocking oppressive systems that specifically threaten the safety and lives of Asian women, BIPOC, queer, trans and gender nonconforming people, sex workers, immigrants, and those who are economically vulnerable.

Continue reading and learn how you can support Asian and AAPI communities in this dire time on our website.

A Year Later: Still No Justice for Breonna Taylor

On the one-year anniversary of the police killing of Breonna Taylor, our Associate Executive Director Donita Judge penned this tribute to her life and reflected on the movements that were ignited amidst and as a result of the ongoing calls for accountability:

One year later, we are still waiting on justice for Breonna. The firing of three of the police officers, two who stormed her home and one who was responsible for the faulty search warrant, resulted in charges against only one of the officers—not for killing Breonna, but for endangering the safety of her neighbors. It is no wonder that protests erupted throughout the country then and now. There has been no justice for Breonna. 

Continue reading on our website.

Events this week! Register now.

TOMORROW — What is the Role of Lawyers During Crises?

Join the us and Albany Law School for a virtual panel discussion to celebrate the launch of the new book, Crisis Lawyering: Effective Legal Advocacy in Emergency Situations. Legal commentator and senior editor at Slate Dahlia Lithwick will moderate the conversation with Crisis Lawyering contributors.

For the full list of speakers and information on how to register, go to Albany Law School’s event page.

Wednesday — Radical Lawyering

What does it take to be a radical lawyer? Join us and the National Lawyers Guild Rutgers-Newark Chapter for a panel discussion featuring our advocates who will offer their perspectives and insight on radical lawyering!

For more information and to RSVP for the event, head to our website.

Wednesday — ASIL Annual Meeting: Accomplice Accountability for Grave Violations of International Law

Join the American Society of International Law (ASIL) for a panel discussion that will explore the range of "help" from direct participation to complicity in violations of international law and what accountability is warranted. The panel will seek to answer the question, what legal responsibility should potential "accomplices" bear for their role in the grave violations of international law?

Register on ASIL’s website.

Our statement on the UPR Outcome of the US at the 46th Session of the UN HRC

In November 2020, the U.S. government was reviewed for the third time under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, a process in which a country’s entire human rights record is examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Through shadow reports and civil society dialogue, we called on the U.S. government to fundamentally reimagine, reconfigure, and transform its relationship to the global community from one of imperialism and isolation towards one of material solidarity and interdependence. On March 17, 2021, as part of the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Advocacy Director Nadia Ben-Youssef delivered this oral intervention during the U.S. government's response to the outcomes of the UPR.

Watch the oral statement on our YouTube page and read the transcript on our website. Learn more about our involvement with the UPR process on our website.