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Iran proposes long jail terms, AI surveillance and crackdown on influencers in harsh new hijab law
By Celine Alkhaldi and Nadeen Ebrahim On August 2, 2023 Just weeks ahead of the one-year anniversary of the mass protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, Iranian authorities are considering a draconian new bill on hijab-wearing that experts say would enshrine unprecedentedly harsh punitive measures into law. The 70-article draft law sets out a range of proposals,…
Kremlin critic Navalny convicted of extremism and sentenced to 19 years in prison
MELEKHOVO, Russia (AP) — A Russian court convicted imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny on charges of extremism and sentenced him to 19 years in prison on Friday. Navalny is already serving a nine-year term on a variety of charges that he says were politically motivated. The new charges are related to the activities of Navalny’s…
Should Hotel Chains Be Held Liable for Human Trafficking?
By Bernice Young On July 26, 2023 For decades, franchised hotels have been a common scene of sex-trafficking crimes in the U.S. A new legal strategy is targeting the corporations that collect royalties from them. Shortly after Elizabeth turned seventeen, in the summer of 2018, she began selling sex from a room on the second…
Mississippi’s Jim Crow-era voting law struck down by federal appeals court
By Kira Lerner On August 4, 2023 2-1 ruling on policy that revoked voting rights for certain people with felony convictions is surprise victory from conservative court A federal appeals court on Friday struck down Mississippi’s Jim Crow-era policy of permanently revoking voting rights from certain people with felony convictions, ruling that it is unconstitutional…
Freedom to Vote in Jeopardy, Especially for People of Color
By Mireya Navarro On August 2, 2023 Many politicians continue to try to weaken our electoral systems and implement anti-voting policies, prompting Congress to reintroduce legislation setting national standards. Whatever happens with the indictment of former President Trump for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, the pressures on our democracy continue — often to the detriment…
Texas begins withdrawal from multistate partnership to clean voter rolls
By Natalia Contereas On July 20, 2023 A new GOP-backed state law requires Texas to create its own version of a cross-check program or find a vendor that doesn’t cost more than $100,000. This coverage is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting access. The article is available for…
Virginia’s Felony Disenfranchisement Provision Faces a New Legal Challenge Under This 150-Year-Old Law
By Rachel Selzer On July 21, 2023 Over 150 years ago, in the midst of the Reconstruction era, Congress enacted the Virginia Readmission Act, a federal statute that enabled the Commonwealth of Virginia to gain federal representation in Congress following the Civil War. As a former Confederate state, Virginia’s entitlement to congressional representation was contingent on…
Texas Republicans Push New Voting Restrictions Aimed at Houston
By J. David Goodman On May 10, 2023 The bills propose limits on polling places, tougher penalties for illegal voting and a way for the Republican-led state to order new elections in its largest city. HOUSTON — Across Harris County, an emerging Democratic stronghold in reliably red Texas, roadside signs posted last November urged harried…
Louisiana electoral map: Supreme Court boosts black voters in gerrymandering case
By Kayla Epstein On June 25, 2023 The US Supreme Court has opened the door to the creation of a new majority-black district in the state of Louisiana in a closely watched voting rights case. The top court lifted a hold on a lower court case that could result in Louisiana redrawing its electoral map.…