The public got an early holiday gift today when a federal court agreed with us that six weeks of continually video recording the frontyard of someone‘s home without a search warrant violates the Fourth Amendment.
Daily Archives: 12. Dezember 2014
Kann der Herzog König werden?
Es war fast Mode, zu erklären, dass die Linke erledigt sei, tot, verstorben. Unter den Kommentatoren – besonders unter den Linken- ist es unerlässlich, die restlichen Linken zu verhöhnen. Arme Kerle (und natürlich arme Mädels) Sie können nicht sehen, was vor sich geht. Sie hegen Illusionen, pfeifen in der zunehmenden Dunkelheit.
Guantánamo prisoners released to Uruguay: ‚We are so happy to be here‘
Over the past 12 years, Ali al-Shaaban has experienced precious little human kindness. Detained in Pakistan as a suspected al-Qaida member in the months after the 9/11 terror attacks, he was transferred to the US military prison at Guantánamo Bay, where he was held for more than a decade.
London Hit by Air Traffic Control Computer Failure
The airspace over London was briefly closed Friday afternoon due to what authorities said was a computer failure at one of Britain‘s two air traffic control centers. The British government demanded an investigation into the „unacceptable“ disruption.
They Said No To Torture
We will never know the names of so many of the CIA officers who spoke out against torture. They were among the brave men and women throughout the government who challenged the brutality approved at the highest levels of government, and they are responsible for bringing to light what so many wanted to keep in the shadows.
So far, though, our official history has honored only those who approved torture, not those who rejected it.
By refusing to acknowledge the courage of those who said „no“ to torture, we betray the public servants who risked so much to reverse what they knew was a disastrous and shameful course. Honoring these people would encourage the best in our public servants, now and in the future.
Take action to honor those who said no to torture:
https://www.aclu.org/honor
Isn‘t it time we honored those who said no to torture?
The recently released Senate report details the horrific abuses of the CIA’s brutal torture program. But throughout the government there were heroes who objected to the torture policies and tried to end them.
The CIA’s gruesome practices would never have come to light were it not for those who stood apart and refused to consent to torture and other abuses.
In Guantánamo, while other prosecutors resigned rather than present cases founded on coerced evidence, the Navy’s general counsel Alberto J. Mora took charge. Mora led an effort inside the Department of Defense to oppose coercive interrogation techniques which he argued were ineffective and unlawful.
Others, like Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld, were ridiculed and bullied by their bosses for questioning abusive policies. Vandeveld was effectively placed under house arrest.
We can’t avert our eyes from this shameful torture program in order to move forward as a nation. We must pay tribute to the courage and patriotism of those who recognized that torture would harm lives, violate the law, undermine national security, and corrupt important national institutions — including the military.
These heroes belong in our history books. Urge President Obama to honor them as a way of encouraging the best in our public servants, and in all of us.
SIGN THIS PETITION
Alexander Neu: Entsendung der Bundeswehr in den Irak ohne UN-Mandat ist Verfassungsbruch
Der Bundestag kann dem von der Bundesregierung beabsichtigten Mandat für einen Einsatz der Bundeswehr im Irak nicht zustimmen, ohne einen Verfassungsbruch zu begehen. Die Rechtsprechung des Bundesverfassungsgerichts ist eindeutig. Die Bundeswehr darf gemäß Artikel 24 GG nur im Rahmen eines ‚Systems gegenseitiger kollektiver Sicherheit‘ in einen Auslandseinsatz geschickt werden. Genau dies aber ist die so genannte Koalition der Willigen nicht.
Grundsätzlich nach Maßgabe
Grundsätzlich, so das Bundesverfassungsgericht, entscheidet die Mehrheit in einem Untersuchungsausschuss nach Maßgabe der §§ 17 ff. PUAG in welcher Art und Weise ein Beweisbeschluss umgesetzt wird. Das Bundesverfassungsgericht hat das entschieden, obwohl es sich selbst für unzuständig erklärt hat.
Spionage mit Vollmacht aus dem Kanzleramt
(4. Dezember) Was auf den ersten Blick etwas simpel anmutet trifft den Kern: die automatisierte, technische Auswertung der privaten Kommunikation wird derzeit von Regierungsvertretern, aber auch vom BND offenbar nicht als Eingriff in die Privatsphäre angesehen. »Diese Art von Fragen sind geeignet, dem Zeugen zur Unehre zu gereichen«, entgegnete Rechtsanwalt Johnny Eisenberg und riet dem Zeugen dazu, keine Aussage auf diese Art von Fragen zu machen.
@MartinaRenner Sie haben soeben den 1. Preis für die blöde Frage des Jahres gewonnen. MdB Renner, das ist unfassbar.
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Im #NSAUA bleibt Frage: Unterstützt BReg den PUA gegen Massenüberwachung & Spionage durch USA/GB und Helfer oder die Dienste gegen den PUA?
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Zensur und Überwachung im Internet nehmen zu
Zugang zum Internet soll Menschenrecht werden, fordert Tim Berners-Lee. Schweiz im Web Index Ranking nur auf Platz 18.
100+ interview reports, oral and written testimony, CIA’s response and numerous CIA meetings all contributed to study. #ReadTheReport
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US-Folterbericht: US-Senatorin Feinstein nimmt CIA-Chef auf Twitter auseinander
„Die Zusammenfassung wird durch den 6700 Seiten langen, als geheim eingestuften Bericht gestützt, mit 38.000 Fußnoten. Jedes dort berichtete Faktum basiert auf CIA-Akten, Depeschen und so weiter.“
Japan geht scharf gegen Geheimnisverrat vor
Trotz massiver Kritik hat die rechtskonservative Regierung in Tokio am Mittwoch ein Gesetz zur verschärften Bestrafung von Geheimnisverrat in Kraft gesetzt.
Die Weitergabe „bestimmter Geheimnisse“ zum Schutz der nationalen Sicherheit durch Beamte, Abgeordnete oder andere Personen wird mit bis zu zehn Jahren Gefängnis bestraft. Bisher drohte Whistleblowern höchstens ein Jahr Haft.
State sanctions phone and email tapping
Foreign law enforcement agencies will be allowed to tap Irish phone calls and intercept emails under a statutory instrument signed into law by Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald.
Profiting Massively From Torture: Designers Of CIA Torture Program Raked In $81 Million (And Are Still Getting Money)
The report uses pseudonyms for the two psychologists: Grayson Swigert and Hammond Dunbar. However, their names were actually revealed back in 2007: James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen. To say they were unqualified for the work of designing the torture program would be an understatement. While they were psychologists with the US Air Force‘s „Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape“ (SERE) program (which is supposed to help train US military personnel in case they‘re captured), you‘d think they‘d actually have some relevant background with terrorism and/or interrogation. But, nope:
„Neither psychologist had experience as an interrogator, nor did either have specialized knowledge of al- Qa‘ida, a background in terrorism, or any relevant regional, cultural, or linguistic expertise.“
Endlich! Ein Verkaufsautomat mit Gesichtserkennung!
Schöne neue Welt.
GCHQ Follows NSA Into Paranoia — Just As Julian Assange Predicted
„The more secretive or unjust an organization is, the more leaks induce fear and paranoia in its leadership and planning coterie. This must result in minimization of efficient internal communications mechanisms (an increase in cognitive „secrecy tax“) and consequent system-wide cognitive decline resulting in decreased ability to hold onto power as the environment demands adaption.“
Those words were written by a certain Julian Assange before he became (in)famous. Say what you will about him, you have to given him credit for being spot-on here — and well ahead of his time.
‘Suicide Drones’ and the Spoils of War: Israeli arms manufacturers look to cash in on the war in Gaza
Three weeks after Israel’s latest assault on the Gaza Strip concluded, Israeli military and political leaders attended a conference next to Ben Gurion Airport to sell the successes of what Israel dubbed Operation Protective Edge, which killed more than 2,200 Palestinians including 521 children. The annual conference, named “Israel Unmanned Systems 2014,” took place in business-as-usual atmosphere — even with a complimentary beer keg. But the fare was anything but humdrum. Among the offerings were suicide drones, “loitering munitions” that need to explode; a 16-year-old showing off high-tech robots designed by fellow high schoolers and future drone makers; and “premature” weapons, armaments that have not been fully tested before they are used on a live Palestinian population. Such is Israel the military power.
Undercover police officer pulls gun on Oakland protesters after cover blown
An undercover California highway patrol officer who had infiltrated protests against police violence in Oakland pulled a gun on demonstrators after his and his partner’s cover was blown.
Spain passes anti-protest bill, to considerable protest
The conservative-led Spanish parliament passed an anti-protest bill on Thursday against heavy opposition from politicians and activist groups, who say the law violates the right to protest, limits freedom of expression and gives more power to police.
OMG! Look what will happen if SYRIZA takes over the power…
OMG! Look at this horror scenario if the Greek Parliament will not elect the President, snap elections will take place and left-wing SYRIZA, “the communist dragon”, “the scare of markets”, “the euro destroyer”, “the Doomsday warrior” will climb to Greek government seats.
Israeli government attempts to shut down Nakba film festival in Tel Aviv
Imagine if in the U.S. it were illegal to teach about the genocide of the Native Americans or the violent and gruesome system of slavery in North America. Imagine if you could be punished for simply mentioning the suffering of the indigenous people on Thanksgiving, or for questioning the nobility of Columbus of Columbus Day.
In Israel, this reality is not far fetched. Any Israeli institution with public funding that mentions, teaches, or mourns the Nakba (Arabic for “catastrophe”) can be fined, and individuals can be sentenced to prison for their involvement.
Actors Unions Come Out In Support Of Separate Actors Copyright To Support Innocence Of Muslims Actress
We‘ve been covering the Garcia v. Google case for a while. What started out as a crazy case that pretty much everyone assumed was destined to go nowhere got weird in a hurry earlier this year when Judge Alex Kozinski upended decades of settled copyright law by deciding that an actor or actress might have a separate copyright interest in his or her performance in a film. The case involved Cindy Lee Garcia, an actress who was pretty clearly duped into performing in a video which became known as „Innocence of Muslims,“ a 13-minute film (which was called a trailer, though it‘s unclear if a full movie was ever actually planned or exists) that became quite controversial (and was, probably incorrectly, blamed for violence in the Middle East).
Jordan keen on signing deal to buy Israeli gas
There were several protests in Jordan over the last few weeks calling on the government not to sign the deal with Israel.
In September, Hamed said Jordan‘s National Electric Power Company will sign an agreement in November with Noble Energy to buy gas from Israeli fields.
Turkey not to accept Greece-Egypt Mediterranean deal
He also called the trilateral cooperation between Greece-Cyprus-Cairo and Greece-Cyprus-Israel for natural resources „opportunism“ that came at a „bad time.”