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Defending Rights & Dissent
October 11, 2022
37 years ago today, Alex Odeh was assassinated at the offices of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) as part of a coordinated bombing campaign to silence activists. For decades, Defending Rights & Dissent has stood in solidarity with ADC in
September 30, 2022
Did the CIA use a Spanish security firm known as UC Global to spy on WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange while toying with plans to assassinate or kidnap the Australian national? In spying on Assange, did the CIA and UC Global
September 19, 2022
The proposed resolution intends to adopt the working definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) along with its 11 contemporary examples. Anti-Semitism is a reprehensible form of bigotry, however, several of the examples attached to the IHRA definition incorrectly equate constitutionally-protected criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism, effectively chilling free speech.
September 14, 2022
Defending Rights & Dissent helped organize a letter from nearly 50 civil rights, human rights, and civil liberties groups who are united in opposing the Countering Violent Extremism framework to address hate violence in the United States. We sent the
August 31, 2022
Since the Department of Justice unsealed a warrant showing the Espionage Act was one of the reasons for a search of Donald Trump’s home, the media has been awash with misinformation about the Espionage Act. Confounding matters further has been
August 31, 2022
A federal judge just unsealed the probable cause affidavit justifying the FBI’s search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. On Monday morning, we convened a panel of experts to share their reactions. Moderator: Chip Gibbons Panelists: Marjorie Cohn, professor emerita at
August 15, 2022
No one is above the law. Not a sitting president. Not a former president. And certainly not Donald Trump. We know too often the powerful are treated to a different set of rules. Presidents and other high level officials lie
August 1, 2022
On Friday July 29, 2002 the FBI raided homes and offices associated with the African People’s Socialist Party and Uhuru Solidarity Movement in St. Petersburg, Florida and St. Louis, Missouri. These related groups describe their political views as socialism and
July 30, 2022
The US observes National Whistleblower Day today, but despite this nominal recognition, whistleblower protections in many ways remain threadbare, and the most chilling threat to truth-tellers looms larger as ever in the continuing and expanding use of the Espionage Act.
July 8, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which would amend the Espionage Act of 1917 to increase civil rights, civil liberties, and due process protections in the
July 1, 2022
A House committee will require the Dept. of Homeland Security’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) to report annually on its grant program, which has historically targeted Muslims. The Homeland Security Appropriations subcommittee released report language mandating that CP3:
June 3, 2022
Legendary CIA whistleblower David C. MacMichael passed away at age 93. After resigning from the CIA to expose the false claims used to justify Reagan's Central American wars, he worked with DRAD to end CIA covert action.
May 16, 2022
Defending Rights & Dissent welcomed the launch today of an Anti-Protest Lobby Tracker website created by The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD). The lobby tracker was created for researchers, journalists, and citizen activists to shed light on the special interests behind
May 12, 2022
Since Politico published a sweeping draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito overturning decades of precedent concerning abortion rights, many Americans have exercised their First Amendment rights by protesting this looming decision. For the past half decade, we have
May 9, 2022
On Monday May 9, 2022, Defending Rights & Dissent urged UK Home Secretary to reject the US's extradition request for WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. As US-based NGO focused on the First Amendment, it is highly unusual for us to correspond with foreign governments. However, given the extraordinary nature of Assange’s case and its implications for press freedom not just in the US, but globally, we are compelled to do so.