Human Rights in the News

NYT -- J.L. Chestnut Jr, Civil Rights Activist and Attorney, Passes Away
J.L. Chestnut Jr., led an incredible life in the U.S. Civil Rights struggle. The struggle between civil rights and human rights are often one and the same, as is the case in his work defending the lives and livelihoods of the oppressed.

Human Rights Watch -- Missing Rendition Victims in Ethiopia and Kenya
Citizens from 18 different countries were illegally arrested in 2007 while in Somalia and Kenya, then extradited to Ethiopian prisons. In Ethiopia, they were subjected to deplorable living conditions and torture: forced to crawl on gravel. genitals being crushed, and being beaten to the point of unconsciousness. At night they were taken out of the prison and interrogated by U.S. officials for suspected terrorism links. They have been denied access to courts or communication with their families. Many are still held in Ethiopian prisons.

Chicago Tribune -- AIDS Traced Back 100 Years Ago
Understanding the roots of the AIDS crisis is necessary to finding a solution to the humanitarian and human rights problems it causes. HIV/AIDS has led people and governments to desperation in which human rights are often disregarded. The virus has been traced back to the rise of cities and close living conditions, with the disease presenting itself earlier than originally thought.