America's human rights rhetoric tarnished

America's human rights rhetoric tarnished


Exactly 62 years ago today, the United Nations adopted its Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Making today, International Human Rights Day. America's first lady at the time, Eleanor Roosevelt helped inspire the 1948 agreement. A global pledge critics say the US is failing to follow

Jury Finds Man Guilty in Teen Torture Trial

Jury Finds Man Guilty in Teen Torture Trial

A California jury has found a neighbor guilty of torturing and beating a teen who was held captive in a home for more than a year. Jurors convicted Anthony Waiters, 31, of all nine counts he faced. (Nov. 23)

Bagram: America's blackhole in Afghanistan

Bagram: America's blackhole in Afghanistan


While the US has spent billions of dollars on humanitarian projects in Afghanistan, any goodwill generated may well be undermined by the continued existence of a notorious detention facility operating outside the proper Afghan legal framework.

US Human Rights Hypocrisy

US Human Rights Hypocrisy


America has long been the self appointed global leader on human rights pointing out the shortcomings of others. But now the tables have turned. According to the United Nations Human Rights Council, incidents of injustice are taking place on US soil.
The point was made in Geneva, Switzerland as Human Rights council in its first comprehensive review of Washington's record. The council released a Universal Periodic Review Tuesday, listing 228 recommendations on how the US can do better in practicing what it preaches

America's racist heritage

America's racist heritage

The United States, which comes under the scrutiny of the 47-member UN Human Rights Council for the first time on Friday, says it is open to fair criticism of its flawed record. Sara Flounders, the co-director of the International Action Center says the President Obama appears open to the council, his actual policies are worse than former President Bush

US human rights: "Torture Inc."

US human rights: "Torture Inc." .


The United States will face a 47 member United Nations Human Rights Council that will question how well the US is conducting itself when it comes to human rights issues. The critics are not only from abroad, nearly 300 US activist groups have issued reports charging that racial, ethnic and gender disparities are occurring every day in the United States

Bagram prison worse than Guantanamo

Bagram prison worse than Guantanamo


The US military's Bagram detention facility in Afghanistan is hidden behind a wall of secrecy and considered by many to be more questionable than the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Debra Sweet, the director of The World Can't Wait explained that those held at Bagram are unidentified, who they are is not disclosed, and their charges are unknown