Tag: Human Rights

Pro-Palestinian Activism Leads to ICE Abduction

Ozturk, 30, was detained leaving her home in Somerville, Massachusetts, on the outskirts of Boston, on her way to break her Ramadan fast with friends.

Khanbabai has now been in contact her client, the government said, after it was previously reported that she had been unable to get in touch with Ozturk.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) advocacy group said in a statement: “We unequivocally condemn the abduction of a young Muslim hijab-wearing scholar by masked federal agents in broad daylight. This alarming act of repression is a direct assault on free speech and academic freedom.”

News reports say that Ozturk had been involved in pro-Palestinian activism at Tufts. She had co-written an op-ed in the Tufts student newspaper, criticizing the university’s response to Israel’s attacks on Gaza and Palestinians.

“DHS and Ice investigations found Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans. A visa is a privilege, not a right. Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be terminated. This is commonsense security,” the spokesperson told the Guardian.

DoJ lawyers say detained Tufts student was sent to Louisiana before court order
Federal judge in Boston issues order giving government until Friday to answer why student has been detained

France Adopts Constitutional Right to Abortion

France makes abortion a constitutional right

France has become the first country in the world to explicitly include the right to abortion in its constitution.

Parliamentarians voted to revise the country’s 1958 constitution to enshrine women’s “guaranteed freedom” to abort.
The overwhelming 780-72 vote saw a standing ovation in the parliament in Versailles when the result was announced.

Texas Outlaws Abortion

Ahead of Texas’ abortion ban going into effect on Sept. 1, NPR’s Michel Martin speaks with Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi, an OB/GYN, about what it means for abortion providers and patients there.

MARTIN: Could you talk more about – without compromising their privacy, of course – like, what are some of the other things that patients have been saying to you as this deadline approaches? Is there heightened fear?

MOAYEDI: Yes. People are very afraid. People understand, right? They understand that the abortion that they’re having this week, last week, the week before, is something that they wouldn’t be able to have next week. They’ve been asking about it and asking, you know, if I were here in September, would I be able to get this?

And, you know, this is a story I’ve told often, but a few years ago, when our state legislator was debating a different bill – it was a bill that would give the death penalty to people that got an abortion and to providers who provided abortion, right? – something so extreme. And it didn’t make it very far. But I had a patient that week that came in and told me, doc, I know that I’m going to get the death penalty for this, but I need this abortion. That is very real.

https://www.npr.org/2021/08/29/1032259863/texas-ob-gyn-my-existence-is-in-violation-of-the-new-abortion-law