Civil Liberties
Syrian Refugee Families Will Still Come to Texas, Despite Effort to Stop Them
Texas filed a lawsuit last week attempting to block the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state, but a judge's ruling on Monday allowed 21 Syrians to arrive as planned this week.
Angola Accuses Rapper and 14 Other Activists of Trying to Overthrow the Government
The case has elicited international outcry from politicians and activists around the world against a government that appears determined to stifle dissent within the southern African nation.
The Silent Majority: A Civil Rights Movement Grows in the Shadows of Nepal
A new constitution was supposed to create a more inclusive Nepal. But instead it deepened ethnic fissures.
Prisoners Speak Out About Their Communications with Lawyers Being Monitored
A report this week suggested inmate-lawyer phone calls are being recorded in large numbers, but prisoners aren't exactly stunned at the idea their civil liberties might get violated.
Utah Judge Orders Child to Be Taken from Foster Parents Because They Are Gay
Beckie Peirce and April Hoagland have been raising the one-year-old child since August, and were in the process of legally adopting her before a judge ordered her to be removed within seven days.
Turkey Is Prosecuting Two Kids for Ripping Down Posters of President Erdogan
The prosecutor's office in the predominantly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir said that it would seek to put the boys behind bars for up to four and a half years on charges of "insulting the Turkish president."
Teen Arrested for 'Insulting' Erdogan on Facebook as Crackdown in Turkey Continues
In the first seven months of Erdogan's presidential term, authorities investigated 236 individuals for supposedly insulting the president — a campaign that seems calculated to stifle political dissent.
Here's Every Email the NSA Got After Asking Americans for Tips on How to Protect Privacy
Shortly after the Edward Snowden leaks in 2013, the NSA asked all Americans for suggestions on how it could better protect civil liberties. The agency received 14 emails.
Kenyan Journalists Protest Law Threatening Jail Time for Criticizing Politicians
Members of Kenyan media united in outrage on Thursday after lawmakers approved a new bill threatening reporters with fines and prison if they supposedly defame parliament.
Court Rules That Muslims Can Sue the NYPD for Spying on Them
A lawsuit that was filed by a coalition of Muslims who accused the NYPD of spying on them without cause was dismissed in 2014 — but that judgment has just been reversed.
Genetic Engineering Is (Probably) Protected By the First Amendment
Could we stop a scientist from making a designer baby, even if we wanted to?
How Colombia Built a Massive Surveillance 'Shadow State'
Colombia has spent millions of dollars to procure high-end surveillance technology that can intercept cellphone calls, capture text messages, and sort through personal information to create profiles of citizens.