Latest news with #atrocities
New York Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Trump Is Helping Human Rights Abusers. I'm Suing to Stop Him.
Human rights defenders have for decades played a critical role in documenting and seeking justice for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, often risking life and limb in conflict zones and repressive countries in pursuit of justice. The organization that I co-founded and lead, Fortify Rights, has been on the front lines of this effort. For the past 12 years, we have investigated atrocities in Asia with a focus on mass killings, rape, torture and other crimes in Myanmar. We have routinely shared evidence with the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (I.C.C.) in The Hague, which is investigating possible crimes against humanity committed against ethnic Rohingya. Our work is now threatened, not by Myanmar's brutal military junta, but by the Trump administration. On Feb. 6, Donald Trump issued an executive order imposing sanctions that target the work of the I.C.C. Coming amid the flurry of contentious executive orders and sharp policy changes initiated by Mr. Trump, this order received relatively little notice. But it strikes at the heart of efforts to pursue international justice over the worst crimes against humanity. The order singles out the court's chief prosecutor for sanctions and forbids the provision of 'services' to the prosecutor's office, punishable by fines or even prison. The risk of punishment for sharing evidence, coordinating witness testimony or similar actions involving the court has sent a chill through the human rights field and is already impacting the work of the court and organizations like mine. This is an unconstitutional infringement on my First Amendment rights as an American, and that's why I, with the representation of the American Civil Liberties Union, have filed a federal lawsuit to challenge the order. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Al Jazeera
03-06-2025
- General
- Al Jazeera
The Human Hunters of Sarajevo
Could the unthinkable be true? In the aftermath of the Bosnian War — a conflict marked by atrocities and genocide — rumors swirled of wealthy outsiders flying into war-torn Sarajevo to pay for a gruesome and forbidden thrill: hunting humans for sport. In this episode: -Mirsad Sijarić, Sniper Alley witness and director of National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina -Azem Kurtić, Bosnian journalist
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
A genocide is happening in Gaza. We should say so.
Throughout history, atrocities have usually been committed under cover of darkness. The perpetrators know that what they are doing is wrong. They hide it. They deny it. They speak in euphemisms. But what happens when they no longer feel the need to hide? What happens when they say the quiet part out loud?
Sky News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Israel-Gaza latest: Suspect said 'I did it for Gaza' after Washington killings; Israeli government blames Starmer
Suspect accused Israel of 'atrocities' in social media post, Sky News finds A social media post believed to have been published by the suspect accuses Israel of "atrocities" against Palestinians. The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago, chanted "free, free Palestine" as he was arrested, as we've reported. Sky News has uncovered what is believed to be a statement by the shooting suspect posted at 10pm local time last night, around an hour after the shooting - suggesting it was scheduled. The letter, signed with Rodriguez's name, was dated 20 May 2025. Watch: Suspect shout 'Free Palestine' In the lengthy essay, Rodriguez criticises Israel's actions in Gaza and attacks the US government's position. "The atrocities committed by the Israelis against Palestine defy description and defy quantification," it says. "Instead of reading descriptions mostly we watch them unfold on video, sometimes live. After a few months of rapidly mounting death tolls Israel had obliterated the capacity to even continue counting the dead." The statement adds: "Public opinion has shifted against the genocidal apartheid state, and the American government has simply shrugged, they'll do without public opinion then, criminalize it where they can, suffocate it with bland reassurances that they're doing all they can to restrain Israel where it cannot criminalize protest outright." Rodriguez concludes the statement: "I love you Mom, Dad, baby sis, the rest of my familia, including you, O***** . Free Palestine." Israel has repeatedly denied accusations of genocide in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described a UN report accusing Israel of carrying out "genocidal acts" against the Palestinians as biased and antisemitic. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence secretary Yoav Gallant - as well as a senior Hamas commander - for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza. Netanyahu has decried what he said were the "false and absurd charges of the International Criminal Court, a biased and discriminatory political body".
Sky News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Washington DC shooting suspect accused Israel of 'atrocities' in social media post, Sky News finds
A social media post believed to have been published by the suspect in the killing of two Israeli embassy workers in Washington DC accuses Israel of "atrocities" against Palestinians. The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago, chanted "free, free Palestine" as he was arrested, footage shows. The victims, who were attacked as they were leaving an event at a Jewish museum, have been identified as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a young couple who were about to be engaged. Sky News has uncovered what is believed to be a statement by the shooting suspect posted at 10pm local time, around an hour after the shooting - suggesting it was scheduled. The letter, signed with Rodriguez's name, was dated 20 May 2025. In the lengthy essay, Rodriguez criticises Israel's actions in Gaza and attacks the US government's position. "The atrocities committed by the Israelis against Palestine defy description and defy quantification," it says. "Instead of reading descriptions mostly we watch them unfold on video, sometimes live. After a few months of rapidly mounting death tolls Israel had obliterated the capacity to even continue counting the dead." The statement adds: "Public opinion has shifted against the genocidal apartheid state, and the American government has simply shrugged, they'll do without public opinion then, criminalize it where they can, suffocate it with bland reassurances that they're doing all they can to restrain Israel where it cannot criminalize protest outright." Rodriguez concludes the statement: "I love you Mom, Dad, baby sis, the rest of my familia, including you, O***** . Free Palestine." Israel has repeatedly denied accusations of genocide in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described a UN report accusing Israel of carrying out "genocidal acts" against the Palestinians as biased and antisemitic. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Mr Netanyahu and his former defence secretary Yoav Gallant - as well as a senior Hamas commander - for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza. Mr Netanyahu has decried what he said were the "false and absurd charges of the International Criminal Court, a biased and discriminatory political body". 2:23 The attack The couple were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect approached a group of four people and began shooting, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference. She said the suspect was seen pacing outside the museum before the shooting. "After the shooting, the suspect entered the museum and was detained by event security," Ms Smith said. "Once in handcuffs, the suspect identified where he discarded the weapon, and that weapon has been recovered, and he implied that he committed the offence." When he was taken into custody, the suspect began chanting, "Free, free Palestine," Police Chief Smith said. Suspect believed to have been member of revolutionary socialist group Rodriguez is believed to have been a member of the Party of Socialism and Liberation, which describes itself as a revolutionary socialist party. An article in the group's Liberation paper about a protest outside the home of Chicago's then mayor Rahm Emanuel in October 2017 features a picture of Rodriguez at the demonstration as well as quotes from him. The protest was not linked to Israel or Gaza. The article was taken down from the paper's website on Thursday. Since 2024, Rodriguez has worked as an administrative specialist for the American Osteopathic Association, according to his LinkedIn profile. Before that he was an oral history researcher at The HistoryMakers, an online archive developed by Carnegie Mellon University to tell the stories of African Americans. A profile for Rodriguez on the website says he was born and raised in Chicago and has a BA degree in English from the University of Illinois Chicago. "He enjoys reading and writing fiction, live music, film, and exploring new places," the profile says. Rodriguez is also believed to have donated $500 to Joe Biden's presidential campaign in March 2020, when he was running in the Democratic Party presidential primaries. Israel began its war against Hamas in Gaza after the militant group stormed across the border on 7 October 2023 and killed 1,200 people, taking 250 hostages. Since then Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 53,000 people, mostly children, according to the enclave's Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its count. The war has displaced 90% of Gaza's population of roughly two million people and left much of the territory in ruins.
