In a June 24 editorial, the New York Times called for the passage of a New York State law that would bar health professionals from licensure it they had participated in torture. Meanwhile, the ACLU announces a “flash mob” event, Noon, June 25, Union Square, NYC.

In a summary of recent news in the fight against torture, a D.C. judge has dismissed all charges against demonstrators arrested in an anti-Guantanamo demonstration last January. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has announced it will not review the District Court’s decision refusing to review Canadian citizen Maher Arar case against U.S. officials for their role in rendering him to Syria to be tortured. At the same time, the Canadian RCMP is revealed to be investigating both Syrian and U.S. officials for this crime.

Facebook rolled out new privacy controls today. Here’s what they’ve changed…and what still needs to be addressed.

In 1986, there was no World Wide Web, nobody carried a cell phone, and the president was a man born in 1911. That was the year that the statute that protects the privacy of your electronic life — email, search terms, cloud computing, cell phone location records, postings to Facebook — was passed into law. We need an upgrade.

It has been reported in recent days that Sen. Lindsay Graham has been reaching out to the White House to urge them to reverse the November decision of Attorney General Eric Holder to try the 9/11 cases in our federal courts. In return, Sen. Graham has promised to secure the support of other congressional Republicans for the administration’s plans to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. Sounds like a pretty tempting offer huh? The problem? Congressional Republicans, while also joining the call to urge military commissions trials of the 9/11 defendants, remain steadfast in their opposition to closing Gitmo.

Sometimes the level of dysfunction in regards to women’s rights and pregnancy is nothing short of gob-smacking. Take the Florida case of Samantha Burton. Ms. Burton is pregnant. She has two children and in her current pregnancy she is at risk of a miscarriage. She was admitted to the hospital in Florida where her doctors [...]

When we consider the indignity and inhumane treatment that detainees at Guantanamo have experienced and the torture and abuse which has surely inflamed Islamists who fill the ranks of al-Qaeda-like networks, what is our nation’s collective reaction? How do we respond? Does the thought of Guantanamo even matter to us?

Okay, so no one is explicitly calling for body cavity searches for all airline travelers — yet. But the logic of those pushing for body scanners for all airline passengers, and criticizing the ACLU for opposing that, leads to the inescapable conclusion that these critics would support such a policy.

By Nahal Zamani, Advocacy Associate, ACLU Human Rights Program

December 3 marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day where we mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. To mark the occasion, we’re taking the opportunity to look at the past year and see how we’re faring in light of the anniversary.

This is my weekly attempt to keep the issue of torture accountability alive. Please take a few minutes to read it and send a letter to the AG and other decision makers to urge them to do what is right and required by law.