police state

Duterte declares martial law in south Philippines

Posted on May 24th, 2017 by Bill Weinberg and tagged , .

South East AsiaAfter threatening to do it for months, the Philippines' ultra-hardline President Rodrigo Duterte on May 23 declared martial law on the conflicted southern island of Mindanao. The declaration takes immediate effect and will last for 60 days—officially. But in his comments upon the declaration, Duterte said it could last up to "a year"—and (not for the first time) favorably invoked the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, under whose harsh rule the Philippines saw a decade of martial law. "To those who have experienced martial law, it would not be any different from what president Marcos did," Duterte said. "I'll be harsh."

Trump's troubling 'bromance' with Philippines' drug war strongman

Posted on May 8th, 2017 by Bill Weinberg and tagged , , .

South East AsiaThe Philippines' inimitable President Rodrigo Duterte is being his usual charming self. The United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, Agnes Callamard, arrived in the country on May 5 to attend a conference on drug policy and human rights at the University of the Philippines. Callamard is of course a harsh critic of Duterte's campaign of police and paramilitary terror against low-level drug dealers and users. Duterte wasted not a moment in voicing defiance, warning drug users: "And here's the shocker: I will kill you. I will really kill you. And that's why the rapporteur of the UN is here, investigating extrajudicial killing."

Philippines: legal challenge to deadly drug war

Posted on April 24th, 2017 by Bill Weinberg and tagged , , .

South East AsiaPhilippine President Rodrigo Duterte remains intransigent on his ultra-murderous "drug war," which has unleashed police and paramilitary terror on low-level dealers and users across the archipelago. But, hearteningly, courageous dissent and resistance to the blood-drenched crackdown persists. Al Jazeera on April 24 features a profile of the legal team at Manila's Center for International Law, which has been going to bat for the targets of Duterte's terror—despite the threat of reprisals.

Sessions pledges crackdown on Latin gangs

Posted on April 21st, 2017 by Bill Weinberg and tagged , , , , , , , .

Shadow WatchAttorney General Jeff Sessions, speaking to the Justice Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) on April 18, pledged that the Trump administration will have "zero tolerance for gang violence" from "transnational criminal organizations"—particularly singling out MS-13, the Central American narco-network that has its roots on the streets of Los Angeles.

Supreme Court gives judges leeway in mandatory minimum cases

Posted on April 10th, 2017 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , , , .

SCOTUSThe US Supreme Court on April 4 handed down a unanimous decision in Dean v. United States, giving federal judges greater flexibility in mandatory minimum cases—an aim activists have long been demanding. Advocacy group Families Against Mandatory Minimums filed a brief in support of the petitioner in the case.

New York high court: cops can seize user Facebook activity

Posted on April 10th, 2017 by Bill Weinberg and tagged , , , .

Shadow WatchBe careful what you say on Facebook. New York state's highest court, the Court of Appeals, ruled on April 4 that law enforcement can seize private account information from the social networking site. With the decision, Facebook lost its years-long legal battle to block search warrants from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office seeking access to hundreds of user accounts, the New York Post reports.

US army war veteran faces deportation to Mexico for non-violent drug offense

Posted on March 8th, 2017 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , .

border wallAn immigration hearing was held in Chicago March 6 for an Army veteran who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, sustained a brain injury in combat, suffers from post-traumatic stress—and may now be deported to Mexico over a non-violent drug offense. Pfc. Miguel Perez Jr, 38, came to the US from Mexico when he was just eight years old. Perez, whose parents are both US citizens, told the immigration judge he loves the United States and considers himself a devoted patriot. After the 2.5-hour hearing, the judge said a decision will be issued in a few weeks.

Baltimore police hit by drug scandal

Posted on March 3rd, 2017 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , , , .

police Seven Baltimore police officers were arrested by federal agents March 1 on racketeering charges. The officers are accused of conducting illegal stops, stealing money and drugs from suspects, swearing false affidavits, submitting false incident reports and participating in overtime fraud. One of the officers was also charged in a separate drug conspiracy indictment, involving a heroin distribution ring. The charges are the latest blow to Baltimore's already scandal-mired police force.

Who's new

  • Baba Israel
  • Karr Young
  • John Veit
  • YosephLeib
  • Peter Gorman