Human Rights Advocates Fall Education EventWhen: November 18, 2004, 6:30 pmWhere: Goldberg Room, Boalt Hall, UC BerkeleyFeaturing Voting and International Human RightsCindy Cohn (Legal Director of Electronic Frontier Foundation) and Global Exchange will present on the current disputes about electronic voting machines in the U.S. and around the world.Corporate ResponsibilityMichelle Leighton (Law and Policy Consultant, Co-Founder of the Natural Heritage Institute and Member of HRA’s Board of Director) will speak on developments on a Corporate Accountability resolution before the U.N. Sub-Commission and Commission on Human Rights.Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)Julianne Traylor (Political Scientist, Lecturer, and President of HRA’s Board of Directors) will present an update on the U.S.’s ratification of CEDAW. posted by Cindy 4:54 PM . . .
HRA Board Member Connie de la Vega has published a new article in the July, 2004 issue of American Prospect Magazine asking why the United States has not followed the rest of the world in abolishing the death penalty. The Article is called Going It Alone . posted by Cindy 11:52 AM . . .
JOIN US for HRA'sReception, Annual Meeting and Spring Education EventApril 29, 2003 at 6:00 pm - Golden Gate University School of Law, San FranciscoCome Hear Reports on our Work at the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Human RightsTopics: Trafficking of Women and Children Right to Water Corporate Responsibility Child Soldiers Child Labor Effect of Illicit Transfer of Toxics on Human Rights Arbitrary Detention under the War Against Terrorism Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Without Parole for Offenders under 18 Years of Age Death Row Phenomena Migrant Workers’ RightsTime: 6:00 – 6:30 p.m. Reception 6:30-6:45 p.m. HRA Annual Meeting (members only may vote) 6:45 – 9:00 p.m. ProgramPlace: Golden Gate University 536 Mission Street (between 1st and 2nd Streets) San Francisco, CA Room 3214 posted by Cindy 4:54 PM . . .
Tremendous news! The federal court in San Francisco has just ruled that ChevronTexaco can be held responsible in U.S. courts for its involvement in military attacks on unarmed Nigerians. The court rejected ChevronTexaco's claims that only its Nigerian subsidiary could be held responsible, not the U.S. parent corporations. The court relied on the "extraordinarily close" relationship between the parent and the subsidiary in its ruling. The case, called Bowoto v. Chevron, is being handled by HRA Board member Cindy Cohn and HRA members Jose Luis Fuentes and Michael Sorgen. The decision can be found here: Order Denying Motion for Summary Judment posted by Cindy 8:14 AM . . .
EFF Co-Hosts Human Rights Event at World Affairs CouncilThursday, February 5, 2004World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, San Francisco"Fighting Impunity in Chile: A Bay Area Family's Legal Victory" Moderator: Elizabeth Farnsworth, Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, PBS Zita Cabello-Barrueto, Visiting Scholar, Women's Leadership Institute, Mills College Leo Cunningham, Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati Sandra Coliver, Executive Director, Center for Justice & Accountability Naomi Roht-Arriaza, Professor, UC Hastings In October 1998, Gen. Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London, the first former head of state in modern times to be arrested for human rights atrocities. The arrest led to his indictment by the Chilean courts, the prosecution and imprisonment of several military officers, and the filing of indictments against hundreds more. It also prompted Foster City resident Zita Cabello, a Chilean refugee, to track down a Pinochet-era Chilean army officer who had settled in Miami and bring him to justice for the 1973 murder of her brother. On October 15, 2003, a Florida jury found Armando Fernandez Larios liable for torture, crimes against humanity, and extra-judicial killing and awarded the Cabello family $4 million in compensatory and punitive damages. The panel will discuss the case and efforts in Chile to hold Pinochet-era criminals accountable. Co-sponsors: Human Rights Advocates, Facing History and Ourselves, the International Human Rights Law Section, San Francisco Bar AssociationRegistration: 5:30 pm Program: 6:00-7.15 pm Members: Free, Cosponsors: $7, Nonmembers: $12, Student nonmembers: $5. Please register at registration@wacsf.org or call 415.293.4600. Or register on-line at World Affairs Council . posted by Cindy 2:47 PM . . .
Monday, October 27, 2003 -The Death Row Phenomena From a European PerspectiveSpeaker: Philip Sapsford, Queen's Council, Member of the Human Rights Committee of the Bar of England and Wales, Lead attorney in the Pratt and Morgan cases before the British Privy Council in 1993, which ruled that delay of over more than five years in death penalty cases was a violation of due process in the Commonwealth. The ruling has resulted in the overturning of over 100 death penalty cases in the Commonwealth, primarily in Trinidad and Jamaica.Daytime:12:15-1:30 p.m. Board Conference Room Bar Association of San Francisco 465 California St., 11th FloorSan FranciscoEvening:5:15-6:15 p.m. University of San FranciscoSchool of Law Room 1012199 Fulton StreetSan FranciscoCo-sponsored by Human Rights Advocates, Bar Association of San Francisco, Amnesty International, Center for Justice and Accountability and the School of Law of the University of San Francisco posted by Cindy 6:01 PM . . .
HRA's Fall Education EventInternational Norms for Business Entities and the Patriot ActSpeaker Panel1. Jeanna Steele and Cecila Han - Law Students Studying International Human Rights who recently attended the Sub-commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights for HRA2. Michelle Leighton - Corporate Responsibility and International Law3. Cindy Cohn - USA Patriot Act and International Law Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2003Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.Place: Goldberg Room, Boalt Hall, UC Berkeley School of Law posted by Cindy 5:56 PM . . .
Connie de la Vega took the lead in filing an amicus brief for HRA in the U.S. Supreme Court arguing that the juvenile death penalty violates jus cogens, meaning that it has attained such an esteemed status that the U.S. reservations to the International Covenant on Civl and Political Rights on this issue should not apply. The brief also points out that the U.S. is the only country left in the world to execute those who committed crimes while juveniles. The case is Williams v. Texas and the brief is in favor of granting formal Supreme Court review of the case. HRA is joined on the brief by Human Rights Watch, Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, and the Human Rights Committee, Bar of England and Wales. HRA Supreme Court Cert Amicus Brief in Williams v. Texas posted by Cindy 2:16 PM . . .
