[B] おこめとおくに　その１　『窮乏の農村』を読む

日刊ベリタ
1 month ago
本の山をかき回して猪俣津南雄の 『窮乏の農村』を掘り出し、読み返しています。世界恐慌に端を発した昭和恐慌下の農村を青森から岡山まで歩いた踏査報告です。高名な戦闘的マルクス経済学者は優れたジャーナリストでもあったことを改めて思ったりもしています。(大野和興)
日刊ベリタ

【焦点】東電元副社長２人無罪確定　最高裁・東電・巨大法律事務所癒着の極み＝橋詰雅博

日本ジャーナリストクラブ（JCJ）
1 month ago
　本日３月１１日は、福島第一原発事故から１４年目を迎えた。この原発事故について最高裁判決は「国の免責」を認めた。最近では、業務上過失致死傷罪で強制起訴された東電旧経営陣３人らの上告審でも、３月６日、「１０メートルを超える津波を予測できたと認めることはできない」と、検察官役の指定弁護士の上告を退け、武黒一郎と武藤栄の両元副社長の無罪が確定した。勝俣恒久元会長は昨年１０月に死亡し、起訴が取下げられている。　判決を下した最高裁第２小法廷の岡村和美裁判長と草野耕一裁判官は、東電と関係..
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RightsCon Community Calls for Urgent Release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah

EFF update
1 month ago

Last month saw digital rights organizations and social justice groups head to Taiwan for this year's RightsCon conference on human rights in the digital age. During the conference, one prominent message was spoken loud and clear: Alaa Abd El-Fattah must be immediately released from illegal detention in Egypt.

"As Alaa’s mother, I thank you for your solidarity and ask you to not to give up until Alaa is out of prison."

During the RightsCon opening ceremony, Access Now’s Executive Director, Alejandro Mayoral Baños, affirmed the urgency of Alaa’s situation in detention and called for Alaa’s freedom. The RightsCon community was also addressed by Alaa’s mother, mathematician Laila Soueif, who has been on hunger strike in London for 158 days. In a video highlighting Alaa’s work with digital rights and his role in this community, she stated: “As Alaa’s mother, I thank you for your solidarity and ask you to not to give up until Alaa is out of prison.” Laila was admitted to hospital the next day with dangerously low blood sugar, blood pressure and sodium levels.

RightsCon participants gather in solidarity with the #FreeAlaa campaign

The calls to #FreeAlaa and save Laila were again reaffirmed during the closing ceremony in a keynote by Sara Alsherif, Migrant Digital Justice Programme Manager at Open Rights Group and close friend of Alaa. Referencing Alaa’s early work as a digital activist, Alsherif said: “He understood that the fight for digital rights is at the core of the struggle for human rights and democracy.” She closed by reminding the hundreds-strong audience that “Alaa could be any one of us … Please do for him what you would want us to do for you if you were in his position.”

During RightsCon, with Laila still in hospital, calls for UK Prime Minister Starmer to get on the phone with Egyptian President Sisi reached a fever pitch, and on 28 February, one day after the closing ceremony, the UK government issued a press release affirming that Alaa’s case had been discussed, with Starmer pressing for Alaa’s freedom. 

Alaa should have been released on September 29, after serving a five-year sentence for sharing a Facebook post about a death in police custody, but Egyptian authorities have continued his imprisonment in contravention of the country’s own Criminal Procedure Code. British consular officials are prevented from visiting him in prison because the Egyptian government refuses to recognise Alaa’s British citizenship.

Laila Soueif has been on hunger strike for more than five months while she and the rest of his family have worked in concert with various advocacy groups to engage the British government in securing Alaa’s release. On December 12, she also started protesting daily outside the Foreign Office and has since been joined by numerous MPs and public figures. Laila still remains in hospital, but following Starmer’s call with Sisi agreed to take glucose, she stated that she is ready to end her hunger strike if progress is made. 

Laila Soueif and family meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer

As of March 6, Laila has moved to a partial hunger strike of 300 calories per day citing “hope that Alaa’s case might move.” However, the family has learned that Alaa himself began a hunger strike on March 1 in prison after hearing that his mother had been hospitalized. Laila has said that without fast movement on Alaa’s case she will return to a total hunger strike. Alaa’s sister Sanaa, who was previously jailed by the regime on bogus charges, visited Alaa on March 8.

If you’re based in the UK, we encourage you to write to your MP to urgently advocate for Alaa’s release (external link): https://freealaa.net/message-mp 

Supporters everywhere can share Alaa’s plight and Laila’s story on social media using the hashtags #FreeAlaa and #SaveLaila. Additionally, the campaign’s website (external link) offers additional actions, including purchasing Alaa’s book, and participating in a one-day solidarity hunger strike. You can also sign up for campaign updates by e-mail.

Every second counts, and time is running out. Keir Starmer and the British government must do everything it can to ensure Alaa’s immediate and unconditional release.

Jillian C. York