Latest Political imprisonment News
Nevada prison escape, resignation raises political stakes
RENO, Nev. (AP) — The head of Nevada’s Department of Corrections resigned Friday at the request of Gov. Steve Sisolak in the wake of a prison escape by a convicted bombmaker that went unnoticed for four days. The escapee, who was serving a life sentence for a 2007 murder in an...
'We got our miracle': Freed Americans back home in Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Two U.S. military veterans who disappeared three months ago while fighting with Ukrainian forces against Russia arrived home to Alabama on Saturday, greeted by hugs, cheers and tears of joy at the state's main airport. Alex Drueke, 40, and Andy Huynh, 27,...
Belarus opposition says fate of country, Ukraine intertwined
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The fate of Belarus and Ukraine are “interconnected,” and both countries must fight together to safeguard their very existence because Russia doesn’t view them as independent sovereign states, Belarus' opposition leader said Friday. Sviatlana...
Russian separatists release 10, including 2 US veterans
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Two U.S. military veterans who disappeared three months ago while fighting Russia with Ukrainian forces were among 10 prisoners, including five British nationals, released by Russian-backed separatists as part of a prisoner exchange mediated by Saudi Arabia, officials said...
Amnesty says Egypt trying to cover up rights violations
LONDON (AP) — Amnesty International accused Egypt on Wednesday of attempting to cover up a decade of “unrelenting violations of human rights" in order to improve its international standing ahead of hosting the world climate summit. Egypt’s human rights record has come under...
Egypt orders release of 46 detainees in latest pardons
CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian authorities announced Thursday the release of 46 detainees, including a prominent human rights lawyer, the latest to be freed from jail amid intensifying international attention. Tarik el-Awady, a member of Egypt’s presidential pardon committee, confirmed...
UN chief and Russia's Putin discuss war in Ukraine
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday about exporting Russian fertilizer through Ukraine's Black Sea ports to address a growing global food crisis that threatens multiple famines. The U.N. chief...
US frees some aid for Egypt, claiming progress on abuses
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Wednesday it will again give Egypt much of a $300 million tranche of annual military aid that's conditioned on human rights improvements, saying the U.S. ally had made progress by releasing some 500 of its estimated 60,000 political prisoners. ...
Hong Kong speech therapists sentenced to 19 months for books
HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court sentenced five speech therapists to nearly two years in prison Saturday for their role in the publication of children’s books deemed seditious. The penalties are the latest sign of China’s hard line against free speech and any sign of...
EU protest brief detention of diplomat in Belarus
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's foreign affairs office said Thursday that a diplomat was briefly detained by Belarusian authorities early in the week and it has lodged a strong diplomatic protest for what it claims was the second such incident. EU spokesman Peter Stano said...
