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CAIR, CAIR-Georgia Extend Condolences After Imam Jamil Al-Amin Passes Away in Prison for Crime He Did Not Commit

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:

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CAIR, CAIR-Georgia Extend Condolences After Imam Jamil Al-Amin Passes Away in Prison for Crime He Did Not Commit

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Muslim civil rights and advocacy group calls on Fulton County DA to vacate conviction for the crime Otis Jackson has admitted committing

The Georgia chapter and national headquarters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today extended condolences to the family of civil ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release: * * * CAIR, CAIR-Georgia Extend Condolences After Imam Jamil Al-Amin Passes Away in Prison for Crime He Did Not Commit * Muslim civil rights and advocacy group calls on Fulton County DA to vacate conviction for the crime Otis Jackson has admitted committing The Georgia chapter and national headquarters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today extended condolences to the family of civilrights icon Imam Jamil Al-Amin, formerly known as H. Rap Brown, who passed away in prison today after spending 23 years in jail for a crime he did not commit.

CAIR and CAIR-Georgia also reiterated their past call on the Fulton County District Attorney's Conviction Integrity Unity to complete the review of wrongful conviction and clear his name. CAIR also condemned the federal prison service for failing to properly treat Imam Al-Amin's cancer. CAIR and others had repeatedly warned the Bureau of Prisons that his health was deteriorating.

In 2002, amid both procedural and evidentiary irregularities, Imam Jamil Al-Amin was wrongly convicted for the murder of a Fulton County Sheriff's Deputy and injury of another deputy, crimes he denied committing. Since then, the real shooter, federal inmate Otis Jackson, has repeatedly and credibly confessed under oath to committing the crime.

The Fulton County District Attorney's Conviction Integrity Unit had opened an investigation into his case and interviewed Jackson, but still had not called for the vacation of Imam Al-Amin's conviction despite clear evidence of his innocence.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Imam Al-Amin made his name on the front lines of the civil rights movement as a leader of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. Then known as H. Rap Brown, he was engaged in the fight against state sanctioned discrimination and racism. He later converted to Islam and became an imam. As the leader of Atlanta's West End neighborhood, Imam Al-Amin led many African-Americans to Islam while pushing drug use and crime out of the local community.

Imam Al-Amin was initially held in state custody after his wrongful conviction, but in an unprecedented move, was transferred to federal custody under the guise of security concerns when it reality a major reason was that many inmates in Georgia prisons were embracing Islam as a result of interacting with him.

In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:

"To God we belong and to Him we return. Imam Jamil Al-Amin was a hero of the civil rights movement and a victim of injustice who passed away in a prison, jailed for a crime he did not commit. We pray that God rewards him with paradise for his good deeds and the injustices he suffered. We call on the justice system to reopen Imam Jamil's case and clear his name. He deserves to be fully exonerated. We pray that God grants his family solace and justice."

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CONTACT : CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com

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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-cair-georgia-extend-condolences-after-imam-jamil-al-amin-passes-away-in-prison-for-crime-he-did-not-commit/

R Street Institute: 'From Victim to Defendant: How Justice Falls Short for Women'

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The R Street Institute issued a policy study on Oct. 28, 2025 by Sarah Anderson and Lisel Petis entitled "From Victim to Defendant: How Justice Falls Short for Women".

Here is the executive summary:

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Far too often, when a woman meets the justice system, it is first as a victim of violence and later as a defendant charged with criminal activity. As victims, it is not uncommon for women to find their voices lost in the criminal justice discussion. As defendants, relevant context, including trauma, coercion, and the fight to survive, is rarely considered in ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The R Street Institute issued a policy study on Oct. 28, 2025 by Sarah Anderson and Lisel Petis entitled "From Victim to Defendant: How Justice Falls Short for Women". Here is the executive summary: * * * Far too often, when a woman meets the justice system, it is first as a victim of violence and later as a defendant charged with criminal activity. As victims, it is not uncommon for women to find their voices lost in the criminal justice discussion. As defendants, relevant context, including trauma, coercion, and the fight to survive, is rarely considered incourtrooms--especially in cases of self-defense, substance misuse, and human trafficking. This lack of acknowledgment leaves women doubly failed: They are denied justice when harmed, and they are punished harshly if victimization later shapes their actions.

The rapid increase of women in the justice system over the past 40 years has exposed how poorly equipped current policies are to respond to the realities of women's experiences and specific needs. Traditional reforms have focused on men in the justice system, overlooking that women's pathways into the system are frequently rooted in abuse, caregiving pressures, and economic instability. By failing to recognize the distinct needs of women, the system has expanded incarceration without improving public safety or addressing the underlying drivers of women's involvement in the justice system.

This policy paper explores women's involvement with the justice system in three primary contexts: as victims, as defendants, and as both. Across these forms of justice system involvement, common themes emerge: low reporting and conviction rates for gender-based violence; rising rates of female incarceration tied to poverty, substance misuse, and punitive policies; and persistent issues in offering effective approaches for victim-defendants (i.e., those whose criminal behavior stems from abuse). The result is a system that broadly fails to deliver safety, fairness, or legitimacy.

Key Policy Recommendations:

* Strengthen victims' rights and recourse by enacting notification laws, guaranteeing rights to proceedings, training system practitioners in trauma-informed approaches, and expanding the availability of victim-centered alternatives to prosecution

* Improve justice for female defendants by integrating gender-responsive programming and reentry practices, providing access to gender-specific health supplies and services, adopting clear policies and oversight around pregnancies, and investing in specialized courts

* Protect and support victim-defendants by granting victim immunity, passing survivor justice laws, adjusting mandatory arrest laws and laws meant to prevent sexual abuse in carceral settings, and training criminal justice professionals in trauma-informed practices

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View full policy study at: https://www.rstreet.org/research/from-victim-to-defendant-how-justice-falls-short-for-women/

[Category: ThinkTank]

R Street Institute: 'Case Studies: Examining Right-to-Contraception State-Level Legislative Processes'

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The R Street Institute issued a policy study on Nov. 6, 2025 by Chelsea Boyd entitled "Case Studies: Examining Right-to-Contraception State-Level Legislative Processes".

Here is the introduction:

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Empowering individuals to decide whether, when, and how they will start a family can benefit maternal and infant health, as well as women's economic security. Contraceptives are a key tool for reliably preventing pregnancy until it is desired. Multiple methods of contraception are available, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks, some of which affect ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The R Street Institute issued a policy study on Nov. 6, 2025 by Chelsea Boyd entitled "Case Studies: Examining Right-to-Contraception State-Level Legislative Processes". Here is the introduction: * * * Empowering individuals to decide whether, when, and how they will start a family can benefit maternal and infant health, as well as women's economic security. Contraceptives are a key tool for reliably preventing pregnancy until it is desired. Multiple methods of contraception are available, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks, some of which affecteffectiveness. Although methods like withdrawal, condoms, and fertility tracking have been used to prevent pregnancy throughout history, the introduction of hormonal contraceptive pills in 1960 provided a much more reliable method. Since then, many other forms of hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptives have been developed, including intrauterine devices (IUDs), implants, patches, rings, injections, and emergency contraceptive pills.

Recent surveys indicate that contraceptives are both widely used and broadly accepted. In one survey of women ages 18 to 49, 82 percent reported that it was very or somewhat important that they avoid pregnancy in the next month, and another found that more than 99 percent of women who have ever had sex with a male partner reported using contraceptives at some point in their lives. Even when narrowing the definition of contraception to include only hormonal forms and the copper IUD, the vast majority of sexually experienced women (87.8 percent) reported using them. Furthermore, surveys consistently show that the vast majority of Americans view contraception as morally acceptable.

Despite broad use and support, contraception has become a political point of contention since 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Although this decision did not explicitly impact access to contraception, Justice Clarence Thomas' concurring opinion suggested that the court was open to reconsidering Griswold v. Connecticut, the case that established the right to contraceptive use for married couples in 1965. This suggestion spurred some states to enact legislation to safeguard their residents' right to contraception. Each year since 2022, similar legislation has been introduced at the federal level, with one bill passing the House but not the Senate.

Public opinion underscores the policy stakes: Polling suggests that 21 percent of American adults consider access to contraception a "threatened right," and 34 percent are not sure whether it is secure, giving legislators good reason to consider codifying contraception rights.

Even with widespread public backing, right-to-contraception bills often stall in state legislatures. This paper explores the reasons for that disconnect by examining the legislative discourse related to these bills with the goal of providing insights to guide legislative efforts and strategies toward more successful bills. The following sections discuss the context of the bills, first outlining the supportive messages, followed by the oppositional messages expressed during hearings. This study concludes with suggestions for future legislative efforts toward establishing the right to contraception.

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View full policy study at: https://www.rstreet.org/research/case-studies-examining-right-to-contraception-state-level-legislative-processes/

[Category: ThinkTank]

Millions at Risk: Malawi Extends State of Disaster as Food Crisis Deepens

MONROVIA, California, Nov. 22 -- World Vision International issued the following news on Nov. 21, 2025:

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Millions at Risk: Malawi Extends State of Disaster as Food Crisis Deepens

The Government of Malawi has extended the State of Disaster declaration to all 28 district councils and four city councils, as the nation braces for a worsening food security crisis.

By Fyson Masina

Initially declared in October for 11 districts, the disaster status now covers the entire country following projections that more than four million people are at risk of hunger between October 2025 and March 2026. ... Show Full Article

Mexico's 2026 Tax Reform Targets U.S. Businesses With Discriminatory Taxes and Compliance Hurdles

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary:

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Mexico's 2026 Tax Reform Targets U.S. Businesses with Discriminatory Taxes and Compliance Hurdles

By Caden Hubbs

The Mexican Government's recently released tax reform proposal "Paquete Economico 2026", under the guise of fiscal responsibility, broadly expands Mexico's indirect tax policies to disproportionately harm American companies. These taxes would place a heavy burden on American digital service providers operating in Mexico due to their high rates and unreasonable compliance requirements, many of which ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary: * * * Mexico's 2026 Tax Reform Targets U.S. Businesses with Discriminatory Taxes and Compliance Hurdles By Caden Hubbs The Mexican Government's recently released tax reform proposal "Paquete Economico 2026", under the guise of fiscal responsibility, broadly expands Mexico's indirect tax policies to disproportionately harm American companies. These taxes would place a heavy burden on American digital service providers operating in Mexico due to their high rates and unreasonable compliance requirements, many of whichdiscriminatorily target foreign companies with additional conditions to continue operating in Mexican markets.

The proposal is intended to expand Mexico's tax base to encompass the digital economy. To accomplish this, the proposal aims to enact three key changes: expanding private market responsibilities to withhold value-added tax (VAT), additional withholding requirements on income, and an 8% excise tax on "violent" video games. Combined, these policies stand to shift the burden of tax administration onto the private sector while raising the cost of digital transactions.

The wording of the legislation was explicitly designed to disproportionately burden American companies. The proposal will require digital marketplaces to withhold 50% of the VAT collected from online sales and 4% of the associated income tax, unless the seller is from abroad or does not have a Mexican tax code. In that case companies must withhold 100% of the VAT and 20% of the income tax, effectively outsourcing government tax collection to private companies. With the majority of foreign sellers using American platforms, companies like Amazon are expected to be disproportionately burdened by these changes.

Additionally, the proposed 8% excise tax on video games uses the long-debunked justification of to target American companies. By claiming the negative effects of video games, Mexico is attempting to raise its revenues off of digital services. Included in the law is an assumption that 70% of the content libraries of subscription services that offer games such as Xbox Game Pass, Netflix Mobile Games, and Apple Arcade are taxable, again expecting these platforms shoulder 100% of the collection burden while doing no diligence to properly confirm the proportion of their libraries eligible for the tax.

What started as a tax on games has turned into a full-scale digital service tax, such as those across the EU. While mirroring those of other trading partners, Mexico's goes even further to discriminatorily target businesses.

The majority of digital marketplaces and service providers are American. The proportion of foreign sellers using these American platforms is even higher. This means American companies, with a higher portion of foreign sellers, are more impacted by the Mexican government's discriminatory distinction between withholding responsibilities for domestic and foreign sellers. In effect, this policy raises the cost of American products while burdening American companies, meanwhile leaving those in Mexico relatively unaffected.

Mexico's thinly veiled attempt to implement a digital service tax must not go unopposed. Digital service taxes act as discriminatory, non-tariff barriers, targeting sectors American tech companies operate in with large levies and unreasonable compliance responsibilities. For the sake of reciprocal trade and fair competition, such policies conflict with the USMCA's nondiscrimination principles, undermining the North American trade relationship.

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Original text here: https://atr.org/mexicos-2026-tax-reform-targets-u-s-businesses-with-discriminatory-taxes-and-compliance-hurdles/

[Category: Political]

GreenLatinos Responds to COP30 Outcomes Historic Win on Just Transition, Major Failures on Fossil Fuels and Adaptation

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 [Category: Environment] -- GreenLatinos, an organization that says it convenes a coalition of Latino leaders committed to addressing national, regional and local environmental, natural resources and conservation that affect the health and welfare of the Latino community, issued the following news release:

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GreenLatinos Responds to COP30 Outcomes Historic Win on Just Transition, Major Failures on Fossil Fuels and Adaptation

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Belem, Brazil GreenLatinos joined frontline communities, Indigenous leaders, workers, youth, and civil society allies from across the world at ... Show Full Article

A Decade After Paris, COP30 Fails to Deliver for Communities on the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis

PORTLAND, Oregon, Nov. 22 [Category: Sociological] -- The Mercy Corps posted the following news release:

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A Decade After Paris, COP30 Fails to Deliver for Communities on the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis

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Statement by Debbie Hillier, Mercy Corps UNFCCC Policy Lead:

"COP30 was a failure for the communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Ten years after the Paris Agreement in what was meant to be the 'implementation COP' leaders left Belem, Brazil, without the commitments needed to protect people already living with the devastating consequences of climate change. Despite ... Show Full Article PORTLAND, Oregon, Nov. 22 [Category: Sociological] -- The Mercy Corps posted the following news release: * * * A Decade After Paris, COP30 Fails to Deliver for Communities on the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis * Statement by Debbie Hillier, Mercy Corps UNFCCC Policy Lead: "COP30 was a failure for the communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Ten years after the Paris Agreement in what was meant to be the 'implementation COP' leaders left Belem, Brazil, without the commitments needed to protect people already living with the devastating consequences of climate change. Despiterecord-breaking losses, escalating humanitarian need, and clear evidence that adaptation finance is dangerously insufficient, negotiators failed to deliver the scale of action this moment demands.

"Communities facing climate impacts urgently needed COP30 to deliver stronger mitigation ambition, a just transition away from fossil fuels, and most critically a substantial increase in adaptation finance. Instead, the final text made no progress towards transitioning away from fossil fuels, despite countries committing to this two years ago in Dubai. While a global agreement is preferable, Colombia and the Netherlands are showing real leadership by agreeing to co-host the first International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels. This will be an important space to identify the necessary pathways to phase out fossil fuels, which will be incorporated in a roadmap, to be drafted by Brazil, ahead of COP31.

"If the world fails to reduce emissions and mitigate the crisis, the cost of adaptation will continue to rise, and climate-vulnerable communities will continue to suffer the consequences.

"Adaptation finance is not abstract. It determines whether farmers can protect their crops, whether coastal communities can reinforce shorelines, whether health systems can withstand climate-related disease outbreaks, and whether countries can build resilience rather than lose hard-won development gains.

"While the COP30 outcome includes a new commitment on adaptation finance, it is deeply disappointing. It includes no baseline year, no clarity on the actual target, and no mechanism defining who is responsible for delivering the tripling. It also allows other flows such as concessional loans and private finance, and delays delivery to 2035 far too late for communities already in crisis.

"The adaptation finance pledge was part of a broader package agreed in Belem. COP30 adopted a set of indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) in theory, a milestone that should enable the world to begin operationalizing the goal and tracking real progress. The new Belem-Addis Vision outlines a path for follow-up, and the Baku Adaptation Roadmap provides an opportunity for countries and stakeholders to shape implementation.

"Yet the indicators themselves were the product of last-minute political bargaining, leaving them difficult to measure and lacking clarity. Most critically, without adequate finance, these indicators cannot translate into real resilience. Countries can monitor and report endlessly, but without resources, communities will not become safer or more prepared.

"COP30 failed to correct the deep structural imbalance in global finance. There was no progress to end fossil fuel subsidies that continue to dwarf climate finance flows, nor to provide the debt justice needed by countries forced to spend more on repayments than protecting people from climate impacts. References to finance for developing countries remain weak and fall short of core principles such as "polluter pays" and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC). Without addressing these systemic failures, the world will continue to invest more in driving the climate crisis than in solving it.

"COP30 may have been called the 'implementation COP' or the 'people COP,' but in reality, it failed to turn commitments into action. Ten years after the Paris Agreement, communities cannot afford more empty promises. The signal on adaptation finance is far weaker than what vulnerable communities needed, but momentum for greater ambition remains from civil society, from frontline countries, and from the International Court of Justice, which has underscored states' legal obligations earlier this year.

"The window to deliver urgent climate action is rapidly closing. COP30 did not go far enough, but the fight for a world where vulnerable communities can adapt and thrive must continue."

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Original text here: https://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/COP30-fails-communities-frontlines-climate-crisis

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