United States | News & Politics

On Monday, 6 January, 11 Yemeni Guantanamo prisoners were transferred to Oman after being cleared for release by the United States government.

Days earlier, the Pentagon repatriated Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi, who had been held without charge in Guantanamo since its opening on 11 January 2002, to Tunisia. Three other survivors were also released in mid-December: two sent to Malaysia and one to Kenya.

After 23 years, the prison now holds its lowest population of incarcerated Muslim men, with 15 remaining, including the so-called "9/11 Five".

Moreover, Guantanamo's legacy of imperialism, exclusion and brutality serves as a reminder of the lengths to which the US will go to criminalise different communities, all while continuing to exercise hegemonic power over Cuban territory.

Convicted of 34 felony counts in his hush money case, Donald Trump could have faced severe consequences. Each of the felony counts of falsifying business records was punishable by up to four years in prison and fines of up to $5,000. Yet U.S. District Judge Juan Merchan took a remarkably light approach in sentencing Friday, issuing Trump an “unconditional discharge” — meaning no jail time, no fines, and effectively no punishment except that he retains his felony conviction.

For many in the criminal justice reform and abolitionist space, his feather-light sentence further highlights the widespread inequities and failures of a criminal legal system where hundreds of thousands of Americans remain behind bars without ever even being convicted, let alone of a felony.

Despite the nonexistent penalties (aside from limits on his ownership of firearms and a requirement that he provide a DNA sample for a New York state database), Trump continued to rail against his prosecution. He called it “a very terrible experience” that was politically motivated, echoing his previous claims that he was facing a “two-tiered justice system.”

In the same city across a thin stretch of river, Ann Mathews, managing director of the Bronx Defenders, a public defenders nonprofit serving low-income Bronx residents, agrees that this case highlights the two tiers of justice. Just not in the way Trump means.

“This never happens for our clients,” said Mathews. “We felt the outrage. And then I think, wow, imagine the people we represent.”

Jury nullification is the term for when a jury declines to convict a defendant despite overwhelming evidence of guilt. This can be a form of civil disobedience, a political statement against a specific law, or a show of empathy and support to the defendant.

“It’s not a legal defense sanctioned under the law,” said Cheryl Bader, associate professor of law at Fordham School of Law. “It’s a reaction by the jury to a legal result that they feel would be so unjust or morally wrong that they refuse to impose it, despite what the law says.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/24145416

Paywall removed: https://archive.is/3y6CV

The US has announced an increased $25m (£20.4m) reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on the day he was sworn in for a third six-year term in office.

Rewards have also been offered for information leading to the arrest and or conviction of Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. A new reward of up to $15m for Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino has also been offered.

The UK also issued sanctions on 15 top Venezuelan officials, including judges, members of the security forces and military officials.