Civil Liberties
Highlights:
Attacks on U.S. Legal Profession Reflect Global Slide in Countries It Once Aided
Political pressures like those used to silence legal professionals and undermine rule of law in Europe and Eurasia echo patterns of the autocratic playbook.
Weaponizing the Espionage Act: What It Means for Whistleblowers, Reporters, and Democracy
How the Trump administration could weaponize the Espionage Act and its chilling effect to control the press and justify suppression.
When Deference is No Longer Due
Reasons for historical deference to the executive branch's judgement in matters of national security and foreign affairs have been severely undermined.
After Another Sham Election in Georgia, the Country’s Citizens Persist
Georgians will fight for their democracy, as the ruling party now becomes one of the world's many paranoid, insecure dictatorships that know their days are numbered.
The Trump Administration’s Use of State Power Against Media: Keeping Track of the Big Picture
Tracking the use of State power requires systematically identifying linkages between individual developments and broader trends. This graphic offers one method.
Collection: Just Security’s Coverage of Trump Administration Executive Actions
Coverage of key developments, including in concise “What Just Happened” expert explainers, legal and policy analysis, and more. Check back frequently for updates.
1,358 Articles
Could Trump Use the Uniform Code of Military Justice to Stifle the Protected Speech of Military Retirees?
The concerns expressed about the possible application of UCMJ's Article 88 to the protected speech of retired military officers aren't theoretical.
Unlocking Justice: A Policy Roadmap for Victims of Spyware
To introduce accountability for cyberattacks, Congress should make it clear that U.S. courts are the right venue for spyware cases.
Incoming DHS Intelligence Lead Promotes Unlawful Activities
The public, Congress, and the media should insist that the DHS's domestic intelligence practices be sunset, rather than expanded.
Autocracy, Corruption, and Decline: Why Hungary and Orbanism Must Never be a Model for the U.S.
Adopting Orban's model would reshape the U.S. into a country that shares Hungary's weakened checks and balances, corruption, and stumbling economy.
From War to Control: How the Recent Iran-Israel Conflict Risks Deepening the Islamic Republic’s Repression
The ceasefire may stop the bombs, but it will not reverse the repression that has long defined Islamic Republic’s internal trajectory.
How DHS’s New Social Media Vetting Policies Threaten Free Speech
A pair of cables issued by the State Department that are ostensibly intended to combat antisemitism will inevitably chill or punish First Amendment-protected speech.
The Military Parade and Protections of the First Amendment
The President’s invocation of purported authority to deploy the military in response to free speech raises alarming applications of untested laws meant only for emergencies.
Safeguarding Evidence: The Coalition that Preserved Content from Iran’s “Women, Life, Freedom” Protests
Woman, Life, Freedom victims and survivors have been asking the world for help. It is time to amplify their calls and turn these cries for justice into reality.
“The Insurrection Act” by Any Other Name: Unpacking Trump’s Memorandum Authorizing Domestic Deployment of the Military
"The Memorandum ... raises many of the same concerns as an Insurrection Act invocation would, and that could end up looking quite similar in practice."
Unequal Before the Law: How Trump’s Death Penalty Order Codifies Dangerous Speech
Tying the harshest punishment the state can impose to the identity of the accused is dangerous speech that can increase the risk of intergroup violence.
Threats Lurk Behind the Scenes in Azerbaijan’s Talk of Peace With Armenia
Azerbaijan's push for peace with Armenia masks its expansionism and business dealings that should raise alarms for the global community.
Big Tents and Collective Action Can Defeat Authoritarianism
The journey from individual angst to collective action and shared humanity takes time, vision, and commitment. Cases around the world show it is also the pathway to victory.