Civil Liberties
Highlights:
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.
“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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
1,347 Articles
When the Free Press Falters: What America Can Learn from Russia’s Descent
The unraveling of press freedom in the United States mirrors Putin's capture of the Russian media, write two experts who know both terrains.
Judicial Deference and Presidential Power Under the Alien Enemies Act
Where judges have in the past and should in the future draw the line on judicial deference to the President in Alien Enemies Act cases.
Curating Cyberspace: Rights, Responsibilities, and Opportunities
To challenge authoritarianism, platforms should embrace a role that balances expressive rights and responsibilities in a pro-democratic way.
One Step Forward? Agreement on Spyware Regulation in the Pall Mall Process
A new code marks a serious commitment by states to regulate digital surveillance tools, but stops short of agreeing to hard legal standards.
The Just Security Podcast: Keeping Track of the Big Picture–Challenges to Press Freedom and Beyond
A discussion with Rebecca Hamilton about the use of State power and how to identify linkages between individual developments and broader trends in press freedom and beyond.
The Trump Administration’s Use of State Power: 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.
El Salvador’s Authoritarian Slide Should Hold Lessons – Not Examples – for the U.S.
In fighting rampant gang violence, President Bukele has turned El Salvador into even more of a lawless, opaque State.
Beyond Data Rescue: Building Structural Safeguards for Federal Data Preservation
Disappearance of vital resources from government websites exposes a fragile ecosystem in which accountability mechanisms have broken down.
Justice Department Fails to Address Central Point in VOA Case
A federal judge halted the shutdown of VOA, citing violations of administrative law and congressional authority, not press freedom.
In Turkey, Peace as Pretext: Erdoğan’s Kurdish Initiative and the Authoritarian Logic Behind Arresting His Main Opponent
The arrest of the Turkish president's main rival, Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu, sharpens the contradictions of the peace effort with the Kurds.
The Immigration Registration Trap Goes Live
When a court finally addresses the merits of the rule, there are strong procedural and substantive grounds to challenge its implementation.
DOGE’s Growing Reach into Personal Data: What it Means for Human Rights
Congress should update the Privacy Act to prevent DOGE from violating U.S. international rights obligations.