Civil Liberties
Highlights:
Guantanamo Dispatch: All Four Defendants’ Confessions Are Now Suppressed in the 9/11 Case
A military judge on Wednesday threw out the last disputed confession in the case against the suspected 9/11 plotters at Guantanamo Bay.
The Just Security Podcast: How State and Local Governments Can Fight Back Against Authoritarianism
Erwin Chemerinsky and Aziz Huq discuss the powers that state and local governments can use to serve as a check against authoritarianism and federal overreach.
Working Backwards: Inside the Trump Justice Department’s Conclusion-First Approach to Civil Rights
The Civil Rights Division regularly announces investigations or even conclusions with little to no evidence of fact-finding at all.
Guantanamo Dispatch: Military Ends USS Cole Hearing Early for Health Emergency
Pretrial hearings in the USS Cole bombing case ended abruptly on Wednesday after the case's death-penalty defense lawyer had a health emergency.
Guantanamo Dispatch: Innocent or Guilty, Accused USS Cole Bomber May Never Go Free
Even if the jury were to acquit him, the U.S. military could still continue to hold the suspect in the USS Cole bombing case indefinitely.
The 9/11 Military Commission and Lessons of Recent History
The rulings that the accused 9/11 plotters' confessions are inadmissible are a reminder that the U.S. government fares better when it abides by the law.
1,499 Articles
Collection: Just Security 2026 Midterm Election Analysis and Commentary
This collection brings together analysis of the legal and policy issues surrounding the 2026 U.S. midterm elections published on Just Security.
Guantanamo Dispatch: Another Confession Is Ruled Inadmissible in 9/11 Case
A military judge has thrown out the confessions of Mustafa al-Hawsawi, a capital defendant in the 9/11 case at Guantanamo Bay.
Dangerous Warning Signs from the First-Ever ATRC Case
The first-ever case brought before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court displayed the dangers the court poses to democratic rights.
Journalists Show Power of Solidarity in Response to White House Press Ban
The Washington press corps has offered a masterclass on essential collective resistance to Trump administration assaults on democracy and the rule of law.
The Just Security Podcast: What’s Behind the Justice Department’s FARA Announcement?
Host David Aaron joins Adam Hickey to discuss an unusual announcement from the Department of Justice on the Foreign Agents Registration Act and Section 951.
Persecution by Other Means: Mexico and the First Test of the ICC’s Cyber Policy
A new report finds that the Mexican government's actions against journalists from 2018 to 2024 could constitute grounds to investigate the crime of persecution.
Guantanamo Dispatch: Prosecutors Turn to Remote Testimony For First-Ever Capital Trial at Guantanamo
The witnesses in Guantanamo’s first-ever death penalty trial, the USS Cole bombing case, are expected to testify by video feed.
Hard Lessons from Brazil on Defending Democracy
The United States could learn from Brazil about forming a cross-sectoral coalition to defend democratic institutions. So why is it falling short?
Supporting Syria’s Domestic Accountability Process
Despite their flaws, Syrian institutions have the potential to become vehicles of accountability with sustained international engagement.
Guantanamo Dispatch: Military Judge Orders Last Minute Sanity Board in USS Cole Bombing Case
A new mental health exam for the defendant, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, could signal delay in the USS Cole bombing case before jury selection begins at Guantanamo Bay.
State Attorneys General Can Enforce Federal Laws the Executive Branch Won’t
To combat executive non-enforcement, state attorneys general are using antitrust law to hold corporations accountable.
Federal Employees’ AI Prompts Are Records … in Narrow Circumstances
If federal agencies fail to create records related to their AI interactions, they effectively insulate their decisionmaking from oversight.