The Open Society Institute hosts a discussion with Manfred Nowak, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Nowak’s mandate has covered a broad range of human rights concerns, from Guantanamo and rendition to the institutionalization of people with disabilities.
In his five and a half years as Special Rapporteur, Nowak has issued reports on 17 countries, including China, Jamaica, Equatorial Guinea and Kazakhstan. Such reports have detailed not only the use of torture but also the often horrific conditions found in prisons and detention facilities in these countries. Nowak's discussion of his work will be followed by a question and answer period.
Read more
Make Them Pay
Tax Injustice Goes Well Beyond Trump
While President Donald Trump’s recently revealed tax filings have rightly inspired shock and outrage, the sad truth is that tax-dodging has become the norm among hyper-wealthy individuals and corporations.
Democracy in Puerto Rico
The Right Way to Help Rebuild Puerto Rico
Three years after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, aid has been slow, and the recovery has been halting. To help the island rebuild, policymakers need to recognize Puerto Ricans’ right to decide their future for themselves.
A Nation of Immigrants
What the U.S. Still Owes Undocumented Workers
In the United States today, “essential” workers are more likely to be immigrants, and many of them are undocumented. Given all that these people have risked to keep society afloat, they deserve far more support.