In the space of two decades, Hong Kong’s liberal constitutional order has been transformed into a security regime that grants citizens few civil liberties
Australia is the only Western democracy without some form of charter of rights legislated by parliament or entrenched in the constitution.
Lukas Coch/AAP
We have a serious deficit in legal protection for human rights in Australia, rights that have been in regression for 20 years. We need a legislated charter setting out the rights we care about.
Lawyer Bernard Collaery, who will be prosecuted along with his client, known as Witness K, for exposing Australia’s spying on Timor-Leste.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Targeting Witness K and his lawyer in the Timor-Leste bugging case shows a government increasingly hostile to the media.
Police and Muslim leaders have joined forces to call for harmony, but just and fair treatment in counter-terrorism operations is needed to reassure the Islamic community.
AAP/Mal Fairclough
Muslim communities in Australia feel under siege. It is evident from media reports that they feel unfairly targeted by counter-terrorism policing. They also feel vilified by much of the reporting of these…