Pompeo notified Congress of his intent to designate the Houthis as a FTO, despite widespread outcries that the designation will undermine peacebuilding and foreign aid delivery. Read the full statement at C&SN News. (January 12)
A final rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) prohibits the largest U.S. banks from denying financial services in coordination with others. The rule applies only to banks with assets of $100 billion or more. Read the full story at C&SN News. (January 14)
C&SN is seeking an energetic and motivated communications professional to join our small team and lead our organizational communications. Interested applicants should send a resume, cover letter, short writing sample, and three references to Paul Carroll (pcarroll@charityandsecurity.org) Read the full job description at C&SN. (January 14)
C&SN provides recommendations for the incoming administration to support humanitarian organizations that are impeded by counterterrorism measures, promote U.S. leadership in international peace and security, and align U.S. legal frameworks with the UN and the FATF. Read the full memo at C&SN. (January 14)
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s full statement regarding his intention to list Yemen’s Houthi rebels as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) can be found at the United States Department of State. (January 10)
Despite widespread concern that the designation could derail peacebuilding, hinder humanitarian aid, and push the Houthis closer to Iran, the State Department indicated it will move forward with the designation. John Hudson and Missy Ryan report atThe Washington Post. (January 12)
Congress members are concerned the moves tie President-elect Joe Biden’s hands with foreign policy and will hamstring foreign aid delivery. Jack Detsch and Robbie Grammer report at Foreign Policy. (January 12)
Chib Gibbons questions the need for new counterterrorism laws, and warns that new legislation could lead to more police surveillance and damage civil liberties. Read more at Jacobin Magazine. (January 12)
The ICRC calls for reform of counterterrorism laws and sanctions that restrict impartial humanitarian action, and lead to a chilling effect, which disincentivizes or prevents frontline responders from reaching populations in need. (January 12)
Emily Berman argues that lawmakers run the risk of using the insurrection to justify broad stroking counterterrorism laws, which may be used to silence dissent and undermine democratic institutions. Read the full story at Just Security. (January 12)
Domestic terrorism law is a needless expansion of counterterrorism laws that fails to address the root causes of extremism. Moustafa Bayoumi writes at The Nation. (January 11)
Although lawmakers may seek to treat White insurrectionists the same as foreign terrorists, history indicates legal expansion of domestic terrorism may disproportionately impact minorities and be used to silence protest movement. Diala Shamas and Tarek Z. Ismail write at The Washington Post. (January 10)
Trump’s executive order to sanction employees of the International Criminal Court who were investigating potential U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan was deemed unconstitutional by a court judge, who argued it stifled freedom of speech. Jonathan Stempel reports at Reuters. (January 4)
