Micòl Savia

#HumanRights lawyer. Secretary-General of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (@IADLLaw). Representative to the UN in Geneva. Views are my own

[Drop Site @DropSiteNews]

A website dedicated to securing the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya was launched this weekend. It includes information about his life, the latest updates on his case, and a timer tracking how long he has been held in Israeli torture prisons.

➡️ https://t.co/JnlqFmjAx2

[suzanne adely /سوزان @Suz_Adely]

The IADL and the Taskforce of Political Repression (NLG) were just about to introduce an important webinar on the use of Sanctions and Designations as a tool of political repression, by the US and other states, before Zoom censored the event.

We invited 2 individuals who have been impacted by the weaponization of these policies, which is clearly within our rights.

Almost 300 people registered for the webinar; one minute before it was to begin, Zoom shut down the webinar, essentially sanctioning us.

We intend to hold this important discussion, despite this censorship. We will let you know when and where you can access the rescheduled webinar.

[Prof Ben Saul - UN SR Human Rights & Counterterror @profbensaul]

I join UN experts in condemning unlawful US coercion against Cuba, including false accusations of State sponsorship of terrorism, which are having severe humanitarian impacts on the Cuban people

[Samidoun Network @SamidounPP]

For the EU, defending oneself and one's people against genocide deserves "consequences". On the other hand, perpetrators of genocide are rewarded with the EU-Israel Association Agreement, research and development funds and unhindered military trade.

[Misión Cuba Ginebra @MisionCubaONUG]

✍️🇨🇺Global Campaign “I Sign for Cuba”

The initiative, announced during the International Solidarity Conference held in Cuba on May 2, 2026—co-organized by Cuba’s CTC, the International Workers’ Institute, and the WFTU Regional Office—is now underway.

https://t.co/2amVOx5Pjz

[Bruno Rodríguez P @BrunoRguezP]

El Gobierno Revolucionario condena en los términos más enérgicos la canalla acusación del Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos anunciada este 20 de mayo y pregonada durante varias semanas contra el General de Ejército Raúl Castro Ruz, líder de la Revolución cubana.

Esta acusación espuria se suma a los intentos desesperados de elementos anticubanos por construir una narrativa fraudulenta en el esfuerzo por justificar el castigo colectivo y despiadado contra el noble pueblo cubano, mediante el reforzamiento de las medidas coercitivas unilaterales, incluyendo el injusto y genocida bloqueo energético y las amenazas de agresión armada.

#Cuba ratifica su compromiso con la paz y la firme determinación de ejercer el derecho inalienable a la legítima defensa, que reconoce la Carta de las Naciones Unidas.

El pueblo cubano reafirma la decisión inconmovible de defender la Patria y su Revolución Socialista y, con la mayor fuerza y firmeza, su respaldo irrestricto e invariable al General de Ejército Raúl Castro Ruz, Líder de la Revolución cubana.

#RaúlEsRaúl

Declaración del Gobierno Revolucionario: https://t.co/RBiXbCEkmy

[Vijay Prashad @vijayprashad]

Cuba is not a menace to the world.
The United States is a menace to the world.
The world stands with Raúl Castro, hero of the Cuban Revolution.
The world turns its back on Donald Trump, clown of human destruction.

[Bruno Rodríguez P @BrunoRguezP]

Hace unas horas, el Secretario de Estado afirmó que no existe un bloqueo petrolero a #Cuba.

Ha optado sencillamente por mentir. Contradice al Presidente y a la Vocera de la Casa Blanca.

La realidad es inocultable: el 29 de enero de 2026, su Presidente firmó una Orden Ejecutiva que amenaza a todos los países con imponer aranceles en caso de que exporten combustibles a Cuba.

En cuatro meses, solo un barco de combustibles ha llegado a Cuba. Se intimida y amenaza a todos nuestros proveedores en violación de las normas del libre comercio y la libertad de navegación.

La nueva Orden Ejecutiva del 1ro de mayo establece sanciones secundarias en el área de la energía.

El Secretario sabe muy bien el daño y sufrimiento que causa hoy al pueblo cubano el cerco petrolero criminal que él mismo propuso a su Presidente.

[Bruno Rodríguez P @BrunoRguezP]

La nueva amenaza clara y directa de agresión militar, emitida por el presidente de #EEUU, tras reforzar de modo drástico el bloqueo económico, eleva la agresión contra #Cuba a niveles peligrosos, sin más pretexto que el deseo de satisfacer a élites minúsculas que le prometen lealtad electoral y financiera.

Los cubanos no nos dejamos amedrentar. La respuesta decidida del pueblo y su respaldo a la Revolución se demostr�� masivamente este Primero de Mayo.

#LaPatriaSeDefiende

[Drop Site @DropSiteNews]

Explicit allegations of rape by dogs were reported by human rights organizations Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights. B'Tselem’s report on the use of sexual violence has testimony that includes: “I also saw prisoners who were sexually assaulted. Some were attacked by dogs in sensitive areas and after that had urgent surgery” and “Some prisoners bled from the rectum and urethra.”

[Arnaud Bertrand @RnaudBertrand]

France is on the eve of voting one of the most shameful laws in its history: it would effectively outlaw criticism of Israel and criminalize any speech seen as even remotely sympathetic to whoever the French government chooses to designate a "terrorist group."

In effect this law would turn France's foreign policy into unchallengeable dogma backed by prison time. You could literally be sent for 5 years in prison if you, for instance, call what France says are "terrorists" a "resistance group."

Think for instance Nelson Mandela during the apartheid (the ANC was on every Western terrorist list) or, heck, France's own Résistance against Nazi Germany - designated as "terrorists" by the Vichy regime and the Nazi occupation.

It's frankly absolutely insane.

The new law is called "loi Yadan" after its author Caroline Yadan, a MP who represents French expatriates living in Israel. The U.S. has congressmen paid by AIPAC: France has cut out the middleman entirely, we have MPs whose constituency is literally in Israel.

The law has already passed committee and heads to a full parliamentary vote on April 16th - 3 days from now - under a very unusual fast-track procedure. Seven of eleven parliamentary groups have said they'll vote yes and the law is expected to pass.

What does the law say? Let me quote from it directly (full text here: https://t.co/m03R4z0gX6):

1) Article 1 introduces the concept of "implicit" provocation to terrorism and punishes it with five years imprisonment and a fine of €75,000

That's the one I was speaking about. Under this provision, describing anyone France designates as terrorist as a "resistance movement" - the way France describes its own Résistance against Nazi occupation - could effectively become a crime.

The key concept is what does "implicit provocation to terrorism" mean? Nobody knows. And that's the point. It means whatever a prosecutor wants it to mean: a perfectly good case could be made that, for instance, quoting international law on the right of occupied peoples to resist with respect to Hamas is, in fact, "implicit provocation to terrorism."

France's most famous anti-terrorism judge, Marc Trévidic, says he has never seen anything like it in his entire career (https://t.co/CytQnuK3hS): "Implicit provocation to terrorism: do you realize what that means? Becoming a censor of other people's thoughts, trying to guess what a person really meant."

2) The same article also expands the terrorism apology offense to include "minimizing or trivializing acts of terrorism in an outrageous manner."

This is even crazier: until now, "apology of terrorism" meant actually expressing a favorable judgment of "terrorist acts" (which is already insane because, as we all know, one person's terrorist is another's freedom fighter).

Well, under this new provision, a judge could decide that providing context, explaining root causes, or insufficiently condemning an act amounts to "trivializing" terrorism - and that would now be punishable with 5 years in prison.

So, for instance, a history teacher explaining the origins of Hamas or Hezbollah is providing context - but a prosecutor could argue that contextualization is trivialization. The same reasoning could apply to a journalist, a researcher, or anyone on social media who says "yes, it was terrible, but here's why it happened." The "but" becomes a crime, as it is trivialization.

3) Article 4 expands Holocaust denial law

Under current French law, denying the Holocaust is already a crime. This provision extends that crime by specifying that contestation of crimes against humanity now includes, "whatever its formulation, a negation, minimization, or outrageous trivialization" of those crimes.

Again with "outrageous trivialization"! In this instance the very authors of the text - Caroline Yadan and her colleagues - explain their reasoning explicitly in the law's preamble (https://t.co/rIiYQbbk23): "Comparing the State of Israel to the Nazi regime would thereby be punishable as an outrageous trivialization of the Shoah."

So while the provision is written in general terms, its architects are openly saying what it's for: making it a crime to draw any parallel between Israel's actions and those of the Nazis.

4) Article 2 creates a brand new crime: calling for the destruction of a state.

The law adds to an existing 1881 press law a provision punishing anyone who "publicly, in disregard of the right of peoples to self-determination and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, calls for the destruction of a state recognized by the French Republic." Five years imprisonment, €75,000 fine.

The qualifiers about self-determination and the UN Charter are meant to sound reassuring. But what does "destruction" mean? In practice, if you advocate for a one-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians live as equals, you are de-facto calling for the "destruction" of the state of Israel. Well, that would now be punishable by 5 years in prison 🤷

There you go. Absolutely insane: if this new law passes, and it unfortunately very much looks like it will, France - the country that gave the world the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the country whose national identity is built on the Résistance - will have made it illegal to use the word 'resistance' about anyone the government doesn't like. Jean Moulin would be prosecuted. De Gaulle would be prosecuted.

The only people who wouldn't be prosecuted are those who stay silent. Which, of course, is the whole point.

[Pedro Sánchez @sanchezcastejon]

Justo hoy, Netanyahu lanza su ataque más duro contra el Líbano desde que empezó la ofensiva.

Su desprecio por la vida y el derecho internacional es intolerable.

Toca hablar claro:

- Líbano debe formar parte del alto al fuego.

- La comunidad internacional debe condenar esta nueva violación del derecho internacional.

- La Unión Europea debe suspender su Acuerdo de Asociación con Israel.

- Y no debe haber impunidad ante estos actos criminales.

[Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt @FranceskAlbs]

They raped a man.
They gang-raped him.
They raped him so brutally that he had to be hospitalized.
Doctors documented the injuries.
The video of the assault was leaked.

Now the rapists are free.

This is not just unlawful and immoral. It is sick!

#ThisIsIsrael

[Drop Site @DropSiteNews]

🇪🇸 Spain has closed its airspace to U.S. military aircraft involved in attacks on Iran, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Monday. The move expands Spain’s earlier restrictions on U.S. access to jointly operated bases in the country.

[Drop Site @DropSiteNews]

🇬🇧 Hamas appeal against UK proscription set to begin Thursday after seven-month delay

Hamas’ legal challenge to Britain’s ban is set to be heard at the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission in London on Thursday, more than seven months after the appeal was first lodged, according to the Middle East Monitor.

Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk, head of Hamas’ International Relations and Legal Office, is expected to appear by video link. Drop Site News has covered the case previously — Jeremy Scahill reported on Abu Marzouk’s April 2025 filing, which argued Hamas poses no threat to Britain and has not conducted operations outside historic Palestine, as well as the subsequent challenge accusing then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper of subordinating her decision to a “longstanding and inflexible government policy of support for Zionism.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has since sought to have the appeal struck out entirely without advancing substantive legal arguments, in what critics believe may be an attempt to avoid judicial scrutiny on the matter.

Britain banned Hamas’ military wing in 2001, and in 2021 then-Home Secretary Priti Patel extended the ban to its political wing. Hamas applied for full deproscription in April 2025, backed by 20 experts, including historian Avi Shlaim and former ICJ judge John Dugard.

Thursday’s hearing is expected to address both the delay and the government’s effort to block the appeal from proceeding.

[Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده @RamAbdu]

Breaking: Fabrice Leggeri, former Frontex director and MEP, is under investigation for alleged complicity in crimes against humanity.

For the first time, French courts are set to examine the role of a former Frontex chief in the Mediterranean migration tragedy.

[Leyla Hamed @leylahamed]

Messi should NOT be an UNICEF ambassador.

[Al-Haq الحق @alhaq_org]

🚨 Israel has paralysed Palestinian life across the oPt under the pretext of its aggression on Iran through sweeping closures.
��� Killings, settler attacks & restrictions blocking access to food, healthcare & livelihoods continue amid ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people./1

[Micòl Savia @MicolSavia]

Under UN Charter Art. 51, #Iran has the right to self-defense. The US–Israeli attack blatantly violates int'l law and has no justification whatsoever. @IADLLaw calls on states & peoples worldwide to mobilize to defend the Rule of Law & stand with those resisting war & oppression

[IADL Law @IADLLaw]

IADL: IADL condemns the joint U.S.-Israeli illegal aggression on Iran https://t.co/SbcSnVsdgz

[Micòl Savia @MicolSavia]

Yet another illegal, reckless, and criminal act of aggression by the U.S. and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The world must hold them accountable. Read the full IADL statement 👇https://t.co/Un2nE0ynFf