NEW YORK - August 27 - In oral arguments today, the American Civil Liberties Union urged a federal appeals court to uphold a decision striking down the national security letter (NSL) provision of the Patriot Act. This provision gives the FBI the authority to issue letters demanding private information about people within the United States, and to place the recipients of the letters under indefinite gag orders. Recent reports issued by the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) have revealed the FBI's widespread, systemic abuse of its NSL power.

WASHINGTON - August 25 - Pay equity pioneer Lilly Ledbetter, whose landmark Supreme Court case Ledbetter v. Goodyear ignited a firestorm of debate over the need for stronger protections against wage discrimination, will address the 2008 Democratic National Convention on Women's Equality Day - Tuesday, August 26.

The following can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, Director, ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

GUANTANAMO BAY - August 25 - Military defense lawyers representing Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other detainees charged with 9/11 terrorism-related crimes filed a motion with the Guantánamo military commissions seeking more time to provide an adequate defense in a system that is unfair and biased in favor of the prosecution. The motion asks that the current due date for the filing of legal motions, August 29, be extended to November 25 so that proper investigation, research and communication with clients can be achieved.

WASHINGTON - August 22 - In response to today's Wall Street Journal article on the flaws found in the terrorist watch lists by a preliminary congressional investigation, the American Civil Liberties Union calls on all presidential candidates, as well as current President Bush, to pledge to put a moratorium on the use of the lists unless major overhauls are made. The investigation found the current database system beleaguered with flaws and technological hurdles.

WASHINGTON - August 22 - The International Day for Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition on August 23rd is a day to reflect on the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade and the reality of modern day slavery. Anti-Slavery International and The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights celebrate the success of the human rights defenders who brought down the transatlantic slave trade and the efforts of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and their supporters in the Campaign for Fair Food along with socially responsible corporations to address modern day slavery.