News & Commentary
Ending Indefinite Solitary Confinement for the Vast Majority of People with Death Sentences in Oklahoma
By Travis Handler
Latest Event
Voices Uncaged: Hispanic Heritage Art and Activism
This event is in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month with the purpose of bringing together artists, organizers, and community members to explore the powerful intersection of art and activism. We aim to uplift the voices, experiences, and resilience of immigrant communities – particularly those impacted by detention, deportation, and harmful immigration policies.
The event will take place at a local art gallery in the Paseo Art district of OKC near Flora Bodega, a community hub. Attendees can come-and-go anytime from 6-9pm on Friday, September 4 during the Paseo District's First Friday gallery walk.
ACLU of Oklahoma Responds to Senate Bill 711 that Dangerously Expands Definition of Criminal Street Gangs
Senate Bill 711 is a dangerous and laughable effort to increase prosecutorial leverage against the accused while fueling Oklahoma’s mass incarceration crisis and adding to the racial disparities that exist in Oklahoma’s criminal justice system.
Statements from ACLU of Oklahoma in Response to Crises at County Jails in Oklahoma
News stories coming out of several Oklahoma county jails are just a snapshot of the issues we know take place within our criminal justice system. The ACLU applauds Nowata County Sheriff Terry Sue Barnett’s refusal to reopen Nowata County Jail amid condition concerns for staff and detained people.
ACLU of Oklahoma Releases Polling Results Showing Strong Support for Meaningful Criminal Justice Reform Among Likely 2020 Voters
The ACLU of Oklahoma’s Campaign for Smart Justice released key findings of a survey completed by EMC Research of likely voters in 2020 that demonstrates support for criminal justice reform remains high across the state, no matter political affiliation.
FAQ: Oklahoma City's Anti-Panhandling Ordinance
The McCraw case is about protecting the freedom of speech for Oklahomans. In reaction to complaints about the visibility of panhandlers in Oklahoma City, the City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting virtually all activity on medians. It is an affront to free speech rights.
‘You Miss So Much When You’re Gone’: The Lasting Harm of Jailing Mothers Before Trial in Oklahoma
Mothers in jail are being torn from their families and losing contact with their children even before they have been convicted of a crime.
ACLU Responds to Denial of Commutation of Four Domestic Violence Survivors, including ACLU client Tondalao Hall
ACLU of Oklahoma Calls on State Board of Health to Retract Unconstitutional Medical Marijuana Rules
The ACLU of Oklahoma issued today a letter to Tom Bates, Interim Commissioner for the Department of Health, notifying the Department of serious concerns with the emergency rules and Constitutional violations within those rules. The ACLU joins in the concerns expressed by the Attorney General.
Oklahoma District Attorney Candidate Questionnaires
For more than 50 years, the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma has worked in the courts, the legislature, and through public education to protect individuals’ civil rights and liberties. As part of our organization’s nationwide effort to cut the nation’s prison population in half while combating racial disparities in the criminal justice system, the ACLU of Oklahoma is launching a public education campaign around prosecutorial discretion. Our goal is to educate voters, including members of the ACLU of Oklahoma and those directly impacted by incarceration, about the role the district attorneys play in mass incarceration.
ACLU of Oklahoma, CAIR OK File Suit on Behalf of Muslim Woman Barred From Courthouse Over Hijab
The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma (ACLU of OK) today announced the filing of a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of a Tulsa Muslim woman refused entry to the Tulsa County Courthouse because of her hijab, or religious head covering. The lawsuit alleges that the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office violated Suha Elqutt’s rights under the First Amendment and under Oklahoma’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
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