Counsel Call

A know your rights podcast for rejecting fear and building solidarity in our movements. Lawyer Sima Atri and organizer/podcaster Aliya Pabani address some of the frequently asked legal questions that come up in the context of political organizing. Each episode outlines basic rights and legal processes to help you navigate the complex ways the state and police wield the law to suppress our fight for justice.

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Episodes

Wednesday Jun 26, 2024

In this episode, we outline how to build a shared set of practices that limit the police's ability to target individuals and extract information about our movements, without curbing our ability to bring more people in.1:10 - The “two nevers”: information you should never share 
1:30 - How police surveil protests and what you can do to protect yourself
2:30 - The difference between Signal and WhatsApp 
3:00 - What kind of information police can collect at protests and how they do it
3:57 - How to make your device more secure in case of arrest
4:50 - Phone locking and access
6:50 - Practicing good information hygiene
8:03 - What to think about if you’re sharing info before an action or protest
9:45 - What to think about if you’re sharing info during/after an action or protest
10:36 - Identifying information to look out for
10:48 - Documenting the context of an escalation and what to do with it
11:40 - Why is this important?
Further reading: 
Tips, Tools and How-Tos for Safer Online Communications (Electronic Frontier Foundation)
Secure Communication (Freedom of the Press Foundation)
Two-Factor Authentication for Beginners (Freedom of the Press Foundation)
What is a Passphrase (Malware Bytes)
Digital Safety Kit (Committee to Protect Journalists)

Friday Apr 05, 2024

Being arrested isn't ever going to be pleasant, but it can less unpleasant if you know what you're walking into and have an emergency plan in place. In this episode, we go over the process of an arrest, up until the point of release, to help you build the confidence to keep showing up in the streets. 
0:55 - How do you know if you’re under arrest? 
1:37 - What information you need to give to police when you’re arrested
3:14 - The process of an arrest: administrative charges (e.g. trespassing)
4:40 - What to do if you’re being detained but you’re not under arrest
5:59 - The process of an arrest: criminal charges (e.g. assault)
6:53 - What information police can access when they run your name 
7:56 - Your right to speak to a lawyer
8:41 - The release process
9:10 - The two most likely conditions for political arrests and how to fight them
11:12 - Negotiating conditions
12:28 - What to expect for your bail hearing 
15:27 - How a bail hearing is different than a hearing about your charges
16:15 - What if you don’t have a lawyer? 
17:13 - Some half-truths police have told people in custody
18:11 - What other things can you ask for while in custody?
18:49 - Are police allowed to keep your belongings after you’re released?
19:50 - How to make an emergency plan
20:57 - Three main takeaways

Friday Mar 15, 2024

Sometimes cops will reach out, even if no one’s under arrest. In this episode, we talk through what to do if police call you or show up at your door, and how to respond if they cross the line.
2:14 - What to do if you get a phone call from police
2:46 - What info you might learn from police
5:03 -The only 3 questions you should ask police
6:36 - What to do if the police come to your door
7:42 - Types of warrants that authorize police to enter your home
8:53 - Some police tactics and how you might respond
11:58 - Search warrants, Feeney warrants and the limitations on police authority
15:33 - Key takeaways
 

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