Democracy Now! 2026-05-26 Tuesday

Summary

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Democracy Now! Audio – May 26, 2026

Hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan González
Episode Theme:
A sweeping and intense rundown of urgent global stories: US-Iran tensions and ceasefire negotiations; Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Gaza; the fate and abuse of pro-Palestinian flotilla activists; immigrant protests and hunger strikes in New Jersey; a botched execution in Tennessee; and broader human rights and geopolitical crises.

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US-Iran Escalation and Ceasefire Talks

Key Developments

• US Military Action:
  • US attacked southern Iran, sinking two Iranian ships, citing attempts to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz ([00:31], [15:52]).
  • Iran retaliated by shooting down a US Reaper drone entering its airspace ([00:31], [15:52]).
• Ceasefire Status:
  • Despite these incidents, both the US and Iran continue negotiations in Qatar seeking a ceasefire to end the US-Israel war on Iran ([03:25], [16:35]).
• Political Contradictions:
  • Iranian officials cite “institutionalized instability” and lack of trust in US commitments, referencing frequent policy shifts and presidential rhetoric ([00:19], [20:19]).
  • President Trump is demanding Iran surrender or destroy its enriched uranium, threatening severe action ([03:45], [16:55]).
  • Regional diplomacy: Trump encourages Middle Eastern Arab states to normalize relations with Israel as part of wider negotiations ([03:45], [17:10]).

Notable Quotes

• Negar Murtazavi (Iranian-American journalist):

  • “One of the problems in our negotiations is these inconsistencies and contradictions in their [US] behavior. This is not a new issue.” ([00:19])
  • “Iranians are definitely seeing it as a violation of sort of that cease fire and more escalation from the US Side. I don't think it will necessarily unravel that peace process... but every step of escalation is definitely going to harm the final outcome.” ([18:24])
  • “...There is also a ceasefire, an ongoing ceasefire... murky, chaotic... Israel violated the ceasefire, attacking Lebanon... Now Iran is accusing the US of violating the ceasefire again.” ([18:24])
  • “There is no trust in Tehran for Washington, for this administration.” ([20:19])

• Iranian Foreign Ministry (voiced by Alex Colston):

  • “It is true that we have reached a conclusion regarding a large part of the topics under discussion, but to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent... no one can make such a claim for the same reasons you mentioned yourself, because policy making and decision making in America have become caught in a kind of institutionalized instability.” ([03:25–03:45], [16:35–16:45])

• Amy Goodman:

  • “President Trump warned Iran to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium... ‘the enriched uranium nuclear dust will either be immediately turned over... destroyed in place, or at another acceptable location...’” ([03:45], [16:55])

Timestamps

• [00:19]–[03:45]: Escalation, military actions, state responses
• [16:35]–[22:52]: Panel with Negar Murtazavi on regional and diplomatic complexities

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Israel’s Wars in Lebanon and Gaza

Attacks and Civilian Suffering

• Southern Lebanon:
  • Massive Israeli airstrikes following last month's ceasefire, killing 12 people in the Beqaa Valley ([03:45]).
  • Over 1 million Lebanese displaced, ongoing skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah ([03:45]).
• Gaza:
  • Israeli strikes killing multiple Palestinians in refugee camps; reports of children among the dead ([03:45–06:37]).
• Quote from Grandmother of 6-year-old victim:
  • “This little girl... was playing at the door of her home... instead of celebrating Eid... this is what happens to her, an innocent child who has done nothing wrong.” ([06:17])

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Global Samud Flotilla: Detention, Brutality, and Return

Flotilla Reports

• Background:
  • Flotilla attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza; intercepted by Israeli forces ([01:35], [32:56]).
  • US and international participants deported back home after detention and reports of torture.
• Testimonies of Abuse:
  • Detainees report sexual assault, beatings, stress positions, tasing, rib fractures.
  • High-profile activists involved:
    • Alex Colston (US, Zeteo reporter): Firsthand details on abuse in Israeli custody ([32:56–36:40]).
    • Haitham Arafat (Palestinian-American): Personal account of humiliation, assaults, systemized dehumanization ([38:37–45:06]).

Notable Quotes

• Alex Colston:

  • “[In detention]... they zip tied my hands behind my back... put us in stress positions on the boat... every time I would move, they would kick me... screaming the whole time we were in the tent. They indiscriminately brutalized people.” ([33:07], [35:10])
  • “Up to 35 people’s ribs were fractured... at least 12, if not 15 people had been sexually assaulted... people were made to lie down into puddles of water and told not to move.” ([36:50])
  • “...many police forces across the world train with Israeli forces... the same tactics then used in the Basque region.” ([45:35])

• Haitham Arafat:

  • “This is a system that was carefully designed not to humiliate, not to deter, not to insult... it was designed to break you as a human. It’s a concentration camp.” ([38:37])
  • “Our blood is becoming an election material for them. Who kills more Palestinians gets elected.” ([38:37])
  • On family loss: “They walked together to the second house... a tank at the end of the road... pressed the button and bombed them. Three of them killed immediately. A few bled to death for two weeks because ambulances couldn’t come.” ([43:07])

• Juliette Lamont (Australian activist):

  • “I was dragged into a darkened container ship on a prison boat. I was sexually assaulted. I was beaten. And that was just the beginning of four days of absolute hell.” ([32:56, paraphrased from intro])

Police Violence in Spain

• Bilbao Airport:
  • Basque police used batons on returning activists and families, exposing security contract ties to Israel ([06:37], [45:35]).

Timestamps

• [32:56]–[38:22]: Flotilla participants' testimony on Israeli abuse
• [45:06]–[47:11]: Spanish police incident, global police-military ties

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Domestic US Protests, Immigration, and Legal Battles

Protests and State Violence

• Delaney Hall, Newark, NJ:
  • ~300 detained immigrants on hunger strike, protesting inhumane ICE jail conditions ([01:19], [06:37]).
  • Protesters outside tear-gassed by ICE while blocking a van with a hunger strike organizer ([01:19]).
  • Politicians denied access; inspections reveal filthy, abusive conditions ([06:37]).

Deportation and Justice System Failures

• Kilma Abrego Garcia:
  • Wrongfully deported to El Salvador; criminal charges dropped due to “vindictive motive” by Justice Dept. and abuse of prosecuting power ([06:37]).
• Immigration Policy Shift:
  • Immigrants seeking green cards must now apply from outside the US, further restricting pathways ([06:37]).
• White House Incident:
  • Suspect shot and killed at Secret Service checkpoint; President Trump unharmed ([06:37]).

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Global Headlines

• Ukraine:

  • Russia launches hypersonic missile attacks on Kyiv, killing and injuring civilians, warnings for foreigners to evacuate ([06:37]).

• Democratic Republic of the Congo:

  • Ebola outbreak accelerating; WHO warns neighboring countries, deaths rising ([06:37]).
  • Survivor testimonial: “I am very grateful to the doctors because they have helped me a lot—when I arrived, I was even wondering whether I would be buried today or tomorrow.” – [14:21]

• AI and Ethics:

  • Pope Leo issues AI-focused encyclical with government protections, worker retraining, and new guidelines for wartime ethics; presented with Anthropic AI co-founder ([14:39], [15:17])
  • “Artificial intelligence already touches many areas of our lives and affects decisions that shape human coexistence. It is also dramatically changing how war is waged.” – Pope Leo ([15:17])

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Botched Execution in Tennessee

Execution Details

• Tony Carruthers’ Botched Execution:
  • Execution attempted via lethal injection; officials failed to find a vein after an hour behind a closed curtain ([50:16]).
  • Carruthers’ attorney: “His chest really hurt. This was a tortured, botched execution... thankfully, by the grace of God, he's still alive.” ([52:00])
• Issues Raised:
  • Carruthers has long claimed innocence; mental health and lack of proper legal representation at trial ([53:00]).
  • Forensic evidence not tested for DNA due to court obstruction; primary witness recanted ([53:00]).
• Transparency and Role of Media:
  • Stephen Hale (Nashville Banner):
    • “It's vitally important that if the state is going to execute its citizens, that someone who can... represent the citizens, can be there in the room to watch them do it and report what happens.” ([56:51])

Timestamps

• [50:16]–[58:26]: Botched execution, surrounding legal controversy, and appeals for transparency

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Memorable Highlights

• Quote on Geopolitical Instability:

  • “Policy making and decision making in America have become caught in a kind of institutionalized instability.” – Iranian Foreign Ministry ([03:45])

• On Political Violence:

  • “Our blood is becoming an election material for them. Who kills more Palestinians gets elected.” – Haitham Arafat ([38:37])

• On Police and Military Practices:

  • “Many police forces across the world train with Israeli forces... the same tactics then used in the Basque region.” – Alex Colston ([45:35])

• On Humanity Amidst Crisis:

  • “I am very grateful to the doctors because they have helped me a lot. When I arrived, I was even wondering whether I would be buried today or tomorrow.” – Ebola survivor, DRC ([14:21])

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Major Segments & Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 00:19–06:37 | US-Iran escalation, regional conflict, immigration | | 15:52–27:44 | Iran ceasefire negotiations, Middle East dynamics | | 32:56–47:11 | Flotilla participants’ testimonies, police brutality | | 50:16–58:26 | Botched Tennessee execution, legal and ethical issues |

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Overall, Democracy Now! 2026-05-26 delivered a powerful survey of escalating wars, enduring repression, and the fragile struggle for justice—themes unflinchingly chronicled via eyewitness reports, exclusive interviews, and deep contextual analysis. The episode’s candid, urgent tone maintains an unwavering focus on lifting the stories of those bearing the brunt of violence and political failure, from Gaza and Tehran to Tennessee death row.

Transcript

[Amy Goodman]

From New York. This is Democracy Now.

[Negar Murtazavi]

It is not the first time we are witnessing these contradictions from the United States. In fact, one of the problems in our negotiations is these inconsistencies and contradictions in their behavior. This is not a new issue.

[Amy Goodman]

The US attacked southern Iran Sunday, sinking two Iranian ships claiming they were laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran meanwhile, shot down a US Reaper drone. This comes as negotiations over a potential deal to end the war are ongoing. We'll get the latest then. An estimated 300 immigrants detained at the for profit immigration jail Delaney hall in Newark, New Jersey are on hunger strike outside the jail over the weekend, protesters were tear gassed by ICE as they tried to block a van transferring Martin Soto, the husband of one of the organizers, outside.

[Negar Murtazavi]

Everybody in there, they're not eating. They're not eating until they get hurt.

[Alex Colston]

And so we do something to free

[Negar Murtazavi]

them, which is why we started this protest to help them, to help their voices be heard.

[Amy Goodman]

But they retaliated.

[Juan Gonzalez]

All massive fit.

[Amy Goodman]

We'll speak to Gabriela Soto and formerly undocumented organizer Leodorno. Then more than a dozen US activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla released from Israeli custody return to the United States Sunday. They're describing what they experienced while in jail.

[Alex Colston]

In one of the prison votes, 35 people suffered fractures to their ribs. People said there was at least 12 sexual assaults that took place. People were tased. Me personally, I was kept in cuffs where I can't feel my hands anymore. I was kicked in the ribs multiple times.

[Amy Goodman]

We'll be joined by Zeteo reporter Alex Colston. He just returned to New York on Sunday. And in D.C. haitham Arafat, Palestinian American activist who's lost 100 members of his family in Gaza. All that and more coming up. Welcome to Democracy Now. Democracynow.org, the War and Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman. The U.S. attacked southern Iran on Sunday in what the Pentagon called self defense strikes. The US Sank two Iranian ships claiming they were attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it shot down a US Reaper drone that entered Iranian airspace. This comes as Iranian negotiators travel to Qatar to discuss a potential ceasefire to end the U. S. Israel war on Iran. This is Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson speaking Monday.

[Alex Colston]

It is true that we have reached a conclusion regarding a large part of

[Amy Goodman]

the topics under discussion.

[Haitham Arafat]

But to say that this means the

[Alex Colston]

signing of an agreement is imminent.

[Haitham Arafat]

No one can make such a claim

[Alex Colston]

for the same reasons you mentioned yourself because policy making and decision making in America have become caught in a kind of institutionalized instability.

[Amy Goodman]

This comes as President Trump warned Iran to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium, posting on social media Monday night. Quote, the enriched uranium nuclear dust will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed, or, preferably in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place, or at another acceptable location with the Atomic Energy Commission, unquote. Over the weekend, President Trump also urged countries in the region Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan to normalize relations with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords and as part of US Negotiations to reach a deal with Iran. On Friday, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, announced she's resigning from the Trump administration. In a statement, Gabbard said she's stepping down after her husband was diagnosed with bone cancer. An Israeli airstrike in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley killed 12 people Monday, according to Lebanese state media. The strike came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized intensive military operations against Hezbollah and as Israel called up additional troops to deploy to Lebanon. Despite last month's ceasefire, Israel and Hezbollah have continued to exchange fire on a near daily basis. Since March 2nd. Well over a million Lebanese have been forced to flee their homes as Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,100 people in Gaza. Israeli strikes killed at least five Palestinians at a refugee camp in central Gaza Tuesday, according to Palestinian health officials. The strike hit a group of residents who had left their homes to confront an Israeli backed Palestinian militia attempting to move into an area east of Makazi camp, according to medics and witnesses. It follows another Israeli strike on a tent encampment Monday in the Mawasi area of Khan younis, which killed two people and wounded 17 others, including children. A six year old girl, Manatala Abu Libda, was among the dead. This is the girl's grandmother.

[Negar Murtazavi]

This little girl, a little bird from the Birds of Paradise, was playing at the door of her home. God intended that instead, like children of the world, should be celebrating Eid, preparing for Eid. This is what happens to her, an innocent child who has done nothing wrong

[Amy Goodman]

in Spain. Activists from the Global Samud Flotillo were beaten by police officers at Bilbao airport on Saturday after they returned home from being intercepted at sea, abducted and abused by Israeli forces while attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. At least four people were arrested after members of the autonomous police force for Spain's Basque country, known as Er Chancha, used batons to Attack activists, family members and supporters who gathered to pose for pictures. The police violence drew attention to the more than 1.66 million euros, about $1.9 million worth of security contracts between Basque police forces and an Israeli firm run by a former Mossad agent to provide body armor, surveillance technology and tactical training courses. Meanwhile, 15 US Samud flotilla activists held a news conference at JFK Airport on Sunday morning. We'll speak to Alex Colston, a US Citizen and flotilla participant who writes for Zateo and was part of that news conference. This comes as Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben GVIR has been barred from entering France. France's Foreign Ministry cited Ben Gvir's quote, incitement of hatred and violence against Palestinians, unquote, as well as video he shared last week showing him taunting dozens of activists from the global Samud Flotilla who'd been abducted by Israeli forces and pushed to the ground face first with their hands bound behind their backs. We'll have more on this story later in the broadcast. In New Jersey, police arrested 10 activists at a port in the city of Elizabeth on Friday morning as they attempted to stop a shipment of weapons, components and ammunition bound for Israel. Officers used power tools to separate protesters who chained themselves together to halt truck traffic along a main road for several hours. In a statement, one of the activists said, quote, we blockaded the terminal to stop the US Government from violating its own laws by sending weapons to Israel to commit war crimes and genocide, unquote. In Newark, New Jersey, about 300 detainees at the ICE jail known as Delaney hall have been on hunger strikes since Friday to protest inhumane conditions and due process violations. Delaney hall is operated by the private prison company Geo Group. Tensions escalated on Sunday when ICE removed a hunger strike organizer, Martin Soto, prompting protesters outside the ICE jail to block a van being used to take him away. Masked ICE agents responded by firing tear gas and pushing people to the ground. New Jersey's Democratic Governor Mikey Sherrill, joined federal lawmakers outside Delaney hall but was denied entry. Democratic Senator Andy Kim and New Jersey Congressmember Rob Menendez, who toured the facility, described the filthy bathrooms, abusive guards, inadequate medical care, spoiled food, and said prisoners were being threatened with deportation to Ebola stricken countries. We'll have more on this story later in the broadcast. A federal judge in Tennessee has dismissed all criminal charges against Kilma Abrego Garcia, the Maryland father of three who was wrongfully sent by the Trump administration to El Salvador's notorious Secat Megaprison last year. After Abrego Garcia won his deportation case The Justice Department attempted to bring human smuggling charges against him stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee. But on Friday, U.S. district Judge Waverly Crenshaw ruled actions taken by then Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, now attorney general, had tainted the investigation with a, quote, vindictive motive, unquote. Judge Crenshaw added, quote, the evidence before this court sadly reflects an abuse of prosecuting power. Unquote. To see our coverage of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case, go to democracynow.org the Trump administration announced Friday that most immigrants seeking green cards must return to their home countries to apply U.S. citizenship, and immigration Services said it would only grant green cards to people already inside the United States only in, quote, extraordinary circumstances. Unquote. Green card applicants will now have to go through consular processing abroad rather than adjusting their status from within the United States. At the White House, a gunman was killed after opening fire on a US Secret Service checkpoint Saturday evening. An NBC News team reported hearing between 20 and 30 shots as secret Service agents directed reporters to take cover inside the press briefing room. Secret Service officers returned fire, hitting the suspect, who later died at a hospital. A bystander was also wounded, according to police. The suspect was identified as 21 year old Nasir Best of Maryland. President Trump was at the White House during the incident but wasn't impacted, according to the Secret Service. Russia's Foreign Ministry has warned foreigners to leave Ukraine's capital as soon as possible as the Kremlin threatens a new wave of attacks following weekend strikes on Kyiv that killed at least four people and injured more than 90 others. Russia used a powerful hypersonic ballistic missile in the attacks, which struck high rise apartment buildings, schools, a marketplace and a water supply facility. Among those warned by Russia to leave were diplomatic staff from foreign embassies, including the United States. The head of the European Union mission in Kyiv said diplomats from all 27 EU nations would remain, adding, quote, russia wants fear, panic, isolation of Ukraine. It will not work. Unquote. The World Health Organization warns cases of Ebola are spreading faster in the Democratic Republic of the Congo than public health workers can respond. WHO Chief Tedros Adnongebreyesis called on neighboring countries to take immediate action, warning the number of suspected deaths from the Ebola outbreak has reached 220. On Sunday, police in the eastern Congolese town of Mongolu fired shots into the air to disperse a crowd that attempted to reclaim the bodies of loved ones at an Ebola treatment center. It's the same city where last week people set fire to an isolation tent run by Doctors Without Borders. Medicine sans Frontiere. This man survived. His brother died of an Ebola infection.

[Alex Colston]

Apart from God, it is the doctors because they are the ones who understand the human body. So if you argue with a doctor, well, you will see for yourself. I am very grateful to the doctors because they have helped me a lot. When I arrived, I was even wondering whether I would be buried today or tomorrow.

[Amy Goodman]

And Pope Leo issued a sweeping declaration Monday on the risks of artificial intelligence in the form of a papal encyclical that runs more than 42,000 words. Pope Leo presented it alongside Christopher Hola, a co founder of the AI company Anthropic. The encyclical calls for government regulation, retraining workers, better education for students, protections for children, and safeguards to ensure that humans and not AI models will make decisions on the use of weapons. This is Pope Leo.

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

Artificial intelligence already touches many areas of our lives and affects decisions that shape human coexistence. It is also dramatically changing how war is waged.

[Amy Goodman]

And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now, democracynow.org, the war and Peace Report. Amy I'm Amy Goodman back in New York with Democracy Now's Juan Gonzalez in Chicago. Hi, Juan.

[Juan Gonzalez]

Hi Amy.

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

And welcome to all of our listeners and viewers across the country and around the world.

[Amy Goodman]

The US Attacked southern Iran Sunday in what the Pentagon called self defense strikes. The US Sank two Iranian ships claiming they were attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it shot down a US Reaper drone that entered Iranian airspace. It comes as Iranian negotiators travel to Qatar to discuss a potential ceasefire deal to end the U S Israel war on Iran. This is Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson speaking Monday.

[Alex Colston]

It is true that we have reached a conclusion regarding a large part of

[Amy Goodman]

the topics under discussion, but to say

[Alex Colston]

that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent.

[Haitham Arafat]

No one can make such a claim

[Alex Colston]

for the same reasons you mentioned yourself, because policy making and decision making in America have become caught in a kind of institutionalized instability.

[Amy Goodman]

This comes as President Trump warned Iran to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium, posting on social media Monday night, quote, the enriched uranium nuclear dust

[Haitham Arafat]

will

[Amy Goodman]

either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed, or preferably in conjunction in coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place, or at another acceptable location with the Atomic Energy Commission. Over the weekend, President Trump also urged countries in the regionsaudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan to normalize relations with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords as part of US Negotiations to reach a deal with Iran. On Friday, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, announced she's resigning. In a statement, Gabbard said she's stepping down after her husband was diagnosed with bone cancer. We're joined now by Negar Murtazavi, Iranian American journalist, host of the Iran Podcast, senior fellow at the center for International Policy. Negar, thanks so much for being with us. Can you talk about these latest developments? Can you talk about the US Bombing southern Iran? And yet they're both saying Iran and the United States, that they're in the middle of negotiations. What's happening?

[Negar Murtazavi]

Good morning, Amy. Juan, thanks for having me back. It's great to be with you. So, yes, I mean, the US And Iran are in the middle of ongoing talks for a peace deal, which seems to be as close as it ever was throughout this war. I mean, I'm hearing from sources on both sides that they're very close to the finish line, in fact, as far as trying to be flexible, making concessions on both sides. And there is also a ceasefire, an ongoing ceasefire. It's been ongoing for weeks. It has been murky, it has been chaotic. It has been violated from the day one. Israel violated the ceasefire, attacking Lebanon. And there have been other sort of back and forth. And now Iran is accusing the US of violating the ceasefire again. I mean, we have to remember Iran when we talk about the Strait of Hormuz. This is right off the coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf. And the US Has a blockade on top of that strait very close to the Iranian coast, trying to block Iranian ports, trying to block Iranian ships. So the US Presence there, from the viewpoint of the Iranians in itself as hostile, is seen as part of sort of this act of war and the conflict. Iranians are definitely seeing it as a violation of sort of that cease fire and more escalation from the US Side. I don't think it will necessarily unravel that peace process or completely destroy the cease fire. But, you know, every step of escalation is definitely going to harm the final outcome and narrow the path to a final agreement.

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

And Negar, what do, from what you can tell, what do government leaders in Iran make of this? Alternating, as they say, institutionalized instability on the US Part, with Trump making constant bombastic threats at the same time, then alternating to say that an agreement is imminent?

[Negar Murtazavi]

Well, first of all, confusion, Juan, and then also a lack of trust. I mean, this is a recurring line I keep hearing from sources in Tehran over and over and over that they have no trust in this administration. I mean, take a step back. Iran started nuclear negotiations with this very administration a year ago. And then in the middle of those talks came the first war. In June of last year, again, they engaged in nuclear negotiations. This year, in the middle of negotiations, as they offered what seemed like a good deal by the admission of the mediators, Oman mediators, in the middle of those negotiations again came an even bigger war, this time a regime change war. So what Tehran is saying is that we have no trust in this administration. And that has made the process even more complicated. It's not just the president's rhetoric that changes by the day in the middle of this process, but it's also trusting that if the US Commits to something, that they would abide by it, that they won't come and sign something or agree on something and then go and change it the day after. So this will also impact that final sort of agreement. And it's one of the reasons that Tehran is not only skeptical, but also wants to do this in stages to make sure they give something, they take something, give something, they take something with some form of guarantee. That's also why they're looking east to powers like Russia, China. They're. There seems to be something serious happening in China, maybe China stepping in to help the peace process, because there's just no trust in Tehran for Washington, for this administration.

[Amy Goodman]

Now, Gar, if you can talk about a little further about the connection between Israel bombing southern Lebanon. You know, you had this back and forth last week where President Trump said when he's done with the presidency, he could be prime minister of Israel, that Netanyahu does what he wants him to. Clearly, Netanyahu doesn't want this war with Iran to end, but can't control what the US does, but can continue to attack southern Lebanon. That exacerbating Iran's response, because they're saying what happens in Lebanon also affects whether they reach an agreement with the United States. Can you talk more about that? With this intensification of the Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon, do you think that Netanyahu is doing this to force Trump's hand on Iran?

[Negar Murtazavi]

Absolutely, Amy. And it's not the first time. I mean, Netanyahu has done this before. First of all, look at the big picture. Benjamin Netanyahu has wanted a war, an ongoing war on Iran by the US for decades. I mean, he has put this war plan in front of various US Presidents, from Bush to Obama to Biden. And then finally the quote, unquote PRESIDENT of Peace Greece took the plan and did it. And he wants the war to continue to expand. He has only expanded the war since the day after October 7th in Gaza, in Lebanon, now in Iran, even in Syria and other countries. He just wants it expanded. Now Iran's proposal, what they are looking after is a regional end to the war. So the way they call it is a non aggression pact, meaning Iran and its allies in a pact versus US and its allies, which very much includes Israel. And I mean, frankly, I think this is better for regional peace and stability if you have sort of everyone on board on one side and the other side. So Iran is very much trying to fold Hezbollah into this process. This is Lebanon, militias in Iraq that are allied with Iran. This is more than just within Iran's borders, especially on Hezbollah, because Hezbollah entered this war with Iran they worked with in coordination for the first time as close allies. And Tehran doesn't want to drop. And so for Benjamin Netanyahu, this has really been a tactic from the first day the ceasefire was announced. Just hours later, he did that massive attack with a Massacre of over 350 people in Beirut to try to torpedo the process. And now I think I'm expecting to see more and more of this. Like you said, he can't control what the US does as far as the US trying to make a deal with Iran. And it seems like President Trump is not very much including him in every little step and detail, but, but he can, he definitely has means and others also in the region have means to torpedo the process and try to unravel it. And from the Iranian perspective, they want Lebanon very much as part of this. And if that's not included, then this, you know, final deal will not stand for them. So they want a permanent end to the war, not just for themselves, but also for their allies. And they want to commit that this will be a non aggression pact, but between them and their allies and us and its allies, meaning Iran's allies will also not attack the US or Israel after this pact.

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

And Negar, talking about a regional agreement, what are you seeing in terms of the other Gulf states, Qatar, UAE

[Juan Gonzalez]

and

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

Oman, in terms of whether they've gotten closer or further away from their alliance with the United States as a result of all of this, of this war?

[Negar Murtazavi]

Well, it's a very dynamic situation. First of all, I want to say the GCC countries, these Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf are not very similar. I mean, you have a country like Oman who has kept itself as far away from the war Almost outside the war as possible and didn't get a lot of attacks or engagements from Iran. And then you have a country like UAE who chose from day one to be part of the war and is very much in publicly part of the war and is also getting attacked and is engaged with Iran. And then you have countries sort of in between, like you mentioned Qatar, Saudi Arabia and others. I think Qatar, Oman and Saudi, if I put them sort of in the same basket, have been trying very hard well before the war to push against the war, really warning the administration that this will be catastrophic, this will become regional, and this will not stay inside Iran's borders. And this also came from Turkey, Egypt, you know, other countries in the region. But all of them together didn't have the same weight as, as Benjamin Netanyahu, who pushed and convinced President Trump that Iran is a paper tiger and they can attack and finish it, which didn't happen. But now throughout the course, I mean, it's very dynamic. These countries are sort of stuck between a powerful ally, which is the United States, they obviously can end this alliance, and a powerful neighbor, Iran, who has been there for thousands of years and will continue to be there. So I think there is a rethinking happening in the gcc, each country in a different way of how to manage these two relationships. You can't rely on one side or the other. You can't pretend like you're hosting US Bases that are being used in a war against your neighbor. And you have no role in this war and get surprised if you get retaliation from that said neighbor. And so that dynamic, I think, is something that will play out in the short term and also long term. And for some of these states to rethink how peace in the region would not only be for them, but also has to involve their neighbor. Basically, the Iranian messages, if war comes to us, it will not stay inside our borders. And if it comes back, they will make sure that they'll do it again and again. That's the Iranian messaging and the new doctrine.

[Amy Goodman]

Negar Martasavi, we thank you so much for being with us. Iranian American journalist, host of the Iran Podcast, senior fellow at the center for International Policy. Coming up, more than a dozen US Activists from the Global Samud flotilla have been released from Israeli custody and returned to the United States. On Sunday, we'll speak with two of them. Stay with us. Who do you think you are? He plays us with his hate, turns man against man. But it's really not a game. And I pray to the ancestors love do not be fooled by this man's foolish talk. The serpent woke again in different times and places. There's a burning cross leading the mob people in chains. He's a quack circus sack creeper from the past. He's the symbol of the monster. We no longer want to be what we used to be. The earth trembles with its names Mussolini, Adolf, Hitler, Pinochet. No respect for woman, no respect for race, no respect for anything that lives the human race. But he cannot buy our soul. Demagogue performed by Leila Downs in Democracy Now Studios. This is democracy now, democracynow.org, the war and Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman with Juan Gonzalez. Israel's deported hundreds of activists who they abducted from the Global Smooth Flotilla as the convoy of humanitarian aid ships sailed towards Gaza, attempting to break Israel's siege. The activists, who were imprisoned for days, have described torture and sexual violence by Israeli soldiers during their time in custody. Many reported broken ribs and other injuries. This is Australian activist Juliette Lamont speaking from Sydney. After being deported from Israel. I was dragged into a darkened container ship on a prison boat. I was sexually assaulted. I was beaten. And that was just the beginning of four days of absolute hell. I've looked into the eyes of the most soulless people in the universe and nothing came back. These people need to be stopped. Meanwhile in Spain, activists from the Global Samud Flotillo were beaten by police officers. Basque police officers at Bilbao airport Saturday after they returned home from being intercepted at sea and abducted by Israeli forces while attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. At least four people were arrested after members of the autonomous police force for Spain's Basque country, known as the Erchancha, used batons to attack activists, family members and supporters who gathered to pose for pictures. The police violence drew attention to 1.66 million euros worth of security contracts. That's about $1.9 million between Basque police forces, an Israeli firm run by a former Mossad agent to provide body armor, surveillance technology and tactical training courses to the Basque police. This comes as Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben GVIR has been barred from entering France. France's Foreign Ministry cited his incitement of hatred and violence against Palestinians, unquote, as well as video he shared last week showing him taunting dozens of activists from the Global Samud flotilla who had been abducted by the Israeli forces, pushed to the ground face first with their hands bound behind their backs. For more, we're joined by two guests here in New York. Alex Colston, US Citizen flotilla participant, just returned home Sunday after three days in Israeli custody. He was covering the flotilla for Zateo. This is his second time participating on a Gaza humanitarian flotilla. In Washington, D.C. we're joined by Haitham Arafat, Palestinian, American activist, flotilla participant who had his head slammed into the ground when Israeli forces detained him. Haitham was born in Gaza. Over 100 members of his family have been killed in Israeli strikes since October 7, 2023. Alex, let's begin with. You described what Ben Gvir did, and now he's been barred from entering France. You were there. Can you talk about first what happened to you on the high seas and then what happened when you were brought to Israel?

[Alex Colston]

Thanks for having me, Amy. On the high seas, I mean, we were intercepted about 250 nautical miles from the shores of Gaza. It took them, I think, about a day to get all the boats.

[Amy Goodman]

How many?

[Alex Colston]

How many boats? 52 boats and around 400, 500 participants, all told. And as we. When the Israelis board the ships, they typically do so in a violent fashion. They shoot immediately with rubber bullets if we do not stop the ships. They tend to, in my case, they zip tied my hands behind my back. And they put us in stress positions on the boat, a stress position as well, meaning that they make us sit on our knees with our heads on the ground or foreheads on the ground, can't move. And they often give these kinds of contradictory orders where they'll say, sit up, go down, sit up, go down. If we do either do the opposite of either, they'll beat you in some way or another. But the way that they board the vessels is they typically board with hippie board they abandoned, they abduct us, they commandeer the ship, and they take us to, in this case, a prison boat. And this happened previously in the mission as well, west of Crete. But there are, I think, two prison boats this time. And when they're on the prison ships, it's kind of like a shanty town or like a strange, like, containerized area to traffic us back to Israel. And on those prison ships and then within, in Ashdod Port, they takethey go out of theirthe Israelis have gone out of their way to beat and abuse the flotilla participants. In the case of Ben Gvir's appearance, this ishe did this the previous time too, when we were in Ashdod. One thing I find kind of ironic is that when the Israeli Foreign Ministry or any Israeli officials talk about us, they call us provocateurs or they say we're, you know, we're terrorists, you know, we're committed to provocation. And yet. Yet whenever Ben GVIR shows up to these things, he's the one provoking us. He's there saying we're terrorists. He's saying that, you know, we're, you know, challenging.

[Amy Goodman]

He brings a camera crew with him.

[Alex Colston]

Yes, yes, he tends to bring a camera crew with him. And in fact, the previous time I saw him do this, there's one person sort of just shooting film of him and he's talking to the camera. And it might as well be that we're not even there in some respects, because he's doing it for Israeli consumption. He's filming these antics and these smears of the flotilla participants for the Israeli public. And, you know, in this time, we were in this tent, and I would say that my experience in the tent was quite harrowing. A person a foot away from me had clearly had broken ribs, was holding them and was moaning. And I tried to go. I tried to go help him, but every time I would move, they would kick me or they'd take me, pull me back, and they would send me back down on my knees and head. And I could hear screaming the whole time we were in the tent. You know, they indiscriminately brutalized people in that tent. Meanwhile, as Ben GVIR shows up. And the thing is that I could not see Ben gvir, but I'm sitting forward and I can hear someone talking behind me.

[Amy Goodman]

You mean with your head on the ground?

[Alex Colston]

Yeah, my head, yeah. So I couldn't hear.

[Amy Goodman]

And your hands behind you, zip tie?

[Alex Colston]

Yes. And I couldn't turn around and see, but, you know, I'm in a clump of bodies, a row of bodies. I'm just hearing like one by one saying, ben Gavir is here, Ben Gvir's here, yada, yada. And, you know, I think in that instant this time around, I realized, like, they are just being way more severe this time. And I didn't know what was in store. When we went onwards to Kitzihead

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

and Alex, there was another boat that some of the activists named the torture boat. You were not on that one, but what have you heard about what happened there?

[Alex Colston]

So the first people I talked to when I got on the Turkish plane back to Istanbul, or to Istanbul, is I listened to accounts from people on the torture boat. And I was told immediately that up to 35 people's ribs were fractured. I heard that at least 12, if not 15 people had been sexually assaulted. There were people told me that they were being. That some had been injected with syringes of Unknown substances, we don't know what those were. We were told that people were made to lie down into, like, puddles of water and told not to move. And they were afraid they might suffocate in that position. They dropped flashbangs, they shot rubber bullets. And as I've described it in previous interviews, these container ships, you know, we're in a courtyard, we can't go anywhere. You can't run away from Israeli guards who are shooting at you. You can take refuge maybe in the container ship. But then the Israelis would call out the participants to go into the courtyard with their guns drawn. So there was a certain kind of like, yeah, just like, not only sadism, but trying to, like, torture us with, like, not being sure what they were going to do to us, like, drawing us out, giving us contradictory orders, like finding any pretense and pretext to brutalize and to keep us fearful of what they might do to us.

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

We're also joined by Haitham Arafat, a Palestinian American who has lost over 100 members of his family in Gaza since October 7th. Haitham, welcome to Democracy now. You were on the flotilla. What happened with you?

[Haitham Arafat]

I mean, Alex pretty much explained a lot of the things that happened. But I would like to add one thing, is that when Benik Felt came to our cell, I looked at him. I looked at him at the eyes. And you can tell that this guy has pleasure at us in these positions. They put us in cages. These cages were 3 meters by 6 meters. And I counted at one point, we had more than 80 people. They kept adding more people, and there was no place for us to sit. At one point we decided to stand because there is no space. And they came and they start beating us. And we had to sit down, down. There is no space. So we start sitting on each other, on the top of each other. There was a guy behind me when we were after the tent. They got us from the. From the port. And he was. I mean, he did not speak Arabic. I do speak Arabic, so I do know some of. Some of the words. And they asked him, where are you from? And he was. Was from Southeast Asia. And then they asked him to repeat, I am a fag. I am a fag. And they made him repeat that so many times. And when he stops, they come and beat him and they tell him, continue. And then he called his friends and they started actually taking pictures with that guy. This is a system that is not. I mean, it's built. It's a success. And when we talk about Ben Yvir as If it's an isolated incident, it's not. This isthe Palestinians have been slaughtered and killed for over 80 years. And each administration comes and increases. They brag about killing Palestinians. This isour blood is becoming an election material for them. Who kills more Palestinians gets elected. So what we have seen there in the prison. I'm not going to repeat a lot of what Alex said, but I can add one thing is that this is a system that was carefully designed not to humiliate, not to deter, not to insult this system. The process that they have there in the jail was designed to break you as a human. It's designed to make you a human animal. And I think, and I think based on. I've seen, and I've seen the reaction of some of the people who were with us in these cages in the concentration camps. It's not a jail, it's a concentration camp. I think they. I mean, I've seen the reaction of some people. I don't think people can go through that process for a long time. And that was what they have there in place. Now what I'm one thing I'm disgusted at. France banned Benignvir now why? Because there is a picture about him. But we know about this. He's been doing this for years. Why now? Why that guy is still free walking and nobody is. He's not on the sanction list of the US Why? The people who are defending the Palestinians are on the sanction list list and these terrorists, these war criminals are walking free and protected. Not only they are protected, they are protected by our tax dollars.

[Amy Goodman]

Can I ask you, Haitham, you showed them your US passport?

[Haitham Arafat]

Yes, I did.

[Amy Goodman]

They slammed your head against the ground?

[Haitham Arafat]

Yes. They do not care. I mean, they were trying. My name is Middle Eastern, so they were trying to find my background and I did not volunteer any information, but they were trying to speak to me in some Arabic languages with insults and cussing words. And I would just ignore them as much as possible because I did not want to escalate the situation, even though I tried to do that. But every time I have a ruptured disc. So I cannot be in these stress positions for a long time. The minute I try to raise my head, they come and start hitting me. They do not care whether you are young, old woman. We have grandfathers, grandmothers, women, mothers.

[Amy Goodman]

You were born in Gaza and have lost over 100 members of your family. Can you talk about some of them?

[Haitham Arafat]

I mean, it's. I mean, the first time I remember that I was in Gaza one year before the October 7th, and I was on my way to Gaza during October 7th, the first incident, which was actually, I was on my way to the airport in Egypt when my uncle called me and he said, your aunt was killed. Because I was with my aunt at that time. I stayed with her and we had beautiful time with her. She was like a second mom to me. She was with her daughter. And they bombed that house. And I remember I was in Egypt and they called us, they said they just bombed our house, but it was, I think, a tank show. So the second floor was destroyed and they decided to move to the second house. And they called us and said, what shall we do? We told them, hey guys, the best place is to find a good shelter and just stay there, do not move. But that house was bombed, so they had to move to my aunt's house. Waited for the morning. While they waited, it was a grandmother, daughters, grandkids, babies. They walked together to the second house, which is about 15 minutes. There was a tank at the end of the road. This tank, once they saw them, they saw a family walking of innocent civilians. They just turned at them and what they did, they pressed the button and they bombed them. Three of them killed immediately. Few of them bled to death for two weeks because they were unable to go to the hospital and ambulances were unable to come to them. They had. The mother of the babies were killed at that time and she was breastfeeding. They didn't have milk for the babies. It's. I mean, this is what we are going through. And now you are putting Ben GVIR banned from France and he still can come to the us how many more Palestinians need to be killed before we do something?

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

I wanted to ask Alex Colston the news out of Spain. When some of the flotilla participants arrived in Bilbao airport, the riot police in the Basque area of the country attacked the supporters that were at the airport. Your response, especially given the fact that that Spain, the national government, has been so outspoken in its criticism of what Israel is doing.

[Alex Colston]

Well, as was mentioned at the top of the segment, the Basque police trains with the idf. They train with Israeli forces. So maybe, perhaps on one level, I'm not all that surprised. And yet, of course, these are activists who had just been detained and tortured in Israeli custody. And then the moment they're coming back home to see their friends and their family, they are again brutalized by the police. The way this incident apparently started, as far as I understand it, is that one of the familiesone of the family members and friends were trying to go to the activists and the police stood in their way. And so the activists walked up to try to see the family member and to get the police to move away. And then there was an altercation. You know, the thing is that many, many police forces across the world train with Israeli forces, the same forces that tortured us in Kitsia Prison and on the prison boat, including the nypd. There has been well documented cooperative mutual collaboration between the NYPD and Israeli forces. So there's a global police force that is in many ways trained by the Israelis. And the Israelis use the tactics that they have invented on the Palestinians. And yet then they train police forces across the world to inflict the same kinds of violence on other civilians. And so when I saw this video, I thought to myself, well, this is actually the same kinds of police violence that used with same kinds of tactics then used in the Basque region. So.

[Amy Goodman]

Well, we're going to link to your work at Zateo. Alex Colston, Zateo reporter, US Citizen and flotilla participant who just returned home to the United States on Sunday. And we thank Haitha Marafat, a Palestinian American activist, also flotilla participant born in Gaza, who's lost 100 members of his family since October 7, 2023. To see all our coverage of the flotilla, you can go to democracynow.org up next, we go to Tennessee, where the execution of Tony Carruthers was called off after prison officials struggled to kill him with a lethal injection. But it didn't work. We'll talk to Stephen Howe, criminal justice reporter at the Nashville Banner, author of Death Row welcomes visiting hours in the shadow of the execution chamber. Stay with us. Kiss me once or kiss me twice Give me a taste of paradise. I don't need the blues always on my shoulder. Give me a cold beer as I get older. Oh my stars, how you all do me oh my stars, oh my stars you undo. Sun's going down in the sky. Different colors, baby RON See all the different hues. I feel all right but these times, oh my stars. By Michael Hurley this is Democracy now. Democracy now, democracy. I'm Amy Goodman with Juan Gonzalez. We end today's show in Tennessee where the execution of Tony Carruthers was called off after prison officials struggled to find a vein to administer lethal injection drugs. Last week, the Republican governor Bill Lee, issued a one year reprieve to Carruthers over the botched execution, which came despite Carruthers claims of innocence and demands for a new trial. Well, we're joined now by Stephen Hale, criminal justice reporter at the Nashville Banner, author of the book Death row welcomes visiting hours in the shadow of the execution chamber. Stephen, thanks so much for being with us. You were a media witness for this botched execution. If you can tell us what happened and tell us the story of Tony Carruthers.

[Juan Gonzalez]

That's right. Thanks for having me, Amy. So last week I was one of several of the media witnesses for this planned execution. One of the frustrating things is it's. I can't tell you what we saw because we didn't end up seeing anything. In Tennessee, the, as of right now, the process where the person who's being executed is prepared for the execution. In this case, where the IV line are placed for a lethal injection happens behind a curtain. And so me and the other media witnesses were literally in the dark in a dark viewing room with the curtain that looks into the execution chamber drawn. And that curtain would have opened if they had successfully placed these IV lines in Mr. Carruthers. But that never happened. So what we ended up doing was sitting in the dark for more than an hour and trying to listen to what was happening in the execution chamber. Not all of which we understood at the time. A lot of it we found out later. But that turned out to be the sound of them struggling to place the IV lines in Mr. Crothers. We were told later by his attorney that they tried to, after getting a primary line in his. In one of his arms, they tried the other arm, they tried a hand, his feet, ultimately tried his jugular vein and his neck, and before trying a place a central line in his chest. And when that was unsuccessful, after more than an hour, they called off the execution. So, yeah, it was. It was quite an ordeal. And obviously his. His attorney later would tell us that he was in agony and we could hear him groaning in pain from the viewing room. But like I said, we didn't end up ever seeing him or what was going on.

[Amy Goodman]

Go to Carruthers attorney, Maria del Liberado of the aclu. Ivy line in his shoulder was filled with blood, like back filled towards the. Towards his chest area. And he said that his chest really hurt. This was a tortured, botched execution. I mean, there's no question about it. I mean, I guess it's not an execution because thankfully, by the grace of

[Negar Murtazavi]

God, he's still alive.

[Amy Goodman]

But they tortured him trying to find a vein. I am so grateful that we are going to have a chance to prove

[Negar Murtazavi]

what we've been saying and what Tony

[Amy Goodman]

has been saying for 30 years, that he didn't commit this crime. I know that he believes that this happened that this botched attempt to take

[Negar Murtazavi]

his life happened for a reason, and it will strengthen his resolve to fight even more.

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

And Steve, could you talk about the case that was originally filed by the ACLU seeking DNA testing on about crucial physical evidence? Why hasn't this DNA testing happened in over 30 years?

[Juan Gonzalez]

Yeah, well, that's a good question, but you're right. The ACLU filed earlier this year asking for crime scene evidence to be tested both for DNA analysis and fingerprint analysis. Mr. Carruthers was convicted along with a CO defendant in 1996 for a triple murder in Shelby County, Memphis, here in Tennessee. And he's always maintained his innocence, but his case has. You know, I was saying someone the other day is pretty much every issue that you see come up in death penalty cases is present in this case in one way or another. Mr. Carruthers has maintained his innocence. His attorneys have long said that he's profoundly mentally ill. He was forced to represent himself at his trial. Six defense attorneys were appointed to be his attorney and then ended up leaving the case. And the judge eventually refused to appoint a severe. And so he represented himself at this Capitol murder trial. And so his representation, you know, we often see in Capitol cases that people later will talk about how they had poor representation. He basically had none. He represented himself. He did not have an attorney. And so he's always maintained that he was innocent. And there was no physical evidence in this case brought by prosecutors. What there was was the testimony of a man who later turned out to be a patient informant and who later recanted his testimony. And so there's basically just questionable circumstantial evidence against Mr. Carruthers. And so all these years later, his attorneys at the ACLU have been pushing for that crime scene evidence to be tested. They said that this evidence, if it were tested, it could potentially exonerate him. We don't know because the courts so far had blocked those efforts. And the governor, right before this failed execution had announced that he was not going to intervene to hold off the execution so that testing could take place. So I can't answer really for you why it hasn't been. But now that Mr. Carruthers has a one year reprieve, I imagine his attorneys will bewill be trying to get that done in whatever way they can.

[Host/Moderator (possibly Amy Goodman or another anchor)]

And what does this case raise about mental illness issues in relation to death row prisoners as well?

[Juan Gonzalez]

Yeah, I mean, so Mr. Carruthers, according to his attorneys in court filings for years now, they say that he has had delusions about his case, basically, that he didn't even believe he was going to be executed, that he thought he would be released anytime. And because he was, as I said, convinced of his innocence and had started to believe that his attorneys and other people involved in his case were actually plotting against him. And, you know, sadly, this is not unusual. Every of all the death penalty cases I've covered and all the ones that I have read about, some of the ones I've watched you all cover on Democracy now, mental illness is often a factor in one way or another, and whether that's affecting a person's ability to kind of help their attorneys represent them at trial, whether it's a factor in the crime that they committed, if they were indeed guilty, or in their understanding of the case later. And so his attorneys did go to court and argue that he was not mentally competent to be executed, that he was too mentally ill to be constitutionally executed. The courts rejected that argument. But this is a situation in one form or another that we see in lots of death penalty cases around the country and certainly in Tennessee.

[Amy Goodman]

Stephen Hale, as we wrap up, you have been covering this case and other death penalty cases. You're not only a criminal justice reporter at the Nashville Banner, you wrote death row welcomes you. You decided not to be a witness to these executions after being a witness to them a number of times, why did you decide to witness Carruthers execution that didn't actually happen?

[Juan Gonzalez]

Yeah, that's a good question. I mean, I did, as you said. I witnessed three executions a few years back, back in 2018 and 2019, and it's not a pleasant assignment. And my other colleagues and reporters who have done so as well, I think would agree. And so I was pretty well burnt out on that and exhausted and not in a good place to do it again. I decided to do it again now, years later, because a colleague of mine at the Banner has done a couple of these. My editor, Steve Cavendish, has witnessed a couple that have happened recently. Other reporters that I work with here in Tennessee have been witnessing them. And I think it's vitally important that if the state is going to execute its citizens, that someone who can, you know, I guess you'd say represent the citizens, can be there in the room to watch them do it and report what happens. And so I did think it was important that I volunteer to do it again. You know, I certainly don't want to go to everyone, and I'm not eager to watch any of them, but I do think it's really important, important that people be able to see clearly or as clearly as we can tell them what an execution looks like. And, you know, that's part ofpart of a lawsuit that we at the Banner and some other media outlets here in Tennessee are part of, is to expand the transparency of this process so that media witnesses could see the IV lines being placed, could see more of this process, because I think if people are going to live in a state that has a death penalty, they deserve to see as much of it as is possible so that they can judge it for what it is.

[Amy Goodman]

Stephen Hale, we thank you so much for being with us. We'll link to your articles in the Nashville Banner. Author of Death Row welcomes visiting hours in the shadow of the execution chamber, speaking to us from Nashville, Tennessee. That does it for our show on Wednesday night. I'll be at the IFC center, the theater here in New York City with Chani Nicholas and Steal the Story, Please director Tia Lesson. I'm Amy Goodman with Juan Gonzalez for another edition of Democracy Now.