{
  "id": 18971,
  "title": "Think our basic rights are safe? In the age of oligarchs and corporate lobbying, think again | George Monbiot",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/31/think-our-basic-rights-are-safe-in-the-age-of-oligarchs-and-corporate",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-07-31T05:00:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/31/basic-rights-global-freedoms-prosecution-rajiv-menon"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In an era marked by the growing influence of oligarchs and corporate lobbying, the safety of fundamental rights is increasingly in question. The UK lawyer Rajiv Menon serves as a stark reminder of this trend. His recent prosecution presents a troubling indicator of the erosion of human rights, according to author George Monbiot.\n\nMonbiot posits that a global campaign, spearheaded by wealthy individuals and their associates, is targeting our freedoms. This campaign, which has gained momentum under the current administration, aims to suppress dissent and establish a new norm worldwide. If left unchecked, the future may see a world where freedom of expression is no longer protected.\n\nThe UK government, under successive administrations, has reportedly acquiesced to this worldwide effort aimed at eroding basic liberties. This decay is partly facilitated by the media owned by these oligarchs and the ideological tanks they fund. This phenomenon has become emblematic of the second Trump presidency.\n\nDespite these alarming developments, Monbiot argues that resistance is not futile. The fight to preserve our basic rights must continue, even as the world seems to be sliding towards a more authoritarian future.",
  "summary": "The global assault on our freedoms is coming ever closer to home. Just look at the sinister prosecution of UK lawyer Rajiv Menon No more resistance in the US. The era of human rights is over, and dissent is once more forbidden. This is what certain billionaires and their concierges want, and this is the model they’re also seeking to project across the world. If we fail to resist, if our new prime…",
  "key_points": [
    "Oligarchs and corporate lobbying threaten basic rights globally",
    "UK lawyer Rajiv Menon's prosecution highlights erosion of human rights",
    "Media and ideological tanks funded by oligarchs aid suppression of dissent"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}