A Russian court on Thursday granted bail to Australian Colin Russell, one of the 30 Greenpeace International crew members detained since their September protest against Arctic oil drilling. Greenpeace says Russell will be released from prison as soon as the court accepts the organization’s two-million-ruble (USD 66,000) bail payment. The decision to grant bail followed [...]
The Italian Senate voted on Wednesday to expel Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from parliament, effective immediately, following his conviction for tax fraud. Berlusconi could face prosecution for other crimes now that his immunity has been lost. As a result of his expulsion , he may not take part in any general election for six years, [...]
The Belgian Senate committee on Wednesday voted in favor of passing a controversial bill that aims to extend the right to request euthanasia to children with terminal illnesses and adults with dementia. Although still not yet a law, the bill cleared the committee in a 13-4 vote, according to Senate communications director Patrick Peremans. The [...]
A lawyer representing two same-sex couples in Texas announced on Wednesday that a complaint is filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas challenging Article 1, Sec. 32 of the state’s constitution that bans marriage between same-sex partners. Texas passed the amendment in 2005 and the state does not recognize lawful [...]
General Amadou Haya Sanogo, the leader of the March 2012 coup that plunged Mali into civil war, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of murder, complicity to murder, assassination and kidnapping. According to one of the arresting soldiers, Sanogo had repeatedly ignored summons by the Malian Ministry of Justice . Twenty-five armed soldiers arrested Sanogo [...]
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday reversed a previous decision that Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta be excused from parts of his crimes against humanity trial. In the initial ruling , the Trial Chamber stated that the excuse was “strictly granted to accommodate the demanding functions of his office as President of Kenya.” The prosecution [...]
A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana issued a temporary injunction on Tuesday against an Indiana law regulating abortion facilities. Under the law, facilities prescribing Mifepristone, the so-called “abortion pill,” must meet the same regulatory requirements as clinics that perform surgical abortions. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky (PPINK) [...]
The South African Supreme Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday that South African authorities have a duty to investigate and prosecute international crimes, regardless of where those crimes were committed. In the case, National Commissioner of the South African Police Service v. Southern African Human Rights Litigation Centre, the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) and Zimbabwe [...]
The US Supreme Court granted certiorari in four cases on Tuesday. First are the two cases surrounding the birth control mandate contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) . Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores is a challenge by a closely held corporation claiming religious freedom. In addressing this question, the court will [...]
An Israeli Rabbinical Court has ordered a woman to circumcise her son against her will or face daily fines. The ruling was issued by a three-rabbi panel after the boy’s parents filed for divorce, and the father insisted on circumcision and the mother opposed. The mother argued that her son was born with a medical [...]
