The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Wednesday declined to hear an appeal by Muslim cleric Abu Qatada against his deportation from the UK to Jordan for terrorism charges. This appeal was Abu Qatada’s final opportunity to block the deportation, and reports indicate the that UK government will shortly begin deportation proceedings to remove [...]
JURIST Guest Columnist Olivier Sylvain of the Fordham University School of Law says that the Second Circuit opinion in Viacom v. YouTube represents a growing convergence of opinion in how to interpret the DMCA, which could ultimately be a good development for all parties involved…
The Referral Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Tuesday transferred the case of Ladislas Ntaganzwa to the Rwandan national court system. Ntaganzwa, a former mayor of Nyakizu commune in Butare, remains at large. He has been charged with conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to [...]
Armenian opposition group the Armenian National Congress (ANC) on Wednesday alleged fraud in the country’s recent parliamentary elections. The ANC called for the election results to be thrown out because of widespread fraud, including paying for votes, by the Republican Party of President Serzh Sarksyan . The ANC won seven seats in parliament while Sarksyan’s [...]
Voters in North Carolina on Tuesday passed a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage . The amendment reads that “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.” Sixty-one percent of voters approved the restricted definition of marriage. The amendment also bars [...]
A Chinese court agreed on Monday to hear the case brought by dissident artist Ai Weiwei . Ai challenged the government’s imposition of 15 million yuan (USD $2.4 million) tax evasion penalty on Fake Cultural Development Ltd. which helps him to produce and market his works. He was accused and charged with tax evasion in [...]
A South African court on Tuesday ordered an investigation into allegations of human rights violations committed under Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe . The allegations include torture and other crimes committed in Zimbabwe prior to the 2008 elections, and the investigation will address complaints brought by various human rights organizations. Judge Hans Fabricius held that South [...]
UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said Monday that five years after the passage of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples , the international community needs to do more to ensure that the rights of indigenous peoples are protected . In her remarks to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues , [...]
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Tuesday reduced the sentence of Aloys Ntabakuze , a former Rwandan army officer convicted of genocide and related crimes, and affirmed the sentences of two others. Ntabakuze’s sentence was reduced from life in prison to 35 years after the court heard his appeal last fall. He was [...]
A group of Moroccan judges signed a petition on Monday that urges judicial independence from Morocco’s monarchy and parliament. The petition, circulated by the 1,800 member Morocco judges’ club, particularly emphasizes the need for prosecutors to be able to operate without influence by the executive branch. Although Article 82 of the Moroccan constitution calls for [...]
