UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Wednesday that strengthening human rights is an integral part of the rebuilding process in Haiti. In her remarks, Pillay mentioned the role that the inhumane living conditions may have had in the high casualty numbers resulting from the January 12 earthquake , placing blame on the [...]
The UK Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that executive orders allowing the government to freeze the assets of suspected terrorists are illegal. The five men involved in the court's inaugural case argued that the government exceeded its power when the Treasury Department froze their assets without the approval of Parliament. They are accused by the British [...]
A Yemeni government official said Wednesday that Yemen will build a rehabilitation center for Guantanamo Bay detainees. According to the anonymous official, Yemen will begin building once it receives funding for the $11 million project promised by the US. It is believed the rehabilitation center will be internationally financed and monitored . The project will [...]
China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Wednesday announced new anti-corruption rules in an effort to increase public confidence in the rule of law. The new regulations prohibit various activities including accepting bribes, having sex with litigants, intimidation, and intentionally prolonging court proceedings, with punishments ranging from demerits to removal. Chinese courts are under the control [...]
The Russian Federation Council on Wednesday voted to ratify Protocol 14 to reform the European Convention of Human Rights . Council members voted 137-0 to pass the legislation, following earlier approval by the State Duma. The ratification process will be complete once Russian President Dmitry Medvedev approves the provision . Russia is the last member [...]
Bangladesh officials on Wednesday executed two of five former military officers sentenced to death for the 1975 assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , the country's founding president, just hours after the country's Supreme Court rejected their petitions for review. The five men, Syed Faruk Rahman, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Baziul Huda, AKM Mohiuddin, and Sultan Shahriar Rashid [...]
Ugandan Principal Judge James Ogoola said Monday that the newly established War Crimes Division (WCD) of the High Court will seek to recruit foreign judges. Ogoola explained the need for foreign judges, citing the international nature of the cases. He said that foreign judges would improve both the quality of the WCD's work and the [...]
The Zimbabwe High Court ruled on Tuesday that it is not bound by the decision of the Southern Africa Development Community Tribunal (SADC Tribunal) that ordered the state to halt its controversial Land Reform Program . The court refused to register a SADC Tribunal ruling that prevents the state from acquiring land for the purpose [...]
Dozens of countries have illegally used secret detention facilities in their counter-terrorism efforts, according to a joint study issued Tuesday by four independent UN investigating groups. Information for the detailed study was collected through a questionnaire completed by 44 countries, as well several interviews with former detainees, their families, or their legal counsel. The study [...]
Honduran Supreme Court President Jorge Rivera on Tuesday exonerated six military leaders accused of abuse of power for removing former president Manuel Zelaya from the country last June. Rivera found that the leaders did not intend to harm Zelaya and that his removal was necessary in order to preserve the peace. The Supreme Court had [...]
