JURIST Contributing Editor Jordan Paust of the University of Houston Law Center says that a reconstituted military commission at Guantanamo Bay set up to only prosecute aliens would necessarily violate bilateral treaties, create a "denial of justice" for aliens under customary international law, and violate principles of human rights law established by treaty and custom…. [...]
The Kenyan government must address impunity for human rights violations committed by police and security forces during the December 2007 post-election violence , Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan urged Friday upon the conclusion of her visit to Kenya. Khan also said that Kenya must undertake reforms to ensure justice in the court systems, as [...]
A judge for the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled Friday that a torture lawsuit against former Bush administration lawyer John Yoo can proceed. Judge Jeffrey White refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought by convicted terrorist Jose Padilla that claims Yoo's legal opinions endorsing enhanced interrogation techniques led to Padilla being [...]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday that three Guantanamo Bay detainees have been transferred to Saudi Arabia, their country of origin, where they will undergo judicial review and rehabilitation. Khalid Saad Mohammed, Abdalaziz Kareem Salim Al Noofayaee, and Ahmed Zaid Salim Zuhair were already cleared by the Bush administration, but the DOJ conducted [...]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a brief Friday to petition the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to rehear a state secrets privilege case en banc. A three-judge panel for the Ninth Circuit previously ruled that the state secrets privilege does not bar a lawsuit against a company that allegedly provided [...]
The US House of Representatives on Friday approved the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act , which attempts to safeguard the public by granting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certain authority to regulate tobacco products, among other provisions. Passed by a vote of 307-97, the legislation will heighten warning-label requirements, prohibit marketing "light [...]
A Greek council of judges in Athens on Friday ordered two police officers to stand trial for the murder of 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos that sparked violent protests in December. Officer Epameinonta Korkonea, who is accused of shooting Grigoropoulos, is charged with intentional murder , and Basil Saralioti is charged with complicity. The judges also ordered [...]
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday sentenced a former Bosnian Serb army commander to 25 years imprisonment for ordering an attack that killed 71 and wounded 150. Novak Djukic was charged with war crimes against civilians under Article 173 of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Criminal Code for ordering his artillery unit to launch [...]
The Myanmar court conducting the trial of pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has delayed the proceedings for at least two weeks, according to Friday media reports. Suu Kyi's lawyers requested the delay to allow defense witness and legal expert Khin Moe Moe to testify and explain why the charges against the Nobel Laureate are [...]
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on Thursday criticized Bermuda Premier Ewart Brown for failing to consult with London before agreeing to accept four Uighur Guantanamo detainees . Bermuda is a UK territory, and although it is self-governing, the UK remains responsible for matters of foreign policy and security. Bermuda considered accepting the Uighurs [...]
