The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Friday denied a request to extradite genocide suspect Gaspard Kanyarukiga to Rwanda for trial. The former businessman is said to have planned and supervised large-scale killings of Tutsis in Rwanda's Kibuye prefecture through a conspiracy with police and government officials. The ICTR ruled that: …the Republic of Rwanda [...]
A US State Department official Tuesday defended the transfer of suspects to foreign countries based on diplomatic assurances that they will not face torture there. Speaking before the House Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight , Legal Advisor John Bellinger testified that, under the Convention against Torture and US policy, suspects will not [...]
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday defended the UN's process for choosing a new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The current Commissioner, Louise Arbour , announced in March that she would not seek a second term and plans to step down on June 30, but many have strongly criticized the selection process [...]
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Tuesday renewed its call for Indonesia to protect freedom of religion when it stated that the Indonesian government should reverse a decree issued Monday that provides for the prosecution of members of a controversial Islamic sect who continue to spread the religion. Under the decree, Ahmadiyah Muslims face up to five [...]
Eleven former military officers facing a court-martial on charges related to their roles in a 2003 coup attempt changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty Tuesday. The 11 are charged with conduct unbecoming an officer, and are also set to be tried in a civilian court for the same activities. No shots were fired [...]
Defense counsel for Thomas Lubanga moved to dismiss all charges against the former Congolese militia leader at an International Criminal Court (ICC) status conference at The Hague Tuesday on the ground that prosecutors have refused to provide documents that could aid Lubanga’s defense. The Office of the Prosecutor filed an explanation of its refusal last [...]
California prisons need an influx of $7 billion to bring inmate healthcare up to constitutional standards, said court-appointed prison medical overseer J. Clark Kelso Monday. The state senate has been unwilling to authorize a bond to borrow money for the project, so Kelso has appealed to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to use his emergency powers [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Monday dismissed a challenge to the US military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which provides for the discharge of openly gay service members. The suit was brought by 12 gay or lesbian former US-military members who had been dismissed under the policy. The appellants, who were [...]
The White House announced Monday that US President George W. Bush signed an executive order Friday directing all federal departments and agencies to require government contractors to use the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) E-Verify system in an effort to ensure that workers meet federal immigration and work eligibility requirements. The order and amends [...]
Rwandan genocide suspect Dominique Ntawukuriryayo pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of genocide, complicity in genocide, and direct and public incitement to genocide before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) . Ntawukuriryayo was arrested in France in October 2007 and indicted for his suspected role in organizing and encouraging the killing of Tutsis. In [...]
