Kansas funeral privacy act, signed into law by Governor Kathleen Sebelius, April 3, 2008 . Read the full text of law . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

Maureen Aung-Thwin : "Over the past two decades, various United Nations entities – the General Assembly, the Human Rights Commission (now Council) and the Security Council, have all condemned the Burmese military regime for egregious abuse of the rights of its roughly 50 million citizens. For one last time, Brazilian law professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Thursday overturned class action certification for a lawsuit brought by "light" cigarette smokers against Philip Morris USA Inc., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and other light cigarette makers. The class action, which included anyone who has ever bought light cigarettes since they hit the market in the [...]

The detention of five prominent members of the Hindu Rights Action Force is proper because they are a threat to national security, Malaysian Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail told the country's Federal Court Thursday. Gani disputed arguments made Wednesday by the detainees' lawyer that their detention is illegal, saying that Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad [...]

Turkish Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya said on Wednesday that critics of his decision to seek the disbanding of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) could face legal action. Yalcinkaya, who earlier this month petitioned the country's Constitutional Court to disband the AKP and bar 71 politicians, including Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and [...]

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius Thursday signed legislation that bans protests within 150 feet of a funeral one hour before, during and two hours after the end of a service. The Kansas funeral privacy act also prohibits impeding a procession by obstructing a public street or sidewalk. A similar law was struck down by the Kansas [...]

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Thursday acquitted former Kosovo prime minister and Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander Ramush Haradinaj of all charges. Haradinaj and his two co-defendants, KLA fighters Idriz Balaj and Lahi Brahimaj , were charged with 37 counts of war crimes, including murder, persecution, and rape . Balaj was [...]

Zimbabwe security forces Thursday detained journalists working for the New York Times and the Canadian Broadcasting Coiporation and raided offices belonging to opposition candidates in what some see as indications that long-time Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe may refuse to relinquish power if he is found to have lost last Saturday's general election. Zimbabwe's Electoral Commission [...]

Law enforcement officials from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) violated the constitutional privacy and due process rights of suspected illegal aliens by raiding their homes , according to a complaint filed in New Jersey federal court Thursday. The lawsuit alleges that immigration officials entered eight homes in New Jersey between August 2006 and [...]

The European Union Thursday certified that Kosovo's constitution is in line with its international obligations, guaranteeing the individual and community rights of all its citizens. The constitution is expected to come into effect on June 15, close to the date that EULEX Kosovo , a 1,800-strong European Union police and justice mission will assume authority [...]