UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has urged Myanmar to immediately release demonstrators detained last week after participating in a peaceful protest against a recent rise in fuel prices. Arbour said Sunday that allowing citizens to peacefully express themselves will help foster both democracy and reconciliation in Myanmar. Arbour's remarks came days after [...]
Iranian 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi said Monday that she has urged UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour to investigate allegations that the Iranian government has been detaining women's rights activists and charging them with national security offenses. Ebadi, who says that approximately 50 activists have been [...]
A Bangladeshi court has given former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia a 30-day extension to appear in court, Zia's lawyer Mohammad Sanaullah said Sunday. Zia, who was scheduled to appear before the court for tax evasion charges on Sunday, had requested additional time on the grounds that current security conditions barred her from appearing in [...]
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced Sunday that sectarian leaders have come to an agreement on several contentious draft laws which have been identified by the US as key to the country's progress . Under the new agreement, former Baath Party members not convicted of any crimes will be allowed to participate in the political [...]
US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales confirmed his earlier-reported resignation Monday, saying that he will conclude his "government service as attorney general of the United States effective as of September 17th, 2007." In a statement at the Justice Department Monday morning, Gonzales continued: Let me say that it's been one of my greatest privileges to lead [...]
Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika Monday criticized a recent Swiss high court decision to block the release of financial information linked to Russian oil giant Yukos and the Swiss court's concurrent decision to lift a freeze on Yukos funds as politically motivated. In a news conference, Chaika criticized the decision as disrespectful toward his country [...]
The Bangladesh Supreme Court Monday sentenced UN Special Rapporteur Sigma Huda to a three-year jail term for her involvement in a corruption scheme headed by her husband, former Bangladeshi Communications Minister Nazmul Huda. Prosecutors alleged that Sigma aided Nazmul in extorting almost $300,000 USD from a construction company while he was in office. While UN [...]
Russian law enforcement officials have arrested 10 people in last October's killing of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya , Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika announced Monday. Chaika also indicated that the death was spearheaded by someone outside of Russia. Russian news agencies reported that the arrests include a Chechen crime boss and Russian police and security officers, [...]
Alberto R. Gonzales to President George W. Bush, August 26, 2007 . Read the full text of the letter . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.
The New York Times is reporting that US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned from his post after months of controversy over the Justice Department's handling of the firings of eight US Attorneys and subsequent allegations that he may have perjured himself in testimony before Congress. According to the Times, Gonzales submitted his resignation Friday [...]
