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California Supreme Court rejects challenges to Proposition 8
The California Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that constitutional challenges to Proposition 8 , which amended the California Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage , lacked merit and that the amendment stands as lawful. The proposition, which to (More) |
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Cancer patient commits physician-assisted suicide under Washington law
A Washington State woman who was diagnosed with terminal cancer has become the first person to commit physician-assisted suicide under the state's Death with Dignity Act . Linda Fleming had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and on Thurs (More) |
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South Korea high court upholds right to die
The South Korean Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling allowing a brain-damaged patient the right to die . The patient, a 76-year old woman on life-support at a Yonsei University medical center , is brain-dead [Hankyora report] and (More) |
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UN rights investigator to continue Gaza Strip mission despite Israel objections
UN rights investigator Richard Goldman [appointment release; JURIST report] said Wednesday that his fact-finding mission into possible human rights violations during the recent Gaza Strip conflict will continue despite objections by Israel. Goldman (More) |
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Spain congress urges limits to universal jurisdiction claims
Spain's Congress of Deputies , the lower house of the Spanish parliament, passed a non-binding resolution Tuesday aimed at limiting the exercise of universal jurisdiction over foreign nations in Spanish courts to those cases in which there is n (More) |
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Ashcroft v. Iqbal: Different Spanks for Different Ranks?
JURIST Guest Columnist Benjamin Davis of the University of Toledo College of Law says that the US Supreme Court's ruling in Ashcroft v. Iqbal suggests that the Court may be trying to set up a system wherein lower level officials can be held crimi (More) |
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Bangladesh government urged to investigate torture and killings
The new Bangladesh government [official website; JURIST news archive] should investigate torture, illegal detentions, and extrajudicial killings allegedly conducted by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and the Rapid Action Batta (More) |
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UK court rules European human rights laws apply to soldiers in Iraq
The England and Wales Court of Appeal (Civil Division) on Monday ruled that the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) applies to UK troops serving abroad. The court found that the UK's obligation under the Human Rights Act of 1998 , which (More) |
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Rights group urges US to respect laws of war to prevent Afghan civilian deaths
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday called on the US government to make "fundamental changes to reduce civilian casualties" in Afghanistan after attacks last week reportedly left more than 140 civilians dead. HRW said that a review anno (More) |
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UN rights chief urges US to hold Bush-era officials accountable for 'torture'
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged the US Wednesday to hold accountable those accused of committing torture under the Bush administration. Pillay welcomed the US as a new member of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and laud (More) |
First execution by guillotine in France
On April 25, 1792, highwayman Nicolas-Jacques Pelletier became the first person beheaded by the guillotine in France.
Learn more about the history of the guillotine.
