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Jurist
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Libya trial against Gaddafi allies postponed
Posted: February 6th, 2012, 5:25pm MSK
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[JURIST] The trial against 41 Libyans accused of assisting Muammar Gaddafi [BBC obituary; JURIST news archive] in suppressing the revolt during the Libya conflict [JURIST backgrounder] was postponed Sunday after a brief start, according to the Libyan news agency LANA. The men face charges [Tripoli Post report] of murder and helping prisoners escape. The court postponed the trial in response to pleadings [Reuters report] by the defense panel that the case be transferred to the civil judiciary because the military court allegedly lacks competence to rule on the issue. The trial is set to resume on February 15. Gaddafi's son,... -
Federal judge allows challenge to Utah anti-polygamy law
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 11:14pm MSK
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[JURIST] A judge for the US District Court for the District of Utah [official website] ruled [opinion, PDF] Friday that the Browns, a publicly polygamist family living in Utah, have standing to bring a suit challenging Utah's anti-bigamy law against Utah County Attorney General Jeffrey Buhman. The court dismissed challenges brought against Utah Governor Gary Herbert and Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff for lack of standing, saying there was insufficient evidence that the state officials had any intention to prosecute the family under these laws. The challenges against Buhman were allowed to stand, however, because there was sufficient evidence that... -
US army drops charges in Afghan civilian death case
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 10:16pm MSK
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[JURIST] The US Army dropped all charges against Army Specialist Michael Wagnon Friday, ending the final case in a series of related charges against five army personnel accused of killing Afghan civilians. Wagnon had been facing a charge of murder for his alleged involvement in the killing of three Afghan civilians and was expected to go to trial in March. All four of the other soldiers charged in connection with the killings were either convicted or pleaded guilty. In a statement Friday, Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Gary Dangerfield did not go into detail [News Tribune report] about why the charges... -
Virginia lawmakers approve bill allowing adoption agencies to refuse placement
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 7:53pm MSK
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[JURIST] The Virginia House of Delegates [official website] on Friday voted 71-28 to approve a bill [text] that would allow adoption agencies to refuse to place a child if the agency, or anyone affiliated with it, disagrees with the proposed placement based on religious beliefs. Effectively, this bill would allow adoption agencies to refuse to adopt to same-sex couples. Governor Bob McDonnell [official profile] said he will sign the bill if it makes it to his desk. The bill provides, in relevant part:No private child-placing agency shall be required to consider or consent to any placement of a child for... -
France appeals court upholds Scientology fraud conviction
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 6:54pm MSK
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[JURIST] A French court of appeals on Thursday upheld the 2009 fraud conviction against the Church of Scientology [church website, JURIST news archive], fining the defendants a total of €600,000. The decision upheld the original conviction of the Spiritual Association of the Church of Scientology (ASES) [church website, in French], an affiliated bookstore, and seven other members for fraud and illegal practice of pharmacy. The complaint was originally filed [JURIST report] by a woman who was recruited in 1998 and spent €21,000 on the church and was then not allowed to leave or receive a reimbursement. The appeals court ordered...
This Day at Law
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US-Russia nuclear arms treaty entered into force
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 5, 2011, the US and Russia formally inaugurated the New START [PDF], which is an agreement intended to reduce the nuclear arms stockpile in both countries. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov exchanged documents in Munich that finalized two years of negotiations and marked the entering into force of the treaty. Russian President Dmitri Medvedev signed a bill ratifying the treaty in January 2011 and US President Barack Obama signed ratification documents for the treaty shortly before the treaty entered into force in February 2011. Barack Obama and Dmitri Medvedev at the New START signing in April 2010 Learn more about the -
German high court rejected police computer hacking efforts
Posted: February 5th, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 5, 2010, the German Federal Court of Justice ruled that police in Germany were not permitted to secretly access computer and Internet data stored on criminal suspects' computers without proper authorization. The Court held that police hacking is illegal because no legal framework currently exists to legitimize the activity. The practice was reportedly used by German police to investigate alleged sex offenders and their viewing of Internet child pornography. The issues of hacking and privacy have been of particular concern in Europe in light of the UK phone hacking scandal in July 2011 and subsequent investigations by UK Lord Justice Brian Leveson. Flag of Germany Learn more about
Jurist
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Pentagon official denies extension for 9/11 suspects
Posted: February 4th, 2012, 10:55pm MSK
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[JURIST] Bruce MacDonald, the senior Pentagon official overseeing war crimes tribunals at Guantanamo [JURIST backgrounder], on Friday denied a request to extend the filing deadline for pre-trial motions [JURIST report] for prisoners accused of planning the 9/11 attacks [JURIST backgrounder]. The prisoners' lawyers stated that they needed the extension because of delays in getting security clearance [AP report] and new restrictions on legal mail between the attorneys and their clients. The prisoners' arraignment is set to occur within months. In January, Chief Defense Counsel for Guantanamo war crimes tribunals, Colonel JP Colwell, ordered attorneys under his command not to comply... -
Federal government requests additional time for oral argument in health care reform case
Posted: February 4th, 2012, 10:06pm MSK
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[JURIST] The federal government on Friday requested additional time for oral argument [brief, PDF] before the US Supreme Court to argue that the minimum coverage provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) [HR 3590; JURIST backgrounder], which requires almost every US citizen to obtain health insurance by 2014 or face a tax penalty, is constitutional. The government requested an additional 30 minutes, which would bring the total time allotted for oral argument to six hours. The government is defending [JURIST report] the health care minimum coverage requirement by attempting to keep the focus of the argument on... -
US Army refers intelligence analyst's Wikileaks case for court-martial
Posted: February 4th, 2012, 5:43pm MSK
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[JURIST] US Army [official website] commander Maj. Gen. Michael Linnington [official profile] referred Pfc. Bradley Manning [advocacy website; JURIST news archive] to a general court-marital Friday on all charges for allegedly releasing classified information to WikiLeaks [website; JURIST news archive]. The referral to a court-martial means Manning will now stand trial [AP report] on 22 counts brought against him for his alleged disclosure of over 700,000 confidential documents and videos to the Wikileaks website. It was the largest leak of classified information in US history. Manning's defense lawyers argue he should have never been sent to Iraq nor given access...
This Day at Law
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Haiti officials charged 10 Americans with kidnapping children
Posted: February 4th, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 4, 2010, Haitian authorities charged ten US citizens with kidnapping 33 Hatian children. In January 2010, they were arrested while attempting to transport the children across the Haitian border into the Dominican Republic. The Americans were associated with the Idaho-based group, New Life Children's Refuge (NLCR). Many of the children were not orphans, but given up by their parents to the missionaries in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, although group leader Laura Silsby denied charges that the missionaries intended to put the children up for adoption. Each of the ten Americans were charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of criminal association. The kidnapping charges -
Denmark court sentenced cartoonist attacker to 9 years
Posted: February 4th, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 4, 2011, a Danish court sentenced Muhideen Mohammed Geelle to nine years in prison for his 2010 attack on Kurt Westergaard, illustrator of the controversial 2005 cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a suicide bomber. Geelle was armed with an axe and knife when he broke into Westergaard's home in January 2010 in an ostensible assassination attempt. Police shot Geelle and took him into custody after he attacked the officers. In February 2006, Denmark was the target of protests in many Muslim countries after the Danish newspaper Jylklands-Posten published Westergaard's cartoon. Subsequent reprinting of the cartoon and others like it has also sparked additional outrage from Muslim communities.
Jurist
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EU asks Google to delay new privacy policy
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 10:56pm MSK
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[JURIST] The European Union's data protection authorities wrote a letter [text, PDF] to Google Thursday asking it to delay implementation of its new privacy policy, which is supposed to take effect March 1. The EU is concerned the privacy policy, which will combine various policies of more than 60 of its products into one, may be in violation of EU laws. Google released details of its new privacy policy [corporate website] last week, saying it will make it easier to share user information between different products, as well as enhancing search engine capabilities. Google also claims the policy will be... -
Lawyers for 9/11 suspects seeking further trial delay
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 9:54pm MSK
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[JURIST] Lawyers for two Guantanamo prisoners accused of planning the 9/11 attacks [JURIST backgrounders] asked the Pentagon Thursday to extend the filing deadline for pre-trial motions. There are currently two prisoners requesting extension, and they both cite the recent mail review controversy as to why they have been unable to meet the current deadline. Navy Cmdr. Walter Ruiz, the lawyer appointed to represent Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsaw,i claims that the new restrictions on legal mail between attorneys and their clients prevented Ruiz from meeting the deadline. The attorneys for Ramzi Binalshibh andal-Hawsawi are both asking for extensions [Miami Herald report]. Binalshibh... -
Rwanda court charges genocide suspect
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 9:33pm MSK
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[JURIST] War crimes suspect Leon Mugesera was charged with genocide planning, incitement and distribution of arms Thursday in a Kigali court in Rwanda. He was deported from Canada to Rwanda [JURIST report] nine days ago, following a 16-year battle in the Canadian court system in which Mugesera attempted to stay in Canada. The Quebec Superior Court ruled last month [judgment, in French] that it did not have jurisdiction over the case. Mugesera is facing charges relating to a speech he made [BBC report] when he was a member of the ruling Hutu party in Rwanda in 1992. His speech, in... -
France court rules Google Maps practicing unfair competition
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 9:04pm MSK
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[JURIST] The French Commercial Tribunal [official website, in French] in Paris ruled Tuesday that Google Maps [corporate website] is anti-competitive because it is offered as a free service. The plaintiff, Bottin Cartographers [corporate website], alleged that Google provides its maps service for free, thereby undercutting competitors, in order to gain market control. The court ordered that Google must pay £415,000 to the plaintiff [Guardian report], as well as a €15,000 fine, totaling about $680,000. This is the first conviction against Google's maps service. The attorney for Bottin Cartographers said the decision "recognized the unfair and abusive character of the methods... -
Massachusetts court rules child custody laws apply to same-sex parents
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:43pm MSK
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[JURIST] The Massachusetts Appeals Court [official website] held Thursday that same-sex [JURIST news archive] couples who marry and have a baby via artificial insemination are bound by the same child custody laws [opinion] as heterosexual couples. The decision came after an appeal by Della Corte, who tried to have the parental rights of her ex-wife, Angelica Rameriez, revoked in divorce proceedings since she could never be a "husband," as defined by the Massachusetts law. The court found that even though Rameriez had no biological connection with the child and that the child was conceived before the marriage, she should still...
LawLibrary
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European Union: Treaty on Fiscal Compact
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:00pm MSK
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Budget - On January 30, 2012, in the midst of Greece's desperate attempts to avert fiscal default, the European Union (EU) Members except the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic agreed on a new Treaty on ... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. -
Senegal: Court Permits Candidacy for Third Presidential Term
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:00pm MSK
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Elections - On January 30, 2012, Senegal's Constitutional Court, the Conseil Constitutionel, determined that the current leader of the country, President Abdoulaye Wade, can run for a third term in office in the elections scheduled for February 26. ... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. -
Netherlands: Wearing of Face Coverings in Most Public Places to Be Banned
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:00pm MSK
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Women - On January 27, 2012, the Cabinet of the Netherlands reaffirmed an earlier decision and announced that a ban on burqas and other face coverings, which had been proposed in September, would proceed later in 2012. According ... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide.
Jurist
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ICJ rules Germany immune from Nazi victim claims
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 7:28pm MSK
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[JURIST] The International Court of Justice (ICJ) [official website] on Friday ruled [judgment, PDF] that Germany has immunity from claims brought in foreign courts by victims of the Nazi regime. The Court found that a 2008 decision by Italy's Supreme Court [JURIST report] violated Germany's sovereign rights by allowing an Italian national to seek reparations in response to his deportation in 1944. Germany appealed this decision to the ICJ and oral arguments were heard [JURIST report] in September 2011. Germany argued that allowing the ruling to stand would violate state immunity and open the floodgates to new claims. The Italian... -
Ex-Khmer Rouge leader sentenced to life
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 7:17pm MSK
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[JURIST] The Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) [official website] on Friday sentenced Kaing Guek Eav [Hague Justice profile; ECCC materials], also known as "Duch," to life imprisonment [press release] for crimes against humanity and violation of the 1949 Geneva Conventions [materials]. In a supermajority decision [summary, PDF], the Supreme Court Chamber overturned two decisions of the Trial Chamber. According to the Supreme Court Chamber, the July 2010 decision [JURIST report] imposing 35 years of imprisonment was made in error because it focused on the mitigating factors such as cooperation, regret and apology... -
HRW: Syria forces torturing children
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 6:11pm MSK
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[JURIST] Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] said Friday that Syrian army and security officers have been engaged in the torture of children [press release]. The allegations stem from HRW's documentation of cases in which children were reportedly detained, tortured and shot in their homes. There are prior findings that the Syrian government has been involved in torturing and killing civilian protesters. HRW discovered that among those tortured protesters were children as young as 13. Interviews with juvenile victims and adult protesters who saw those children in detention centers confirmed HRW's findings. Children were reportedly arrested in schools, beaten and...
This Day at Law
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Mississippi federal judge dismissed health care challenge
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 3, 2011, Judge Keith Starrett of the US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi dismissed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's (PPACA). Mississippi Lt. Governor Phil Bryant and 10 other residents filed a complaint against the law, challenging the "individual mandate" portion of the law which would force US citizens to purchase health insurance or face tax penalties. Their claim was dismissed for lack of standing under Article III of the US Constitution because it was not sufficiently imminent. The defendants were also successful in arguing that the alleged injury was too remote. In September 2011, Judge Starrett allowed -
Report concluded that Oil-for-Food head 'seriously undermined' UN integrity
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 3, 2011 the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) released a report investigating the UN Oil-for-Food program. The program began to exchange Iraqi oil for food and medicine in 1996, despite international sanctions prohibiting such trading. The report concluded that the program's head, Benon Sevan, solicited improper oil deals and "seriously undermined" the integrity of the UN. Then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan formally suspended Sevan on February 7, 2005. In August 2005 a more detailed report prompted Sevan to also resign his honorary UN position. The August 2005 report accused Sevan of accepting almost $150,000 in bribes through the program. Ahead of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the
Jurist
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Virginia senate approves bill requiring ultrasound before abortion
Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 12:02am MSK
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[JURIST] The Virginia Senate [official website] approve a bill [text] on Wednesday that would require a woman seeking an abortion [JURIST news archive] to have an ultrasound before the procedure. The new requirements include the audio provision of fetal heartbeat and a determination of the gestational age of the fetus. Additionally, a written record must be created to indicate that the woman was offered the ultrasound and whether she choose to view it. That record, along with a copy of the ultrasound picture will be included in the woman's medical file. Some commentators have recently noted [JURIST op-ed] that similar... -
Ninth Circuit seals videos from California same-sex marriage trial
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 10:12pm MSK
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[JURIST] The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit [official website] on Thursday ruled [opinion, PDF] that it will not release video recordings from Perry v. Schwarzenegger [opinion], California's 2010 trial which declared Proposition 8 [text, PDF; JURIST news archive], the state's same-sex marriage ban, to be unconstitutional. In reversing the opinion of the US District Court for the Northern District of California [official website], the circuit court concluded that recordings from the landmark case could not be released [AP report] without undermining the integrity of the judicial system. It found that Chief Judge Walker, the district judge at... -
Lebanon tribunal to try accused Hariri assassins in absentia
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 8:14pm MSK
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Four accused assassins of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri will be tried in absentia, a UN tribunal said Wednesday. The UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) said Wednesday that after considering the efforts taken by the prosecution and the authorities to apprehend the suspects, they would move forward with the trial. The four alleged Hezbollah members are accused of involvement in a February 2005 truck bomb that killed Hariri and 22 other people. The STL determined that the prosecution took "all reasonable steps" to apprehend and inform the accused, and that the proceedings were a "last resort":The Trial Chamber...
LawLibrary
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Indonesia: Papuans Indicted for Treason
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 8:00pm MSK
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Criminal law and procedure - On January 30, 2012, the district court at Jayapura, the capital of the Indonesian province of Papua, indicted five activists from the province on charges of treason. (Indonesian Court Indicts Papuan Activists for Treason, THE ... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. -
France: Law on Denial of Recognized Genocide Crimes Challenged Before Constitutional Council
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 8:00pm MSK
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Genocide - On January 23, 2012, the French Senate adopted, without any modifications, the draft law passed earlier by the National Assembly making a criminal offense "the denial or extreme minimization of one or several genocide crimes as ... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide.
Jurist
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Lawyer for Guantanamo detainee seeks to question Yemen president
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 7:58pm MSK
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Lawyers for a suspect in the USS Cole bombing being held at Guantanamo Bay filed a motion Tuesday with the military commission overseeing detainee cases seeking to subpoena the president of Yemen for questioning. Lawyers for alleged al Qaeda senior leader Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri filed the motions seeking to question Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh while he is in the US receiving medical treatment. They argue that because Saleh will be in the jurisdiction of the US he can lawfully be subpoenaed. Nashiri's lawyers argue that Saleh, who was president of Yemen when the USS Cole attack occurred, may have... -
UN rights chief expresses concern over Senegal protests
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 7:39pm MSK
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[JURIST] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay [official website] expressed concern [press release] Thursday about excessive force used by Senegalese authorities in response to protests that ensued after the announcement of presidential candidates. Reports of shooting at protestors have caused the death of at least one police officer and four other people this week. The reports were "disturbing" to Pillay given Senegal's tradition of respect for freedom of association, assembly and expression. She said, "[w]ith the presidential campaign beginning this weekend, I cannot stress enough the importance of full respect for the fundamental human rights. These rights are... -
US Army veteran sues over denial of benefits for same-sex spouse
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 7:23pm MSK
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[JURIST] An Iraq war veteran filed suit [complaint, PDF] Wednesday in the US District Court for the Central District of California [official website] against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) [official website] after it refused to pay her full disability benefits because she is in a same-sex marriage. Tracy Cooper-Harris, who served in the US Army [official website] for over a decade, argues that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) [text] is unconstitutional because it discriminates against legally married individuals. Cooper-Harris and her wife were legally married in California in 2008. Cooper-Harris has been receiving benefits from the VA since... -
Pakistan high court orders PM to appear on contempt charges
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 7:07pm MSK
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[JURIST] The Supreme Court of Pakistan [official website] on Thursday ordered Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] to appear in court on February 13 for a formal indictment on contempt charges. Gilani has failed to comply with the court's order to reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari [official website], but Gilani maintains he did not comply with the court's order because Zardari is immune from prosecution [Al Jazeera report]. The conflict between the prime minister and the court stems from an order which struck down [JURIST report] the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO)... -
Washington senate approves same-sex marriage bill
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 3:14pm MSK
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[JURIST] The Washington state Senate [official website] approved Senate Bill 6239 [materials] to legalize same-sex marriage [JURIST news archive] by a vote of 28–21 late Wednesday evening. Washington currently grants expanded domestic partnership rights [JURIST report] rather than full marriage or civil union rights to same-sex couples. Several amendments affording protection of religious objection to same-sex marriage were added to the bill in debate. Others, that would have triggered a referendum on the issue, and would have allowed marriage-related business owners' ability to discriminate against same-sex couples, were rejected. The House of Representatives [official website] is expected to pass the...
This Day at Law
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Rick Perry signed first US order mandating HPV vaccinations
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 2, 2011, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed an executive order requiring all sixth grade girls in the state to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus virus (HPV) — a sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer. The order was the first of its kind in the US, although Virginia had previously mandated voluntary HPV vaccincation through the state legislature in March 2007. Governor Perry cited "an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer" in support of taking the issue out of the Texas legislature's control, where it faced strong opposition. Texas legislators questioned the legality of Perry's order and quickly repealed it with overwhelming support. Similar -
HRW called for end to police violence in Tunisia protests
Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 2, 2011, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for an end to police attacks and an investigation into the deaths of protesters in Tunisia. The UN previously reported at least 219 people had died in the protests that resulted in the resignation and flight of former president Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali. The calls for investigation from HRW dovetailed with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon's urging that all sides of the conflict cooperate to reestablish rule of law. The transitional government has since charged and tried Ben Ali in absentia for protester abuse. The country also joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) in June 2011. Flag of Tunisia Learn more
Jurist
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ACLU sues US government for information on targeted killings
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 10:06pm MSK
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[JURIST] The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) [advocacy website] filed a lawsuit [complaint, PDF] on Wednesday under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) [text] demanding the US government release information about their targeted killing program [press release] of US citizens abroad. The lawsuit comes in response to the three American citizens that have been killed by drones in the past four months. In particular, the ACLU seeks specific evidence that provided the basis for the strikes in Yemen during the fall of 2011, which killed three Americans. This lawsuit overlaps and expands on a lawsuit [JURIST report] filed by the... -
UN tribunal accepts war crimes lawyer's contempt plea
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 9:28pm MSK
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[JURIST] The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) [official website; JURIST news archive] accepted a plea agreement [press release] on Tuesday in which Jelena Rasic, the case manager for Bosnian war criminal Milan Lukic, pleaded guilty [amended indictment, PDF] to five counts of contempt against the tribunal. According to the original indictment [PDF], the prosecutor of the tribunal charged Rasic with contempt for procuring false witness statements from three Bosnian citizens. In exchange for signing the pre-written witness statements, Rasic gave the three citizens money. The prosecutor concluded that by procuring these false witness statements and committing bribery,... -
Lawyers for ex-Liberia president Taylor seek to reopen war crimes case
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 8:28pm MSK
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[JURIST] Lawyers for former Liberian president Charles Taylor [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] requested Tuesday that the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) [official website] reopen Taylor's war crimes case in light of new evidence, including a recent report [text, PDF] by the UN Panel of Experts on Liberia. Taylor's lawyers request this report be admitted as evidence in the case [AP report], claiming that the report may show that Taylor was not instrumental in directing mercenaries who committed war crimes in Sierra Leone. The report dedicates about 20 pages to Liberian mercenaries, and Taylor's lawyers contend that the panel's...
LawLibrary
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Romania: Constitutional Court Holds Election Law Unconstitutional
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 8:00pm MSK
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Elections - Romania's Constitutional Court, in a ruling delivered on January 25, 2012, held as unconstitutional a new law that permits local and parliamentary elections to be held at the same time. (Maureen Cosgrove, Romania Constitutional Court ... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. -
Egypt: Supreme Council of Armed Forces Approves Provisions Amending Presidential Election Law
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 8:00pm MSK
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Elections - On January 21, Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) issued Decree 12-2012, amending an array of provisions found in Law 174-2005 on presidential elections. The new Law grants political parties that are represented in ... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. -
Ethiopia: Journalists and Politician Sentenced on Terrorism Charges
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 8:00pm MSK
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Freedom of speech - On January 26, 2012, a court in Ethiopia sentenced five people to terms in prison varying from 14 years to, in one case, life, on charges of terrorism. They were convicted of taking part in a ... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide.
Jurist
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Sweden high court refuses to hear appeal in Pirate Bay case
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 7:44pm MSK
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[JURIST] The Swedish Supreme Court [official website, in Swedish] announced Wednesday that it will not hear an appeal of the copyright convictions of Fredrik Neji, Peter Sunde and Carl Lundstroem for their involvement in running The Pirate Bay [website], a file-sharing website. After reviewing the case, the court found there were no special circumstances warranting review. The court could also have decided to hear the case if it determined a review by Sweden's highest court would be important for the country's law enforcement, but it declined to hear the appeal on those ground as well. The court's decision not to... -
UK men plead guilty to London Stock Exchange terror plot
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 7:21pm MSK
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[JURIST] Four British men pleaded guilty Wednesday to plotting an al Qaeda inspired attack against the London Stock Exchange (LSE) [official website]. In December 2010, nine men who met through radical Islamist groups were charged and taken into custody [JURIST report] in the UK for conspiring to bomb the US Embassy [official website] and the LSE. When the plot was uncovered, all nine men were picked up in raids. They denied all charges originally, but four of the men pleaded guilty [AP report] on the eve of their trials. Mohammed Chowdhury, Shah Rahman, Gurukanth Desai and Abdul Miah admitted that... -
Google defends privacy policy in response to concerns from US lawmakers
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 4:10pm MSK
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[JURIST] Google issued a letter [text; press release] Tuesday in response to concerns raised by members of Congress regarding consumer privacy rights as impacted by the search giant's new privacy policy [corporate website; press release]. In its response Google replied to 11 specific questions posed in a letter sent last week [JURIST report] to CEO Larry Page [NYT backgrounder] by US Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) [official website] and seven other lawmakers. Google's response included a confirmation that no new types of data are going to be collected with the advent of the new privacy policy, a list of those services...
This Day at Law
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Montana filed water rights lawsuit against Wyoming in Supreme Court
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 1, 2007, the state of Montana filed a lawsuit against the state of Wyoming in the US Supreme Court, claiming that Wyoming had violated the Yellowstone River Compact, which allocates water rights between the two states and North Dakota. In the lawsuit, Montana alleged that Wyoming had taken more than its share of water through improved irrigation methods and water storage facilities. The Court, which has original jurisdiction over lawsuits "in which a state shall be a party" under Article III of the US Constitution, appointed a special master to conduct fact-finding in October 2008 and ruled in favor of Wyoming in May 2011. Learn more about Montana, -
Pakistan court ordered US government worker held on murder charges
Posted: February 1st, 2012, 8:00am MSK
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On February 1, 2011, a judge for the Lahore High Court in Pakistan ordered that US consulate worker Raymond Davis be held in custody for the murder of two men in Pakistan. The order came over US objections that Davis enjoyed diplomatic immunity. Davis and US embassy officials claimed that Davis shot and killed the victims in self-defense after the men attempted to carjack Davis's vehicle. Davis was later acquitted of the charges after reportedly reaching a $2.35 million "blood money" settlement with the victims' families. Pakistani coat of arms Learn more about Pakistan and the laws governing diplomatic immunity from the JURIST news archive. Also on This Day at
Jurist
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HRW urges India to prosecute border soldiers for torture
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 9:40pm MSK
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[JURIST] Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] on Monday urged [press release] the Indian government to prosecute Border Security Force (BSF) [official website] soldiers that it has long implicated in torture and extrajudicial killings near the Bangladesh border. HRW's plea comes in response to the release of a YouTube video [warning: graphic content] capturing BSF soldiers stripping, tying up and beating a Bangladeshi national caught smuggling cattle from Bangladesh into India. Although Indian law requires the BSF to hand over such lawbreakers to the police, HRW contends that the soldiers "illegally detained and tortured" the man, then left him to return... -
France lawmakers seek ruling on genocide denial ban
Posted: January 31st, 2012, 9:26pm MSK
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[JURIST] A French genocide denial ban [materials, in French] passed last week [JURIST report] stalled on Tuesday after two groups of French politicians challenged the law's constitutionality. The opposition groups, which include members in both the Senate and the National Assembly, gathered the necessary signatures to require the Constitutional council of the French Republic [official websites, in French] to determine if the law is constitutional. While France has already recognized the 1915 killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide, the new law would punish anyone who denies that the killings constituted a genocide with up to a year in...