News Clips – July 18, 2010 – International Justice Resource Center

Argentina legalizes same-sex marriage, becoming the second country in the Western Hemisphere to do so. [Washington Post]

The Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC has issued a second arrest warrant for Sudan’s President Al Bashir, who is wanted to face charges of genocide against the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups. The first warrant was based on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. [ICC]

ACLU files suit alleging U.S. “No Fly List” is unconstitutional, on behalf of individuals placed on the list without explanation or recourse, and seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. [ACLU]

In its admissibility decision in Babar Ahmar and Other v. United Kingdom, the ECHR requested additional information from the parties and extended interim measures to suspend the extradition of the applicants to U.S., where they could face life imprisonment in supermax prisons. The Court sought further information on the conditions of detention in such prisons, the reach of the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, and the reducibility of the life sentences potentially imposed – in order to determine whether the transfer would constitute a violation of Article 3’s prohibition on inhuman or degrading treatment. [Huffington Post, BBC, ECHR]

Jorge Rafael Videla, the former Argentina dictator whose de facto government was in power for most of the Dirty War years, has gone on trial again this month, in connection with the murder of 32 political prisoners in 1976. [BBC, La Nación] Videla was previously convicted on kidnapping and other charges and later benefited from Argentina’s amnesty law, but began serving a life sentence in 2008 after his pardon was overturned [BBC].

IACHR welcomes the release of 7 Cuban political prisoners, which belatedly, partially complies with the Commission’s 2006 merits report in the case of several dozen journalists and human rights activists detained in Cuba, in which it recommended their release. [IACHR]

Attorney Lynne Stewart’s sentence has been increased on appeal to 10 years, following her2005 conviction of conspiring to aid terrorists for conveying messages on behalf of her client, who was detained on terrorism-related charges. [Democracy Now!]

Human Rights Watch calls on Iran to spare civilians in its military operations surrounding Kurdish villages in Iraq. [HRW]

Human Rights Watch’s new publication Hellish Work denounces Philip Morris’ labor practices and exploitation of migrant workers in Kazakhstan. [NYT]

Internal Israeli report finds that the Gaza aid flotilla deaths were justified. [Impunity Watch]

President Medved says killer of human rights defender Natalya Estemirova has been identified, as European Commissioner for Human Rights calls on government to bring to justice those responsible. [VOA]

NGO Islamic Human Rights Commission says veil ban violates religious freedom and girls’ right to education, as French law faces constitutional and international human rights challenges. [NYT, AsiaNews]

Zimbabwe faces continued allegations of human rights abuses in its diamond mines, as Kimberly Process and World Diamond Council approve Zimbabwean diamonds for sale. [NPR, Newsweek]

Conditions for Haitians displaced by earthquake are criticized, as nearly 2 million remain homeless. [truthdig]

Last week, thousands commemorated the 15^th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia-Herzegovina. [Impunity Watch]

South Korean human rights commission to review chemical castration of sex offenders, approved by parliament last month. [Dong-a Ilbo; MSNBC]

Egyptian Bedouin rights activist freed following three years of detention under Egypt’s emergency law. [Impunity Watch]

Russian Duma expands Russian security services’ powers, amidst protests. [Business Week]