Today, the ACLU made available on its website D.C. District Court Judge James Robertson’s order granting Guantanamo Bay detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s petition for writ of habeas corpus (here). The decision, handed down on March 22, was under seal pending release of an unclassified version. Judge Robertson’s decision comes over eight years after Slahi’s initial detention in Senegal in November
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Spain's Baltasar Garzón Faces Prosecution for Investigation of Franco-Era Crimes
Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón will be tried in connection with his judicial investigation into the enforced disappearances of thousands of individuals and other atrocities committed during Spain’s civil war (1936-1939) and the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco (1939-1975). Charges against the judge were brought by private actors, two right-wing interest groups, one of which was the State political party (Falange
Read more1983 Beirut Bombing Victims Awarded $1 Billion in Punitive Damages
On March 31, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colombia issued its final judgment in Valore v. Islamic Republic of Iran, awarding the survivors and victims’ estates over $1 billion in damages. The plaintiffs alleged tort liability under the amended the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and District of Colombia law for the deaths, injuries, and pain and suffering caused
Read moreD.C. District Court Dismisses as Moot 105 Habeas Petitions of Transferred Guantanamo Detainees
On April 1st, in its consideration of 105 habeas petitions presented by non-U.S. citizens formerly held at Guantanamo, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colombia held that such petitions become moot when the individuals have been transferred to foreign countries. The petitioners had filed their habeas petitions while still detained at Guantanamo and, following their release or transfer
Read moreNew Human Rights Watch Publications on DRC Massacre and Vigilante Justice in Burundi
This week, Human Rights Watch published two new reports documenting abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Burundi. The first, Trail of Death, reports the findings of HRW’s fact-finding mission to the Makombo area, in the aftermath of a December 2009 massacre committed by the Lord’s Resistance Army. The second, Mob Justice in Burundi, documents official complicity
Read moreInternational Criminal Court Gains 111th State Party; Launches Investigation in Kenya and YouTube Channel
On March 23, 2010, Bangladesh became the 111th country to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Statute will enter into force in Bangladesh on June 1. [Amnesty International; ICC] On March 31, the ICC announced the Pre-Trial Chamber II’s decision to grant Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s request to open an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed
Read moreHuman Rights Council Concludes 13th Session
The U.N. Human Rights Council concluded its 13th regular session last week, having considered a great variety of reports from the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the special procedures, and the Working Group on Universal Period Review (reports on Eritrea, the Dominican Republic, Cambodia, Norway, Albania, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Portugal, Bhutan, Dominica, Democratic People’s Republic
Read moreNew Publication on U.N. Special Procedures' Activities in 2009
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recently published its 2009 update on the roles and activities of the Special Procedures established by the U.N. Human Rights Council, which include country-specific and thematic special rapporteurships and working groups. See the report, “United Nations Special Procedures: Facts and Figures 2009” here. See the list of thematic special
Read moreInter-American Court Announces Schedule for 61st Extraordinary Session
Last week, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights announced the schedule for its 61st extraordinary session, to be held from April 12 to 16 in Lima, Peru. The Court will hold hearings regarding three cases in order to emit the corresponding judgments on merits and reparations later this year. Ibsen Cardenas and Ibsen Pena v. Bolivia deals with the enforced
Read moreHuman Rights Committee Deplores Executions in Belarus
Following the conclusion of its 98th session, held in New York earlier this month, the Human Rights Committee issued a press release deploring the execution of two individuals whose cases are pending before the Committee and on whose behalf the Committee had issued interim measures. During its session, the Committee had requested clarification from Belarus, which was not forthcoming. The
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