The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) convicted seven Bosnian Serb military leaders owing to their participation in the Srebrenica massacre of 1995, in which over 7,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed. Read the judgment summary here. [Impunity Watch, ICTY] From among the many atrocities committed during the Balkans conflict, the Srebrenica massacre has been singled
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News Clips – May 23, 2010
Protests continue in Thailand as Asian Centre for Human Rights decries international community’s silence and the EU Parliament and Human Rights Watch express concern over violence, emergency provisions, and censorship. The BBC has provided a detailed overview of the situation. Human Rights Watch urges new British government to reform counterterrorism strategies and investigate British agents’ complicity in torture and rendition. [HRW] Related cases decided by the
Read moreOHCHR Establishes Guinea Office
The United Nations announced today that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will open an office in the Guinean capital of Conakry in order to “assist the Government in reporting on compliance with international human rights treaties. It will also advise on establishing a National Human Rights Institution and on judicial reforms, help combat impunity for human rights
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Protests and celebrations commemorate International Workers’ Day around the world. [NPR, AP] For information on international labor standards and agreements, visit the International Labour Organization’s website. Omar Khadr boycotted the second day of his Military Commission evidentiary hearings yesterday when he was required to wear sensory deprivation equipment while being transported to the courthouse [Impunity Watch] the Extraordinary Chambers in the
Read moreArgentine Officer Sentenced to 15 Years for Dirty War Abuses
Former army intelligence officer Horacio Barcos was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment by the Tribunal Oral Federal in Santa Fe, Argentina on Monday in the culmination of his prosecution for alleged crimes against humanity committed during the Dirty War, presided over by Jorge Rafael Videla‘s military dictatorship. Barcos was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the crimes of illegal
Read moreNew Human Rights Watch Reports on Possible War Crimes in Gaza War and Segregation of HIV-Positive Inmates in U.S.
Among other recent reports published by Human Rights Watch, now available on its website are a report the Gaza War and conditions of detention for HIV-positive prisoners in the United States. The first, entitled Turning a Blind Eye: Impunity for Laws-of-War Violations during the Gaza War, details the allegedly inadequate investigations on the part of the relevant authorities of violations
Read moreSpain'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 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 moreKaradzic Trial Resumes at ICTY
The trial of Radovan Karadzic for acts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes resumed yesterday before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, in The Hague. The trial, which first began in October 2009, was suspended when Karadzic refused to participate. See the ICTY’s fact sheet on the trial here. Karadzic had previously been sued in the
Read moreThe Week's News
Human Rights Conditions * President Bachelet declares state of catastrophe following powerful earthquake in Chile. [Washington Post] * Interim government organized following Niger coup. [BBC] * Ceasefire signed in Sudan. [Guardian] * Waterboarding defended by former speechwriter for President George W. Bush. [New York Times] * Russia pushed for details on investigation of Chechen human rights defender’s murder in July
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