In a makeshift court in Cairo this week, former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak pleaded not guilty yesterday on corruption charges related to a land deal (his sons also face charges in the case) and oil and gas prices, and on charges of conspiring with former Egyptian interior minister Habib el-Adly to commit murder and attempted murder of more than 850
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New Convictions against Army Commander and Provincial Police Chief in 'Dirty War' Prosecutions
Ex Commander of the Third Corps of the Army, Luciano Menéndez, and former Chief of Police for the province of Tucumán, Roberto Albornoz, were sentenced to life imprisonment by a federal court in Tucumán, Argentina on Wednesday for their role in the extrajudicial executions of five suspected Montonero militants in May of 1976. [Tucumán Noticias; Clarín; RNW] This is Menéndez’ sixth
Read moreIACHR Takes Dominican Republic to the Inter-American Court in Guayabín Massacre Case
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights announced last week that it has filed an application with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in the case of Nadege Dorzema et al. v. Dominican Republic (Case No. 12.688). The case centers around the June 17, 2000 deaths and detention of a group of Haitians and one Dominican citizen at the hands of
Read moreRecent ECHR Decisions Highlight Continued Problem of Impunity
Situations of impunity arise when a State fails to adequately investigate and prosecute serious crimes affecting individuals’ human rights. In many countries in the world, a lack of sufficient resources or training, attacks against law enforcement and the judiciary, discriminatory attitudes and/or official corruption contribute to high levels of impunity – such as in Guatemala, where an estimated 98% of
Read more2010 in Review: IACHR Merits Reports
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has published two merits reports so far this year, having to do with deportation of non-citizens without consideration for humanitarian factors (against the United States) and impunity in the death of a journalist (against Brazil). In addition to the two merits reports, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has published thirty-six favorable admissibility decisions,
Read moreJeffrey Landrigan Executed in Contravention of IACHR Recommendations
Jeffrey Timothy Landrigan was executed by lethal injection late last night in Arizona following the U.S. Supreme Court’s order yesterday, allowing the execution to proceed despite the unknown origin of one of the drugs, sodium thiopental, to be used by Arizona. [Arizona Republic] The unnamed British drug manufacturer had not received approval from U.S. regulatory agency the Food and Drug
Read moreNews Clips – October 25, 2010
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights begins holding hearings today in its 140th Period of Sessions. Issues to be discussed today include the Situation of Environmentalists in Mesoamerica, and Discrimination against the Transsexual, Transgender, and Transvestite Population in Brazil. See the week’s schedule of hearings here. Webcast of some hearings is available here. The role of humanitarian aid in contributing
Read moreNews Clips – October 15, 2010
The loss of leading international human rights scholar Louis Henkin is mourned, while the legal community remembers his long career dedicated to the development of international law and the protection of human rights. [Human Rights First] Moldova has ratified the Rome Statute to become the newest State Party to the International Criminal Court, bringing the total to 114. [UN] Canadian
Read moreNews Clips – October 3, 2010
In Ecuador, a state of emergency remains in place following last week’s uprising of members of the military against President Correa’s government, prompting human rights defenders to call for a quick restoration of full civil liberties. [CEJIL] The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights condemned the attack against Correa. [IACHR] Germany today commemorates 20 years of reunification and will use its
Read moreNews Clips – September 20, 2010
In a heartbreaking blow to Afghan hopes for peace, several U.S. soldiers are under investigation for murdering at least three Afghan civilians last year as part of a rogue “kill team” that was allegedly formed when a staff sergeant who had served in Iraq in 2004 joined the platoon stationed in Kandahar province. [Washington Post] The French Senate has approved
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