http://jurist.org/paperchase/ JURIST's weblog of legal news and resources worth thinking about, by Professor Bernard Hibbitts and law students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. 2012-02-13T11:26:00-05:00 en-US http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/Indonesia-trial-begins-for-bali-nightclub-bombing-suspect-trial.php [JURIST] The first trial of alleged Indonesia bomber Umar Patek began Monday in the West Jakarta District Court over his role in several terrorist plots including the Jakarta church bombings in 2000 and the 2002 Bali nightclub bombing [BBC backgrounder]. Patek was arrested [Jakarta Post report] in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011, just a few weeks before US special forces killed Osama Bin Laden [JURIST news archive] in the same town. If convicted Patek could face life imprisonment or a death... 2012-02-13T11:26:00-05:00 2012-02-13T11:26:00-05:00 http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/greece-parliament-approves-austerity-measures.php [JURIST] The Greek Parliament [official website, in Greek] approved austerity measures late Sunday, securing a second bailout for the country to avoid bankruptcy amidst rioting and violence in downtown Athens. A total of 199 lawmakers voted for the measures [Bloomberg report] with 74 members of parliament voting against the package. Protesters clashed with police outside parliament after the vote, looting and burning buildings in reaction to the new budget measures that will eliminate public sector jobs and lower wages and... 2012-02-13T10:04:00-05:00 2012-02-13T10:04:00-05:00 http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/pakistan-pm-charged-with-contempt-of-court.php [JURIST] The Supreme Court of Pakistan [official website] charged Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] with contempt of court Monday for disobeying a court order to open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari [official website]. Gilani appeared before the court and pleaded not guilty, saying he will fight the charges. The Supreme Court claims Gilani defied a court order [BBC report] to ask Swiss authorities to re-open cases against Zardari. Gilani has maintained that... 2012-02-13T09:26:00-05:00 2012-02-13T09:26:00-05:00 http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/uk-high-court-bans-prayer-at-town-council-meetings.php [JURIST] The UK High Court of Justice ruled Friday that the Bideford Town Council does not have authority to conduct prayers at the beginning of its official meetings. The judgment [opinion, PDF] followed a Judicial Review initiated by the National Secular Society (NSS) [advocacy website; press release] to challenge the practice of prayers as part of the formal business of council meetings, attendance at which is mandatory for local councillors. Even though prayer was conducted at meetings before attendance was... 2012-02-12T16:29:00-05:00 2012-02-12T16:29:00-05:00 http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/malaysia-deports-saudi-arabia-reporter-facing-death-penalty.php [JURIST] Malaysian officials confirmed Sunday that a Saudi reporter facing a possible death penalty charge in his country was handed over to Saudi officials for deportation. Malaysia national spokesman Ramli Yoosuf announced that Hamza Kashgari, 23, was flown back to Saudi Arabia [AP report] under a warrant for arrest issued Monday by Saudi authorities. A lawyer appointed by Kashgari's family has stated that the move was unlawful because he had previously obtained a court order to block deportation. Kashgari faces... 2012-02-12T15:27:00-05:00 2012-02-12T15:27:00-05:00 http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/un-concerned-over-prosecution-of-spain-judge-garzon.php [JURIST] The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official website] on Friday expressed its concern over the trial of Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon [BBC profile], which involve his investigations of acts that occurred during the Spanish Civil War. Spokesperson for the OHCHR, Rupert Colville, indicated that judges should not be criminally charged for investigations [UN report] performed within the scope of their judicial duties. Colville stated, "judges should not be subject to criminal prosecution for doing... 2012-02-11T10:54:00-05:00 2012-02-11T10:54:00-05:00 http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/former-croatia-interior-minister-pleads-not-guity-to-war-crimes-charges.php [JURIST] Former Croatian military commander and senior interior minister Tomislav Mercep [official profile, in Croatian] pleaded not guilty Friday for war crimes committed against Serbians during the 1990s conflict in the Balkans. The Municipal Court in Zagreb charged that he was aware of atrocities against civilians [JURIST report] but prevented other officials from mitigating damages against them. Mercep has also been charged with with ordering detentions, torture and executions of Serbian civilians. Mercep was arrested [JURIST report] in December 2010.... 2012-02-10T16:30:00-05:00 2012-02-10T16:30:00-05:00 http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/rights-group-urges-south-sudan-to-prosecute-those-responsible-for-ethnic-violence.php [JURIST] Human Rights Watch [official website] Director Daniel Bekele [HRW profile] on Friday urged South Sudan to investigate [HRW report] attacks made on Murle villages in December and prosecute those responsible. In this organized attack [UN News Centre report], thousands of armed Lou Nuer villagers invaded the Murle villages, robbing and burning houses and killing thousands of people. South Sudan's government has claimed repeatedly that it will investigate [South Sudan government news reports] the attacks and punish those who are... 2012-02-10T14:47:00-05:00 2012-02-10T14:47:00-05:00 http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/un-rights-office-calls-for-icc-trial-for-syria-officials.php [JURIST] The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official website] Friday reiterated its call for international action to protect civilians in Syria [JURIST news archive], calling for Syrian officials suspected of crimes against humanity to be tried before the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website]. High Commissioner Navi Pillay [official profile] is now scheduled to address the UN General Assembly [UN News Centre report] on Monday regarding the latest humanitarian developments in Syria, where the ongoing... 2012-02-10T14:06:00-05:00 2012-02-10T14:06:00-05:00 http://jurist.org/paperchase/2012/02/uganda-to-drop-death-penalty-from-bill-criminalizing-homosexuality.php [JURIST] Ugandan MP David Bahati announced on Friday that clauses mandating the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality" would be dropped from the controversial bill that would criminalize homosexuality. The bill was reintroduced [JURIST report] to the Parliament of Uganda [official website] on Tuesday in its original form, but Bahati stated that there were plans to remove certain provisions. Bahati said in 2010 that the purpose of the bill was to prevent foreigners from corrupting Ugandan children [YouTube video] by giving... 2012-02-10T12:00:00-05:00 2012-02-10T12:00:00-05:00