tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-206958072008-07-21T23:53:16.238-04:00JURIST - HotlineBernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.comBlogger371125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-43257863455503812962008-07-21T20:15:00.009-04:002008-07-21T23:53:13.576-04:00Change needed in Israel's approach to law enforcement in Occupied TerritoriesNadav Greenberg [Yesh Din]: "Yesh Din's latest fact sheet [pdf] indicates a disturbing trend. Our findings show that a mere one out of ten cases of settler crimes against Palestinians results in an indictment. This is a troubling reminder of the continuing lack of attention Israel's law enforcement agencies devote to bringing settlers to justice. Because these numbers are very similar to our Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-24431807802566048452008-07-17T16:31:00.008-04:002008-07-21T09:04:57.580-04:00DC Circuit finds fatal flaws in EPA unfair emissions regulationsJeff McNelly [Executive Director, ARIPPA]: "For several years ARIPPA has been involved in an effort to educate EPA and Congressional leaders that the proposed CAIR regulations were flawed and unfair to our industry. This effort has involved hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours as well as professional staff and counsel guidance. Our positions were supported by the PA Department of Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-43392541778596411722008-07-16T22:25:00.013-04:002008-07-17T10:00:34.459-04:00Denial of citizenship for Muslim woman violates neutrality of French secularismAngela Wu [Acting Executive Director, International Law Director, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty]: "On June 27, the highest French administrative tribunal rejected a Muslim woman's application for citizenship. Reason: her religious practices and beliefs are not French enough. Faiza Mabchour has been living in France since 2000, she is married to a French citizen, and has three French-born Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-2426149662005884912008-07-16T20:46:00.009-04:002008-07-17T14:50:07.546-04:00Investigation of OceanaGold's human rights record should spur regulatory actionChristina Hill [Acting Extractive Industries Advocacy Coordinator, Oxfam Australia]: "The news that the Human Rights Commission of the Philippines will investigate human rights abuses by Australian mining company OceanaGold, who is developing a gold and copper mine in Didipio is welcome. Didipio, which is located in the northern Philippines, is home to about 2,000 people including many Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-15616017109561901012008-07-16T09:36:00.009-04:002008-07-16T10:10:49.042-04:00Italy's personal data collection on Roma should conform to international normsThomas Hammarberg [Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe]: "I have been in close contact with the Italian authorities ever since I was informed of violent anti-Roma manifestations in Italy and of the Italian government’s decision to adopt new legislative measures concerning, among others, stricter immigration control, Roma and Sinti.
On 19 and 20 June, I paid a visit to Italy during Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-42903918347568010632008-07-15T12:48:00.008-04:002008-07-15T23:22:44.738-04:00Immunity for telecom companies protects Americans from terrorismCharles Stimson [Senior Legal Fellow, Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, The Heritage Foundation]: "One thing you don't hear a lot about is the practical side of telecom immunity. Think about all the government contractors contributing to our national security who are fearful that doing their duties could lead to massive civil liabilities.
The point was driven home to me earlier this summerAndrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-6931218354080518342008-07-15T00:38:00.011-04:002008-07-16T14:47:19.418-04:00Federal appeals court guts foundation of Bush Administration's air pollution policyFrank O'Donnell [President, Clean Air Watch]: "The Clean Air Interstate Rule was the foundation of the Bush administration’s air pollution policy, and that foundation has now been blown to smithereens.
Its demise will mean that tens of millions of Americans will be breathing dirty air for a longer time.
Particularly reprehensible in this affair is the behavior of Duke Energy [Clean Air Watch Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-14220879248106940712008-07-11T16:41:00.005-04:002008-07-15T16:00:09.771-04:00International Criminal Court's focus on Darfur shows anti-Muslim biasAli Khan [Professor, Washburn University School of Law]: "The International Criminal Court (ICC) joins the crusade to defame Islam, demonize internal conflicts in Muslim nations, and prosecute Muslim leaders for crimes against humanity, rape, genocide, and other international crimes. The Prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, holds evidence "on crimes committed in the whole of Darfur over the last five Liaquat Ali Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17006720944295370835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-43626014628853421142008-07-10T14:09:00.004-04:002008-07-10T14:27:50.456-04:00Senate vote on telecom immunity justifies future lawbreakingMarc Rotenberg [President, Electronic Privacy Information Center]: "The Senate's vote reflected a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of FISA. The law was enacted to make clear the circumstances under which
telephone companies could be required by the government to turn over customer records in foreign intelligence investigations. The law anticipated not only routine exigencies but also Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-40356786996334198552008-07-08T21:30:00.008-04:002008-07-10T12:30:08.267-04:00Ontario Court of Appeal ruling signals need for mining law reformAnna Baggio [Director, Conservation Land Use Planning, CPAWS Wildlands League]: "The fact that Ontario's antiquated mining legislation was cited as part of problem at the heart of Ardoch Algonquins case is significant. It reinforces, for me, the need for a massive overhaul of Ontario's Mining Act including the "free entry system." It also reinforces for me the need to bring mining legislation Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-46327104906261083882008-07-08T14:37:00.009-04:002008-07-09T13:11:37.174-04:00Ninth Circuit ruling on public display of abortion photos is a win for social reformGregg Cunningham [Director, Center For Bio-Ethical Reform]: "Why does it matter that hecklers be denied a veto over offensive speech? Social injustice will always flourish where it is ignored and trivialized. Oppressors are most ruthless when their abuses can be concealed. It is, therefore, the responsibility of social reformers to drag these travesties out of the darkness and into the light. Mark Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054348314006090468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-81460590610352595332008-06-30T10:11:00.005-04:002008-06-30T19:49:22.786-04:00UN Human Rights Commission wise to keep up pressure on Myanmar governmentMaureen Aung-Thwin [director, Burma Project/Southeast Asia Initiative of the Open Society Institute]: "The UNHRC is wise to keep up public pressure on the Burmese military regime for its continued abuse of human rights. The generals probably thought they could take a breather when the outgoing Special Rapporteur Paulo Sergio Pinheiro completed his mandate as rights envoy last month. Pinheiro's Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-27375303165875434872008-06-29T00:25:00.009-04:002008-06-30T10:07:06.041-04:00Heller decision puts to rest slippery slope argument regarding gun control lawsPaul Helmke [President, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence]: "Over the years, I have seen the gun lobby effectively thwart efforts to pass many sensible gun laws by arguing that even modest gun control would lead down the path to a complete ban on gun ownership. It is the classic "slippery slope" argument, and it has served the gun lobby well politically.
The "slippery slope," however, Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-8746915270189057612008-06-23T11:20:00.007-04:002008-06-23T15:45:39.007-04:00EPA decision on California vehicle emission standards seems arbitraryHoward Learner [Executive Director, Environmental Law & Policy Center]: "On the transportation front, the Clean Air Act balances federal and state interests by making clear a binary approach: states are empowered to adopt California's emission standards, if a waiver is approved by the U.S. EPA following reasonable consideration, or default to the federal standards. Federal District Courts in Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-44898823631597510582008-06-22T20:20:00.011-04:002008-06-23T23:36:48.792-04:00Human rights law and constitutional jurisprudence in BoumedieneBeth Van Schaack [member, The American Society of International Law; Associate Professor of Law, Santa Clara University School of Law]: "The central question facing the Supreme Court in Boumediene was: to what extent does the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus extend to foreign nationals detained within the unique jurisdictional circumstances of Guantánamo? One key factor underlying the Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-89067052946769292172008-06-20T18:46:00.007-04:002008-06-21T22:16:34.336-04:00CREW ruling incorrectly limits FOIA reachAnne Weismann [Chief Counsel, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington] "In CREW v. Office of Administration, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly issued an opinion on June 16, 2008, dismissing CREW's complaint on the ground that the Office of Administration (OA), a component of the Executive Office of the President (EOP), is not an agency and therefore not subject to the Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-81789955584918162542008-06-18T00:22:00.006-04:002008-06-18T14:18:19.600-04:00Texas death penalty out of step with public attitudes in post-Baze AmericaBryan McCann [member, Campaign to End the Death Penalty, Austin, TX Chapter]: "When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Baze v. Rees [opinion, PDF; JURIST news archive] case that Kentucky's lethal injection protocol did not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, death penalty opponents everywhere braced for the resumption of state-sanctioned killing. Those of us who organize against the death Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-4487933914881920952008-06-17T10:48:00.006-04:002008-06-18T13:59:07.897-04:00Egypt's inhumane repatriation of Eritrean refugees violates international lawKatherine Southwick [Bernstein Fellow, Refugees International]: "Refugees International (RI) is gravely concerned about actions taken by the Government of Egypt to deport as many as 1,200 asylum-seekers to Eritrea. Since last week, the Egyptian Government has reportedly scheduled several flights to Eritrea, taking the refugees back to the country they fled and where they face almost certain Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-66504261192399930622008-06-14T13:27:00.012-04:002008-06-15T18:43:52.939-04:00Habeas corpus rights for Guantanamo detainees forces executive accountabilityShayana Kadidal [Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights]: "It was in February of 2002 that the Center for Constitutional Rights and our co-counsel brought the first habeas case in federal court on behalf of detainees held at Guantánamo. Yesterday, June 12, 2008, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the part of the Military Commissions Act that attempted to block the federal courts from Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-59975996620321039502008-06-13T15:34:00.010-04:002008-06-13T15:57:28.667-04:00UK bill allowing six-week pre-charge detention of terror suspects violates human rightsJudith Sunderland [Researcher, Europe and Central Asia Division, Human Rights Watch]: "On June 11, 2008, the UK House of Commons narrowly approved a measure giving the government the power to detain terrorism suspects for up to six weeks (42 days) without charge. Such lengthy pre-charge detention is manifestly incompatible with the UK’s obligations to guarantee the fundamental right to liberty Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-77836611307803330432008-06-13T15:13:00.008-04:002008-06-14T18:22:02.790-04:00Supreme Court lethal injection ruling allows further questionable executionsRichard C. Dieter [Executive Director, Death Penalty Information Center]: "The Supreme Court's decision in Baze v. Rees on April 16, 2008, approving Kentucky's lethal injection process [Hotline archive] opened the door to a resumption of executions. Since the decision, six executions have taken place, all in the south and all by lethal injection. Many of these cases raised questions that have Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-84614286525533374592008-06-11T11:08:00.023-04:002008-06-11T19:19:17.263-04:00Virginia high court ruling on same-sex parent visitation rights ensures equal justice under the lawJoseph Price [co-council, Miller-Jenkins v. Miller-Jenkins]: "The four-year long Miller-Jenkins custody case is the first case to test whether a state like Virginia that has passed laws (and amended its constitution) to make clear that it will not recognize same-sex legal unions from other jurisdictions, will nevertheless enforce court orders, judgments and decrees from other jurisdictions, like Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-3957825406594266832008-06-09T11:53:00.002-04:002008-06-09T12:03:33.148-04:00Report from Guantanamo: arraignment of the September 11 defendantsSahr MuhammedAlly [Senior Associate, Law and Security Program, Human Rights First]: "An arraignment of a defendant facing the death penalty should be done in accordance with the highest standards of due process, yet the arraignment on June 5th of the five September 11 defendants at Guantanamo Bay was purely political. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarek bin Attash, Ramzi Andrew Woodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12522683856977385787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-56183571388458062512008-06-05T09:44:00.005-04:002008-06-05T09:57:33.247-04:00Nepal's transition to democracy requires international and regional assistanceKim Soo A [Nepal desk, Asian Human Rights Commission]: "First of all, I congratulate the people of Nepal on its transition into a Secular, Federal Democratic Republic. The declaration made on 28 May 2008 by the Constituent Assembly of Nepal is a remarkable milestone in Nepal's history and is the success of democracy and democratic values.
Transformation of a state from monarchy to a democratic Mark Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054348314006090468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20695807.post-78414227292044312922008-06-04T09:37:00.009-04:002008-06-08T15:22:08.395-04:00Report from Guantánamo: suicidal teen subjected to sleep deprivationSahr MuhammedAlly [Senior Associate, Law and Security Program, Human Rights First]: "Mohammed Jawad, who has been in Guantánamo for five years since he was 16 or 17 years old, was subjected to the "frequent flyer program" in May 2004. According to defense lawyer Air Force Major Dave Frakt, based on a review of DIMS (Detainee Information Management Systems - a daily log kept of detainees at Mark Hamiltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18054348314006090468noreply@blogger.com