Uganda’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday upheld most provisions of controversial legislation that imposes a sentence of death by hanging against individuals convicted of “aggravated homosexuality.” In upholding the Anti-Homosexuality Act, the court maintained that though the country’s penal code is “undoubtedly … considered to be a relic from the country’s colonial past,” the bill’s overwhelming [...]
Search Results for: 2007-01-30
Explainer Part II: The Israel-Hamas War and the International Court of Justice
The ongoing conflict engulfing Israel and Palestine continues to raise significant issues of international law and policy. My earlier contribution focused on the jurisdiction and substantive law of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Here I address the ongoing litigation before the International Court of Justice (ICJ or Court). Because the crime of genocide can be [...]
Hong Kong government concludes public consultation for local security law
The Hong Kong government announced Wednesday that it concluded the four-week public consultation period for a new local security law under Article 23 of the Basic Law, which is Hong Kong’s mini-constitution. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee previously stated on January 30 that the proposed legislation aims to safeguard national security while respecting human [...]
Poland president sends 2024 budget to the Constitutional Court for assessment
Polish President Andrzej Duda sent the 2024 budget to the Constitutional Court on Wednesday in the post-control mode to check its compliance with Poland’s Constitution. This decision was made due to doubts about the correctness of the adoption procedure, as two members of Parliament were unable to participate in the Sejm’s work on these acts. [...]
Peru constitutional court affirms ex-president pardon despite international court ruling
The Peru constitutional court moved Wednesday to affirm a 2017 pardon granting the release of ex-President Alberto Fujimori despite an Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) ruling that required the release be blocked. Fujimori was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to the maximum term of 25 years for various war crimes and corruption during his [...]
Red Cross delegate: Guantanamo inmates show signs of 'accelerated aging'
A top International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegate Friday said that inmates held by the US at Guantanamo Bay Detention Center are experiencing “symptoms of accelerated .” Patrick Hamilton, the head of the ICRC’s US and Canada delegation, visited Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in March and says that the inmates’ symptoms are consistent with [...]
The town of Alice Springs in Australia’s Northern Territory has faced unprecedented levels of crime in recent years. Alcohol-related crimes have increased by 55 percent in the town since 2020, and as a result, alcohol restrictions have now been introduced in Alice Springs. Concerns have arisen, however, due to the stereotyping of the large indigenous [...]
Searching For Answers Amid Enforced Disappearances of Pakistan's Balochi People
In late August, Pakistani publisher and human rights activist Faheem Baloch was detained by unidentified plain-clothes law enforcement officers in his Karachi bookshop and ushered away. A native of the Balochistan region of Pakistan, the publisher is known to be a dedicated cultural advocate, heading up a publishing house specializing in Balochi literature, and serving [...]
Mexico Supreme Court says minor rape victims can access abortions without parental consent
Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation Tuesday ruled that minors who are victims of rape can access abortions without their parents’ consent or without filing a report. In a 10-1 decision, the court rejected claims brought by the Aguascalientes and Baja California state governments which contended that the ‘Official Mexican Standard for family, [...]
Constitutional Wrangling Over No-Confidence Motion Against Pakistan Prime Minister
On March 8, the opposition parties moved a resolution for a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan (PM) under Article 95(1) of the Constitution. The PM ceases to hold office if “a majority of the total membership of the National Assembly” passes a no-confidence resolution. The opposition needs 172 votes, which it does not [...]