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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

JURIST Daily Digest - 27 January 2016

JURIST Daily Digest

 In the 27 January 2016 edition:

Today's Legal News
Latest Legal Commentary:

Today's Legal News


UN asks Pakistan to stop construction infringing on human rights
By Taylor Isaac on Jan 26, 2016 02:50 pm
United Nations [official website] rights experts on Monday asked [UN report] Pakistani officials to stop construction work on a new metro line in Lahore, Pakistan due to concern that it has led to numerous people being forcibly evicted and that it has resulted in damage to historical and cultural heritage sites. Leilani Farha [official profile], UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, and Karima Bennoune [official profile], UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, stated, "The...   +read more


AI releases report on death row juveniles in Iran
By Alonso Diaz on Jan 26, 2016 02:31 pm
Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] released [press release] a report [document, PDF] Tuesday on the many juvenile offenders on death row in Iran. The report states that 73 executions of juvenile offenders took place between 2005 and 2015 and that 160 juvenile offenders are currently on death row. Iran ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) [text] and despite being legally obligated, has not, completely abolished the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders. Iran implemented...   +read more


Obama bans solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons
By Taylor Isaac on Jan 26, 2016 02:16 pm
US President Barack Obama [official profile] on Monday announced a ban on the federal prison system's use of solitary confinement for juveniles. Obama stated in an op-ed [WP op-ed] Monday evening that after a review of US prisons by the Department of Justice [official website], he is adopting new rules based on their recommendations:These include banning solitary confinement for juveniles and as a response to low-level infractions, expanding treatment for the mentally ill and increasing the amount of time inmates...   +read more


UN Security Council approves peace mission in Colombia
By Brittany Felder on Jan 26, 2016 01:43 pm
[JURIST] The UN Security Council [official website] on Monday unanimously approved a resolution [text] authorizing the creation of political peace mission in Colombia to monitor the disarmament between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC). The mission is to last 12 months, and a team of unarmed international observers will "monitor and verify" the disarmament as the government and FARC end the civil war that has persisted for nearly 50 years. US Ambassador to the...   +read more


Michigan AG appoints former prosecutor to investigate Flint water crisis
By Alonso Diaz on Jan 26, 2016 01:15 pm
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced [press release] Monday that he has appointed a former prosecutor to act as Special Counsel in his investigation into the water contamination crisis in the city of Flint and that a retired Detroit FBI chief will also participate in the investigation. In order to establish an "ethics-based conflict wall" between him and his investigation team, Schuette, has created a team defending the governor and state departments and another team investigating the crisis. Todd Flood...   +read more


Libya parliament rejects unity government cabinet proposal
By Alexandra Farone on Jan 26, 2016 12:35 pm
[JURIST] The internationally-recognized Libyan parliament voted Monday to reject a proposal by the UN-supported unity government to curb the country's political crisis. In an 89-15 vote, the parliament rejected [Reuters report] the cabinet selected by the UN-backed Presidential Council (PC) and said the council would be dissolved if it failed to form a new, smaller cabinet in 10 days. Libya's government is currently fractured—the internationally-recognized authorities and parliament in Tobruk and the rebel-backed authority holding power in Tripoli. The unity...   +read more


Denmark lawmakers approve seizure of asylum seekers' assets
By Brittany Felder on Jan 26, 2016 12:04 pm
[JURIST] Danish lawmakers [official website] on Tuesday approved a controversial bill [text, PDF, in Danish] that will allow Danish authorities to seize assets from immigrants seeking asylum in order to cover their expenses. Under the law, police will be allowed to search and seize [The Local report] immigrants' cash or belongings valued over 10,000 kroner (USD $1,450). This amount was raised [BBC report] from 3,000 kroner (USD $ 435.84) after severe backlash. Belongings with sentimental value, such as wedding bands,...   +read more


Malaysia prosecutor clears PM of corruption charges
By Alexandra Farone on Jan 26, 2016 11:54 am
[JURIST] Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak [official website] was cleared of corruption charges by the Attorney General on Tuesday. The Attorney General's Office [official website] announced that the USD $681 million in Razak's personal bank account that was previously alleged to be from a state investment fund were actually discovered [Malaysia News report] to be a personal donation from the Saudi royal family. Razak has always denied the accusations, and has since reportedly returned [BBC report] $620 million of the...   +read more


China authorities release detained Sweden rights advocate
By Jacqueline Jones on Jan 26, 2016 11:14 am
[JURIST] Chinese authorities on Tuesday released and deported Swedish citizen charged with training and funding unlicensed lawyers, after the Swedish embassy expressed concerns [press release] over the charges last week. Peter Dahlin had appeared [JURIST report] on Chinese national television [YouTube] last week to confess to his wrongdoing. Dahlin said "I have caused harm to the Chinese government. I have hurt the feelings of the Chinese people. I apologize sincerely for this. And I'm very sorry that this ever happened."...   +read more


Texas grand jury indicts activists behind Planned Parenthood video
By Jacqueline Jones on Jan 26, 2016 10:47 am
[JURIST] A Texas grand jury has found no criminal wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood [advocacy website] over allegations of selling fetal tissue, instead indicting [text, PDF] two activists responsible for releasing videos that spurred the allegations. Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson [official website] announced [press release, PDF] Monday that Center for Medical Progress [official website] CEO David Daleiden and activist Sandra Merritt are facing felony charges for tampering with government documents. Anderson said, "as I stated at the outset of...   +read more


Central African Republic court certifies first round of presidential election results
By William Helbling on Jan 26, 2016 10:20 am
[JURIST] The Central Africa Republic (CAR) constitutional court on Monday certified the results of the first round of the recent presidential vote, resulting in a runoff between two former prime ministers. The election results reported [AP report] that Anicet Georges Dologuele received about 24 percent of the vote, and Faustin Archange Touadere finished in second place with 19 percent. The runoff between the two former prime ministers was initially scheduled for January 31 but will now take place February 7....   +read more



Latest Legal Commentary


Congressional Cyber Leadership through a Joint Committee
By David G. Delaney on Jan 26, 2016 11:30 am
JURIST Guest Columnist David G. Delaney, assistant Professor at Maurer School of Law discusses historic and current cyber legislation... +read more


Moving the Chains: Why Employee Status for College Athletes is Necessary to Ensure their Protection
By Patrick Prager on Jan 20, 2016 11:20 am
JURIST Guest Columnist Patrick Prager of St. John's University School of Law Class of 2016 is the ninth author in a twelve-part series from the staffers of the Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development. Prager discusses the influence of the upcoming decision from NLRB regarding student athletes... +read more


The Genocide Rhetoric in Burundi
By Pacifique Manirakiza on Jan 19, 2016 08:15 am
JURIST Guest Columnist Pacifique Manirakiza of the University of Ottawa Law School discusses the debate surrounding what is going on in Burundi and proposes a different view... +read more


Tobacco Plain Packaging Legislation
By Craig Welch on Jan 14, 2016 10:12 pm
JURIST Guest Columnist Craig Welch of LWC Policy Consulting, Inc. discusses legislation regulating tobacco packaging in the international context, and related health and safety issues... +read more


Indiana’s Body Camera Growing Pains
By Alexander Burns on Jan 13, 2016 11:29 am
JURIST Guest Columnist Alexander Burns of Valparaiso University discusses growing pains associated with law enforcement body cameras use, implementation, and pending Indiana legislation... +read more
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