UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee report on bringing terrorists to justice

Read it here. A. International cooperation in counter-terrorism investigations and prosecutions B. The role of the prosecution in counter-terrorism cases C. New challenges in the investigation and prosecution of terrorismD. Prosecution of terrorism cases and prevention of terrorism E. The prosecution and counter-terrorism investigationsF. Organization of the prosecution and its relationship with other agencies G. [...]

CCR sues ‘Guantanamo North’ detention facilities in Aref et al v. Holder

NPR has a story about the “Communications Management Units” in Terre Haute, Ind., and Marion, Ill. The special detention unit in Terre Haute contains 50 cells housing some of the people the U.S. describes as the “country’s biggest security threats”, including John Walker Lindh. The units’ population has included men convicted in well-known post-Sept. 11 [...]

Ken MacDonald and Baroness Neville-Jones uncorrected evidence given to UK joint committee on Human Rights’ session on counter-terrorism

In this statement Ken MacDonald elaborates upon his critique to control orders and offers some thoughts about police bail as an alternative. He also elaborates upon extending the pre-charge detention limit to 28 days by emergency legislation, intercept evidence and the Chilcot review. Baroness Jones offers her views on control orders and draft emergency law [...]

Canadian Supreme Court rules government may withold national security-related evidence in Tortonto 18 terrorism case

[JURIST] The Supreme Court of Canada on Thursday upheld challenged aspects of the Canada Evidence Act , ruling that national security considerations take precedence over criminal convictions. The court affirmed the constitutionality of a provision that vests the Federal Court with, and removes from trial judges, the authority to determine the national security implications of [...]

UK’s review of counter-terrorism and security powers

The redacted review considered six key counter-terrorism and security powers: The detention of terrorist suspects before charge, including how we can reduce the period of detention below 28 days Section 44 stop and search powers and the use of terrorism legislation in relation to photography The use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 [...]

UN report confirms gap between law and reality, torture, secret detentions and police harassment in Tunisia under Ben Ali

The United Nations just published a report on its website which describes the fact-finding mission of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the protection of human rights while countering terrorism in January 2010. On the basis of the evidence he gathered, he observed a pattern of unacknowledged detention being used vis-à-vis terrorist suspects. During the [...]

U.S. Prepares to Lift Ban on Guantánamo Cases

The NY Times reports that the Obama administration is preparing to increase the use of military commissions to prosecute Guantánamo detainees. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is expected to soon lift an order blocking the initiation of new cases against detainees, which he imposed on the day of President Obama’s inauguration. That would clear the [...]

Boumediene: the record so far

SCOTUS wraps up the Gitmo-habeas cases after the US SC Boumediene ruling. Although detainees have won a clear majority of the habeas trials, any actual release from captivity has come to depend almost entirely on what the Executive Branch is willing to do or able to arrange. Key facts: * Of 38 cases in which [...]

New report on the European Arrest Warrant

This week Fair Trials International has published a new report on the European Arrest Warrant (EAW). The report is part of FTI’s response to the Government’s review of the UK’s extradition arrangements, which are being examined by an independent panel headed by the Rt Hon Sir Scott Baker.

ICG report on Reforming Pakistan’s Criminal Justice System

Read it here.