Guinea President Dies, Soldiers Attempt Coup

Hours after the death of President Lansana Conte a group of Guinean soldiers announced their intention to suspend the constitution and the government. The group has been called "the minority" by General Diarra Camara, armed forces chief of Guinea.

President Conte had led the poverty-stricken nation since 1984. There have been several anti-government riots and strikes in the few years as citizens have struggled with a sagging economy. Last year more than 180 people were killed by government forces following one such riot.

Musicians Protest Use of Music to Torment Detainees

Musicians are joining together to demand that the U.S. stop using their songs to torment detainees in the war on terror. Reprieve, a human rights group, has organized a campaign in which musicians will feature moments of silence during concerts.

There are many reports of music being played at loud volumns and for extended periods of time in order to "break" detainees. The U.S. military authorized this tactic in part "to create fear, disorient ... and prolong capture shock."

For more, see: Zero dB and The Guardian

Obama to Close Guantanamo

President-elect Barack Obama plans to close the Guantanamo Bay prison which has held detainees captured as part of the "war on terror." This move is a welcomed one for human rights advocates. Some suspects will be released, likely due to lack of evidence. For those to stand trial, Obama is considering the creation of a new court system following the criticism of President Bush's military tribunal system. The new hybrid system will attempt to combine some of the military tribunal aspects with those of the domestic criminal courts. The goal is to create a more fair and transparent system, while still protecting secret agents and informants.

Olympics Bring More Abuses

It was hoped that hosting the Olympic games would cause China to better its deplorable human rights record. According to some, however, it has only increased the abuses. Steven W. Mosher, an internationally recognized China expert, says that in preparation for the games the Chinese government has:

-- Arrested, imprisoned, and tortured numerous political dissidents.

-- Broken all of its promises to ensure freedom of the press, speech, and assembly during the Games.

-- Put in place new control on the Internet.

-- Destroyed the homes of millions of citizens to make way for new Olympic structures.

-- Forcibly deported hundreds of thousands of migrant workers.

-- Introduced restrictive and forceful security measures that infringe on the basic freedoms of thousands of Chinese citizens.

Meanwhile, some of the Olympic athletes themselves have denounced China's human rights abuses.

"Texas Executes Mexican Despite Objections"

Texas executed Mexican national, José E. Medellín, lat night despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice that further hearings should be held to determine if his trial was fair. His case was part of a debate over 51 trials which were questioned because the Mexican nationals accused were never given an opportunity to talk to a consul. The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations requires foreigners accused of crimes to be given that opportunity. Mexico sent a formal diplomatic protest to Washington following the execution.

Junta Takes Power in Mauritania

Army officers staged a coup in Mauritania today, detaining the president, prime minister and interior minister, key members of the country's first freely elected government since gaining independence in 1960. President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi is apparently being held by soldiers in the presidential palace in the capital city, Nouakchott. The move came after the president fired the country's top four military officials. General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, former chief of staff of the Mauritanian army and head of the Presidential Guard, was one of the men fired and reportedly now in control.

Bush To Speak about Human Rights in China

US President George Bush will give a speech in Thailand today denouncing China's human rights record. The White House has released some of the speech already:

“The United States believes the people of China deserve the fundamental liberty that is the natural right of all human beings. So America stands in firm opposition to China’s detention of political dissidents, human rights advocates and religious activists.”

Meanwhile, some feel the President's proposed speech is not enough. Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch, said it is "absurd to try to sustain the claim that America's policies are principled while then effectively standing back and saying, 'We will watch from the sidelines while the Chinese do what they do.' "

Zimbabwe Continues to Suffer After the Election

The US Department of State released some pretty depressing numbers about Zimbabwe today. Since the March 29 presidential elections there have been 129 murders of opposition party members. In the capital city alone, an average of 60 people seek medical care every day as the result of political violence. Over 1000 activists are reported imprisoned on charges of inciting violence. Roughly 33,000 Zimbabweans have been displaced. A loaf of bread cost roughly $12 billion Zimbabwe dollars. For more info check out the Fact Sheet.

Meanwhile, President Robert Mugabe is continuing to push for a power sharing agreement despite losing the March election.

"Karadzic Accuses His Accusers"

Former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, currently on trial before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for war crimes, has written a letter addressing "drastic irregularities" in his treatment. Karadzic claims in his letter that he will be unable to receive a fair trial due to irregularities such as a "media witch-hunt."

Former US Ambassador Reflects on ICC

Found an interesting piece by David Scheffer, former US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues (1997-2001), who headed the United States delegation to the talks creating the International Criminal Court. Mr. Scheffer provides interesting insight on the development and US position of the ICC.

Karadzic Trial Q & A

Check out an interesting and informative Question and Answer piece on the upcoming Radovan Karadzic trial here.

Nepal Swears In First President

Ram Baran Yadav was sworn in as President of Nepal today after 240 years of monarchal rule. Yadav must now try to work with the Maoist party who are refusing to form a government under him. The Maoist control the most seats in the Constituent Assembly.

Karadzic, Accused War Criminal Arrested

Radovan Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb president, has been arrested after more than a decade of hiding. Karadzic is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the law of war for his role in the deaths of up to 300,000 in Bosnia. He will now stand trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands.

ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest of Sudan's al-Bashir

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has asked the court to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. Bashir is the most senior member pursued by the court and one of few sitting heads of state ever charged by an international court. Bashir is accused of organizing genocide in Sudan. Sudanese forces and the militia they support have killed up to 35,000 people and forced 2.5 million to flee their homes. Sudan is not a member of the court and denies there is genocide.

The real test now is political, as Sudan will seek to have its allies such as Russia and China block the issuance of the warrant.

On a personal note, having successfully represented a Sudanese man obtain asylum after he watched his father murdered and then was shot himself just for being "black Africans," I hope that Bashir and his cronies are all brought to justice.

"Constitution Drafting in Post-Conflict States"

William and Mary School of Law has just published an interesting symposium entitled, "Constitution Drafting in Post-Conflict States," which focuses on various issues related to drawing up constitutions in a post-conflict situation. Many current events are discussed and issues range from the need for rule of law in places like Iraq to the influence of theocracy in Pakistan. If you would like to read more, full text articles can be found by heading over to the William and Mary Law Review site and scrolling down to Issue 4 (March 2008).

Pakistan Chief Justice Freed by New Premier

Moments after being confirmed as Pakistan's new prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani ordered that Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry (pictured) be freed. Chaudhry had been under house arrest since November when President Musharraf had security forces carry him out of the Supreme Court while hearing a case about Musharraf's right to continue as president. Gilani also ordered the release of other deposed judges who had crossed Musharraf. The new Pakistani government has promised to reinstate roughly 60 judges removed by Musharraf.

Darfur Peacekeeping Force Struggling

Despite what many consider an ongoing genocide in Darfur, the United Nations peacekeeping force continues to be delayed. The force officially replaced the incapable African Union force on January 1, 2008, but so far has only deployed 9,000 of an anticipated 26,000. The remainder are expected at the end of the year, but help cannot get to Darfur fast enough. Only time will tell if the force will be able to overcome bureaucracy, Sudanese government resistance, and the unwillingness of many nations to send troops to the conflict. Meanwhile, the people of Darfur suffer.

Annan: UN "Overstretched"

Former secretary general of the UN, Kofi Annan, said yesterday that the UN is "overstretched" and should not take on any more responsibilities as long as the major powers continue to withhold the needed support.

"I don't think the UN is in a position today to go in and take over in Afghanistan; I don't think the UN will get the resources to play a major and active role in Somalia. We are already struggling to get the resources in Darfur, where some have declared it a genocide."

The UN is currently trying to get a force of 26,000 troops into Darfur, but weak support has delayed their deployment. For example, the UN has requested 24 helicopters to patrol the region, but no nation has responded to repeated requests for this equipment.

Violence in Kosovo Escalates

A United Nations police officer from the Ukraine has died following injuries suffered during riots by Serbs in Kosovo. Rioters used rocks, Molotov cocktails, and even hand grenades against police after police retook two UN courthouses in the town of Mitrovica. The clash left 150 injured, including over 60 police.

Serbians are still upset over Kosovo's declaration of independence and vow not to let the territory split. Russian authorities, who support Serbia, condemned the UN's use of force. UN police allegedly exchanged gunfire with some rioters and used stun grenades. The UN will pull its police out of the area, leaving NATO troops to try and keep the peace.

Pro-Tibet Protests Around the World

Protests calling for an end to Chinese rule of Tibet have erupted across the globe. Violent protests have taken lace throughout Tibet, leaving anywhere from 10-80 dead and many more injured or jailed. Meanwhile, there have been protests in places such as the Chinese embassy in Paris, the Chinese consulate in the Hague, and in New York outside the United Nations and Chinese consulate. With the world watching as the Olympics approach, China has been urged to practice restraint against protesters.

US State Department Names World's Worst Human Rights Offenders

North Korea, Myanmar, Iran, Syria, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Eritrea and Sudan were named the world's ten worst human rights offenders in a new report detailing 2007 abuses. To the surprise of many China was dropped from the list, although their “overall human rights record remained poor.” Some question whether the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing are the reason for China's drop.

Meanwhile, groups like Amnesty International noted the irony of having the Bush administration create a detailed list of human rights abuses. Amnesty International USA executive director Larry Cox's statement seems right on point:

"It is also shocking to read the horrific record of what amounts to torture and cruel treatment of individuals held by allies of the United States in the war on terror, knowing that the U.S. government has sent people to those countries for interrogation through its extraordinary renditions program."

The report's release seems a bit untimely for the Bush administration considering the President's recent veto of a bill that would limit harsh interrogation techniques that some consider to be torture (see post below).

To see the 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices head over to the US State Department site here.

Bush's Anti-Torture Veto Stands

An attempt by the House of Representatives to override President Bush's veto of a ban on enhanced interrogation techniques failed yesterday. The bill would have limited the CIA and other US agencies to interrogation techniques found in the Army's field manual. This would have prevented the use of waterboarding and induced hypothermia. President Bush cited terrorism concerns in vetoing the bill. The veto leaves the following techniques, among others, potentially available to the CIA and other agencies: hooding prisoners or putting duct tape across their eyes, stripping prisoners naked, forcing prisoners to perform or mimic sexual acts, subjecting them to hypothermia or mock executions, and withholding food, water and medical treatment. All of these acts are prohibited in the Army's field manual.

Raul Castro selected as next Cuban president

To no one's surprise, Fidel Castro's younger brother, Fidel, was selected as Cuba's next president today. He was unanimously chosen by Cuba's National Assembly and proposed that the Assembly consult with Fidel on important matters.

Justice Department to Investigate Torture

I am a little behind here, but the US Department of Justice announced Friday that there is an investigation pending into a 2002 Office of Legal Counsel memo on interrogation standards which authorized waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques. The CIA recently admitted to waterboarding three terror suspects from 2002-2003. No time line for the conclusion of the investigation was announced, but the DOJ says the investigation began more than three years ago.

Rioters Attack US Embassy in Belgrade

Reacting to US support for Kosovo's independence, rioters in Serbia attacked the US Embassy today. Rioters were able to force their way into the building, starting fires and destroying furniture.

Attorneys in Pakistan Continue to Rally for Independent Judiciary

Pakistani lawyers continue weekly rallies for the restoration of 63 judges removed last November by President Pervez Musharraf. Former Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry supported the lawyers efforts, despite being under house arrest. Chaudhry was first suspended last March, but reinstated by the high court. Then in November, Musharraf removed him again and placed him under house arrest. In Karachi, a dozen lawyers were arrested and more than 2o injured after police used tear-gas and batons to break up one of the rallies.

Fidel Castro Resigns

Fidel Castro has resigned as President of Cuba after nearly 50 years of heading the island nation. His failing health is considered to be the main reason behind his decision. Castro came into power in 1959 and was a very important communist figure in history. His alliance with the Soviet Union terrified Americans in the 60s, particularly the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1962 the Soviet Union installed nuclear weapons in Cuba, nearly resulting in a nuclear war. As a result of Castro's rule Cuba has been subjected to many years of US economic embargo. It is unclear what Cuba's future holds next though. Fidel's brother, Raúl, has been installed as the next President, but many wonder if Raúl is charismatic enough to replace Fidel.

Kosovo Declares Independence

Kosovo has officially declared independence from Serbia and is now relying on US and EU support to gain international acceptance. Serbian officials were displeased with the declaration, but promised they will respond peacefully. Russia, who backs Serbia, has opposed Kosovo becoming an independent state and could delay the process in the United Nations. Still, it appears as if there is too much momentum and support to prevent it altogether. Kosovo split is the final breakup of the former Yugoslavia and has been in the works ever since 1999 when the war between Serbians and ethnic Albanians in the region ended thanks to NATO involvement.

World's Worst Dictators

Kim Jong-Il (pictured) tops Parade's list of the World's Worst Dictators this year. Parade says the dictators are chosen based on human-rights abuses, the level of suffering caused by their leadership, and the amount of absolute power they possess. On Parade.com you can read more about why each dictator was chosen and what their link to the United States is. You can also see where they ranked last year and chose who you think is "the worst." Personally, I chose Sudan's Omar Al-Bashir because his government is responsible for an ongoing genocide. Also, Pervez Musharraf's position could be up for grabs soon with Pakistan holding elections Monday. However, many feel the elections will be rigged, in which case Musharraf may deserve a promotion on the list.

Parade's 10 Worst Dictators of 2008
1. Kim Jong-Il, North Korea
2. Omar Al-Bashir, Sudan
3. Than Shwe, Burma (Myanmar)
4. King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia
5. Hu Jintao, China
6. Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe
7. Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Iran
8. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan
9. Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan
10. Isayas Afewerki, Eritrea