Counterterrorism

The Forgotten Defendant of Guantanamo

Stephen Paul Smith, Terrorism & Counterterrorism Program legal intern — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:55:55 -0800

Prosecutors, defense counsel, a military judge, several journalists and a handful of non-governmental organization observers like myself convened at Guantanamo Bay this week for what was to be the first hearing for a Guantanamo defendant under the Obama administration's "new and improved" mili

US: Federal Court Prosecution of 9/11 Suspects a Victory for Justice

Human Rights Watch — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:03:35 -0800

(New York) - The Obama administration's decision to prosecute the September 11 suspects in federal court represents an important step forward for justice, Human Rights Watch said today. Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that five of the suspects facing pending military commission charges at Guantanamo would be

Italy/US: Italian Court Rebukes CIA Rendition Practice

Human Rights Watch — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:57:37 -0800

(Milan) - An Italian court's conviction of 23 agents of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for kidnapping is an historic repudiation of the CIA's crimes, Human Rights Watch said today. The Milan court also found that two Italian officials illegally collaborated in CIA abuses.

Italy/US: Ruling Expected in Historic CIA Rendition Case

Human Rights Watch — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:27:16 -0800

(Milan) - The verdict expected Wednesday in a landmark case may present a historic legal challenge to the US Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) rendition program, Human Rights Watch said today.

The trial in Milan of 26 Americans in absentia and seven Italians for the 2003 abduction of an Egyptian imam began in 2007.

US: Revised Military Commissions Remain Substandard

Human Rights Watch — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:50:17 -0700

(Washington, DC) - The military commissions legislation that President Barack Obama signed into law today does not remedy the commissions' inherent flaws, Human Rights Watch said today.

Brief of Amici Curiae Submitted to the United States Court of Military Commissions Review

Human Rights Watch — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:49:52 -0700

Nobel Spotlights Need for Obama to Act on Rights

Human Rights Watch — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:07:47 -0700

(New York) - The award of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to US President Barack Obama should encourage him to apply his stated principles to both foreign and domestic human rights policy, Human Rights Watch said today.

US: New Legislation on Military Commissions Doesn’t Fix Fundamental Flaws

Human Rights Watch — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:37:21 -0700

(New York) - Draft legislation on military commissions fails to remedy the system's serious flaws, Human Rights Watch said today.

Europe must come clean on its involvement in CIA torture

Reed Brody, European Press Director — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:49:21 -0700

UK: Ethiopian ‘Assurances’ No Guarantee Against Torture

Human Rights Watch — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:00:25 -0700

(London) - The UK government should not rely on unreliable "diplomatic assurances" against torture to deport national security suspects to Ethiopia, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the UK government.