[JURIST] Leading Monday's international brief, Sudanese Speaker of the National Assembly Ahmad Ibrahim al-Tahir has announced that the Sudanese Parliament will approve the draft interim constitution scheduled for final reading on Wednesday, July 6. The Sudan Parliament [government website] adopted a resolution Sunday presented by Chairman Ismail al-Haj Musa of the Interim Constitution Formulation Committee calling for the approval of the Draft Interim Constitution at the general features stage. The approval of the Sudanese Parliament Wednesday will open the document to suggested amendment and changes in the legislative bodies of both the Khartoum government [official website] and the newly formed, autonomous South Sudan government [official website], before being approved for implementation. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Sudan [JURIST news archive]. The Sudan Tribune has local coverage.

In other international legal news ...

• Leading South African human rights lawyer George Bizos [Wikipedia profile] has criticized the current mass evictions [JURIST report] taking place in Zimbabwe as a demonstration of that country's complete lack of respect for the rule of law. Bizos, who represented Zimbabwean opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai [party profile] in his recent criminal case [JURIST report] concerning charges of the attempted assassination of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe [Wikipedia profile], was responding to questions by South African citizens concerned that the events in Zimbabwe could be repeated in South Africa. Bizos observed that South Africa's respect for the rule of law would limit even the government from demolishing private property without a court order. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Zimbabwe [JURIST news archive]. ZimOnline has local coverage.
  
  
• Narahari Acharya, the leader of the human rights group Nepali Congress, was released Monday by order of the Nepal Supreme Court [government website] following a writ of habeas corpus petition filed on his behalf last week. Acharya, along with human rights activist Krishna Pahadi, were released after five months of detention by the government on allegations of posing a serious security risk. Acharya had previously opposed the use of the courts to obtain his release, as he maintains that the judicial system is being manipulated to lend legitimacy to the autocratic power of King Gyanedra [official profile]. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Nepal [JURIST news archive]. Kantipur Online has local coverage

[JURIST] US Army Reserve PFC Lynndie England [Wikipedia profile; JURIST news archive], accused of abusing prisoners at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, faces new court-martial proceedings, including arraignment and a pre-trial hearing beginning Thursday at Fort Hood. On May 4, a military judge rejected England's guilty plea [JURIST report] to charges of conspiracy, maltreatment of prisoners, and indecent acts, because her story could not be reconciled with that of fellow serviceman and former boyfriend Pvt. Charles Graner, Jr. [JURIST report], who has already been convicted for his role in the scandal. From Waco Texas, KWTX-TV has local coverage.

[JURIST] Rwandan legal representatives arguing Monday at the beginnng of public hearings [press release] before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) [official website] at The Hague dismissed allegations that Rwandan troops had committed human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and argued the world court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case. Congo filed suit with the ICJ in 2002 [ICJ press release], accusing Rwandan troops of armed aggression, mass slaughter, rape, arbitrary detentions, systematic looting and assassinations in Congo's civil war [backgrounder], which lasted between 1998 and 2003. The DRC is seeking a directive for any remaining Rwanda troops to leave the country and to pay reparations. For the ICJ to hear a case [ICJ jurisdiction rules], the states involved must be party to UN treaties and conventions. Reuters has more.

[JURIST] The International Atomic Energy Agency [official website] in Vienna begins a five-day conference [conference website] Monday to consider toughening international laws governing the security of nuclear power stations. Representatives from over 100 countries will discuss amending the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material [summary and text], a treaty that applies to the transport, domestic storage and peaceful use of nuclear material. If amended, the new rules would create new international standards to prevent sabotage and protect nuclear material, as well as require cooperation between countries in recovering stolen and smuggled material. However, treaty making will be a slow process as domestic laws in some countries must be amended and the changes must be ratified by all members. AP has more.

[JURIST] In an interview with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya satellite television station [station website] aired Sunday , a half-brother of Osama bin Laden [JURIST news archive] offered to pay for the legal defense of al-Qaida leader in the event of his capture. Yeslam Binladin [UK Telegraph interview] is one of 54 sons and daughters of the late Saudi construction magnate Mohammed bin Laden [Wikipedia profile], who had 22 wives. Yeslam described his brother as "more religious than the rest" of his brothers and said his siblings feared their father, who used to beat them. Yeslam believes his brother is still alive and condemned the September 11th attacks, but insisted that "Everyone has the right to defend himself, anyone who is accused of doing something." AP has more.