In November ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo detailed the charges [JURIST report] against al-Senussi and Saif al-Islam to the UN Security Council [official website] as well as what was being done to secure their capture. Saif al-Islam was arrested [JURIST report] in November and is currently in Libyan custody. In October the two reportedly attempted to leave Libya in an effort to surrender themselves [JURIST report] to the ICC, according to the NTC. Earlier in the month, Ocampo said that he has evidence against Saif al-Islam for his role in planning attacks on Libyan civilians [JURIST report]. According to Ocampo, Saif al-Islam hired mercenaries to assist him in carrying out his plans to attack civilians that protested the rule of his father.

The Guatemalan civil war, which lasted from 1960-1996 [BBC timeline] resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, mostly among Guatemala's large indigenous Mayan population. According to a UN report [text, in Spanish] released in 1999, the military was responsible for 95 percent of those deaths. Earlier this month a Guatemalan judge denied amnesty [JURIST report] to former dictator Effan Rios Montt, who was in power during the Dos Erres massacre. In February, JURIST guest columnist and Director of the Guatemala Human Rights Commission Kelsey Alford-Jones opined [JURIST op-ed] that prosecuting Rios Montt was necessary to bring justice to his victims, as well as strengthen the Guatemalan judiciary. In August a Guatemalan court sentenced four former soldiers [JURIST report] to over 6,000 years in prison on war crimes charges related to the Dos Erres massacre.

Italy is not the only European country that has been in the news regarding same sex-marriage. In June 2010, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled 4-3 that the European Convention on Human Rights does not mandate that member states recognize same-sex marriages [JURIST report]. Also in June 2010, the Icelandic Althingi unanimously passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage [JURIST report]. In May 2010, Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva signed a bill that legalizes same-sex marriage [JURIST report] but stops short of allowing same-sex couples to adopt. The bill was approved by the Portuguese Parliament in January and found to be constitutional by the Constitutional Court.

Guinea-Bissau's reputation of unrest and violence has been in the news before. In August 2010 the EU declined to renew its mandate [JURIST report] of reforming Guinea-Bissau security forces, citing the breakdown of law and order in the country. In June 2010 the US refused to participate in international reform efforts [Reuters report] of the country's security sector without the removal of corrupt officials. In April 2010 Ban called on leaders in Guinea-Bissau to respect the rule of law and maintain constitutional order [JURIST report] in the wake of a confrontation between the military and government in which the prime minister was detained and later released.

To continue to pursue our mission, WE NEED YOUR HELP. Although we receive support from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, we are in fact a completely separate entity. In fact, the majority of our operating costs are covered by gifts coming from outside the University. Given our increasing costs and continued reduction in government support for higher education, I only expect this gap to widen. Hence, we really, really need help from people who believe there is value in what we are doing.

If you value JURIST, please consider donating so that we can continue to bring you the substantive legal news and commentary that you have come to expect and enjoy. If you are a regular reader, you know what JURIST has to offer. JURIST provides a depth of coverage that is oftentimes unavailable in mainstream media, with links to primary source materials and other contextual information that encourages our readers to form their own opinions about the legal developments that affect their lives. JURIST also highlights legal issues and areas that may get left out by regular legal news coverage in mainstream media. All of this is done in an ad-free, registration-free, open environment.

You can read more at http://jurist.org/supportjurist, or if you are ready to join us, you can donate now!