Iran's record on human rights over the past several years has been under international scrutiny. Last month UN rights experts urged [JURIST report] Iran not to execute Ahwazi activists. In October the UN Special Rapporteur for Iran accused the Iranian government of torturing human rights activists [JURIST report]. That same month the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website] urged Iran to stop all executions [JURIST report] because the government had failed to comply with fair trial and due process guarantees. In June three UN Special Rapporteurs condemned [JURIST report] for executing four members of the Ahwazi Arab minority without providing them with fair trials.

Monday's ruling came after Pohl refused to halt [JURIST report] further hearing in response to unsubstantiated allegations by defense counsel that the government was eavesdropping on private conversations with their client. Last month, Pohl denied a motion by Nashiri's lawyers to to dismiss the alleged violations of the Military Commissions Act (MCA) [text, PDF] on the grounds that the bombing occurred "prior to the commencement of hostilities" between the US and al Queda. Pohl, who is also presiding over the trial of alleged 9/11 conspirators, approved a request [JURIST report] by the government to censor testimony by the defendants with respect to alleged use of enhanced interrogation techniques.

In November Darusman expressed concern [JURIST report] over the lack of development in human rights, calling on the nation's new leader Kim Jong-un to remedy the matter. Last month Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] expressed similar sentiment, calling [JURIST report] on the UN to examine human rights abuses, particularly in light of the drop in individuals escaping into China and reports by successful escapees of increasing crackdown on escape attempts. Days later UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay [official profile] condemned [JURIST report] North Korea's human rights record, calling on the international community to make efforts to improve the situation.

The eastern region of the DRC has seen considerable violence and human rights abuses on both sides of the conflict since the M23 rebellion began. In December a UN probe found [JUIRIST report] that at least 126 people were raped and at least two civilians were killed during violence in the region last November. A month earlier, the UN condemned M23 [JURIST report] for guerrilla attacks on the DRC and called for an end to all support of the group. HRW also released a report [JURIST report] in September alleging that M23 had been responsible for numerous war crimes, including summary executions, rape and forced recruitments. In June a leaked UN report [JURIST report] revealed that Rwanda had been helping to create and support M23 and similar rebel groups that have been known to violate human rights.

Cybercrime and electronic privacy laws have been a focus of courts and legislatures throughout the world. Earlier in September New York Governor Andrew Cuomo [official website] signed into law a bill [JURIST report] that amends the state's penal code to prohibit the access and viewing of child pornography on the Internet. Internet search company Google [corporate website] has faced investigations and legal action over privacy concerns and electronic security matters in Switzerland, the EU, Japan and the US [JURIST reports] over the past year.

The controversy surrounding this case has been a major concern for the fledgling Somalian government. Last month, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Hawa Bangura [official profile] criticized the government's response [press release], saying the "approach taken by the Somali police does not serve the interest of justice; it only serves to criminalize victims and undermine freedom of expression for the press." A collection of human rights groups and free press advocates last month also issued a joint statement [JURIST report] calling for the release of Ibrahim and three others who were detained in connection with the woman's claims. The statement, issued by HRW, Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists [advocacy websites], requested that the government release Ibrahim and the others, who were all involved in reporting on the woman's claims and the government's response.

Numerous states have changed their abortion laws recently to restrict the availability of abortion, leading to several legal challenges. In December a state judge in Georgia enjoined a law [JURIST report] banning doctors from providing abortions for women more than 20 weeks into gestation. In November Montana voters passed a referendum [JURIST report] requiring facilities and doctors to inform parents of minors 16 to 48 hours before a planned abortion procedure. Also that month the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit [official website] heard oral arguments [JURIST report] on a challenge to Arizona's law which, like Georgia's law, bans abortions after 20 weeks. Planned Parenthood also sued Texas [JURIST report] in October claiming that its law preventing state funding from going to any clinics affiliated with providing abortions violates another state law.

[W]here the following three conditions are met, a U.S. operation using lethal force in a foreign country against a U.S. citizen who is a senior operational leader of al-Qa'ida or an associated force would be lawful: (1) an informed, high-level official of the U.S. government has determined that the targeted individual poses an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States; (2) capture is infeasible, and the United States continues to monitor whether capture becomes feasible; and (3) the operation would be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable law of war principles.

The use of drone strikes by the US has come under scrutiny in recent months. Last month UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism Ben Emmerson announced that he will begin investigating the legality [JURIST report] of the use of drone strikes. Emmerson said that after asking the US to allow an independent investigation [JURIST report] of its use of targeted killings last year, there is still no consensus among the international community as to the legality of the conduct. Also last month Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Minister Hina Rabbani Khar condemned US drone attacks [JURIST report] as a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and international law. Last month the DOJ filed a motion to dismiss [JURIST report] a lawsuit challenging the US government's targeted killing of three US citizens in drone strikes. In July Pakistan's Ambassador to the US called upon the US to end the practice [JURIST report] of using drone strikes in targeted killings. That same month US lawmakers expressed concern [JURIST report] over the use of drone strikes. Samar Warsi [corporate profile] of the Muslim Civil Liberties Union recently argued that Obama administration's drone policy sets a dangerous precedent [JURIST comment] and undermines national security.

Bangladeshi officials established the ICTB [JURIST report] in March 2010 to investigate and prosecute crimes committed in the Bangladesh Liberation War, during which officials estimate that Pakistani soldiers and local militia participated in more than three million killings and 200,000 rapes. Since then, the ICTB has been fraught with controversy and conflict. The tribunal originally included three high court judges and six investigators retired from civilian, law enforcement and military careers, but Justice Mohammed Nizamul Huq resigned from his post [JURIST report] in December. In June the ICTB rejected a bail petition [JURIST report] from JI leader and former Parliament member Delwar Hossain Sayeedee. In November 2011 the ICTB began its first trial [JURIST report] with the case against Sayeedee. He is charged with 20 alleged violations of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act of 1973 [text, PDF] including genocide, arson, rape and torture.