The Jordanian parliament on Tuesday narrowly voted to repeal Article 308 of the penal code, which permitted rapists to escape punishment if they married their victims. Rights groups applauded the decision, calling it a step forward in ending violence against women , especially in Middle Eastern countries where girls and women were offered as gifts [...]

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed legislation imposing new sanctions against Russia and limiting the president’s ability to ease existing sanctions. The legislation also imposes sanctions against North Korea and Iran. In a statement , Trump said that while he supports “tough measures to punish and deter aggressive and destabilizing behavior … this legislation [...]

A judge for the US District Court for the District of Arizona found former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio guilty of criminal contempt on Monday. The court found Arpaio did not comply with a court order to stop detaining Latinos based solely on their immigration status. The matter was presented before Judge Susan Bolton, a senior [...]

The US Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday. The sanctions will freeze all of Maduro’s assets that are subject to US jurisdiction and will prohibit any US citizens from doing business with him. As a de facto result of being sanctioned, Maduro will also be barred from accessing [...]

JURIST Guest Columnist Royal Oakes discusses the newest chapter in O.J. Simpson’s legal drama, and what it portends for the future… In a word association game you might not connect O.J. Simpson with the legendary group The Grateful Dead, but the group’s signature lyric, “What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been” seems an apt description [...]

JURIST Guest Columnist Matt Belenky of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law discusses Amazon’s sales tax policy… As of April 1, 2017, Amazon, once a leader in pushing for online purchases to be tax free, announced it would collect sales taxes on purchases in the final four states it hadn’t yet collected from: Hawaii, [...]

The French government and the Calais region are to furnish water and sanitation to migrants in the area, France’s highest administrative court, the Conseil D’Etat ruled Monday. The county has said that it will also open two new reception centers about an hour from Calais in Bailleul and Troisva. These immigrants are primarily on their [...]

The UK High Court rejected a “crime of aggression” allegation Monday against former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair by a former Iraq General Abdul Wahed Shannan Al Rabbat. The two justices dismissed the claim as UK law does not recognize a crime of aggression: The existence of such difficulties cannot in any way justify the [...]

A group of UN experts for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) urged the government of the Philippines on Monday to address reports of human rights violations that include threats against indigenous people, murder and the summary execution of children. The experts stated in a joint call for action, “We are [...]

JURIST Guest Columnist Bradley Abramson of Alliance Defending Freedom, discusses the new ABA Model Rules and potential first amendment concerns … The new ABA Model Rule 8.4(g) prohibits attorneys from engaging in “harmful,” “derogatory,” or “demeaning” speech in any activity “related to the practice of law,” including “bar association, business or social activities.” Proponents of [...]