Libya is making strides towards greater transparency and acknowledgment of human rights, but still has a long way to go, according to a report published Saturday by Human Rights Watch (HRW) . The report, entitled "Libya: Truth and Justice Can't Wait," is a follow up to a 2006 report "Words to Deeds." While acknowledging Libya's [...]

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said Friday that a leaked memo signals that the US government intends to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees to the Thomson Correctional Center (TCC) in northwestern Illinois. The memo from the attorney general, leaked last week to conservative website Big Government , is dated December 10, 2009, [...]

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov agreed Saturday to consider accepting one Guantanamo Bay detainee after a request from the Obama administration, though the Bulgarian Parliament would make the final decision. Borisov stated that Bulgaria will be supported by its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies for its decision but does not expect something in return [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled Friday that California same-sex marriage supporters cannot access Proposition 8 supporters' internal campaign communications. The court denied disclosure of the documents on First Amendment grounds, finding that it would violate the right of freedom of association. Proponents of same-sex marriage wanted to use the documents [...]

The family of Kenyan Guantanamo Bay detainee Mohamed Abdulmalik has filed a lawsuit against the Kenyan government claiming that he was illegally detained, tortured, and rendered to US authorities. The suit seeks Abdulmalik's return to Kenya and USD $30 million in damages. Abdulmalik was originally arrested by the Kenyan Anti-terrorism Police Unit in Mombassa in [...]

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Saturday recalled Proclamation 1959 , lifting the declaration of martial law and reinstating habeas corpus in the province of Maguindanao. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced that martial law had been lifted, saying that the objectives of Proclamation 1959 had been met. The objectives were quelling the rebellion, arresting suspects from [...]

The Constitutional Court of Turkey voted Friday to ban the Democratic Society Party (DTP) after finding the party to have been cooperating with the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) , a separatist, designated terrorist group. The vote occurred after the PKK claimed responsibility Thursday for killing six Turkish soldiers. Constitutional Court Chairman Hasim Kilic told reporters [...]

Perry, et al. v. City of San Francisco, US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, December 11, 2009 . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here. Latest commentary available here. JURIST has more on Proposition 8.

The Constitutional Court of Romania on Friday ordered a recount of void ballots from the country's disputed presidential election. After the first round of elections in November produced no clear winner, incumbent Traian Basescu and Social Democrat Mircea Geoana faced a runoff election on Sunday. Both candidates declared victory Sunday night, but official results showed [...]

Canada's federal opposition parties combined Thursday to pass an unusual measure seeking to compel the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to release confidential records concerning the treatment of detainees captured by Canadian troops in Afghanistan. In an effort to shed light on alleged prisoner abuse by Afghans after receiving prisoners handed over to [...]