Chile: Government proposes amendments to anti-terrorist legislation

On 3 July, President Michelle Bachelet submitted an amendment to Chilean anti-terrorist legislation to the Senate. The amendment would exclude attacks against property from the list of terrorist offences. Acts affecting life, physical integrity, liberty and public...

El Salvador: National Assembly adopts new anti-terrorism law

On 22 September, the National Assembly passed anti-terrorist legislation criminalizing apologia and public incitement of terrorist acts. The legislation criminalizes other acts such as adulteration of medicine. Concern has been expressed about the wide scope of...

Canada: Commission of inquiry releases report on Maher Arar case

On 18 September, the Arar Commission of Inquiry released its final report on the detention and removal to Syria, by the United States, of Maher Arar, a Syria-born Canadian citizen. The Commission found that the United States detained him based on inaccurate...

USA: Court finds domestic surveillance program illegal

On 17 August, a federal judge ruled that the domestic surveillance program run by the National Security Agency (NSA) violated constitutional guarantees of free speech and privacy rights. The Court ordered the Agency to immediately cease intercepting communications...

USA: Department of Defence releases new Army Field Manual

On 6 September, the Department of Defense (DoD) released a new Army Field Manual on interrogations. The Manual clarifies that Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions applies to all detainees, regardless of their characterization and status. It also specifically...
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