United States Archives | Page 35 of 45 | International Commission of Jurists

US Department of Justice releases new torture opinion

Feb 8, 2005

On 30 December the United States Acting Assistant Attorney General issued a memo on behalf of the Office of the Legal Counsel of the Department of Justice overturning part of the previous memo and approved by then counsel to the President, newly appointed Attorney...

US: New Attorney General raises concerns among human rights groups and legal experts

Feb 8, 2005

On 3 February the United States Senate voted 60-36 to confirm Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General of the United States. The new Attorney General has been embroiled in controversy over his role in developing policy which has effectively undermined the prohibition...

US court: review process of indefinite detention of enemy combatants unconstitutional

Jan 8, 2005

A US Court held that the “Combatant Status Review Tribunals”, set up by Military Order to determine whether a detainee can be held in detention indefinitely as “enemy combatant”, violate due process rights under the US Constitution. The Court held that the Tribunals...

US court strikes down provisions of US Patriot Act

Dec 8, 2004

In a challenge to the US Patriot Act, which gives the Government new powers to investigate suspected terrorists, the US District Court for Southern New York ruled that government investigators cannot force telecommunications companies and internet services providers...

USA: Federal judge rules US Military Commission violates Geneva Convention

Dec 8, 2004

The Military Commission trial of Salim Ahmed Hamdan, allegedly the former driver of Osama bin Laden, was stayed when a Federal Court judge found that unless a competent tribunal, in line with Article 5 of the Third Geneva Convention, determines that Hamdan is not...