USA: Supreme Court rules military commissions illegal

On 29 June, in Hamdan v, Rumsfeld, the Supreme Court ruled that military commissions, established by the President to try terrorist suspects detained at Guantánamo Bay, violated US military law and the Geneva Conventions. The Court ruled that President Bush had no power to create such commissions. In response, President Bush has indicated that he will seek Congressional authorization for use of military commissions. Immediately after the court’s decision, Senator Arlen Specter, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, introduced a bill to be debated by his Committee during the week of 11 July. Other Senators also announced they would introduce new legislation.

Judgment ICJ Statement