UK denies passports for two released from Guantanamo News
UK denies passports for two released from Guantanamo

[JURIST] The UK government has informed at least two of the four British men [BBC News profile] recently released [JURIST report] from Guantanamo Bay that they cannot obtain passports. An attorney for Martin Mubanga and Feroz Abbasi said that both had received a letter from the government informing them that they would not be issue passports due to evidence against them provided by the US. It was unknown whether the passports of the other two former detainees, Richard Belmar and Moazzam Begg, have also been revoked. The government has the power to withdraw citizen's passports from the Royal Prerogative [Wikipedia article]. The recent announcement is only the 13th time the power has been since 1947 and the first in more than 25 years. BBC News has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Fyodor Dostoevsky sentenced to death

Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky was sentenced to death on November 16, 1849 over his involvement in the progressive Petrashevsky Circle of intellectuals. Dostoevsky and his codefendants were scheduled to be executed on December 22 of that year, but their execution was stayed by Tsar Nicholas I after the execution ritual had been carried out. Dostoevsky was sent to Siberia instead to serve a four-year sentence. Learn more about the mock execution of Dostoevsky.

Canada executed Metis leader for treason

On November 16, 1885, the Canadian government executed Metis leader Louis Riel for high treason in the wake of the "Northwest Rebellion" that had pitted the Metis (descendants of French traders and native tribes) in what is now Saskatchewan against Canadian troops. Although Riel has lately been rehabilitated as an Indigenous francophone patriot of the Canadian West, his trial and execution remain sore points between English and French Canada.

US President Nixon signs Trans-Alaska Pipeline Act

On November 16, 1973, US President Richard Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Act into law. In addition to creating an oil pipeline across the state, the Act also quashed all environmental-legal challenges regarding its construction.