Last month, Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] (HRW) called for an investigation into alleged war crimes [JURIST report] committed during the recent conflict between the government of Yemen and Shiite Huthi Rebels. According to HRW's report, the February truce between the factions has not resulted in any meaningful inquiry into air strikes on populated villages, indiscriminate violence, summary executions, and child soldiers, among other alleged violations. In February, Canadian citizen Maher Arar [advocacy website; JURIST news archive] asked the US Supreme Court [official website] to overturn a lower court ruling [JURIST report] that he cannot sue the US government for damages based on his detention, interrogation, and torture in Syria after he was mistakenly identified as a terrorist. Last year, HRW urged Jordan to restore its rule of law [JURIST report] by ending extrajudicial detentions of crime victims, personal enemies, and persons freed by the courts.

The amendments [text, in Turkish] were approved [JURIST report] by the Turkish Grand National Assembly [official website, in Turkish] last week. Last month, the AKP submitted a revised version [JURIST report] of their proposed amendments, including a proposal to alter Article 157 of the Constitution [text, in Turkish] so that judges of the Military Supreme Administrative Court would have judicial immunity and be shielded from spurious claims. An earlier version of AKP's proposal was submitted [JURIST report] a week prior and contained seven revisions [Hurriyet report] from the package originally unveiled [JURIST report] at the end of March. Included amongst the changes were a highly-disputed reform to the judiciary system that would allow military and government officials to be tried in civilian court, another that would make it harder for the government to disband political parties that challenge the country's nationalist establishment, and a provision that would prohibit the prosecution of the 1980 coup leaders. AKP says it created the amendments to promote democracy in Turkey and support its bid into the European Union (EU) [official website].

While Canada is believed to hold about one-fifth of the world's fresh water, water supply has become an increasingly contentious issue as the world's population continues to grow. In March, Bolivian President Evo Morales [BBC profile] called on the UN to declare access to safe drinking water a basic human right [JURIST report], marking World Water Day [official website]. In December, a California judge tentatively ruled that a 2003 Colorado River water use agreement is invalid [JURIST report]. The agreement settled a dispute over how to divide the Colorado River between California and six other states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Under the agreement, California would significantly reduce the amount of water diverted from farms to California cities over the course of 75 years.

No trial date [AFP report] has been set. If convicted, Garzon could face a suspension of up to 20 years. Garzon is also facing charges of bribery over money he received for seminars conducted in the US.

Thousands gathered [JURIST report] in cities across Spain last month in support of Garzon, chanting slogans and displaying flags of the pre-war Republican government ousted by Franco. In March, the Spanish Supreme Court [official website, in Spanish] charged [order, PDF; in Spanish] Garzon with abuse of power based on Garzon's 2008 ordered exhumation [JURIST report] of 19 mass graves in Spain. The purpose of the order was to assemble a definitive national registry of Civil War victims, despite a 1977 law granting amnesty for political crimes committed under Franco. Garzon appealed [JURIST report] the charges in April, alleging that the indictment issued by Spanish Supreme Court judge Luciano Varela was politically motivated [AFP report], compromised judicial independence, and sought to impose a specific interpretation of the 1977 law. Garzon is widely known for using universal jurisdiction extensively in the past to bring several high-profile rights cases, including those against Osama bin Laden and former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet [JURIST news archives].

The HRC elections lost any sense of competition when Iran withdrew its candidacy for the Asia Group last month amid strong international opposition based on Iran's record for human rights violations. Iranian official Mohammad Javad Larijani told the HRC in February that it would pursue the candidacy and that Iran is fulfilling its human rights obligations [JURIST report]. Larijani also said that the nation has implemented long-term plans to protect human rights [Reuters report]. Larijani rejected criticism suggesting the nation engaged in the torture and murder of dissidents, characterizing these allegations as politically motivated attempts to undermine Iran in light of the recent developments in its nuclear program. Larijani reiterated that Iran's nuclear program is intended for civilian use only. Amnesty International [advocacy website] criticized [press release, PDF] Iran's earlier report [text, PDF] to the HRC, calling its portrayal of the state of human rights in the nation distorted. Iran's report was not able to sway the international community and withdrew its candidacy amid concern that it would not have the adequate support necessary to win the seat.

Thursday's ruling brings to 35 the number of Guantanamo detainees who have prevailed in habeas corpus proceedings [JURIST news archive] in federal court. The government has prevailed in only 13 cases. In March, the DC court denied the habeas petition of Yemeni Guantanamo Bay detainee Makhtar Yahia Naji al Warafi [NYT materials] on its merits, allowing the US government to prolong the detention indefinitely. Earlier that month, a federal judge ordered the release [JURIST report] of Mauritanian Guantanamo Bay detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi [NYT materials], who had been accused of planning the 9/11 [JURIST news archive] terrorist attacks. Slahi has been in US custody for over seven years and brought a habeas petition, claiming that he had been tortured in prison [Miami Herald report] and had made confessions under duress. In late February, a DC judge ruled that the government can continue to hold indefinitely [JURIST report] two Yemeni Guantanamo Bay detainees, even though Fahmi Salem Al-Assani and Suleiman Awadh Bin Agil Al-Nahdi [orders, PDF] had been cleared for release by the Bush administration two years ago.

No funds from parishes, institutions, charitable agencies of the Diocese or the Bishop's Fund have been used for past settlements, and none are being used to meet the financial obligations resulting from these present settlements. The intentions of our donors have been and continue to be both respected and upheld.

This settlement comes a month after the Vatican [official website] released church procedures [JURIST report] for handling alleged cases of sexual abuse by priests, instructing, "Civil law concerning reporting of crimes to the appropriate authorities should always be followed." The "Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Procedures concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations" summarizes the procedures governing investigations by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) [official profile] into allegations of sex abuse by clergy members. The CDF guidelines provide for interim measures meant to ensure the safety of others during civil authorities' investigations or legal proceedings. The guidelines also outline a multi-tiered system of enforcement and appeals, including local bishops, the CDF, and the Pope himself. Since 2007, in the US alone, the Church has settled more than 500 cases [JURIST news archive] of abuse for over $900 million.

Silsby is the only one to face trial of a group of 10 missionaries affiliated with the Central Valley Baptist Church [church website] of Idaho and the New Life Children's Refuge Charity [BBC profile] who were arrested [JURIST report] in January. A Haitian judge ordered the release of eight missionaries in February and then ordered the release of a ninth in March. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused massive damage to property and infrastructure in Haiti, and the death toll has been estimated at 230,000.