Indonesia president: soldiers to face trial over torture video News
Indonesia president: soldiers to face trial over torture video
Photo source or description

[JURIST] Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono [official website; BBC profile] announced [press release, in Indonesian] Monday that Indonesian soldiers caught on video [CNN report; WARNING: readers may find the video disturbing] last month torturing Papuan detainees will stand trial before a military tribunal. Yudhoyono said that the decision to try the soldiers was the result of the government’s dedication to justice [ANTARA report] and not due to international pressure. He said the alleged perpetrators must face punishment appropriate for their actions and that the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) [official website, in Indonesian] must continue to respect the rule of law. The president said the government has completed its investigation, but he did not announce a trial date.

Last month, Indonesia’s government admitted the involvement of its soldiers [JURIST report] in the torture video. Indonesia has recently faced criticism over a variety of recent human rights issues. In June, Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] released a report [report materials; JURIST report] criticizing the Indonesian government for its treatment of Papuan [Economist backgrounder] and Moluccan [GlobalSecurity backgrounder] secessionists who, according to the report, face imprisonment, torture and denial of medical treatment for their beliefs. In April, the Constitutional Court voted 8-1 to uphold [JURIST report] a controversial anti-blasphemy law enacted in 1965 by the first Indonesian president. In 2008, HRW called for Indonesia to protect freedom of religion [JURIST report] and reverse a decree that provides for the prosecution of members of a controversial Islamic sect and to uphold its commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [text].

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.