The amendment was originally proposed [JURIST report] in August, and Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] has criticized the measure as legal housekeeping because the crimes are rarely punished by execution [BBC report]. AI estimates that China executes thousands of people every year—more than the rest of the world combined—but the actual figure is a closely guarded state secret. Last February, the Supreme People's Court of China [official website, in Chinese] issued new guidelines for limiting capital punishment [JURIST report] in Chinese courts to "extremely serious" crimes.

Expresses deep concern with the situation in Libya, strongly condemns the recent gross and systematic human rights violations committed in Libya, including indiscriminate armed attacks against civilians, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture of peaceful demonstrators, some of which may also amount to crimes against humanity; [and] Decides to urgently dispatch an independent, international commission of inquiry, to be appointed by the President of the Council, to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in Libya.

The situation in Libya has escalated over days of continued protests and violent suppression by security forces. On Wednesday, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] Luis Moreno-Ocampo [official profile] said that the ICC cannot investigate possible crimes in Libya [JURIST report] because the country is not a party to the Rome Statute [materials]. The statement came after Pillay said earlier this week that the Libyan government's response to recent protests may amount to crimes against humanity [JURIST report]. Pillay cited the use of machine guns, snipers and military planes against protesters, calling for an independent investigation. The protests began last week following those that have occurred throughout the Middle East and North Africa [BBC backgrounder], resulting in the resignations of Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak [JURIST reports]. Protesters have demanded Gaddafi's resignation and government reform.

Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean is an ongoing international concern, and several countries have started taking legal action against suspected Somali pirates. Earlier this month, seven suspected Somali pirates appeared in Malaysian court [JURIST report], charged with firearms offenses and, if convicted, could face the death penalty. Malaysia was the first Asian country to take formal legal action against suspect pirates. The suspects, who did not enter pleas, were also arrested in January after allegedly firing at Malaysian authorities while hijacking a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden. Three of the seven suspects are only 15 years old and will not face the death penalty because of their age.

The issue of same-sex marriage continues to be hotly debated in the US. Earlier this week, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] announced that it would no longer defend the constitutionality [JURIST report] of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) [text; JURIST news archive], which defines marriage for federal purposes as a legal union between one man and one woman, in court cases challenging the provision. Earlier this week, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie signed a same-sex civil unions bill into law, while last week, the Wyoming Senate approved a bill that would prevent the state from recognizing same-sex marriages [JURIST reports] and civil unions performed in other jurisdictions. Same-sex marriage is currently legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington DC [JURIST reports].

[L]et us be clear that today's shocking and brutal situation is the direct outcome of a callous disregard for the rights and freedom of Libyans that has marked the almost four-decade long grip on power by the current ruler. Justice for ongoing as well as past abuses must be attained in order to be meaningful for all the victims. There can be no doubt about the need for action by this Council now. The Human Rights Council and its mechanisms should step in vigorously to help end violence in Libya and hold those perpetrating the atrocities accountable. The Council should use all means available to compel the Libyan Government to respect the human rights and heed the will of its people. The victims of human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law deserve no less.

The situation in Libya has escalated over days of continued protests and violent suppression by security forces. On Wednesday, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] Luis Moreno-Ocampo [official profile] said that the ICC cannot investigate possible crimes in Libya [JURIST report] because the country is not a party to the Rome Statute [materials]. The statement came after Pillay said earlier this week that the Libyan government's response to recent protests may amount to crimes against humanity [JURIST report]. Pillay cited the use of machine guns, snipers and military planes against protesters, calling for an independent investigation. The protests began last week following those that have occurred throughout the Middle East and North Africa [BBC backgrounder], resulting in the resignations of Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak [JURIST reports]. Protesters have demanded Gaddafi's resignation and government reform.

[T]he Legislature's failure to authorize same-sex couples to enter into marriage in New York or require recognition of validly performed out-of-state same-sex marriages, cannot serve as an expression of public policy for the State. In the absence of an express statutory prohibition ... legislative action or inaction does not qualify as an exception to the marriage recognition rule.

The validity of same-sex marriage [JURIST news archive] continues to be hotly debated in the US. The New York appeals court decision came one day after the US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] announced that it would no longer defend the constitutionality [JURIST report] of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) [text; JURIST news archive], which defines marriage for federal purposes as a legal union between one man and one woman, in court cases challenging the provision. The New York State Assembly approved same-sex marriage legislation in 2009, but the bill was later defeated [JURIST reports] in the Senate. Same-sex marriage is currently legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington, DC [JURIST reports].

Today's developments in court are three steps in the right direction in what has been along and arduous journey for my wife, for my children and for me. I will continue to fight to clear my name and prove to the people of Illinois that I didn't let them down.

In Blagojevich's first trial, the jury deliberated for 14 days after the 11-week trial but was unable to reach a consensus on all but one of the charges. According to reports, there was a lone holdout [Chicago Tribune report] on the convictions regarding the sale of Obama's Senate seat. The female juror allegedly stated that due to the lack of a "smoking gun" she was unable to convict Blagojevich of the crimes. Last September, lawyers for Blagojevich asked the judge to throw out the sole conviction [JURIST report], stating that the government failed to meet its required burden of proof and that cross-examinations by the defense were plagued by "obstructionist" objections [Chicago Tribune report], which the court continuously sustained. In January 2009, the Illinois State Senate voted unanimously [JURIST report] to convict Blagojevich of abuse of power and remove him from office. Blagojevich and his former chief of staff John Harris were initially arrested [JURIST report] in December 2008.