The trial is the result of consistent effort and persistence of the ICTB. Last week, ICTB prosecutors filed an application [JURIST report] for formal charges against a former leader who allegedly committed crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. This application was filed in response to ICTB's request [JURIST report] for a submission of formal charges. However, the trial process faced some concerns when Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] pointed to reports showing threats of violence and arrest against defense lawyers and witnesses. HRW urged Bangladesh to stop such harassment [JURIST report] in order to have a legitimate trial against the accused. The trial was delayed [JURIST report] last month because the defense lawyers asked the court to review the charges against Sayedee. The court accepted 20 out of 31 charges [Al Jazeera report] that were filed [JURIST report] in July by the Bangladesh prosecutors.

We are left with no option. The Government has passed this legislation despite being unable to demonstrate that it will be effective at reducing smoking and has ignored the widespread concerns raised in Australia and internationally regarding the serious legal issues associated with plain packaging.

Tobacco packaging is at issue in the US as well. Earlier this month a judge for the US District Court for the District of Columbia [official website] granted a temporary injunction to block the implementation [JURIST report] of new requirements of graphic image and textual warning labels imposed by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA) [HR 1256 text]. A group of four tobacco companies had sued the US government [JURIST report] in August claiming that new cigarette labeling regulations [FDA materials] violate their First Amendment [text] rights. In 2009, US President Barack Obama [official website] signed the FSPTCA into law [JURIST report], granting the FDA certain authority to regulate tobacco products. The legislation heightens warning-label requirements, prohibits marketing "light cigarettes" as a healthier alternative and allows for the regulation of cigarette ingredients.

The group's leader, Shoko Asahara, was sentenced to death [JURIST report] after he was convicted of planning and carrying out a series of crimes and murdering a total of 27 people in 13 criminal cases. In 2006, the Tokyo high court upheld [JURIST report] Masami Tsuchiya's death sentence after he was convicted for aiding the cult in developing the gas used in the two attacks. The nerve gas attacks in Japan resulted in the deaths of 12 people and thousands of injuries.

In September, Sri Lanka announced that it will continue to outlaw [JURIST report] the LTTE and detain terror suspects indefinitely despite lifting emergency laws. In August, the Sri Lankan government announced it would lift the emergency laws [JURIST report] that have been in place for 30 years, though Parliament would renew [text] some provisions temporarily. Most clauses of the Public Security Ordinance, which permits suspects to be detained indefinitely and without charge, have already been abolished. Sri Lankan Prime Minister DM Jayaratne [official website] told Parliament that some clauses would remain necessary, even though the civil war ended in 2009. The Sri Lankan emergency laws have been in a state of flux in recent years. Sri Lankan lawmakers voted last year to extend the state of emergency [JURIST report] but reduced some of the toughest provisions.

In October, defense lawyers for Nuon filed a lawsuit [JURIST report] against Prime Minister Hun Sen [BBC profile] for interfering with the UN-backed war crimes tribunal. Nuon's lawyers accused the prime minister of criminally conspiring to block some of the defense witnesses from testifying [Reuters report] and consequently interfering with Chea's right to a fair trial. In September, the ECCC ordered the trials be split into a series of smaller trials [JURIST report]. The ECCC said that the separation of trials will allow the tribunal to deliberate more quickly [press release] in the case against the elderly defendants. The first trial will focus on the beginning two phases of population movement and allegations of crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution not on religious grounds and forced disappearances associated with the first phases of population movement. Subsequent trials will focus on the third phase of population movement, genocide, persecution based on religious grounds and violation of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 [ICRC backgrounder].