Romania has been constantly called to show more results in fighting graft and corruption prevailing within the national borders since it joined [JURIST report] the European Union (EU) [official website] in 2007. In March 2010, the European Commission (EC) [official website] released reports [JURIST report] calling Romania [report, PDF; summary, PDF] along with Bulgaria [report, PDF; summary, PDF] to do more to combat corruption and organized crime, and conduct judicial reforms in order to enjoy their full rights as members of the EU. It made the same call [JURIST report] in 2009.

Uganda and many other African countries have legislation in place that criminalizes homosexuality. International human rights groups have constantly called on the Ugandan government to this practice. In March the CCR filed [JURIST report] a lawsuit [complaint, PDF; case website] on behalf of the Ugandan rights group Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) [advocacy website] against Scott Lively, a US pastor with Abiding Truth Ministries [advocacy website], for enabling the anti-gay movement in Uganda in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts [official website]. A month earlier, AI condemned [JURIST report] the shut down of an LGBT workshop by advocacy group Freedom and Roam, declaring it illegal and trying to arrest the leader. During the same month, Uganda had reintroduced [JURIST report] legislation that would make certain homosexual activities punishable by death.

Discrimination based on sexual orientation is a hotly debated topic around the world. The US Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) held a hearing last week on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), focusing on discrimination faced by LGBT employees across the country. Earlier this month, JURIST guest columnist Brynne Madway argued [JURIST op-ed] that the LGBT community must shift some of its focus to promoting anti-discrimination laws, noting that "only 16 states have nondiscrimination laws that include gender identity and sexual orientation." In December, he UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released its first ever report [JURIST report]on the global human rights of LGBT people. The report details LGBT people around the world being killed or enduring hate-motivated violence, torture, detention, criminalization and discrimination in jobs, health care and education because of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

In February, Apple filed a suit [JURIST report] against Motorola in the US District Court for the Southern District of California [official website] seeking an injunction to stop the company from bringing patent claims against Apple in Germany. Apple had brought [JURIST report] two separate lawsuits against Motorola in October of last year alleging that several of Motorola's products infringe six patents owned by Apple.

1. Identifying, protecting and assisting victims of trafficking
2. Stepping up the prevention of trafficking in human beings
3. Increased prosecution of traffickers
4. Enhanced coordination and cooperation among key actors and policy coherence
5. Increased knowledge of and effective response to emerging concerns related to all forms of trafficking in human beings

Human trafficking has become an increasingly scrutinized issue around the world in recent years. In April, UN officials at a special General Assembly meeting urged the international community to strengthen collaborative efforts [JURIST report] to combat human trafficking. In August the UN Special Rapporteur on human trafficking urged Thailand [JURIST report] to crack down on human trafficking, especially with regard to children subjected to sexual and labor exploitation. In September 2010, the US Department of Justice brought charges [JURIST report] against six people in the largest US case of human trafficking. In June 2010, the UNODC issued a memorandum that human trafficking is becoming a major problem in Europe [JURIST report]. Also that month, the US State Department released its annual report on human trafficking, concluding [JURIST report] that the US has a "serious problem with human trafficking, both for labor and commercial sexual exploitation."

Laws and policies governing the treatment of asylum-seeking migrants continue to raise international human rights concerns. Amnesty International (AI) said Tuesday that the Cyprus government's practice of detaining all illegal migrants seeking asylum in the country violates international law [JURIST report]. In January, the Israeli Knesset passed a bill that imposes harsher penalties on illegal migrants [JURIST report] in Israel. AI criticized the bill as a violation of human rights. Last March, AI released a report documenting discrimination and human rights violations against Roma migrants [JURIST report] in Slovenia and urging the Slovenian government to protect Roma communities. In September 2010, the Global Migration Group (GMG) adopted a statement urging all governments to respect the human rights of migrants [JURIST report], who are more likely to face various forms of abuse as they lack proper legal status. The GMG stressed that every person, regardless of migration status, should enjoy fundamental human rights.

In May, the Chinese court has agreed to hear [JURIST report] the case brought by Ai's company against the tax authority for the government's imposition of 15 million yuan (USD $2.4 million) tax evasion penalty. Ai had been accused and charged with tax evasion in November. Ai claims that by imposing such penalty, the government violated the tax law, and he is urging the court to overturn the tax bureau's rejection of his appeal against the penalty. The ruling was surprising [Reuters report] because Chinese courts have been denying, or rarely accepting, claims brought by dissidents and their relatives.

The legality of drone strikes has been a controversial issue in recent months. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay declared on Friday that US drone strikes in Pakistan raise grave legal concerns [JURIST report] under international law. Pillay expressed particular concern that the drone strikes do not comport with the international law principles of proportionality and distinction. In October, JURIST contributing editor Jeffrey Addicott asserted [JURIST op-ed] that the CIA drone strike in Septembe [JURIST report] that killed senior al Qaeda leader and US citizen Anwar al-Awlaki [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive] was legal under the law of war. Prior to the drone strike that killed al-Awlaki, the Obama administration issued a memorandum [JURIST report] justifying the legality of such an action. In August, JURIST guest columnist Laurie Blank argued [JURIST op-ed] that the US government's claim that drone strikes in Pakistan have caused zero civilian casualties belied serious concerns about American interpretation and adherence to the laws of war.

The international community has called on Senegal to cease the human rights violations in the country while prosecuting those responsible for such. In March, lawyers for the Belgian government asked [JURIST report] the International Court of Justice (ICJ) [official website] to force Senegal to bring Habre to justice for atrocities he committed during his eight years in power. Senegal had reversed its decision in July 2011 to send the former president back to Chad three days after it announced [JURIST reports] the planned deportation and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay [official profile] warned he could be tortured. In February, Pillay expressed her concern [JURIST report] over the excessive force used by Senegalese authorities against protesters after the announcement of presidential candidates.

Haiti has struggled to improve its rule of law in recent months. The US State Department in February dispatched a team of international law experts to Haiti to assess how to reinforce the Haitian judiciary's power and independence. Earlier that month, UN independent expert Michel Forst proclaimed that the rule of law is making significant progress in Haiti [JURIST report]. Forst focused on the establishment of judicial offices and the adoption of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [text, PDF]. In January, a Haitian judge convicted eight police officers [JURIST report] of shooting and killing at least ten prisoners following the January 2010 earthquake. In December 2011, the UN urged an investigation [JURIST report] into alleged torture and unlawful killings perpetrated by the Haitian National Police (HNP). In September of that year, Amnesty International (AI) called on Haitian authorities to prosecute Duvalier [JURIST report] for crimes against humanity. In July, a UN rights expert requested that Haiti prosecute Duvalier [JURIST report] and improve its human rights record.

Sudan has failed to prosecute any suspects allegedly responsible for the crimes committed in Darfur leading the UN Security Council [official website] in March 2005 to refer the cases to the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website]. Since then the ICC has been working to prosecute individuals responsible for the Darfur crimes. In March, the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC issued [JURIST report] an arrest warrant for Sudanese Defense Minister Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein who was charged with 20 counts of crimes against humanity (including persecution, murder, forcible transfer, rape, inhumane acts, imprisonment or severe deprivation of liberty and torture) and 21 counts of war crimes (including murder, attacks against civilian population, destruction of property, rape, pillaging and outrage upon personal dignity). This was the fourth arrest warrant that the ICC issued against high officials alleged to be involved in the Darfur crimes. The arrest warrant was sought [JURIST report] by the former chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo [official profile] last December. During the same month, Ocampo called [JURIST report] on the international community to cooperate with the ICC in enforcing the arrest warrants noting that all states parties to the Rome Statute have an obligation to do so. The ICC had also charged [JURIST report] Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir [case materials; JURIST news archive] in July 2010 with three counts of genocide [warrant, PDF] in relation to the Darfur conflict.

Same-sex marriage [JURIST backgrounder] continues to be a controversial issue in the US. Earlier this month, opponents of Maryland's new same-sex marriage law obtained enough signatures to challenge the legislation in a referendum [JURIST report]. An advocacy group in Washington presented more than 200,000 referendum signatures earlier that week seeking to overturn [JURIST report] recently signed same-sex marriage legislation in that state. In May, 25 gay and lesbian couples filed two lawsuits against Illinois Governor Pat Quinn challenging the constitutionality [JURIST report] of the state's same-sex marriage ban. In March, Maryland legalized same-sex marriage, joining New York, Washington, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia [JURIST reports]. On the other hand, North Carolina voters in May approved [JURIST report] a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

Earlier this month, UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation Catarina Albuquerque [official profile] made a similar call when she strongly urged [JURIST report] nations to support the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation during the Rio+20 conference. The UN General Assembly [official website] in 2010 adopted [JURIST report] a resolution [materials] declaring that access to clean and sanitized drinking water is a basic human right. It was passed by a vote of 122-0 with 41 member states abstaining. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay [official website] also called [JURIST report] all UN members to consider the protection of human rights in their Rio+20 negotiations.

Israel's policy in the Gaza Strip has been a subject of controversy. Last week, 50 aid groups and UN offices signed a joint statement [JURIST report] urging Israel to end its blockade of the Gaza Strip, calling it a violation of international law. Also last week, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs said [JURIST report] that the blockade must be lifted to prevent further human rights violations. Human Rights Watch (HRW) in February urged Israel [JURIST report] to change its policies that forbid Palestinians from traveling through and living in Gaza and the West Bank. The report describes the policy that causes separation within Palestinian families since some are trapped inside Israel while their family members are forbidden from entering. Israel was also criticized by HRW for never disclosing its rationale for imposing the restrictions on travel and residency.

Samsung and Apple have been suing each other for patent infringement around the globe. In June Judge Lucy Koh for the US District Court for the Northern District of California [official website] rejected [JURIST report] a request by Apple for a preliminary injunction against four Samsung products, including the Galaxy Tab 10.1, because the court does not have jurisdiction over the case. In May, Samsung had appealed the decision [opinion, PDF] of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit [official website] that remanded [JURIST report] the case to the district court giving Apple another opportunity to ban Samsung's Galaxy products in the states. In March, Samsung filed a suit [JURIST report] against Apple in the Seoul Central District Court in South Korea alleging Apple infringed three of its utility patents. During the same month, a German court dismissed [JURIST report] claims from both sides making it the 14th case decided between the two companies in Germany. Samsung alleged that Apple violated its patents for 3G technology while Apple argued that Samsung violated its patents on slide-to-unlock technology.

Section (b)(3)(iii) of the Chicago Firearm Ordinance does not provide a person of ordinary intelligence a reasonable opportunity to know what is prohibited, in that it does not define the term "unlawful use of a weapon..." A person of ordinary intelligence would understand or interpret the term "unlawful use of a weapon that is a firearm" to mean using a firearm for an unlawful purpose, and not mere unlawful possession. ... There is something incongruent about a nonviolent person, who is not a felon but who is convicted of a misdemeanor offense of simple possession of a firearm, being forever barred from exercising his constitutional right to defend himself in his own home in Chicago against felons or violent criminals.

Chicago lawmakers have struggled to limit firearm possession in the city without violating the Constitution. The Chicago City Council unanimously approved [JURIST report] the Chicago Firearm Ordinance in July 2010, imposing strict regulations on firearm possession. Under the ordinance, residents who possess firearms are required to keep them inside their homes, and are not permitted to take their guns into the yard, garage or porch of the home. The legislation was enacted four days after the US Supreme Court ruled in McDonald v. Chicago [Cornell LII backgrounder; JURIST report] that the Second Amendment right to bear arms is applicable to the states as well as the federal government. The decision effectively struck down Chicago's former handgun ban, as it prohibited citizens from keeping handguns in their homes under any circumstances. The court's ruling in McDonald cited the holding in District of Columbia v. Heller [JURIST report] where the court held that the Second Amendment protects the right to possess a handgun in the home for the purpose of self-defense.

A similar ruling took place last week when the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt dissolved [JURIST report] the Egyptian Parliament [official websites] because it found that one-third of the parliament's members were elected illegally. The court, by invalidating the entire parliament, affirmed the lower court's decision of February [JURIST report] when the High Administrative Court of Egypt ruled that voting system used in the recent parliamentary election was unconstitutional. During the election, two-thirds of parliamentary seats were apportioned to political parties while the remaining ones were given to individuals. The court held that this apportionment was against the country's constitution which provides that half of the seats should be held for individuals.

President Obama and Secretary Napolitano's decision to end the enforcement of many of our nation's immigration laws is stunning in both its arrogance and shortsightedness. This end-run around Congress was a direct rebuke to the principle of three co-equal branches of government outlined in our constitution and more broadly, our entire system of laws. My bill, the 'Prohibiting Back-door Amnesty Act of 2012' prohibits the implementation of this outrageous edict. I hope Congress will join me in taking immediate action to uphold our nation's laws. It's time for Congress to send a loud and clear message to the Obama Administration that its efforts to circumvent the legislative branch and ignore our nation's laws will not stand.

Immigration [JURIST backgrounder] has been a contentious issue recently. Last week the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) [advocacy website] called for the immediate release [JURIST report] of immigrants being held in detention units in a prison in Arizona, alleging that the prison conditions violate the US Constitution. Earlier this month a federal judge heard arguments [JURIST report] to determine whether Arizona citizens may join in a class action lawsuit challenging the state's controversial immigration law [SB 1070, PDF; JURIST news archive]. In May a federal judge ruled [JURIST report] that several Arizona residents have standing to challenge SB 1070. Earlier in May, the US Supreme Court [official website] ruled [JURIST report] that immigrant children cannot rely on their parents' immigration status.