Twenty-three Gitmo detainees stage suicide protest News
Twenty-three Gitmo detainees stage suicide protest

[JURIST] Twenty-three terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay tried to kill or harm themselves as part of a "coordinated effort to disrupt camp operations" in August 2003, US Southern Command [official website] officials confirmed Monday. Only two of the incidents were classified as suicide attempts, where the detainee could have died had a guard not intervened. The remaining cases were deemed self-injury attempts meant to attract attention. Several rights groups have alleged that Gitmo detainees have been mistreated [JURIST report] and released detainees say they were tortured and humiliated [JURIST report] while being held at Guantanamo Bay. CNN has more on the suicide attempts. JURIST's Paper Chase has ongoing coverage of the situation in Guantanamo Bay.

THIS DAY @ LAW

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

November 9 is the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism [UNITED factsheet]. On November 9, 1924, American gay activist Henry Gerber and several associates formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay rights organization in the United States. The Society received a charter from the State of Illinois in December but was disbanded in July 1925 after a police raid which led to Gerber's arrest and trial (albeit not conviction). Pay a virtual visit to Henry Gerber House, now a registered Chicago landmark.

Supreme Court strikes down Massachusetts anti-draft law

On November 9, 1970, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 in Massachusetts v. Laird not to hear the case of the state's anti-draft law. Massachusetts had passed a law, which allowed its citizens to decline to fight in any undeclared war, even if the person was drafted. The law was passed in opposition to the draft and the war in Vietnam. The First Circuit found the war constitutional and thus struck down the law.