Sierra Leone war crimes court begins trial of junta leaders News
Sierra Leone war crimes court begins trial of junta leaders

[JURIST] The Special Court for Sierra Leone [official website] opened its final scheduled trial in Freetown Monday as outgoing chief prosecutor David Crane outlined his case [opening statement, PDF; case summary] against three former members of the the country's military junta – Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Bazzy Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu. The leaders of the of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council who presided over the country after seizing power in a 1997 coup face 14 counts [indictment, PDF] of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including mutilation, rape, sexual slavery and conscripting child soldiers. The court is expected to wrap up its business after the trial; an indictment [text] against former Liberian leader Charles Taylor, wanted in connection with his support of a faction in the Sierra Leone conflict which led to the killing and mutilation of over 50,000 people, is still outstanding, but Taylor is presently in exile in Nigeria. AFP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.