Indonesia to review anti-terror laws with help from Australia News
Indonesia to review anti-terror laws with help from Australia

[JURIST] Indonesia [JURIST news archive] has agreed to work on strengthening its anti-terrorism laws with help from Australia, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer [official profile] said Wednesday. Downer made the announcement after meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda in Jakarta. Australia [JURIST news archive] had originally hoped to convince the Indonesian government to ban Jemaah Islamiah [JURIST report], a radical Islamic group reportedly responsible for both the 2002 Bali bombings and the more recent attacks earlier this month [JURIST report]. The two agreed to a compromise in which Australia will send a team of advisors to help Indonesia prepare stiffer anti-terrorism laws similar to those proposed in Australia [JURIST report]. The Melbourne Herald Sun has more.

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.