Former US AG Clark condemns treatment of Hussein News
Former US AG Clark condemns treatment of Hussein

[JURIST] Former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark [JURIST news archive], currently a member of the defense team representing deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has said that Hussein is being poorly treated in detention, kept in isolation and forced to go for days without a shower or change of clothes. He told NBC's Today program that the Iraqi ex-president has also now been prevented from taking his Koran to court as part of an effort to anger him. Clark, who has previously represented Slobodan Milosevic and other unpopular criminal defendants, said that his representation of Hussein was a manifestation of his commitment after his public service in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations to defending human rights around the world. AP 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.