Military trials begin for US soldiers accused of abusing Afghan detainees News
Military trials begin for US soldiers accused of abusing Afghan detainees

[JURIST] The in Afghanistan [JURIST news archive] began court-martial proceedings [press release] Friday for a US soldier accused of abusing detainees [JURIST report] last year in the southern Uruzgan province. Army Spc. James Hayes is accused of punching in the chest, shoulders, and stomach during the incident, and faces charges of conspiracy to maltreat, dereliction of duty, maltreatment of detainees, and assault consummated by battery. Fellow soldier, Army Sgt. Kevin Myricks will face similar charges on Monday, and another soldier has already been punished under the Uniform Code of Military Justice [text] for not reporting the incident at the time it took place. AFP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

South Africa becomes first country on continent to legalize same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages became legal in South Africa on November 30, 2006 as the country's Civil Union Act, 2006 went into effect, making South Africa the only country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Civil Union Act, 2006.