UN calls on Cambodia to reconsider transfer of Khmer Rouge tribunal judge News
UN calls on Cambodia to reconsider transfer of Khmer Rouge tribunal judge

[JURIST] Cambodia's decision to transfer an investigating judge away from the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) [official website; JURIST news archive] could lead to undue delays in bringing top members of the Khmer Rouge [Wikipedia backgrounder] to trial, UN officials said Wednesday as they urged the Cambodian government to rethink the decision. Judge You Bun Leng was moved from the tribunal [AP report] earlier this month to become head of Cambodia's Appeals Court. A UN spokesman said that the UN is awaiting a response from Cambodia after sending an official note on the matter [UN News report] to the Cambodian permanent representative in New York last week.

The ECCC was established by a 2001 law [text as amended 2005, PDF] to investigate and try those responsible for the Cambodian genocide that occurred between 1975-1979. The genocide resulted in the deaths of approximately one-third of the Cambodian population. To date, no top Khmer Rouge officials have faced trial. Earlier this month, the ECCC brought its first charges against Kaing Khek Iev [TrialWatch profile; JURIST report]. AP 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.