Japan lawmakers approve anti-bullying legislation News
Japan lawmakers approve anti-bullying legislation
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[JURIST] The upper house of Japan’s National Diet, the House of Councillors [official website] on Friday gave final approval to legislation aimed at combating bullying [JURIST news archive]. The law defines bullying that causes serious mental or physical harm as “serious.” Under the new legislation, schools must report serious cases [Kyodo News report] to the appropriate governmental bodies and set up investigative panels. The law also requires the government to monitor for online bullying activity. The bill was passed in response to a series of bullying incidents in Japan, including a 2011 case that resulted in a student committing suicide. The legislation has already been approved the lower house, the House of Representatives [official website].

Bullying is an increasingly important issue across the globe. In 2011 US Representative Jared Polis and Senator Al Franken [official websites] introduced legislation [JURIST report] to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students in federally funded public elementary and high schools from bullying. The Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) [text, PDF] was reintroduced in both the US House of Representatives and the Senate [official websites] prompted by the suicides resulting from anti-LGBT bullying of numerous students in the US. The legislation, however, failed to make it out of committee.

THIS DAY @ LAW

38 Santee Sioux hanged by US for rebellion

On December 26, 1862, 38 Santee Sioux men were hanged in a mass execution for their roles in a rebellion against US authorities in Minnesota which left hundreds dead and made refugees of some 40,000 white settlers. Government annuities promised under a treaty with the Sioux had failed to arrive on schedule and credit for purchases was not advanced in the meantime, threatening the tribe with starvation. The Santee Sioux Tribe's members were deported first to South Dakota and ultimately to Nebraska, where they remain today. Learn more about the 1862 Minnesota Sioux Rebellion.

Louis XVI put on trial during French Revolution

On December 26, 1792, Romain de Sèze, a defense attorney for deposed King Louis XVI, presented a defense of his client. The former King was on trial before a French Revolutionary court on thirty-three charges, including treason and other crimes against the state. He was convicted on January 15, 1793 executed by guillotine on the following January 21.