Cambodian court charges Khmer Rouge leaders with war crimes News
Cambodian court charges Khmer Rouge leaders with war crimes

[JURIST] A Cambodian military court charged two Khmer Rouge [Wikipedia article] leaders with war crimes Friday to prevent the two from being released before a UN-backed tribunal [JURIST report] is set up to try them. Court director Ney Thol said that additional violations by the two former leaders came to light in evidence from New Zealand and Australian embassies of citizens from those countries killed by the regime in the '70s. Thol said new charges had to be filed or the two would have to be released. An estimated 1.7 million people died during rule by the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979. The UN has struggled to raise the necessary $56 million to set up a tribunal to try the former leaders, many of whom are elderly and dying. Reuters 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.