Sudan justice minister rejects Darfur extradition calls News
Sudan justice minister rejects Darfur extradition calls

[JURIST] Ali Mohammed Osman Yassin, Sudan's justice minister, has rejected calls for the extradition of 10 suspects to face charges for war crimes in Darfur before the the International Criminal Court [official website] in The Hague. Yassin said the men are already on trial in a Sudanese court [JURIST report], where they have pleaded not guilty [JURIST report]. Rights groups have questioned the effectiveness [JURIST report] of Sudan's recently-established Darfur court, concerned that it was created only to sidestep international justice. On Wednesday, ICC Chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo [BBC profile] asked the UN Security Council and UN members – including Sudan – to support the ICC's efforts [JURIST report] to punish war criminals. BBC News has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Montgomery started racially-integrated bus service after boycott

On December 21, 1956, buses in Montgomery, Alabama, started racially integrated service following federal court rulings ending on-board segregation. Bus boycott leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were among the first riders under the new scheme. Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Stalin born

On December 21, 1879, Joseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia. In 1922, he became leader of the USSR until his death in 1953. During his time as Soviet dictator, Stalin industrialized his country, which he then led to become one of the world's two superpowers after WWII. Through his infamous purges, show trials and nationwide famines, Stalin also became responsible for millions of deaths.