Iraq president approves hanging of three men News
Iraq president approves hanging of three men

[JURIST] Iraq's President Jalal Talabani [Wikipedia profile] on Wednesday authorized death sentences for three Iraqi men convicted of murder, paving the way for the first legal executions in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. Talabani, who has opposed capital punishment in the past [JURIST report], said he had instructed Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi to approve the hangings. The three unidentified Iraqis involved are believed to have been convicted by a court in the Shiite city of Kut [Wikipedia backgrounder] of killing three police officers. During US occupation capital punishment was suspended [CPA Order Number 7, June 2003; PDF], but since the formal end of the occupation in June 2004, the death penalty has been reinstated [JURIST report]. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Egypt President Anwar Sadat visits Israel

On November 19, 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat visited Israel, becoming the first leader of an Arab nation to officially visit. Two years later, President Sadat became the first Arab leader to recognize Israel by signing the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty. Read President Sadat's address to the Israeli Knesset.

Jay Treaty signed

On November 19, 1794, US Chief Justice John Jay and British foreign secretary Lord Grenville signed a treaty in Philadelphia under which British forces pulled out of the disputed Northwest Territory. Review the Jay Treaty.