Red Cross in talks for full access to US detainees News
Red Cross in talks for full access to US detainees

[JURIST] The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) [official website] said Friday that it is in “intense dialogue” with US authorities to visit all detainees held by the US in the war on terror. The US State Department [official website] confirmed [JURIST report] Thursday that the ICRC does not have access to all detainees, although it is allowed to visit everyone held at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive]. The ICRC is particularly concerned with detainees possibly held in secret locations [JURIST report] in violation of the Geneva Conventions [ICRC materials] after human rights groups accused the CIA of running undisclosed prisons [JURIST report] and secretly transporting detainees through Europe. Jakob Kellenberger, president of the ICRC, fears that secret detention will lead to torture in the undisclosed prisons. Reuters 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.