Egypt constitutional referendum gets little attention from voters News
Egypt constitutional referendum gets little attention from voters

[JURIST] Few Egyptians voted Monday in a referendum on proposed constitutional amendments [JURIST report] in the face of a boycott by opposition parties that regard them as an attempt to take away basic rights. Most participating voters were either gathered by the government or were government employees granted breaks to vote. Amnesty International [advocacy website] has condemned the amendments [press release], calling them the "greatest erosion of human rights in 26 years."

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak [official profile; JURIST news archive] Saturday defended the amendments [JURIST report] – which include provisions prohibiting religious political parties and giving the state sweeping power to prosecute terror-related offenses in special courts – as being necessary to shield Egypt from the dangers of religious sectarianism and terrorism. AFP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.