China defends use of death penalty in political corruption cases News
China defends use of death penalty in political corruption cases

[JURIST] Chinese Communist Party discipline commission spokesman Gan Yisheng said Thursday that China's use of capital punishment in political and economic corruption cases is appropriate and effective. Gan justified the punishment saying that it had "been endorsed by the Chinese people and also recognized by the international community."

In July, China executed former State Food and Drug Administration commissioner Zheng Xiaoyu [JURIST report] for accepting $850,000 in bribes during his tenure as head of the agency. China is believed to have the highest execution rate in the world, and has been criticized [JURIST report] by Amnesty International [advocacy website] for not doing enough to remedy human rights abuses. Chinese state media report that the number of death sentences handed down by Chinese courts so far in 2007 is in fact lower than in previous years [JURIST report]. AFP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

UN Security Council called for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in Six Days' War

On November 22, 1967, the UN Security Council called for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied during the Six Days' War, and for respect of the right of all States in the area to "live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries." Read Resolution 242, which remains a cornerstone of efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

President Kennedy assassinated, VP Lyndon Johnson sworn inin

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Later that day, Vice-President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States. Earl Warren, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was later tasked with leading a commission to investigate the assassination. President Johnson received the final report of the Warren Commission on September 24, 1964. Read the Warren Commission Report.