Norway proposes new laws on genocide and war crimes News
Norway proposes new laws on genocide and war crimes

[JURIST] The government of Norway [JURIST news archive] Friday proposed creating laws to allow for the prosecution of war crimes, genocide and terrorism. Current Norwegian law does not specifically include these offenses, and it is standard policy to turn over accused war criminals to international war crime tribunals in The Hague. Norwegian Justice Minister Knut Storberget [official profile] said that the new legislation would discourage accused war criminals from trying to use Norway as a safe harbor to flee prosecution. AP has more.

Last year, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda [official website; JURIST news archive] denied prosecutors' request to transfer the trial of Rwandan genocide suspect Michel Bagaragaza [Trial Watch profile] to Norway because Norway did not have a specific law against genocide. In its decision [text], the UN-backed court rejected the move because, under Norwegian law, Bagaragaza could have been charged only with homicide and, if convicted, likely would have spent no more than 21 years in prison. Prosecutors had sought the transfer [JURIST report] because of a backlog of cases. Norway would have become the first country outside Africa to try an African war crimes suspect.

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.