Read the ‘closing argument’ by US Air Force Reservist Major, David Frakt (in civilian life, a law professor), who is the military counsel for Mohammad Jawad, only 17 when detained in Afghanistan. He is charged with injuring US soldiers in a war, an act…
In the last 10 years Australia has had an Inquiry into the detention of asylum seekers every year. Will this one be any different? Let’s hope it is not yet another of Kevin Rudd’s all-words-no-action stuff ups, in order to make us think he’s doing someth…
Remember the American peace activist who got ASIO’s, the AFP’s and Immigration’s knickers in a knot, until they arrested him for viciously drinking a cup of coffee in Melbourne? The authorities still haven’t admitted any error – see his story as told for…
Photo: Christmas Island Detention Facility
Australia’s biggest white elephant, the $500m-plus Christmas Island detention centre, has been handed over to the Immigration Department by the builders. The ‘jail’ was built to cope with floods of boat refugee…
A bill prohibiting discrimination and bias by health insurers and employers based on people’s genes has passed both Houses of the US Congress by a vote of 509-1. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act is a powerful shield for Americans. Meanwhile,…
As the tepid inquiry into the Haneef matter continues behind closed doors, it is clear that ex-justice Clarke lacks power to compel full disclosure of information and documents. CLA doubts – as do Haneef’s lawyers apparently – that traditionally ‘mum’ go…
The United Arab Emirates has shari’a law and a penal code sometimes inconsistent with Australia’s laws and codes, CLA is saying to the federal parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. For that reason, the responsible Australian Minister should…
Human Rights First has released a seminal study of the use of ‘coerced evidence’ by the US Administration to prosecute terrorists. This 72-page publication, meticulously footnoted, gives chapter and verse on where and how America has gone wrong in its bl…
Nothing about the USA’s treatment of David Hicks – rendition, locking up, charging with a non-crime, plea bargaining to meet an Australian election deadline, or silencing from comment – showed American ‘justice’ in a favorable light. Hicks spent six year…
The Australian newspaper – not traditionally anti-police or security services – has summed up how seriously ex-Minister Andrews failed Australia by "…engaging in a cynical attempt to ramp up the Howard government’s security credentials".…
