The
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HEADLINES
Another Mass Grave Found
Forensic experts have discovered another mass grave in
eastern
See: Reuters, Sixty
Srebrenica Victims Found in Bosnia Mass Grave
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CHILE
Doctors Split on Pinochet Diagnosis
Three court-appointed doctors have disagreed on an evaluation of former dictator Augusto Pinochet’s mental fitness. One doctor, chosen by Judge Juan Guzman, diagnosed Pinochet with moderate dementia. The doctor chosen by attorneys for the relatives of victims said he was fit to stand trial, while the doctor chosen by Pinochet’s defense disagreed. Judge Guzman will now decide whether to move forward with the case against the former military ruler on charges of kidnapping and killing related to the counterinsurgency campaign codenamed Operation Condor.
See: BBC, Dementia diagnosis for Pinochet
Boston Globe, Doctors split on Pinochet’s mental state
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Government Not Ruling Out Prosecutions
A lawyer with the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) has said that President Kufuor has not ruled out the possibility of prosecuting individuals named by the NRC as responsible for human rights violations. The NRC’s report, which has been submitted to the president, has not yet been released to the public.
See: Ghanaweb, There is likelihood to prosecute perpetrators - NRC Lawyer
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Paramilitaries on Trial for 1982 Massacre
The trial of six former paramilitary fighters has begun in
See: Reuters, Guatemalan paramilitaries go on trial for massacre
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UN Withholds Training for Trial of Saddam Hussein
The United Nations withheld the participation of its staff from a recent training of lawyers and judges chosen to participate in the trial of former dictator Saddam Hussein and his top associates. A letter from Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed doubts that the planned tribunal could meet international standards. Participants and trainers concluded at the end of the week-long training that the Iraqi tribunal is not prepared to undertake trials any time soon.
See: New York Times, Iraqis Not Ready for Trials; U.N. to Withhold Training
New Zealand Herald, UN declines to train Iraqis for Saddam trial
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Government Freezes Assets of
The Liberian government has frozen the assets of two associates of former president Charles Taylor, accused of involvement in past conflicts in the region. Former finance minister Emmanuel Shaw and the former commissioner of the maritime affairs bureau, Benoni Urey, are two of the 22 names on a list of individuals whose assets the UN ordered frozen. The Liberian government said that it had gathered enough evidence against Shaw and Urey to freeze their assets and suggested that further investigations would follow.
See: BBC, Liberia moves against Taylor aides
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“Disappeared” Woman Reunited With Family
As
part of an effort to determine the fate of 8,558 people who disappeared during the
internal armed conflict in
See: El Nuevo Herald, Reencuentro de familiares en Perú después de 20 años
(Family Reunion in
Human
Remains Found in Intelligence Service HQ
Judicial authorities found carbonized human remains in the
headquarters of the National Intelligence Service of Peru (SIN) during an
official inspection last June. The authorities have also compiled official
documents and new testimonies by former members of a death squad, apparently
proving that torture was practiced at the SIN headquarters. During the
dictatorial regime of former President Alberto Fujimori, the SIN was used as a
tool for the illegal repression of alleged armed rebels as well as peaceful
dissidents. If the value of the evidence is established, it could be used in
the case demanding Fujimori’s extradition from
See: La República, Hallan restos humanos en el Servicio de Intelligencia
(Human Remains found in the Intelligence Service)
Reuters, Peru adds human bones find to Fujimori rights file
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ICTR Witness Murdered
A witness for the prosecution at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) was murdered a month after giving evidence at the court. Bosco Nyemanzi had testified in September for the prosecution against genocide suspect Colonel Aloys Simba. Eight suspects, including Nyemanzi’s wife, have been arrested in connection with the murder.
See: Hirondelle, Prosecution Witness Assassinated in Rwanda
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Milosevic’s Lawyers Seek to Withdraw from Case
Court-appointed lawyers trying to defend former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) are seeking to withdraw from the case. Steven Kay and Gillian Higgins submitted their request to the court’s registrar. The lawyers have faced challenges because of Milosevic’s refusal to cooperate with them and because of difficulties in finding defense witnesses who are willing to testify. The court is currently in recess because of a lack of witnesses for the defense.
See: AP, Milosevic Lawyer Asks to Resign
New York Times, Milosevic’s Lawyers Ask to Be Taken Off Case
For more detailed weekly updates on the ICTY, please see Tribunal Update by The
Institute for War and Peace Reporting, the UN Public Information Services’ ICTY Weekly Update, and the
Coalition for International Justice’s Latest
Reports. See also the
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New From the ICTJ
November 1, 2004
See: Overview | Vol. 2, Ch. 2: Findings | Vol. 2, Ch. 3: Recommendations
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Editor: Patrick J. Pierce
Patrick J. Pierce serves as a consultant to the ICTJ.
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