An American's Kafkaesque Encounter With Nicaragua's Justice System

In an older article, (May 2007) Eric Volz a magazine editor from San Diego has begun a 30-year prison term for a disputable crime in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua. His family is still working to overturn the case with no avail, even though most of the facts point away from Volz. Eric Volz was convicted of murdering Doris Jimnez, his local Nicaraguan ex-girlfriend. "Interviews with witnesses and lawyers, suggest the verdict was heavily influenced by small-town passions and a desire for swift justice." Then why was Eric Volz's case not overturned, Did he really do it? Eric Volz had an alibi, with 10 witnesses claiming to be with him at the time of the murder. After a three-day trial Volz was found guilty, where they wrong? Is this a case of a corrupt South American judicial system and why didn't the United States intervene?

Three day blitzkrieg in Iran

According to 'Times Online', the Pentagon is making plans to launch a massive offensive that will annihilate Iran's military capability completely in a span of three days. The IAEA(International Atomic Energy Agency) has reported last week that Iran has taken steps to slow down uranium enrichment. The spokesmen of the National council of resistance of Iran has said that the IAEA has yet to visit many of Iran's nuclear facilities and are giving Iran the benefit of the doubt when this regime has clearly provened its stance towards Israel and worldwide affairs. Would the future decision of the US to go to war with Iran the right one? Obviously diplomacy seems to have made little or no impact. Is war the only option left for the US? Have the inspections of the Iranian nuclear facilities been effective till now? Can a regime that is giving munitions to the Iraqi insurgents be trusted? Is is right on the part of the US to take matters in their own hands?

Injustice In Iraq

Recent footage from prison camps in Baghdad uncovered harsh living conditions for those detained there. The prison camps consisted of outdoor tents made of wire mesh and covered with plastic sheets. Some of the prisoners were not even fully clothed and fervently protested their innocence, claiming that they had been in prison for years without even having been seen in a court room or by a judge. According to Iraqi Vice President Tareq al- Hashemi, these tented camps now hold 2,779 prisoners who were removed from over-crowded Iraqi prisons. Although the camps are said to have air-conditioning and 24 hour electricity, no official seems willing to take the responsibility in getting court dates for the prisoners. A General at the prison stated, "The prisoners arrived just a month ago. It is not our fault that some have been held for a year or two years without going before a judge." The situation seems slightly more hopeful in light of the fact that Hashemi visited the prison camps in an attempt to form some semblance of order and that his office gave footage of the injustices at the camps to a global television agency to be broadcast. But when will the situation be rectified? And why does it happen in the first place? If a large-scale public imprisonment occurred in the U.S. on these same terms it would be corrected immediately, or so I would like to think; at the very least people would be up in arms about the injustice happening around them. Why, then, are things so different in a country like Iraq- and will they ever change? Is this injustice proof that a new government is not enough to change the social ills in a society, or is Iraq actually on a slow progression toward a better system?

Who is Kenneth Foster, JR, and why should he die?

Arrested in 1996 for "driving a gettaway car". Sentenced to die. Should he be put to death?

Peace vs. Justice? The LRA and Uganda

The LRA, the Lord's Resistance Army has waged a "holy" war against the people of Northern Uganda for over 20 years. Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA has offered to lead Uganda under the 10 commandments -- forgetting, of course -- that one of those commandments is "thou shalt not kill"! Thousands have died and over 2 million have been displaced.
The Ugandan government has taken the LRA to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and now there are a dozen indictments against Joseph Kony and other top brass LRA commanders. But this has resulted in a delay of peace -- or so say the LRA -- they will never submit to peace if the LRA is to be tried at The Hague.
So now, there is talk of a "home-grown tribunal" -- along the likes of the Gacca Courts in Rwanda. Will this work? Should this be presented as an option? Is peace contingent on a betrayal of justice? Or can a South African style Truth and Reconciliation Commission work?
Unless Joseph Kony and the top commanders of the LRA are held accountable for their atrocities, there will be no justice in Uganda or in the world. These crimes against humanity are crimes not only against the Ugandan people, but all of humanity. Joseph Kony and his cronies must be tried at the ICC. Justice must be served!

Was Padilla Tortured?

Jose Padilla-- a suspected Al Qaeda operative -- AND a United States citizen was held without charge as an enemy combatant in a U.S military prison for 3 years and 7 months. Was this torture? Did it infringe on the U.S. constitution? Was this the right thing to do?

Immigration Judges

So, it seems that the truth is finally coming out --Immigration judges hired on the basis of their political affiliations. Is this new?
According to the Washington Post article above, yes. In fact, according to the article, "at least one-third of the immigration judges appointed by the Justice Department since 2004 have had Republican connections or have been administration insiders, and half lacked experience in immigration law, Justice Department, immigration court and other records show."
So what should be done?

Let's Hope this Trial Goes better than the Milosevic Trial!

Charles Taylor -- the ex-Liberian ruler is finally on trial for "crimes against humanity" for the Sierra Leone Special Court. I'm pleased to see that the presiding justice is Ugandan fireball Justice Julia Sebutinde. However, I'm hoping that Taylor doesn't pull the same stunts as Milosevic and use the court to grandstand. We need real justice for the people of Sierra Leone and Africa -- warlords like Taylor should not be allowed to make the court or the world look like a circus.

Honor killing in Iraq

The above linked CNN video of the stoning to death of a young Iraqi woman because she wanted to marry a man from another tribe is a chilling reminder of the lack of human rights -- especially for women -- that persist throughout the world.

Bangladeshi asylum seeker faces death

Interesting story about a former Bangladeshi diplomat seeking asylum in the U.S. He was charged and tried -- found guilty of complicity in a coup d'etat that resulted in the murder of a former Bangladeshi President and his family.
The U.S. asylum seeker claims that he wasn't involved in the killing of the President or his family - just in manning the road block to his house.
The asylum seeker's family is trying to get Canada to accept him as a third country alternative to being sent back to Bangladesh and his certain death by hanging.
Interesting dilemma. According to asylum law, an asylum seeker cannot avoid prosecution as opposed to persecution. However, he will most certainly face the death sentence. Canada is opposed to the death sentence, and hence there is a possibility that Canada could accept "Ahmed".
The other element is the REAL ID Act -- which will not give refuge to anyone who is a "terrorist" or who has provided material support to a terrorist organization -- which the U.S. 9th circuit court states is the case.
So what do you think should be done with Ahmed?