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Hicks conviction overturned – is he owed an apology or assistance?
By Adam Fletcher A United States Military Court’s decision to overturn David Hicks’ conviction for the crime of “material support for terrorism” represents a welcome return to the international rule of law – at least in the US. I have written previously that material support for terrorism was effectively a “non-crime” at the time of…
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Human Rights in the Federal Budget Part 2: The Attorney-General’s Department
By Adam McBeth The Attorney-General’s Department has trumpeted the commitment of an additional $130 million in the next year “to improve access to justice for all Australians.” The bulk of that amount will be spent on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse, with a further $23.5 million split between Community Legal Centres,…
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Pussy Riot: a new chapter in art versus power
Pussy Riot is a collective of young, cool, smart women with attitude who may just be giving Russian President Vladimir a few sleepless nights. Pussy Riot engage in guerrilla punk protests, popping up unexpectedly at iconic sites in Moscow to blast punk songs critical of Putin. They are probably now the most globally recognised expression of the “Russian…
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Debunking a scare campaign: an exchange between a US Senator and his US constituent over the Gitmo trials
By Erica Contini Like any good citizen, I voice my opinion on issues that are important to me by writing to my elected representatives in congress. Lucky for me, I am a US citizen and therefore have the constitutionally protected right to do just that. Even luckier, I generally think I can do so without…
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law 