UNODC Human Trafficking Case Law Database

Launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) - the Human Trafficking Case Law Database is freely accessible and searchable. It contains currently more than 150 case briefs from 30 countries. Case summaries are provided by a number of law schools including the University of Queensland Human Trafficking Working Group and the University of Michigan Law School Human Trafficking Clinic. 

It includes data from 1981 onwards. Individual entries summarise the facts giving case names, outcomes, decisions. Full text case reports are not online.

Access is at http://www.unodc.org/cld/index.jspx

UK Supreme Court says forced marriage law is unlawful

“A government ban on non-EU foreign spouses under the age of 21 entering the UK is unlawful, say top judges..”

For the full story see the BBC Website 

Amnesty UK's Resource Centre

The Resource Centre is Amnesty UK's specialist human rights library based at the Human Rights Action Centre. Members, activists, researchers, students and the general public are welcome to visit.

Use the Resource Centre to:

• Learn more about our campaigns and the work of Amnesty International
• Access our latest reports and other publications 
• Research particular countries and issues 
• Use our book and journal collections to read about human rights from a variety of perspectives
• Be inspired by what activists have done and find out about different campaigning techniques 
• Stock up on leaflets and materials for your local group or for events 
• Take action on Amnesty campaigns using the internet-enabled PCs, photocopier, printer, and latest urgent action sheets

Search the catalogue: LibraryThing
Online links: You can use the Resource Centre's online bookmarks collection on delicious


Visiting the Resource Centre:

How to find us: We are based at the Human Rights Action Centre in Shoreditch, London. How to get here.
Opening hours: Drop in opening hours are 10am to 4pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Resource Centre is open by appointment at other times.
Contact us: email resource-centre@amnesty.org.uk or call 44 (0)20 7033 1566.

African Human Rights Case law Analyser

IHRDA and Human Rights Information and Documentation Systems (HURIDOCS) have launched a new online database of jurisprudence of the African Human Rights System. It provides free access to ALL decisions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACmHPR) in English and French. It provides links to authorities (laws and cases cited) and you can search by keyword, region or name of parties. Access is at http://caselaw.ihrda.org

Could ebooks open a new chapter in legal publishing?

Affordable access to law books could help not just practitioners, but also litigants forced to represent themselves in court.


"....in principle at least, the two main sources of English law – legislation and court decisions – are public documents and should be available to all. However, in practice, things are not so straightforward...." 


to read more see the Guardian website at http://bit.ly/pFDxzV 

Court broadcast of judges remarks to be allowed

Television cameras are to be allowed into criminal courts in England and Wales for the first time.

Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke said he would end the ban to improve public understanding of justice.

Broadcasting will be initially allowed at the Court of Appeal, with a plan to expand to crown courts.

Only the judge's sentencing remarks will be broadcast, rather than footage of offenders, victims, witnesses and jurors.

More on the story at BBC News

Research Ethics Guidebook

Developed by a team at the Institute of Education with support from the Researcher Development Initiative.  Guides researchers through the main issues and offers advice on writing research proposals, getting ethics committee approval and dealing with issues arising during fieldwork. See http://www.ethicsguidebook.ac.uk

Lexis Legislation updates now on Twitter!

News from LexisNexis:

"The Legislation team at LexisNexis are happy to announce the launch of our UK legislation Twitter feed @legislation_LN, the fastest way to find out about LexisLibrary.  They will be tweeting daily on new legislation and developments of particular interest, including the commencement of Acts, summaries of the HSSI weekly update and much more. Follow us at:

http://twitter.com/#!/legislation_LN"

New from the International Committee of the Red Cross

In 1996, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in consultation with experts from around the world, embarked on a major study to identify rules of customary international humanitarian law (IHL). The resulting publication, which appeared in 2005, has been hailed as a landmark document seeking to identify the common core of IHL binding on all parties to all types of armed conflict. 

The ICRC has launched a FREE online version of the study with 50 per cent more content than the original printed version (http://www.icrc.org/customary-ihl/eng/docs/home). The new database makes the material available for the first time in a single online source accessible worldwide. It is divided into two parts. Part One offers a comprehensive analysis of the customary rules of IHL deemed applicable in international and non-international armed conflict. Part Two contains a summary of State practice relating to most aspects of IHL, as expressed in national legislation, military manuals, official statements, and case law, and the practice of entities such as international organizations and international courts and tribunals. 

The database is easy to navigate and Part Two will be updated regularly by the ICRC in cooperation with the British Red Cross. It will be an essential resource for anyone interested in the application and interpretation of IHL and for any further review of State practice carried out to assess customary IHL. 

Connecting Africa website

This is an excellent gateway to African information supported by the African Studies Centre in Leiden (ASC) and the Netherlands African Studies Association (NVAS). Its primary focus is on the Netherlands but the resources listed are of value to African studies students and academics elsewhere. It includes a global connections database of experts, events listing . The browse and search feature enables users to locate, experts, organisations and digital resources. The digital resources include items harvested form research repositories (in the Netherlands) they include human rights organisations, universities, scholarly societies. Entries include articles, papers and reports, some in full text. Access it at http://www.connecting-africa.net/

Genocide archive Rwanda

This site has been made possible by the financial support of the Aegis Trust. It provides free access to a wealth of primary source materials relating to the history of the genocide against the Tutsi which took place in Rwanda in 1994 held in Rwandan archives. Materials include oral history archives and transcripts (including videotapes of testimony), Gacaca Justice System court proceedings, victim identity and memorial ceremony photographs, contemporary journal and newspaper coverage of events. Access it at http://www.genocidearchiverwanda.org.rw/index.php/Welcome_to_Genocide_Archive_Rwanda

Humanitarian Response Index

This was created by specialist evaluation organization Development Assistance Research Associates in 2007. The index ranks the performance of the 22 donor countries of the OECD Development Assistance Committee plus the European Commission in funding and supporting humanitarian action. It also presents case study assessments of aid responses in different crises. The main dara website also has useful reports on aid effectiveness and the impact of climate change on aid. Access it at http://daraint.org/humanitarian-response-index/

Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law updates

The Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law has been updated with 41 new articles, and 37 updated articles.

 

A review of the update can be found on the Max Planck Encyclopedia homepage, www.mpepil.com.

 

Articles of interest raised by the Editorial team include Refugees, International Law of Cooperation, and Cyber Warfare.

 

The total number of articles is now 1,248. The next article upload will be in May 2011.

For more information and access see the Library A-Z Databases 

BBC News: Will mediation replace solicitors in divorce proceedings?

“Divorce can be a highly complex issue and many people going through it feel legal representation is vital. Until now, legal aid has been available to fund it, but new legislation means it will no longer be available in England and Wales.”


More information at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11945696 

New and Updated Legal Research Guides on GlobaLex

- Introduction to the Norms and Institutions of the African Union By Girmachew Alemu Aneme 

http://www.nyulawglobal.org/Globalex/African_Union.htm

Girmachew Alemu Aneme (Ph.D.) is an Assistant Professor, School of Law, Addis Ababa University. He is the author of A Study of the African Union’s Right of Intervention against Genocide, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes (forthcoming, Africa Academic Press, Tsehai publishers, Loyola Marymount University, Lost Angeles, California).

- Constitutional Law and Courts’ System in the Syrian Arab Republic by Khalil Mechantaf

http://www.nyulawglobal.org/Globalex/Syria.htm

Khalil Mechantaf  is an Attorney at Law in Beirut, Lebanon. He is currently a Legal Associate in private practice with a main focus on international law and agreements. He has previously worked at the International Criminal Court and has published several studies on the judicial systems in the Middle East.

- UPDATE: A Basic Guide to International Environmental Legal Research by Heidi Frostestad Kuehl

http://www.nyulawglobal.org/Globalex/International_Environmental_Legal_Research1.htm 

Heidi Frostestad Kuehl is Research and Instructional Services Librarian at Pritzker Legal Research Center, Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, IL.  She holds a Law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law with a specialization in International Trade and Development and a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Iowa.

- UPDATE: The Law and Legal Research in Lesotho by Buhle Angelo Dube

http://www.nyulawglobal.org/Globalex/Lesotho1.htm

Angelo Dube holds a B.A. (Law), LL.B from the University of Swaziland and an LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa from the Centre for Human Rights (University of Pretoria). Angelo founded and heads the Centre for Human Rights and Development  and also serves on the boards of trustees of the Centre for Minority Rights and Development (Cemiride) Zimbabwe.

- UPDATE: Libya’s Legal System and Legal Research by John L. S. Simpkins

http://www.nyulawglobal.org/Globalex/Libya1.htm

John L. S. Simpkins is Assistant Professor and Director of Diversity Initiatives at Charleston School of Law (Charleston, SC). 

More articles on international, comparative, and foreign law research at: http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/index.html

Malaysia urged to stop caning 'epidemic

BBC News: 

"Caning as a form of judicial punishment in Malaysia has reached "epidemic" proportions and should be banned, according to a human rights group.

Blows administered to the body with a long cane are a legal punishment for more than 60 offences in the country.

Amnesty International claims at least 10,000 prisoners and 6,000 refugees are caned there each year...."


More information can be found at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11911998

AsiaPortal

The AsiaPortal (http://www.asiaportal.info/)  is a Nordic information portal for researchers, students, government officers and journalists with an interest in Asia. Its content is primarily based in the Social Sciences and Humanities. It is a collaborative endeavor between the 23 universities and research institutions in the Nordic NIAS Council and NIAS/NIAS LINC. Financed by DEFF - Denmark's Electronic Research Library. 


It aims to provide free access to topical news, articles and research reports about Asian nations. It also offers links to the latest Asian studies research from Nordic Universities. An added feature of the site is the researcher Toolbox which provides practical advice on studying in Asia and applying for grants.

Institute of Advanced Legal Studies: Hamlyn Lectures

The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study warmly invites you and your colleagues to attend a lecture on

Judges and the public good: reflections on the last Law Lords

Professor Alan Paterson, OBE, Professor of Law and Director of the Centre for Professional Legal Studies, University of Strathclyde

Tuesday 14 December 2010, 18:00

Beveridge Hall, Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU

This is third and final lecture in the 2010 series of Hamlyn Lectures given by Professor Alan Paterson on the theme of Lawyers and the Public Good. The lecture will examine the relationship between the separation of powers and judicial accountability and stress the significance of dialogues for appellate judicial decision-making  at the highest level in the UK.

The Hamlyn Trust aims to further knowledge and understanding of the law, and this is achieved through an annual series of public lectures by distinguished judges, legal practitioners, academic lawyers and other eminent speakers.

If you wish to attend please RSVP to IALS.Events@sas.ac.uk

For further information: see www.sas.ac.uk/events/view/8113

Ethic Share website

The Ethic Share site (https://www.ethicshare.org/og) aims to create a virtual community for researchers of ethics. Originally formulated by partners including University of Minnesota’s efforts—Georgetown University; Indiana University‐Bloomington; Indiana University‐Purdue University, Indianapolis; the University of Virginia. It now provides free access to a wealth of resources. 


The search facility retrieves references to recent journal articles, reports, books and literature (with links to the full text where it is available online). Also included are conference calendars, listings of events and new publications, there are also many online communities / specialist groups which discuss topics. Account users may tag and discuss materials. 


Specialist areas include: religion and ethics, animal ethics, bioethics and environmental ethics, clinical ethics, commoditisation of medicine, Nanoethics, human subjects in science, social work and ethics.

Free trial to Justcite - a legal indexing database for case law and legislation

A free trial to Justcite has been arranged for SOAS staff and students until the 4th December 2010. Please make use of this resource and send any feedback/comments to me atss104@soas.ac.uk 

Access: 

• Go to http://tinyurl.com/28ovk53
• Type in your SOAS id and password when directed

Description:

JustCite cross-references cases, legislation and journal articles and shows you how they are related.

• It covers all major case law series from the UK and Ireland, as well as EU law 
• It covers an increasing number of titles from jurisdictions around the world (including India, Australia, Canada, Singapore, USA, Hong Kong, Malaya and some African titles) 
• It indexes and links directly to material from all major online legal data providers from subscription databases (Justis, LexisLibrary, Westlaw etc.) to free websites (BAILII etc.)

More information available at http://www.justcite.com/