John Cerone, executive director of the War Crimes Research Office and adjunct professor of law at American University’s Washington College of Law (WCL), coached the first WCL student team to participate in the Concours Jean-Pictet. This international humanitarian law moot court competition was held in Greece in March 2003.
Robert K. Goldman, professor of law and co-director of the Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (Center), was interviewed by Pacifica Radio on January 9, 2003 regarding the United States Supreme Court’s decision that the U.S. government’s indefinite detention of “enemy combatants” is permissible. On January 13 the Canadian Broadcasting Company interviewed him regarding the United States policy on targeted assassinations. In January 2003 Professor Goldman also conducted a live interview with Radio Nacional de España on the prospects of war with Iraq and issues concerning civil liberties in the United States in the wake of September 11; an interview in Spanish with BBC Worldwide radio on the report of the UN inspectors and the Bush administration’s reaction to the report; and an interview with Efe Spanish News Agency regarding President Bush’s comments on Iraq contained within the State of the Union Address.
Claudio Grossman, dean and co-director of the Center, was invited to serve as the keynote speaker for Peru’s Human Rights Day commemorations by the Commission on Human Rights of the Congress of Peru in December 2002. Also in 2002, Dean Grossman published, “Reflecciones sobre la carta internacional de los derechos humanos” (“Reflections on the international charter of human rights”) in Las Comisiones de Verdad y los Nuevos Desafios en la Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (Truth Commissions and New Challenges in the Promotion of Human Rights), Santiago, Chile. Dean Grossman was a guest speaker at the Fred J. Hansen Institute of Peace Studies lecture series at San Diego State University in February 2003. Also in February, he led a breakout session entitled “Changes at a Global Level—Post 9/11/01” at the American Bar Association Mid-Year Deans’ Meeting in Seattle, Washington. In March 2003, Dean Grossman chaired the Accreditation Committee for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education for the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico School of Law.
Hadar Harris, executive director of the Center, recently organized and facilitated the Indigenous Rights Training Institute, which brought together 35 indigenous leaders and experts from around the world to discuss emerging issues of public international law as they relate to the rights of Indigenous Peoples. In March 2003, Ms. Harris gave an interview to WTOP radio about the Indigenous Rights Training Institute. Also in March, Ms. Harris delivered a paper and moderated a panel discussion of international experts at the WCL Founder’s Centerpiece Conference entitled, “International Perspectives on the Right to Vote and Political Democracy in the United States,” held at the Library of Congress.
Claudia Martin, visiting associate professor and co-director of the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, participated in a seminar from February 3–5, 2003 on “International Protection of Human Rights and Methodologies to Teach Human Rights Law” in Quito, Ecuador. During this seminar, which was coordinated by the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in cooperation with the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Quito (PUCE), and the Centro de Derechos Económicos y Sociales in Ecuador, Professor Martin lectured on new developments in the case law of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. In addition, Professor Martin, together with Professor Diego Rodríguez Pinzón, submitted an amicus brief before the Inter-American Court on Human Rights regarding Advisory Opinion 18. This brief was produced in partnership with the Human Rights Program of Universidad Iberoamericana, Ciudad de México, as part of their current project on human rights legal education. This spring, Professor Martin and Professor Rodríguez Pinzón will co-publish a law review article entitled, “The International Status of the Rights of Elderly Persons.”
Diane Orentlicher, professor of law and co-director of the Center, presented commentary at a January 2003 Symposium on Justice for International Crimes Committed in the Territory of East Timor, held at the University of Melbourne Law School in Melbourne, Australia. The symposium was co-sponsored by the Asia Pacific Centre for Military Law and the Judicial System Monitoring Programme. Also in January, Professor Orentlicher was invited by the Council on Foreign Relations to serve on a Task Force on Iraq. In February 2003, Professor Orentlicher presented a lecture on “Universal Jurisdiction after Pinochet: Prospects and Perils,” at the University of California, Irvine. Professor Orentlicher was also quoted in an article appearing in the February 8, 2003 issue of the National Journal entitled “Safe Harbor for Saddam.”
Diego Rodríguez Pinzón is currently a visiting associate professor, co-director of the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, and director of the Human Rights Legal Education-Partnership Projects in Ecuador and Colombia. Professor Rodríguez Pinzón co-organized the first seminar on “International Protection of Human Rights and Human Rights Legal Education,” from February 3-5, 2003. Professor Rodríguez Pinzón also gave a lecture on “The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: Current Issues and Practice.” Professor Rodríguez Pinzón, together with Professor Martin, submitted an amicus brief before the Inter-American Court on Human Rights regarding Advisory Opinion 18. This spring Professor Rodríguez Pinzón and Professor Martin will co-publish a law review article entitled, “The International Status of the Rights of Elderly Persons.”
Herman Schwartz, professor of law and co-director of the Center, was interviewed in January 2003 by NBC Nightly News regarding President Bush’s federal court nominations. Professor Schwartz also conducted an interview with the Associated Press in January regarding Chief Justice Rehnquist’s request for higher pay for judges. This interview was reproduced by 13 other news sources, including USA Today, the Houston Chronicle, CBS News, the Baltimore Sun and Dallas Morning News.
Richard Wilson, professor of law, co-director of the Center, director of the International Human Rights Law Clinic, and director of the WCL Clinical Program, gave a lecture at Columbia Law School in New York City entitled “Litigating U.S. Human Rights Cases before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights” in February 2003. On February 8, Professor Wilson participated in a panel discussion at the International Law Weekend West 2003, held at Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. The panel was entitled, “Death Penalty Litigation and the Use of International Law to Interpret the Constitution.” At this event, Professor Wilson spoke on the amicus curiae brief he authored for the European Union in Atkins v. Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down the application of the death penalty to persons with mental retardation. From February 26-28, 2003, Professor Wilson traveled to the Czech Republic, serving as the sole U.S. judge on a panel of international jurists judging a moot court competition focusing on refugee law for teams from Central and Eastern Europe.
The proper citation for this article in the Human Rights Brief Volume 10, Issue 3, beginning at page 44 is: 10 No. 3 Hum. Rts. Brief 44 (2003).
