The Star Online: World Updates |
| Self-declared rabbi jailed in Israel for child abuse Posted: 28 Feb 2011 06:41 AM PST JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli court sentenced a self-proclaimed rabbi who abused eight children, including a three-year-old who was beaten into a coma, to 24 years in jail on Monday. Elior Chen was convicted in November. The court said in its verdict that Chen believed children were "filled with evil" and that "only 'purification' could rid them of harmful elements -- meaning they must be beaten, tied up, burned and fed faeces". Chen was described as the spiritual leader of a group of four who obeyed his orders to assault the children. His followers were sentenced last year to 20 years in prison and the mother of the eight children, with whom Chen lived, to five years. The abuse, which took place three years ago, was described at the sentencing as "unprecedented terrifying violence which has left the children deeply scarred physically and emotionally". The child who was beaten into a coma and is now six years old, is still in that state. Chen fled to Brazil in 2008 after being named as a suspect. He was extradited home in 2009. (Writing by Maayan Lubell; editing by Elizabeth Piper) Copyright © 2011 Reuters | ||
| Libya attacks could be crime against humanity - court Posted: 28 Feb 2011 06:41 AM PST THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor said on Monday military attacks against civilians in Libya could be a crime against humanity and warrant the launch of a full investigation within days.
The United Nations Security Council on Saturday imposed sanctions on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his family, and referred Libya's crackdown on anti-government demonstrators to the International Criminal Court. "We have to decide whether to open an investigation ... and I hope we can move very fast. Within a few days," ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo told reporters in his offices in The Hague. He said anyone who attacked civilians would be investigated and prosecuted and that military commanders could be held accountable for the actions of their troops. "If people were on the square and they were attacked by soldiers, tanks or airplanes, in a widespread and systematic way, it's a crime against humanity," he said. Moreno-Ocampo said an investigation team had been put together in The Hague to collect information and his office was in contact with Libyan officials and army staff to understand command structures and how the Libyan military system worked. The office of the prosecutor was also liaising with an African Union investigation team and the Arab League with the aim to move as swiftly as possible, Moreno-Ocampo said. When the office of the prosecutor receives a Security Council referral, the statute requires that prosecutors first carry out a preliminary examination to see whether there is reasonable basis to proceed with a full investigation. This is only the second ICC probe to be triggered by a U.N Security Council referral. When the Security Council referred the Darfur crisis in Sudan to the ICC on March 31, 2005, it took two months for the prosecutor to open an investigation. Should an investigation be launched, prosecutors may ask an ICC pre-trial chamber to deliver arrest warrants or summonses for those deemed most responsible for the alleged crimes. (Additional reporting by Aaron Gray-Block and Greg Roumeliotis; Editing by Jon Boyle) Copyright © 2011 Reuters |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Star Online: World Updates To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
Tiada ulasan:
Catat Ulasan