Latest news with #JusticeMinister
Associated Press
3 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Former Congolese leader Kabila meets with religious leaders in rebel-controlled city
GOMA, Congo (AP) — Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila, who is accused by the government of supporting Rwanda-backed rebels in the country's conflict-battered east, on Thursday met with top religious leaders in the rebel-controlled city of Goma. During the meeting — his first public engagement since Congolese authorities lifted his immunity amid a treason probe - Kabila expressed his desire to help achieve peace in the troubled region, according to one of the religious leaders. 'The former president called us to express his wish to see peace return,' Joel Amurani, senior bishop and president of the Religious Denominations Platform, said after the meeting. 'We told him to play the role of referee. For 18 years, he has worked for the unity of this country, and he still possesses this talent to contribute to the return of peace,' Amurani added. Kabila, who led Congo from 2001 to 2019, is accused by the government of supporting the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels that have seized two major cities in the country's east. He had been in self-imposed exile since 2023 until April when he arrived in the key city of Goma in the east. Among his alleged crimes include 'treason, war crimes, crimes against humanity and participation in an insurrectional movement' in the country's east, Justice Minister Constant Mutamba has said. The Congolese government has not spoken publicly about any plans to charge Kabila for the alleged crimes. However, the senate last week voted to grant the government's request and lift his lifetime immunity because of his honorific title as senator for life. Congolese political analyst Hubert Masomeko described the current political situation as a 'dangerous standoff' between the Congolese government and Kabila. 'Kabila's arrival in Goma is a political counteroffensive in retaliation for the measures taken by Kinshasa,' Masomeko added.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Police drop investigation into Tory MP Crispin Blunt over alleged rape, report says
Police have reportedly dropped an 18-month investigation into allegations of rape against the former Conservative MP Crispin Blunt. Blunt, 64, formerly the MP for Reigate in Surrey, was arrested in October 2023 and subsequently suspended from the Conservative party after a number of anonymous reports about a Conservative MP's arrest and alleged conduct. After his arrest, Blunt was told to stay away from the parliamentary estate during the investigation. Surrey police confirmed on Thursday there was 'insufficient evidence to proceed' with an investigation into a man in his 60s, after 'extensive inquiries' were carried out. The BBC reported that the man was Blunt. Police said 'no further action' would be taken, but confirmed an investigation into the suspicion of possession of controlled substances remained ongoing. In a statement, Surrey police said: 'An investigation was launched following a report of rape in October 2023. 'Extensive inquiries have been carried out and a man in his 60s and a man in his 50s were arrested on 25 October 2023 in Horley in connection with the offence. 'It has since been determined that there is insufficient evidence to proceed and that no further action will be taken against either of the men in relation to the report of rape. 'However, both men will remain under investigation on suspicion of possession of controlled substances pending further inquiries.' Blunt had been released on conditional bail, which ended in April 2024. The former justice minister and former chair of the Commons foreign affairs select committee, remained the independent MP for Reigate until the 2024 election, in which he did not stand. He had represented the Surrey constituency since 1997, and is the uncle of the actor Emily Blunt. Before entering politics, he spent 10 years in the military, becoming an army captain. More than a year before he was suspended from the Conservative party, Blunt apologised for making a statement defending the then MP, Imran Ahmad Khan, who was convicted of sexual assault. Blunt declined to comment.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Special Criminal Court and Offences Against the State Act set to be repealed
The non-jury Special Criminal Court and the Offences Against the State Act are set to be repealed after more than 50 years in existence following the acceptance by the Minister for Justice of the recommendations of an expert review group. Jim O'Callaghan told Cabinet colleagues this week that the emergency powers, introduced in 1972, had served the State well but an updated approach was needed for the modern security landscape. The Act established the non-jury court as a counter-terrorism measure. However, following the Belfast Agreement in 1998, and the sharp decline in paramilitary-type offences, the court was used in recent years to try serious gangland cases. However, the replacement of the legislation will not mean an end to non-jury courts. Mr O'Callaghan said that they remained necessary for certain cases and that had been a recommendation of the Independent Review Group, chaired by Mr Justice Micheal Peart. READ MORE 'Trial by jury is an important, though not unqualified, right under our Constitution,' said Mr O'Callaghan. 'The review group proposal recognises, and it is clear to me as Minister for Justice, that a non-jury court remains necessary to try serious criminal offences in certain exceptional cases where the ordinary courts are inadequate,' he said. While the new legislative framework is being developed, the Government agreed at its meeting this week to renew the emergency Act for a further year. The recommendations of the majority report include the repeal of the Offences Against the State Acts and to re-enact select elements in replacement legislation. [ Offences Against the State Act: Is it still needed? Opens in new window ] They also include the establishment of a new non-jury court to try serious criminal offences where the ordinary courts are inadequate to secure the effective administration of justice. The Offences Against the State Acts are Ireland's primary counter-terrorism legislation and provide the legislative basis for the non-jury Special Criminal Court. The Independent Review Group recommended the repeal of the Act in its 2023 report and their replacement with a modern legislative framework. 'Given the importance of the Acts over many decades, proposals for reform must be thoroughly considered and approached with the utmost care. This is to ensure we do not do anything to undermine the efforts of the authorities with responsibility for countering terrorism and organised crime,' said the Minister. Sinn Féin TDs opposed the annual renewal of the emergency powers for many years in the Dáil but in recent years, the party has abstained pending the outcome of the review.
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Former Manitoba justice minister interfered in Nygard case: judge
A Manitoba judge has determined a serious abuse of process took place when Kelvin Goertzen, who was then the province's attorney general and justice minister, ordered a review in 2022 of a decision to not charge former fashion mogul Peter Nygard with sexual assault. However, the charges that Nygard faces as a result of that review will not be stayed.
Fox News
7 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
British government considers chemical castration in plan to reduce prison population
A British government minister says she's "not squeamish" about the idea of chemical castration for male sex offenders, and wants to make it mandatory. The UK is considering a range of options from a new report, which aims to cut the country's prison population by 10,000 inmates to help alleviate chronic overcrowding. "Problematic sexual arousal and preoccupation can be reduced via chemical suppressants and other medications, which can be prescribed for individuals who have committed a sexual offense under certain circumstances," the new report states. Prisons in the south-west of England have been involved in a pilot program of chemical castrations since 2002, and Justice Minister Shabana Mahmood from the ruling Labour Party told lawmakers in parliament on Thursday that the program would expand to 20 more prisons in two other regions of England. Prisoners would be given two drugs as part of the treatment: one limits sexual thoughts, while the other reduces testosterone and "problematic sexual arousal." Inmates would also have ongoing counseling to treat their psychological issues, such as a desire for sexual power and control. One recent study found that reoffending rates were up to 60% lower for prisoners who had received the treatment. "For some, offending relates to power, but for another subset of offenders, the combination of chemical suppressants and psychological interventions can, we believe, have a big and positive impact," Minister Mahmood told parliament. Initially, the option for chemical castration treatment would be only voluntary, and medical ethicists say it could be a problem to force doctors to treat an inmate who doesn't want to have it done. In Britain, there is a strict tradition of informed medical consent where a patient can refuse medical treatment, and a doctor can't ordinarily be forced to carry it out. Sex offenders make up a significant percentage of the prison population in England, and at the end of March, more than 20% of inmates were incarcerated on sex crimes charges. The new report cautions that chemical castration "should never be used as a risk management tool or standalone rehabilitative offer, and it is only appropriate for a limited number of sex offenders". Chemical castration is already being used in some other European prisons to treat sex offenders. Authorities in Sweden have been carrying out limited clinical trials on volunteers at a Stockholm prison, while in Germany and Denmark it is more widely used but still on a voluntary basis. In Poland, courts can pass a sentence of mandatory chemical castration for some categories of sex-offense prisoners. Thursday's report, written by a former government minister from the Conservative Party, also made four dozen recommendations to try and ease prison overcrowding. These include giving fewer people jail sentences under 12 months and encouraging other types of punishment instead, such as community service or fines; developing new policies for early release with good behavior for inmates, and tagging all offenders who committed crimes of abuse against women and girls. The opposition Conservative Party has criticized the new report, saying that by scrapping shorter prison sentences the government "is effectively decriminalizing crimes like burglary, theft and assault." "This is a gift to criminals, who will be free to offend with impunity," the party's justice spokesman Robert Jenrick told reporters. However, the report has been broadly welcomed by the Howard League for Penal Reform, the world's oldest prison charity. "The government is taking an important step forward by accepting most of the recommendations from this important review," says Chief Executive Andrea Coomber, but she cautioned that "the prisons crisis will not be solved by half-measures." Senior police officers have cautioned that if there will be fewer prisoners behind bars, they need more resources to manage the risk that offenders pose outside of jail.
