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What was the Enemy Airmen’s Act (1942)?

Introduction The Enemy Airmen’s Act was a law passed by Imperial Japan on 13 August 1942 which stated that Allied airmen participating in bombing raids against Japanese-held territory would be treated as “violators of the law of war” and subject to trial and punishment if captured by Japanese forces. This law contributed to the deaths… Read More

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What was the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 (US)?

Introduction The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, also known as the Burke–Wadsworth Act, Pub. L. 76–783, 54 Stat. 885, enacted 16 September 1940, was the first peacetime conscription in United States history. This Selective Service Act required that men who had reached their 21st birthday but had not yet reached their 36th birthday… Read More

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What is the Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010 (US)?

Introduction The Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010 (S. 3081) is a bill introduced by United States Senator John McCain, sponsored by Joe Lieberman and eight other Republican senators. Its counterpart in the House is H.R. 4892, introduced by Howard McKeon (R-CA). In introducing the bill on the Senate floor, McCain said:… Read More

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What was the Military Commissions Act of 2009 (US)?

Introduction The Military Commissions Act of 2009, which amended the Military Commissions Act of 2006, was passed to address concerns by the United States Supreme Court. Refer to Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010. Outline In Boumediene v. Bush (2008) the court had ruled that section 7 of the Military Commissions Act… Read More

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An Overview of Amnesty Law

Introduction An amnesty law is any legislative, constitutional or executive arrangement that retroactively exempts a select group of people, usually military leaders and government leaders, from criminal liability for the crimes that they committed. More specifically, in the ‘age of accountability’, amnesty laws have come to be considered as granting impunity for the violation of… Read More

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What is the Military Commissions Act of 2006?

Introduction The Military Commissions Act of 2006, also known as HR-6166, was an Act of Congress signed by President George W. Bush on 17 October 2006. The Act’s stated purpose was “to authorize trial by military commission for violations of the law of war, and for other purposes”. It was drafted following the decision on… Read More