Manuel Noriega, the ex-dictator of Panama, has been transferred from a prison in France to one in Panama.  Noriega was ousted from power when U.S. troops invaded Panama and arrested him in 1990. He has served prison terms in France and the U.S., and will likely spend the rest of his life incarcerated in his home country.  

Citation: Associated Press, Noriega Returns home to prison, The Washington Post, December 12, 2011.

                On December 8, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice(DOJ)  released a report by the  Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on whether the DOJ is effectively managing the International Prisoner Transfer Program (treaty transfer program) for foreign national inmates.  The OIG reviewed the roles of the DOJ’s components involved in the treaty transfer program, the selection of inmates to be transferred, the timeliness of the process, the costs associated with the program, and recidivism in the U.S.

The head of the Camorra crime syndicate, Michele Zagaria, has been apprehended by Italian authorities.  Zagaria, who has been hiding from the police since the mid 1990s and has already been convicted of murder in absentia, built up one of Italy's most powerful criminal organizations and dealt in drug dealing, murder, and other crimes.

Citation: Jak Phillips, Italian Mob Boss Nabbed in Rural Bunker After 16-Year Hunt, TIME, December 8, 2011.

London's High Court ruled on Monday that Julian Assange, the Wikileaks founder who faces extradition to Sweden to face sex crime allegations, can appeal his case to the Supreme Court.  Assange will argue before the court that the European arrest warrant issued for his arrest was flawed, as it was signed by a public prosecutor.  Assange has been fighting extradition from Britain for over a year.

Citation: Karla Adam, Wikileaks founder can continue extradition fight, The Washington Post, December 6, 2011.

Laurent Gbagbo, the former President of the Ivory Coast, was suddenly turned over this week to officials on at the International Criminal Court and transported to The Hague to face trial.  Mr. Gbagbo, who has been under house arrest after a failed attempt to hold onto power after losing a presidential election, has been accused of murder, rape, perseuction, and inhumane acts, all crimes against humanity.  Over 30,000 people were killed during Mr. Gbagbo's illegal attempt to retain power. 

Bruce Zagaris will publish an analysis of this story in the next issue of the IELR.

Citation: Marlise Simons, Ex-President of Ivory Coast Arrives in the Hague to Face Charges, The New York Times, November 30, 2011.

The Arab League agreed on Sunday to impose economic sanctions against Syria and members of the Syrian government, in resposne to reports of widespread violence against civilian protesters.  The Arab League had previously suspended Syria after its failure to implement an agreeed-upon peace plan.  The League also called upon the United Nations to impose similar sanctions, but rejected any call for military intervention.  The sanctions could have some effect on Syria, which relies heavily on trade with its Arab neighbors.  They might also spur renewed calls for action at the United Nations, as countries might be more willing to act if they sense support from reigional associations.

Citation: Neil MacFarquhar and Nada Bakri, Isolating Syria, Arab League Imposes Broad Sanctions, The New York Times, November 27, 2011.

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IELR founder and editor-in-chief Bruce Zagaris recently gave an interview on the "Beyond the Curve" podcast.  The podcast, hosted by Dr. Adriana Sanford and Jeffry O'Brien, featured a discussion on international white collar crime.  

Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, the son and presumptive heir of ex-Libyan dictator Muammar el-Qaddafi, has been captured recently in Libya.  The ex-head of the Libyan intelligence service was also captured over the weekend by government forces.  This represents both an opportuntiy and a dilemma for the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has receieved assurances from the Libyan transitional government that both men will face trial in The Hague.  A trial at the ICC could bolster the image of both Libya and the ICC as legitimate entities enforcing international law.  However, the Libyan people also have a desire to try the men locally, which could lead the transitional government to break its promise to the ICC.

Citation: Marlise Simons, International Court Faces Key Test on Libyan Captives, The New York Times, November 20, 2011.

 [caption align=right]lENG Thirith[/caption]

Leng Thirith, the former minister of social affairs for the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, has been deemed unfit to stand trial due to Alzheimer's disease, in a ruling issued by a U.N.-backed tribunal in Cambodia.  The sister-in-law of Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge leader who oversaw the deaths of over 1.7 million people during his genocidal rule, will be released in 24 hours unless prosecutors appeal.  Three co-defendants, all of whom were key figures in the old regime, still face trial.  

Citation: Sopheng Cheang, Cambodian genocide defendant ruled unfit for trial, Associated Press, November 17, 2011.

Russia has recently amended its anti-money laundering laws, partly in order to achieve full membership in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Developemnt (OECD).  The new laws concern the suspicious transaction reports filed by businesses which suspect possible money laundering transactions.  Failure to file these reports can result in fines or suspension of operations.  Russia's actions are also intended to meet OECD's anti-corruption benchmarks, which the IELR recently covered.  See Bruce Zagaris, G20 Agrees to Actions on Tax, Money Laundering, and Corruption Enforcement, 27 Int'l Enforcement L. Rep. (Jan 2011).

Citation: Sergei Blagov, Russia Amends Anti-Money Laundering Law To Enhance Enforcement, OECD Accession, Daily Report for Executives, November 10, 2011.