News Archive

“Nations have obligations to their citizens, and obligations to the international community,” remarked Professor George E. Edwards during a panel discussion with North African and Middle Eastern legal luminaries, who visited Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis last March 25, 2011.

Professor Edwards hosted the panel discussion of judges, parliamentarians and legal officers from Iraq, Jordan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and the West Bank. Participants discussed a wide range of issues involving the rule of law in the U.S. and in other countries from different regions of the world. The visiting dignitaries also spoke about their observations over the previous two weeks as they toured the U.S., meeting with government officials, academicians, and private citizens.

Professor Edwards shared stories about numerous projects sponsored by the school’s Program in International Human Rights Law (PIHRL), which he directs. He mentioned that the Program has sponsored over 100 internship placements in over 50 countries on six continents since 1997. Interns receive scholarship funding for air fare, housing, food, and other expenses associated with working for 10 – 12 weeks at host organizations. Interns have worked at non-governmental organizations, inter-governmental bodies (such as the United Nations), and governmental bodies. Former interns spoke at the panel discussion, as did students who had prepared shadow reports for the UN reporting on human rights violations in different countries. Students spoke about how they had made oral presentations on their shadow reports on the floor of the UN meetings in Geneva and New York.

The delegates were in the U.S. through the U.S. Department of State’s International Leadership Visitor Program, and were sponsored by the International Center of Indianapolis. They included Ms. Nafaal Nn Danon Al-Taee , president, Mosul Bar Association (Iraq); Ms. Amal Yousef Al Rfooh , member of parliament (Jordan); Ms. Awour Moyak Deng Koul , judge, Southern Sudan Judiciary (Sudan); and Mr. Raed Theeb Naji Asaf , judge (West Bank).

The event was titled “Rule of International Human Rights Law: North African & Middle Eastern Issues, Advocacies & Perspectives” . It was co-sponsored by several law student organizations, including the Black Law Students’ Association, International Human Rights Law Society, International Law Society, Human Rights Students’ Association, and the Master of Laws Association. Also co-sponsoring the event were two Indianapolis not-for-profit organizations that were founded by law school graduates, the Center for Victim and Human Rights, as well as Human Rights Works. Mr. Perfecto Boyet Caparas, PIHRL program manager, was the primary organizer. Ms. Maryvonne Kerzabi, director of the International Visitor Programs of the International Center of Indianapolis, coordinated the visit.

Professor Edwards is the Carl M. Gray Professor of Law and the Founding Director of the school’s Program in International Human Rights Law. His recent research projects include LL.M. Roadmap to U.S. Law Schools: An International Student’s Guide to U.S. Master of Laws Degree Programs (Aspen / Wolters Kluwer Law and Business Publishing, 380 pages, spring 2011 expected release date). Professor Edwards served as the Director of the school’s LL.M. Track in International Human Rights Law from its inception until 2011.

[Shown in the photo above, standing from left (last row): Abdelhafid Missouri, Maryvonne Kerzabi, Judge Awour Moyak Deng Koul, Raio Krishnayya, Syed Liaquat Ali, Leontiy Korolev, Ibrahim Garba
Standing from left (2nd row): Ali-Yerima Alimi, Evalyn Aruasa, Zulfiye Ugur, Intisar Fidhin, Edye Taylor, Marcela Rivera, Azalea Assaf, Judge Raed Theeb Naji Asaf, Perfecto Boyet Caparas
Seated from left (front row): Mohamed Mohamedain, Nafaal Nn Danon Al-Taee, Professor George Edwards, Amal Yousef Al Rfooh, Rana Raad, Kevin Greene]

» Print Article