11 years!

January 14 will mark, amazingly, the 11th anniversary of Global Military Justice Reform. The Editor will readers the data this time around. Suffice to say that the blog is read around the world. The posts keep going up, with smart offerings from our many contributors. Heartfelt thanks to them, co-editor Rory Fowler, and everyone who has commented (well, not those who pester the newsroom with spam and anonymous comments).

Thanks to each and every one of you. Keep the posts and comments coming. Please recommend Global Military Justice Reform to friends, colleagues, in-laws -- anyone who may have an interest.

Things to watch for this year:

• Decisions in Uganda and Pakistan on the permissibility of trying civilians in courts-martial
• Third International Military Justice Forum in Paris
• DoD and congressional response to December 2024 Comprehensive Review and Assessment of the UCMJ from the Military Justice Review Panel
• Further appellate review of the disputed plea bargains in the 9/11 Military Commission at Guantánamo
• U.S. Supreme Court action on the Wheeler certiorari petition challenging the constitutionality of the "short-martial"
• Continued litigation of the constitutionality of subjecting U.S. military retirees to trial by court-martial
• Military justice initiatives from the incoming Trump administration
• Parliamentary response to the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in R. v. Edwards

Have we missed something big? Please add it via the Comment function (real names only, please).

Miitary Courts Case hearing

The Supreme Court of Pakistan's Constitutional Bench will hear the intra-court appeals in the Military Courts Case on January 7. 2025.

Quagmire in Pakistan

Noor Ul Huda writes helpfully here for Jurist about the frustrating state of play in Pakistan's Military Courts Case. Excerpt:

Concerns have also been raised regarding the fairness of the military trials. A lawyer named Shafqat Awan, who represented PTI protestors in the Pakistan Air Force Base Mianwali attack, stated that a judge had dismissed a related case due to false evidence. Despite being released by the trial court, two of these individuals were subsequently sentenced in military courts. This raises questions about how procedural fairness can be ensured. Moreover, it appears that different individuals are subjected to different judicial processes; some are tried under anti-terrorism laws while others face military courts under the Army Act of 1952 and the Official Secrets Act. It is unclear how serious offences like attacking military installations fall under the Official Secrets Act, which is primarily intended to address espionage and the unauthorized disclosure of classified information, as previously came under discussion during the Cypher Case of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Herein of mortal enemies, last sentinels, and zealous champions

The U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminals ended 2024 with a bang. The unanimous decision in United States v. Negron, No. 202300164, a high-profile unlawful command influence case, makes lively reading.