Topics in Brief

• Author: International Law Group

European Union tightens travel sanctions imposed on Yugoslav officials

The EU has again revised its travel sanctions imposed on Yugoslav government officials and representatives that bar their entry into the EU. The travel sanctions now apply to "President Milosevic, his family, all Ministers and senior officials of the Federal and Serbian Governments, and for persons whose activities support President Milosevic." The EU Council will identify other barred individuals according to new criteria, which include all persons indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal on Yugoslavia, and leaders of the military and police forces. Citation: 2000 O.J. of European Communities (L 21) 4, 26 January 2000.

U S. President suspends lawsuits under 1996 Helms-Burton Act for another six months

President Clinton has again exercised his authority under the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act to suspend for another six months the Title III law suit provisions of the Act. These provisions permit lawsuits against companies involved with Cuban properties that the Cuban government expropriated after Fidel Castro took power in 1959. The President also noted in his letter sent to the chairmen of relevant committees in the House and Senate that important initiatives are under way to promote democracy in Cuba. Citation: U.S. Department of State Press Statement (January 15, 2000); The Washington Post, January 16, 2000, page A22.

German Labor Court affirms discharge of community kindergarten director for collecting child pornography from Internet

A German Labor Court in Braunschweig, Germany, has upheld the dismissal of a community child care center's head after police found 60 child pornography data files on his personal computer. The petitioner had obtained the material through the Internet and had then printed it out in color. After the government had charged him with breaching anti-child-pornography laws, the local administration fired him. It spurned petitioner's...