US Military Commissions & International Humanitarian Law in the ‘War on Terrorism’

18 August 2006

Major Michael Mori

David Hicks, accused of being an enemy combatant in the war on terrorism and held at Guantanamo Bay, has become a household name in Australia. Reports of his case have appeared regularly in the media, often including comments from his defence lawyer Major Michael Mori of the US Marine Corps.

In this lecture Major Mori outlines the proposed trial proceedings for US military commissions and discuss whether or not the rules and procedures will accord with the minimum requirements mandated under International Humanitarian Law. He also considers whether the proceedings are able to provide for the appropriate level of independent checks and balances of an established justice system.

This lecture was sponsored by  the Australian Red Cross and the Centre for International and Public Law.

Broad Topics: Law

Sub-topics: Law, Justice & Law Enforcement

Areas: ANU College of Law

Major Michael Mori, United States Marine Corps, graduated from Western New England School of Law in Massachusetts and has spent over seven years as a military trial lawyer, including serving as senior defence counsel for the US Naval Legal Service Office Pacific and head prosecutor for the Marines in Hawaii. Major Mori initially enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1983 before leaving the Corps after four years to complete college and law school, returning as an officer in 1995. He has worked on more than 200 cases, including child abuse, rape and drug trafficking.

Major Mori volunteered to represent Guantanamo Bay detainees and was appointed David Hicks’ military defence lawyer in November 2003.