JAG CENTRALThe world's first weblog devoted to military justice and military law issues.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
GLOBAL MILITARY JUSTICE WATCH #1
This will be the first in a periodic series of updates on what's going on in the military justice systems of other countries. This edition features events in two countries: Canada and India.
Admiral Bruce MacClean, Commander of Canadian Naval Forces (CBC)
In Canada: A naval board of inquiry found that the commanding officer of the HMCS Chicoutimi, a submarine on a voyage from Scotland to Canada, was not responsible for a fire that led to the death of Lieutenant Chris Saunders. In a nation that seems consumed on conducting high-profile, fratricidal inquiries of its own military (the most famous inquiry being the years-long investigation of the Canadian Airborne Regiment which interrupted daytime soap operas on TV for years, wikipedia article here), it's refreshing to see that they have actually cleared one of their own high-ranking officers. Find the story from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation here. You can find the actual Board of Inquiry report here.
Indian Flying Officer Anjali Gupta (Calcutta Telegraph)
The kinds of social and cultural struggles that take place in our Army also take place in other countries. In India, the first-ever court-martial of a female military officer is taking place. Flying Officer Anjali Gupta is being charged with filing falsified and inflated expense reports in connection with some temporary duty travel. The defense has alleged that the entire court-martial is trumped up and is retaliation for refusal to acquiesce to long-running sexual harassment against her by several senior officers. Indeed, it is the sexual harassment counter-charges which are getting the biggest headlines in India. Currently, the trial is on hold while Gupta is receiving treatment in a Bangalore military hospital for undisclosed illnesses. The prosecution is alleging she is malingering to avoid the trial. You can read the latest news from the Calcutta Telegraph here.
Admiral Bruce MacClean, Commander of Canadian Naval Forces (CBC)
In Canada: A naval board of inquiry found that the commanding officer of the HMCS Chicoutimi, a submarine on a voyage from Scotland to Canada, was not responsible for a fire that led to the death of Lieutenant Chris Saunders. In a nation that seems consumed on conducting high-profile, fratricidal inquiries of its own military (the most famous inquiry being the years-long investigation of the Canadian Airborne Regiment which interrupted daytime soap operas on TV for years, wikipedia article here), it's refreshing to see that they have actually cleared one of their own high-ranking officers. Find the story from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation here. You can find the actual Board of Inquiry report here.
Indian Flying Officer Anjali Gupta (Calcutta Telegraph)
The kinds of social and cultural struggles that take place in our Army also take place in other countries. In India, the first-ever court-martial of a female military officer is taking place. Flying Officer Anjali Gupta is being charged with filing falsified and inflated expense reports in connection with some temporary duty travel. The defense has alleged that the entire court-martial is trumped up and is retaliation for refusal to acquiesce to long-running sexual harassment against her by several senior officers. Indeed, it is the sexual harassment counter-charges which are getting the biggest headlines in India. Currently, the trial is on hold while Gupta is receiving treatment in a Bangalore military hospital for undisclosed illnesses. The prosecution is alleging she is malingering to avoid the trial. You can read the latest news from the Calcutta Telegraph here.
