Document Type
Brief
Publication Date
4-9-2004
Abstract
Amici Curiae are law professors who are concerned about the human rights questions involved in this matter. Amici support affirmance and write to situate the issues in this case within the broader context of international human rights law. Amici believe that this Court's analysis of the decision rendered by the Second Circuit should take into account the serious rights questions raised by the assertion of executive authority to designate, detain, and isolate people deemed "enemy combatants" or any equivalent category. These concerns weigh strongly against endorsement of such broad, unilateral executive power and in favor of a strict construction of the Joint Resolution.
No challenges to human rights are more basic than those presented by the seizure, isolation, interrogation without counsel, and detention of a United States citizen in the United States by the executive branch of government. This Court's answers to those challenges should comply with and be informed by the standards of international human rights law.
Amici believe that this case is governed by principles of domestic constitutional and criminal law which relate to international human rights law in historical and evolving ways. The rules provided by this body of law could not be clearer: Mr. Padilla may not be designated by executive order as an "enemy combatant" and thereby held outside all of the accepted norms of human rights law.
The Court's interpretation of the Joint Resolution and the Non-Detention Acts should be informed by basic human rights principles. Absent the clearest possible statement by Congress, this Court should strive to avoid both a serious constitutional question and a serious conflict with well-accepted human rights norms.
Most importantly, Amici urge this Court to make clear that: Mr. Padilla has a fundamental human right against arbitrary detention; this right derives from his humanity, not only from his U.S. citizenship; this right includes a right to counsel and to meaningful habeas corpus judicial review.
Recommended Citation
Avi-Yonah, Reuven S., "Rumsfeld v. Padilla: Brief for Amici Curiae Law Professors in Support of Respondent" (2004). Appellate Briefs. 13.
https://repository.law.umich.edu/briefs/13
Comments
Amicus: Akram, Professor Susan; Albert, Professor Lee A.; Aldana-Pindell, Professor Raquel; Aldave, Professor Barbara Bader; Anker, Professor Deborah; Ansley, Professor Fran; Annas, Professor George J.; Arriola, Professor Elvia; Ashar, Professor Sameer M.; Avery, Professor Michael; Avi-Yonah, Professor Reuven; Ball, Professor Milner; Baron, Professor Charles; Bastress, Professor Robert M.; Bauer, Professor Jon; Becker, Professor Loftus E. Jr.; Benson, Professor Robert; Berman, Professor Nathaniel; Blaustone, Professor Beryl; Bloche, Professor M. Gregg; Bloom, Professor Robert; Blum, Professor Karen; Boss, Professor Amelia H.; Brietzke, Professor Paul H.; Brodin, Professor Mark; Brooks, Professor Rosa Ehrenreich; Brown, Professor Mark; Chavkin, Professor David F.; Chen, Professor Frederick Tse-shyang; Chin, Professor Gabriel; Chomsky, Professor Carol; Clark, Professor Gerard J.; Cohn, Professor Marjorie; Curcio, Professor Andrea A.; D'Amato, Professor Anthony; Dargo, Professor George; Davis, Professor Thomas J.; Daynard, Professor Richard A.; Demleitner, Professor Nora V.; Dodd, Professor Victoria; Dowd, Professor Nancy E.; Edwards, Professor George E.; Elijah, Professor Jill Soffiyah; Engler, Professor Russell; Epps, Professor JoAnne; Erlinder, Professor Peter; Flym, Professor John; Foley, Professor Brian J.; Fort, Professor Denise D.; Fox, Professor Gregory H.; Friedman, Professor Lawrence; Geraghty, Professor Diane; Gildin, Professor Gary S.; Godreau-Robles, Professor Michel J.; Goldfarb, Professor Phyllis; Goldstein, Professor Anne B.; Gomez, Professor Laura; Greenfield, Professor Kent; Haddon, Professor Phoebe A.; Halper, Professor Louise; Harding, Professor Roberta; Harrison, Professor Keith; Hartigan, Professor Emily Albrink; Hench, Professor Virginia E.; Hesse, Professor Dick; Heyman, Professor Michael G.; Huie, Professor Marsha; Iijima, Professor Ann L.; Jackson, Professor Craig; Jaszi, Professor Peter; Johnson, Professor Kevin R.; Kairys, Professor David; Kauffman, Professor S. Blair; Keller, Professor Linda; Kendall, Professor Walter J. III; Kirwin, Professor Kenneth F.; Klare, Professor Karl; Klein, Professor Ilene; Kowalski, Professor Daniel; Krieger, Professor Stefan H.; Landers, Professor Renee; Leonard, Professor Arthur S.; Levy, Professor John M.; Lewis, Professor Hope; Lopez, Professor Antoinette Sedillo; Lousin, Professor Ann; Lyon, Professor Beth; Macurdy, Professor Allan H.; Maguigan, Professor Holly; Manheim, Professor Karl; Margulies, Professor Peter; Mariner, Professor Wendy K.; McCluskey, Professor Martha T.; McMorrow, Professor Judith A.; Meltsner, Professor Michael; Medina, Professor M. Isabel; Mersky, Professor Roy; Miller, Professor Theresa; Minow, Professor Martha; Moore, Professor Jennifer; Murphy, Professor Daniel; Nagan, Professor Winston P.; Orts, Professor Eric W.; Ota, Professor Nancy; Ottinger, Dean Richard L.; Partan, Professor Dan; Plater, Professor Zygmunt; Rogers, Professor Catherine A.; Roisman, Professor Florence W.; Rosenberg, Professor Howard I.; Rosenberg, Professor Lory Diana; Rossman, Professor David; Rowan, Professor James; Russell-Brown, Professor Sherrie; Saito, Professor Natsu; Scallen, Professor Eileen A.; Scharf, Professor Michael P.; Sedler, Professor Robert A.; Semmel, Professor Elisabeth; Seng, Professor Michael P.; Sherman, Professor Edward F.; Silver, Professor Marjorie A.; Singer, Professor Joseph; Spiro, Professor Peter J.; Stubbs, Professor Jon; Stumpf, Professor Juliet; Teran, Professor Lee; Uelman, Professor Gerald F.; Valencia-Weber, Professor Gloria; Van der Vyver, Professor Johan D.; Wasserman, Professor Rhonda; Weissman, Professor Deborah M.; Wellington, Professor Harry; Williams, Professor Lucy A.; Wirth, Professor David; Wolf, Professor Arthur D.