MEXICO CITY (AP) — Human rights groups were jubilant Friday after Mexico’s Supreme Court moved to turn military human rights violations over to civilian courts, a blow to a military justice system accused of covering up cases of soldiers abusing, torturing and executing citizens during a six-year government offensive against drug cartels.

The ruling goes against President Felipe Calderon, who has staunchly defended the military and whose government proposed moving some military cases to civilian courts — but not homicides.