· August, 2010

Stories about Law from August, 2010

Venezuela: Franklin Brito Dies After Several Hunger Strikes

  31 August 2010

Franklin Brito, a farmer who had been on a hunger strike since July 2009, died from a respiratory arrest in a military hospital on Monday night. Brito had lived through several hunger strikes protesting the confiscation of his land. Venezuelans reacted to the announcement of his death through Twitter and blogs.

Trinidad & Tobago: Not Yet

  31 August 2010

On the occasion of Trinidad and Tobago's anniversary of independence, Plain Talk says: “Forty eight years ago we may have left ‘Massa’, but we kept the shackles of our minds firmly intact. Looked at honestly, we are no where near independence yet.”

Cuba: Same Old Song

  31 August 2010

The imprisonment of three Cuban dissidents who were during a protest at the University of Havana proves to Uncommon Sense that “despite its release of some dozen members of the ‘Group of 75′ prisoners, the Castro dictatorship has not changed.”

Cuba: Interrogation

  30 August 2010

Luis Felipe Rojas blogs about his detainment by the Cuban authorities and says: “I think about the path that has brought this country the totalitarian power that is eating away at itself. What will be my next punishment?”

Taiwan: 250000 Facebook users against inadequate court sentence

  30 August 2010

More than 250 thousand facebook users join together to condemn the recent court sentence that put a rapist in jail for only 3 years and 2 months, much shorter then 7 years and 10 months charged by public prosecutor[zht]. In the verdict the judge claimed that because evidences show the...

West Africa: Drug Traffickers and Politico-Military Dictators

  30 August 2010

The UN assistant representative in Africa against drug trafficking Cyriaque Sobtafo recently stated that west Africa is now the hub for cocaine trafficking. Many countries are affected and the sudden death of the son of Dadis Camara generated many speculations about the possible involvement of drug dealers in the event.

Pakistan: Another Match Fixing Scandal

  29 August 2010

Hamid Abbasi at Chowrangi is shocked by the news of another match fixing scandal of some players of the Pakistan cricket team and opines that “this is nothing less than a betrayal to the nation.”

Kazakhstan: Prison Riots

  29 August 2010

KZBlog writes about the disturbing news from Kazakhstan’s prisons, where – more and more frequently – inmates mutilate themselves or stage riots, claiming that they are routinely beaten and tortured.

Russia: Mari Paganism and Charges of “Extremism”

  28 August 2010

OpenDemocracy.net reports: “In their remote forest republic 400 miles east of the Moscow, the pagan Mari people are once again being harassed by the authorities. […] Ethnically kin to the Finns and Hungarians, their profoundly ecological religious worldview challenges Russian-led designs on their republic’s natural resources.”

Russia: “Jailbird Moms”

RuNet Echo  28 August 2010

A Good Treaty writes about two Russian “jailbird moms” – Anna Shavenkova and Yulia Kruglova: “Two court cases in recent weeks have given Russia’s bruised citizenry a few additional reminders that the world is a cruel, extremely stupid place to live. Both these cases involve mothers of young children, but...

Russia: Khimki Forest and Bono's “Intervention”

RuNet Echo  28 August 2010

Natalia Antonova comments on Bono's role in the resolution of the Khimki forest situation during his visit to Moscow earlier this week: “There was an “intervention” on behalf of Bono in regards to the destruction of the Khimki forest? Where is the evidence of this intervention?”

Cuba: Double Standard

  27 August 2010

“On one hand they release some dissidents from prison, on the other those who attempt to say ‘I disagree’ get shoved behind bars”: Crossing the Barbed Wire comments on “the double standard policy assiduously practiced by the government as part of its greater foreign policy.”

Anguilla: One Step Back

  27 August 2010

Corruption-free Anguilla thinks that Montserrat's new draft constitution “does not advance government…rather, it sets Montserratians back decades, particularly in the area of human rights.”

Russia: Noize MC's New Song

RuNet Echo  26 August 2010

RFE/RL's The Power Vertical writes about rapper Noize MC's new song: “After spending 10 days in jail for performing a song mocking police at a music festival in Volgograd, the irrepressible rapper has released a new [song and video, RUS] — mocking the police.” Robert Amsterdam's blog calls the new...