Stories about Law from October, 2011
Macedonia: Lead Smelting Factory Problem in Veles
Jovan Petrov provides an overview of the problem with the lead and zync smelting factory in Veles, after the court rejected a suit against the state from the municipality and local NGOs, demanding cleaning of pollution which will affect “10 generations to come” in this impoverished community.
Cuba: Members of “Las Damas” Detained
Uncommon Sense learns that “ten members of the Laura Pollan Damas De Blanco…were among severa dissidents arrested in Santiago de Cuba as they tried to gather for Mass” yesterday morning.
Trinidad & Tobago: Role of the Telecommunications Authority
Plain Talk suggests that the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago is abdicating its responsibility in light of the recent national broadcast of the rape of a child and the release of a soca song that “glorif[ies] and promote[s] human trafficking and sexual slavery”, saying: “Much of what is being...
China: Woman activist beaten by local thugs and police officer
Tom Lasseter interviewed Wang Xuezhen, a woman activist beaten by local thugs when she tried to visit Chen Guangcheng. She was slapped by a police officers when she reported on the violence she faced in the village.
China: Questions Following Mekong River Massacre
Thirteen Chinese sailors were killed earlier this month in an attack on two cargo ships. Nine Thai soldiers have claimed responsibility, which the Thai government says is theirs alone, but contradicting points in the case have left many with lingering doubts.
Brazil: Police Restrain Students at the University of São Paulo
Military police launched a blitz operation at the University of São Paulo after approaching three students smoking marijuana on the night of October 27. Adriano Rangel reports.
Brazil: Mobilization Against Racism Towards Indigenous Peoples
Following the occupation of the Belo Monte construction site, socio-environmental student Robson Fernando, from the blog Consciência, denounces [pt] racist comments left by readers of Folha de São Paulo on the newspaper's website against the Brazilian indigenous population. On another post, Fernando calls those who propagate prejudice and hatred to...
Egypt: Blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah Detained for 15 Days
Egyptian activist and blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah has been detained for 15 days, after refusing to be interrogated. He appeared at the Military Prosecutor, along with fellow activist Bahaa Saber, today as supporters gathered outside, denouncing military trials.
Ukraine: “We Are Europeans”
Ordinary Ukrainians are using citizen media and social networks to voice their commitment to European values and organize rallies in support of Ukraine's European orientation. Veronica Khokhlova reports.
Bahrain: Free Ebrahim Sharif
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif lends his support to jailed politician Ebrahim Sharif in this post.
Trinidad & Tobago: Outcry over Airing of Child Assault Video
Women Speak is outraged by a local television show which “aired video footage of a 13 year old girl being beaten and raped” and wants the show off the air; Bahamian blogger Womanish Words stands in solidarity.
Cuba: Dissident Fired
Pedazos de La Isla blogs about a young man whose political views have allegedly “cost him serious impediments such as detentions, threats, and other violations, one of the most recent being that he was fired from his job for being a dissident.”
Russia: Crowd-Sourced Citizen Lawmaking Platform
The Economist writes about WikiVote (e.g. see projects dedicated to the laws on education, Sberbank, state-owned bank), Russian croudsourcing platform to comment and contribute to the creation of the laws. Pavel Burov, creator of the platform, claims his project can ‘prevent idiocy [in lawmaking] from happening.’
Russia: Prison Officer Who Abused Female Inmates Arrested After a YouTube Leak
Anonymous male prison officer from Amur region who had been captured beating and abusing female inmates was arrested, Ria.ru reported [ru]. The arrest was conducted after the shocking video [warning: graphic content] of prison violence was uploaded by the YouTube user MrArtur113.
Tajikistan: Face-saving sentence for the journalists
Journalists Muhammad Yusuf Ismailov and Urunboy Usmonov have been found guilty, but with very commuted sentences following the international pressure on the Tajik authorities, neweurasia’s Alpharabius reports.
Guatemala: Three Generals Finally Arrested and Indicted for Genocide
Guatemalan courts are set to face a challenge without precedent in the country: prosecuting genocide. After three decades of failed efforts to prosecute the Guatemalan Army, three generals stand accused of perpetrating genocide and other war crimes against the Maya Ixil people.
France: New Visa Restrictions for Foreign University Graduates
France has taken a legal step which makes it more difficult for foreign students who have graduated from French universities to work on French territory and thus change their student visa permit into a working visa. Julie Owono reports on reactions to the new immigration rules.
South Korea: Warning to Twitter Influencers Fails to Discourage Voters
South Korean capital, Seoul, elected a new mayor on October 26. The mayoral race was a fierce battle between an elitist female candidate from the ruling party and an outsider from democratic party. Despite warnings from the authorities, influential Twitter users continued to encourage people to vote throughout.
Brazil: Belo Monte Dam Construction Site is Occupied
Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI) reports [pt] that 600 people have occupied Belo Monte Dam construction site in Altamira, brazilian state of Pará. Journalist Beth Begonha (@BethBegonha) said [pt] that Kayapó people from the village of Gurupira will join the protest shortly. This action was decided yesterday, with news that the...
Bahamas: “War” Against Women & Children
“The war against women and children in the Bahamas rages on,” says Womanish Words, adding: “This war that was dismissed for years as ‘domestic’ violence is by far the biggest and most damaging social problem we have and it is destroying us all.”
Cuba: Lessons from Libya
“Watching the fall of dictators, one after another, thousands of miles away, we can only reflect on the sequel such a process could generate on our own island”: Yoani Sanchez thinks that Qaddafi's death holds some lessons for Cuba.
