· October, 2011

Stories about Law from October, 2011

Macedonia: Lead Smelting Factory Problem in Veles

  31 October 2011

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

  31 October 2011

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

  31 October 2011

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: Questions Following Mekong River Massacre

  30 October 2011

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: Mobilization Against Racism Towards Indigenous Peoples

  30 October 2011

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...

Ukraine: “We Are Europeans”

  29 October 2011

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.

Cuba: Dissident Fired

  28 October 2011

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

RuNet Echo  28 October 2011

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.’

South Korea: Warning to Twitter Influencers Fails to Discourage Voters

  27 October 2011

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

  27 October 2011

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

  27 October 2011

“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

  27 October 2011

“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.