Stories about Law from May, 2012
Malaysia: Petition for Free and Fair Access to Media
Bersih, an election reform movement in Malaysia, identifies key reforms that the government can implement to ensure free and fair access to media during elections
China: Chinese Local Official Rapes “Nearly One Hundred” Young Girls Before Capture
David Wertime from the Tea Leaf Nation blogs about a serial rape crime committed by a local official in Henan province who had raped “nearly one hundred” young girls. So far the local police have identified a doze victims the youngest was born in 2001.
South Korea: Support for Castration of Repeat Child Rapists
South Korea will soon enforce chemical castration of repeat child rapists. A majority of South Korean net users expressed support for the newly implemented law, complaining that current law enforcement is 'generous to sex criminals with excuses'.
A Social Network for Wikileaks Supporters
Friends of Wikileaks (FoWL) is an independent social network for worldwide supporters of Wikileaks. People who join the site are paired with twelve others who speak the same language. FoWL groups from different countries have issued a statement of support for Julian Assange in advance of a United Kingdom supreme...
Brazil: Sex Abuse Revealed by Children's TV Presenter Provokes Debate
Xuxa Meneghel, the most famous children's TV presenter in Brazil, revealed on national television that she was the victim of sexual abuse during childhood. Her declaration divided opinions on the Internet and opened up a debate on a subject that is still considered taboo in the country: sexual abuse against children and adolescents. Paula Góes reports on the first week of the debate.
Ukraine: Homophobic Legal Initiatives in Sync with Public Attitudes
Ukraine's first Gay Pride Parade ever failed to take place on May 20 due to perceived threats of violence against its participants; one of the organizers was attacked and beaten by a group of masked men. Meanwhile, Ukrainian MPs representing various political forces seem for once united in their attempts to ban "homosexual propaganda" in the country.
Egypt: The Resurrection of Ahmed Shafiq
The initial results of the first stage of the Egyptian presidential election indicate that Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq will take part in the runoff vote. There has been widespread shock at the reemergence of Shafiq, one of the “feloul”, or “remnants” of Mubarak's regime.
Cuba: The State of Human Rights
The recent request for information by the United Nations‘ Committee Against Torture with regard to alleged abuses in Cuba has got bloggers talking about the human rights situation on the island.
Egypt: No, the Revolution is Not Over
On May 23 and 24, the eyes of the whole world were once again on Egypt as the country held its first presidential election after the huge popular uprising that brought down Hosni Mubarak a year and a half ago.
DR of Congo: General Ntaganda Back on the War Path?
Bosco Ntaganda, a former chief of the Congolese rebellion is back on the war path, concerned that the ICC warrant against him for war crimes is now supported by the government. Another rebel, Thomas Lubanga, was recently found guilty of similar crimes.
Trinidad & Tobago: Same Sex Issues
Globewriter comments on a Senate debate about a clause of the Children's Bill “involving a clause that includes buggery”; B.C. Pires adds: “The People’s Partnership of UNC [United National Congress] MPs [Ministers of Parliament] yesterday refused, despite urgings from Independent senators, to decriminalize same gender sexual activity between minors –...
Cuba: “Mob” Attack Linked to Heart Attack?
Further to this, babalu reports that another elderly lady “suffered a fatal heart attack after her home was violently attacked by a paramilitary mob.”
Barbados: The Jaws of Justice
“Bajans deserve the truth, all the truth and nothing but the truth. It is not enough for the Court of Appeal or the news media to gloss over this story”: Barbados Free Press is curious about a case in which a man who bit a police officer apparently got off...
Cuba: Diaspora Bloggers Blame “Aggressive Acts” in Grandmother's Death
Two Cuban diaspora blogs are talking about the death of a senior citizen that took place in the region of Santa Clara this past weekend. Despite the fact that the woman was in her nineties, bloggers are speculating that the elderly woman's fatal stroke may have been brought on by “violent acts of repudiation”.
Bulgaria: Calling for National Protest Against Shale Gas Extraction
Activists in Bulgaria have called for national protests against shale gas extraction on May 22. There is a Facebook event [bg] “National protest against shale gas and changes in Forest Law!”. Tensions are growing after The Greens’ activist posted a video [bg] showing a secret meeting between the Bulgarian Academy...
Zambia: Judge Suspensions Unfold into Embarrassing Drama
The suspension of one Supreme Court Judge and two high court judges and setting up of a tribunal to investigate them is turning into an embarrassing drama. A high court judge, Flugence Chisanga, ruled against it in a move that inevitably pitted the judiciary against the executive.
Palestine: Agreement Made to End Prisoners’ Hunger Strike
On May 14 over 2000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails ended their hunger strike after periods varying from 28 to 77 days, when the Israel Prison Service agreed to implement measures ensuring the basic rights of prisoners would be met.
Pakistan: Twitter Goes Through Weekend of Censorship
On Sunday 20 May, Twitter users in Pakistan suffered a total blanket censorship across all ISPs in Pakistan on order of the Pakistan Telcommunucation Authority who cited the reason as censoring blasphemous contents. However, the netizens think that the authorities were testing their url filtering service.
Trinidad & Tobago: Laws for LGBT Too
Globewriter applauds the contribution of Senator Corinne Baptiste-McKnight “in response to a Clause in the Children Bill that criminalized same sex intimacy among youth”, saying: “Give that woman an award!”
Barbados, Cuba: Prisoner's Rights
“Raul is clearly going to be a thorn in the flesh of any government in power unless passage can be found for him somewhere”: Barbados Free Press expresses concern for Cuban-born prisoner Raul Garcia's safety.
Togo : Presidential Patrimony versus University Facilities
Commenting on the declaration of assets of the new French President Francois Hollande, Jeogo wrote [fr]: “What is certain is that the patrimony of Francois Hollande (..) is no match for the patrimony of the “big shots “of the Togolese Republic (..) yet the crowded university is still without air-conditioned computer rooms; one room...
