· January, 2013

Stories about Law from January, 2013

The ‘Vishwaroopam’ Ban: Attack on Freedom of Speech?

The screening of Kamal Haasan's big budget Bollywood movie Vishwaroopam was banned in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu after Islamic organizations protested the depiction of the Muslim community. Actor-Director Haasan is fighting the matter in court and many have condemned the ban as an attack on freedom of speech.

31 January 2013

Slovak PM's Support for 2022 Winter Olympics Bid Draws Criticism

Whereas Norway and Switzerland are planning to hold referenda before submitting their 2022 Winter Olympics bids, the fate of the Slovak-Polish joint bid already seems decided: the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has declared his support for it, without waiting for the government's approval. Tibor Blazko reports.

31 January 2013

“Judges in Tajikistan are like Elite Prostitutes”

The judiciary in Tajikistan has recently attracted more than its usual share of criticism from social media users. Following two controversial high-profile cases, Tajik netizens have slammed the country's 'corrupt' judges and compared them to prostitutes.

30 January 2013

Bhutan: Security Taken For Granted

According to tourists Bhutan is a safe place. But ShyGuard at Writers Association Of Bhutan warns not to take it for granted. The blogger opines that Bhutanese should be more...

30 January 2013

‘Student Hair Revolution’ in Thailand

Kaewmala writes about the complaint of many Thai students against the official school hair policy of “crew cut for boys and ear-lobe-length bob for girls.” Some student groups want to...

30 January 2013

Indigenous Xavantes of Marãiwatsédé Fight for the Right to Their Land

Having inhabited the Marãiwatsédé territory in the north of Mato Grosso for centuries, natives of the Xavante ethnic group face occupation and threats from farmers who are trying to evictl them from their homeland, which was returned to them 14 years ago. On December 6, 2012, the justice department in Mato Grosso ordered the delivery of subpoenas for the removal of illegal occupants of these ancestral lands. A month and a half later the process has almost been finalized.

29 January 2013

Homosexuals – The Invisible Minority of Bangladesh

The LGBT communities in Bangladesh remain underground as they face discrimination, verbal abuse, physical abuse, social and legal challenges everyday. This invisible minority uses the internet and social networking to communicate between themselves and learn about the psychology and politics of sexual orientation.

28 January 2013

Thai Activist Editor Gets 11-Year Jail Term for ‘Insulting’ King

Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, a veteran activist and former editor of Voice of Taksin magazine (banned in 2010), received an 11 year jail sentence from a Thai court for publishing articles deemed insulting to the monarchy of Thailand. Human rights groups condemned the 'harsh' sentence which they consider as a blow to free speech in the country

27 January 2013

Slovak President Butt of Jokes Online Due to Prosecutor General Saga

The post of the Prosecutor General has been vacant for more than a year in Slovakia, largely due to President Ivan Gašparovič's failure to approve the previous Parliament's candidate. Slovak netizens are making fun of their President, calling for a referendum on his removal and trying to sue him. Tibor Blazko reports.

26 January 2013

Russian Parliament Confronts Next Threat to Kids: “Homosexual Propaganda”

RuNet Echo

The Russian parliament's effort to defend the nation's children continues. In the last year, Duma deputies have labored feverishly to shield Russia's youth from child pornography and online enticements to drug use and suicide, and—more recently—they passed a law to put an end to the scourge of American adoptions of Russian orphans. Law-makers have now zeroed in on the next heinous threat: "homosexual propaganda."

25 January 2013

Egypt: Why Open Source Software?

After introducing to Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) in the previous article, one might still wonder why corporates and governments need to adoption it or encourage its adoption. Tarek Amr elaborates in this second post of a two-part series in the argument for F/OSS

24 January 2013

Free and Open Source Software

We received an email from Richard M. Stallman (RMS), after publishing the article about the Egyptian demonstration calling for the government to adopt Free Software. Tarek Amr digs deeper into open source software and arguments in its favour in this first post of a two-part series

24 January 2013

Acid Violence: A neglected issue in Bangladesh!

Amader Kotha provides some statistics of Acid violence in the past decade in Bangladesh and points out that despite introduction of tough laws, lack of awareness results in repetitions of...

23 January 2013

Russia's Siberian State Within A State

RuNet Echo

Roughly 90% of Russian gas production originates in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, located in the northwestern corner of Siberia. In recent months, bloggers and Russian netizens have reacted to the latest in a series of changes to internal migration laws inside YaNAO that make it difficult for non-residents even to pass through the region.

23 January 2013