Stories about Law from July, 2014
“The Zone 9 Bloggers Are Writing From the Outer Ring of the Prison, the Nation Itself”
The charges against the bloggers give a sense of what the Ethiopian government is fighting: dissent, not terror.
Spanish Soldier Who Penned a Best-Selling Novel About Military Corruption Gets Jail Time
Luis Segura, a lieutenant in the Spanish army, is in prison for criticizing the military during interviews for his novel "Un paso al frente" (A step forward).
Seoul Says No to Uber, But Don't Put Down Your Mobile Just Yet
Seoul is banning Uber and planning to release its own mobile app for taxi services. Who wins from such a move?
Leaked Cybercrime Law Could Undo Tunisia's Pioneer Status on Internet Rights
Government officials renew calls for filtering and monitoring of the Internet under the pretext of "fighting terrorism" -- could this mean the end of Tunisia's Internet rights renaissance?
The World Tweets for Ethiopia's Zone9 Bloggers on July 31
Join Global Voices bloggers for a worldwide, multilingual tweetathon in support of the ten bloggers and journalists facing terrorism charges in Ethiopia.
Massive Amounts Paid Out in Trinidad & Tobago's LifeSport Programme
As more details come out about the corrupt LifeSport programme in Trinidad and Tobago, Wired868 focuses its satirical energies on Adolphus Daniell, a contractor who was reportedly paid TT$34 million...
Bangladesh Authorities Shut Down a 200-Year-Old Brothel, Evicting Hundreds of Sex Workers
Pressure from religious leaders and conservative politicians is the suspected reason behind the closure. But the national platform of sex workers of Bangladesh accused local officials of land grabbing.
Thai Junta Issues New Gag Order Against Media
A new order from the Thai military government bans "criticism of operations of the [Junta], its officials, or any related individual," among other things.
Trinidad & Tobago Minister Passes the Buck with Failed LifeSport Programme
Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister has shut down the controversial Life Sport programme following the results of an audit, which uncovered the ministry's inability to account for millions of dollars...
Spanish Congress Comission Approves AEDE Tax or Google Tax
The Spanish Congress’ Commission of Culture approved the so called AEDE Tax (for the Spanish name of the Association of Editors of Spanish Newspapers), also known as Google Tax as...
Colombian Sentenced to Prision and Fined for Comments Online
On a judicial ruling that sets a dangerous precedent in Colombia, the Supreme Court of Justice refused to reconsider an appeal taken on the verdict that orders 18 months of...
Cuba's Customs Clamps Down in “Illegal Imports”
On September 1, 2014 the Customs Service of the Republic of Cuba will begin enforcing new regulations intended to combat illegal trafficking of merchandise by relatives, friends and ‘mules’ (a...
Three Anti-World Cup Activists Accuse Brazil of Political Persecution, Unsuccessfully Seek Asylum From Uruguay
Eloisa Samy, a lawyer who has defends activists, was "preemptively" arrested before the World Cup final, accused of forming an armed gang. She was later released, then arrested again.
Burmese Reporters Get Ten Years in Jail Plus Hard Labor for Reporting About Myanmar's Chemical Weapons Factory
Four journalists and the CEO of a Burmese journal were sentenced to ten years in jail with hard labor for reporting about Myanmar's chemical weapons factory.
Court Ruling Against Restaurant Reviewer Leaves French Bloggers Reeling
The presiding judge ruled that while the review fell "within the scope of freedom of expression" its title was defamatory.
As Trinidad & Tobago's Military Hunts Down a Killer, Some Wonder Who's ‘Guarding the Guards’
Trinidad and Tobago's military is accused of flouting the law in the search for a soldier's killer. This isn't the first time authorities there have policed at any price.
Bangladesh's Elite Paramiltary Unit Is Under Fire for Human Rights Violations. This Blogger Asks: What About Israel's IDF?
Brad Adams, the executive director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, has recently written a letter to Bangladesh's prime minister suggesting that the Bangladesh government should disband the paramilitary Rapid...
Improper Land Allocation Harms Trinidad & Tobago's Public Interest
Property ownership is a critical ingredient of the society we are trying to build. No one can deny that. The wealthiest people and companies in this society have made a...
Archaic Laws Continue Jamaica's History of Injustice
The anti-sodomy law is not the only archaic statute up for repeal in Jamaica. Author Kei Miller is astounded that a proposal to rescind the country's “blatantly racist Obeah Laws”...
Bangladesh Has Formaldehyde to Thank for Its Short Supply of Mangoes This Season
Police are confiscating and destroying truckloads of mangoes because they are contaminated with dangerous levels of formalin, a strong solution of formaldehyde sprayed on fruit to extend their shelf life.
Why the Caribbean Should Care About Net Neutrality
For those who figure that the issue of net neutrality doesn't affect them, Trinidad-based blogger Activized connects the dots. The concept that “all data is created equal” is not as...