Stories about Law from November, 2015
Bangladesh Keeps Blocking Social Media, Threatens New Surveillance Tactics
With the lack of accountability shown by the government, a move towards more stringent controls of the Internet is worrying for the state of free expression in the country.
Will Indonesia’s Police Circular on Hate Speech Suppress Freedom of Expression?
"This hands the police a powerful weapon, allowing it to decide what can and cannot be categorized as hate speech, and is absolutely problematic and dangerous."
Life for Bolivian Children in Prison Is Rough, But It Might Soon Improve
Bolivia is possibly the only country in the world that sometimes imprisons children and teenagers with their parents, while the latter serve out sentences for criminal convictions.
Australians Unite to Tackle Family Violence on White Ribbon Day 2015
"More than needing sympathy, those experiencing family violence need well funded services, decent housing, strong social welfare"
President Duda's Controversial Pardon Has Not Put Poles in a Forgiving Mood
Earlier this month, just a day after the new Polish government was sworn in, President Duda made the controversial decision to pardon Mariusz Kamiński, a member of Duda's former party.
Two Russian Lawmakers Want to Ban Homosexuality in Public. This Is How They'd Do It.
Many expected officials to strike down a 2013 law banning "gay propaganda," but they didn't. A new proposal, meanwhile, is an even more glaring affront to Russians' fundamental rights.
Singaporeans Can Now Legally Own and Read ‘Fanny Hill’, but Playboy Is Still Banned
The government lifted the ban for 240 publications but 17 titles remain prohibited for being obscene or contrary to public interest.
Ahmadi Muslims Once Again Become a Target for Violence in Pakistan
"We bleat about the West callously turning back refugees while we sit in abject silence at continued Ahmadi persecution in Pakistan."
‘If There Is One Thing the Angolan Government Is Scared of, It Is People’
Read part two of an interview with Laurinda Gouveia, who is accused of inciting rebellion against the Angolan government for participating in a book group.
Pot Isn’t Legal Yet in Mexico, But a Landmark Supreme Court Decision Has Opened the Door
Debate over the legalization of marijuana goes all the way to Mexico's Supreme Court.
An Interview With Laurinda Gouveia, a Young Woman Charged With Conspiring Against the Angolan Government
"Even today, physically, I bear physical evidence of this beating. And, obviously, my way of looking at these men is not the same as it was before..."
Haitians Take to the Streets to Protest Elections Results
Haitians are claiming that the results of the country's recent elections are a sham, staging massive street protests that are quickly turning violent.
The Indian Sub-Continent’s Domestic Workers Deserve Much More Than This
Poor pay, lacking legal protections, abuse. That is the abysmal treatment that domestic workers often receive. But change is slowly but surely taking root, one house at a time.
Rastafari Rootzfest Celebrates Jamaica's Emancipation of Marijuana
The Rastafari Rootzfest -- Jamaica's first ever "educational ganja festival" -- is paving the way for the island to make its mark on the emerging global marijuana industry.
Authorities Don't Like This Infographic Showing Why Thailand's Royal Insult Law Needs Reform
Military authorities summoned an editor of the Prachatai news website over the infographic, which they deemed "vague and might cause misunderstanding" in Thailand.
Mexico’s Cybercrime Bill is Dead. But What Will Lawmakers Think of Next?
A Mexican senator proposed legislation that many experts warned would have harmed privacy and free speech online in Mexico. A week later, after the public's backlash, he withdrew it.
New Bill Urges Ban on WhatsApp and Google for Russian Officials
Banning the use of foreign services such as Google, Yahoo!, and WhatApp for Russian state officials is key to preserving confidentiality of state secrets, says one Russian lawmaker.
International Tribunal Reopens Indonesia's ‘Forgotten Genocide’
The Indonesian government is accused of orchestrating an anti-communist purge that killed at least half a million people. What kind of reconciliation is possible today?
As UN Climate Talks Approach, a Look at What's Changed Since Copenhagen
Is the world better suited for a climate change agreement than it was in 2009, when the last important negotiations took place?
Russia Changes Its Mind, Asks Twitter to Store Russian User Data Locally
Previously, Roscomnadzor had said Twitter was exempt from the norms of the data localization law as the kind of user data Twitter collects did not qualify as “personal information."
Four Tanzanians Charged for Publishing Political Information on WhatsApp
Four other Tanzanians have been arrested and charged for political comments they made using the messaging service WhatsApp.
