Stories about Law from April, 2017
Police Raid on Kingston Dub Club Puts Noise Pollution Issue on Replay
One of Jamaica's "music/tourism gems" gets shut down by police after neighbours complain about the noise levels. But is there a compromise to be had?
Rafael Braga Vieira: Symbol of Institutionalized Racism and Criminalized Poverty in Brazilian Justice
Braga was homeless and collecting recyclables to survive when he arrested the first time. But that was just the beginning of a darker saga.
Indian Government Bans 22 Social Media Platforms in Kashmir including Facebook, WhatsApp

"By presenting the other side to the Kashmir storyline, the locals once again were able to own....the highly complex and conflicted Kashmir narrative."
Three Ways the Russian Government Is Trying to Control the Internet

“The Internet was created as a special project by the CIA,” Vladimir Putin announced three years ago. Since then, Russian authorities’ faith in the Internet has declined even further.
Russian Protest Movement Says It Will Press On, Despite Federal Ban

Despite being outlawed today by the Attorney General, opposition movement “Open Russia” says it’s continuing all operations, including plans for nationwide anti-Putin protests this Saturday.
How the United States Has Become a Problem for Indians
To learn more about the lives of Indians in Donald Trump's America, Global Voices spoke to two Indian young men about their aborted plans to study in the United States.
Russian Authorities Want Easy Access to Online Dating Logs

Do you hope to find love in Russia? If so, and you’re planning to use the Internet to meet people, the pursuit could be less private than you maybe hoped.
A São Paulo City Councilor Surprised Schools With an Inspection for ‘Leftist Indoctrination’
Fernando Holiday was inspired by the Escola Sem Partido (School Without Party) campaign, which divides opinion in Brazil.
The Day Russia Outlawed Jehovah's Witnesses

It’s strange to see this in writing, let alone know that it’s true, but here it is: Russia has formally banned Jehovah's Witnesses.
Critics Say Albanian Parliament Is Trying to Amnesty Crooked Politicians, Under Pretext of Judicial Reform
Following protests, Albania's president has rejected legislation that could have spared the hides of many corrupt politicians. But it could still become law, regardless.
Surveillance, Privacy and the Right to Know: A Delicate Imbalance in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has strong legal protections against telephone surveillance, but scant protections for Internet-based communication.
Thailand Tells Internet Users to Unfollow Junta Critics on Social Media — Or Face Consequences

"This is a ridiculous and oppressive order but I don't want any innocent people being targeted just because they follow my journalism," wrote former Reuters journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall.
Russian Math Instructor Faces Criminal Charges for Online Posts He Says He Didn't Write

The arrest of a Moscow math instructor has raised questions about the safety of using internet anonymizers in Russia.
Pick Your Poison? Russian Orthodoxy or Banishment From Social Media

Critics of Vitaly Milonov, perhaps the most reactionary social conservative in the Russian parliament, have vowed to get him banned from Vkontakte, where his “online status” features an “illegal expression.”
Can Russia Protect Its Journalists From the ‘Homegrown ISIS’ in Chechnya?

Alexey Venediktov, one of Russia's most prominent journalists, says the Russian government appears to have allowed a “homegrown ISIS” to emerge under its nose in Chechnya.
Are Trinidad & Tobago Police Actively Investigating the President's Housing Allowance Like They Said They Would?
One netizen asks if there's a link between the country's top cop and the president, whether the police began their promised investigation and if so, can its findings be trusted?
Russia Blocks Walkie-Talkie App Zello As Truckers Strike

Russia's media regulator has announced plans to block Zello, a mobile push-to-talk app that Russia's long-haul truckers are using to organize protests—including to coordinate an ongoing three-week strike.
The Thaw Is Over: The Next Wave of Repression in Belarus

The regime in Belarus hasn't changed; it’s just pretending to be democratic to get what it wants.
Facebook Among First 100 Companies to Pay Russia's ‘Google Tax’

On Sunday, the Russian newspaper Vedemosti reported that Facebook will pay the so-called "Google tax," an 18 percent value added tax (VAT) on foreign companies selling electronic content.