Stories about Law from February, 2007
Hungary: Paedophilia Controversy
According to Pestcentric, “Hungary has one of the lowest age-of-consents in the EU at 14 years old” – and this is causing foreign media to announce that the country is about to make paedophilia legal.
Jamaica: Homophobia and violence
Leon Robinson prefaces a post about a series of brutal attacks on gay men in Jamaica by saying: “Homosexuality is frowned upon in Jamaica. Not because were “homophobic” (surely we can't be afraid of them), but because it is unlawful, as our law is based upon the Bible.“
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Dayton Accords Discrimination Case
Neretva River discusses a case brought before the European Court for Human Rights: “Sarajevo's Jewish community, led by Jakob Finci, is arguing that the Dayton Accords are discriminatory as they de facto bar from high public office members of minority communities that happen not to fit nicely into ‘Croat,’ ‘Muslim’...
China: Disgraced Party member promoted?
Last autumn, Qin Zhongfei, a low-ranking civil servant in Pengshui County of mid-western China's Chongqing Municipality, wove some sarcastic political humor into a poem and sent it out to a few dozen friends via text and instant message. Charged with slander by then County Party Secretary Lan Qinghua, one of...
The Jordanian Blogosphere: February Clippings
The Jordanian blogosphere is abuzz with two controversies this month. The first revolves around the proposal to build a tourist complex near the Dibbin Forest that will result in the cutting down of many trees. While a small online campaign has started up in recent days, other bloggers see the...
Russia: New Registration Law
Sean's Russia Blog posts a transcript of the briefing by a high-ranking Russian migration service official: “As I’ve already indicated, the adoption and enforcement of the January 15 migration law has caused confusion among administrators, police, officials, and foreigners alike. Nothing points to this confusion more than the following transcript...
Russia: Ivan Ushkov's Case
Ivan Ushkov, a St. Petersburg artist, had his computer and some of his work confiscated by the police; officers threatened to shut down his photo business located on Nevsky Prospekt. Both the Russian blogosphere and the media are abuzz about this ongoing controversy. Ushkov's work can be viewed here; English...
Haiti: Reinforcing Judicial Independence
At Ailleurs Vu d'Ici, Roody Edmé cites (Fr) a recent International Crisis Group report on the Haitian judicial system as “underlining the weakness of our judicial culture when it comes to judges’ ethics and responsibility” and adds: “Legislative proposals are being announced in the Haitian Parliament that seek … to...
Malaysia: Egyptian Blogger Jailed
Ok-Lah in Malaysia comments on the jailing of an Egyptian blogger.
Haiti: Don't stop the carnaval security
Alice Backer has praise for the Haitian government's efforts to encourage Haitians living abroad to return to Carnival in Haiti this year, but asks: “why can't it secure the country the same way it did during the 3 “fat”days of carnival all year long?“
Arabisc: Bloggers Rally to Kareem's Support
Egyptian blogger Kareem Sulaiman was today (Thursday) sentenced to four years in prison for defaming Islam and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak on his personal blog. Despite a support site, petitions and demonstrations in Bahrain, London, Stockholm, Paris, Rome, New York (twice) and Washington DC calling for his release, an Alexandria...
Egypt: FOUR Years Prison Sentence for Blogger
Egyptian blogger Kareem Nabil Sulaiman made history today by being the first Egyptian to be sentenced to jail for articles he wrote on his personal blog. An Alexandria court found him guilty of insulting both Islam and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and sentenced him to four years in jail based...
Malaysia: Blogger Not Alone Anymore
Malaysian blogger Rocky who is being sued by a Malaysian newspaper says he does not feel that he is fighting alone anymore.
Hungary: A Podcast on Ciaran Tobin Case
An expat who killed two children in a car crash in Budapest has escaped punishment – Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar writes more about the case after the childrens’ father contacts him, “detailing what steps the family plans to take next.” He is also featured in this podcast at...
Russia: Sheltering Karadzic?
Radovan Karadzic may be living in Russia: Finding Karadzic has more on the rumor.
Bangladesh: On corruption and the economy
Journal of a Disturbed Mind plays the devil's advocate in the case of of corrupt politicians and businessmen being arrested. “No matter how unwilling I am to defend the apprehended businessmen charged for corruption, it is true that they were also contributing to the society before their arrest. Some of...
Anguilla: Unethical lawyers
idmitch, who has been using a blog to tackle corruption in Anguilla, takes up a challenge from the island's chief minister and starts asking questions about corruption in the legal profession.
Liberia: Liberian national police
Kevin In Liberia blogs about the rule of law and the Liberian national police, ” According to the Manager of Police Statistics, a member of the LNP himself, and a man I spoke to for twenty odd minutes in Robertsport over the New Years, Liberian National Police Officers earn $90USD/month...
Malaysia: Sub-Contracting Woes
Cakap Tak Serupa Bikin ridicules Malaysian government's plans to strictly enforce its affirmative action policies in infrastructure projects. Malaysia awards a lot of its official contracts to Bumiputra (ethnic Malay) contractors. These contractor in turn used to sub-contract it to local or foreign sub-contractors who may not necessarily be bumiputras....
Jamaica: Moving back
Francis Wade posts an email from a reader who wishes to return to Jamaica but is concerned about crime, along with his response.
Guinea: Conté Declares State of Siege
Senegalese blogger Alex Seck resumes his watch of Guinean developments (Fr): “Dictator Lansana Conté has … appeared in a radio and tv broadcast during which he announced a Presidential decree instituting the state of siege until Feb. 23 … In short, Conté is choosing escalation … All evidence indicates that...
