Stories about Law from September, 2008
Bosnia & Herzegovina: “Setback in the Srebrenica Survivors’ Search for Justice”
Samaha posts a detailed update on the outcome of the case brought by Srebrenica survivors against the Dutch state.
Maldives: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's candidacy challenged
Mohamed Rasheed discusses the issue of eligibility of Maldive's longest serving president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections.
Singapore: Editor found guilty of defamation
A Singapore court has ruled that the editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review defamed Singapore officials in a July 2006 article in the magazine. A blogger comments: “Singapore's government is at it again- using their pet judges in a legal system wholly geared to punish anyone who dares to...
China: Illegitimate Girl Deprived of the Right to Education
An illegitimate girl of primary-school age in Zhuhai, South China, was turned away by the local schools, because her mother is not able to afford the hefty fine for illegitimacy, according to sohu blogger Han Tao’s report.
India: Shocking apologist
I love life… so I explore is shocked to hear that the CEO of an Italy-based company in India was beaten to death by a group of dismissed employees. And more shocking to the blogger was the Union Labour Minister's statement “This should serve as a warning for the managements”.
Liberia: Update from Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission
An update from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Liberia: “A witness told commissioners of Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) grisly accounts of how fighters of the defunct ULIMO-K faction slaughtered and ate eight civilians in 1993 in Lofa County.”
Madagascar: My blog and I
Andry is a new blogger from Madagascar. He describes himself as “the cyber observer”: “My name is Andry Rakotoniaina Andriatahiana and I am Malagasy. I am a lawyer, more specifically I work as a legal counsel for an International business and taxation law firm located in Antananarivo, capital of Madagascar.”
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Speak Out Against Dutch Court's Decision
Kirk Johnson of Americans For Bosnia notes that “a Dutch civil court sided with the Dutch state and dismissed the case against the Netherlands for their failure to prevent Srebrenica genocide in 1995″ and is urging readers “to contact the Dutch embassy in your country to express your dismay at...
Hungary: Another Study On the “Extreme Right”
Hungarian Spectrum reviews a study of history and “prejudices” of the Hungarian “extreme right.”
Kuwait: YouTube Ban Lifted
News about YouTube being blocked in Kuwait hit the headlines yesterday, with bloggers frustrated over what they described as yet another intrusion on freedom of speech in their country. The ban has since been lifted. Here's a cross-section of reactions from Kuwait.
Jordan: Honour Crimes Condoned
From Jordan, Naseem Tarawanah gives us a shocking preview of honour crimes in his country, where judges seem to condone such actions.
Ecuador: The Concern for Citizen Safety
Ecuador's economic difficulties are said to be one of the chief causes of crime around the country. Much of it is caused by the unemployed, who will find alternatives to eat and survive, which often means committing crimes or stealing. For the ordinary citizen, it is a quite different experience dealing with the cities' insecurity and local bloggers provide their thoughts.
Russia: Svetlana Bakhmina
Robert Amsterdam writes about the case of Svetlana Bakhmina, a jailed former lawyer for Yukos and a pregnant mother of two children.
Ukraine: MTV and Domestic Violence
Natalia Antonova links to her piece on GlobalComment about “MTV Ukraine and the normalization of domestic violence.” LJ user maryxmas has translated Antonova's text into Ukrainian; a Russian translation is posted in the feministki LJ community.
Estonia: Top-ranking official in spy scandal
Osteuropablog comments on [GER] an article in Estonian newspaper Postimees of spy charges brought against a top-ranking official in the Ministry of Defence.
India: Police and politics
I love life..so I explore says that in India the police allegedly keep a corrupt nexus with the politicians who shield the criminals and terrorists. But usually they are the ones under public scrutiny instead of the politicians.
Bangladesh: migrant worker rights
Shafiur reports that instead of safeguarding Bangladeshi workers’ rights in hostile foreign environments, the government is planning to introduce security measures like high deposits and fingerprinting of the workers to protect the foreign employers.
Angola: Luxurious flats for the rich, soaring rent for the poor
Land and property speculation in Luanda is one of the causes of the significant increase in housing prices in the Angolan capital. In this article, Clara Onofre investigates how luxury developments are quickly taking over Luanda's landscape. But who are they for?
Jordan: A Popular Cafe Shut Down in Ramadan Crackdown
A popular cafe in in the Jordanian capital Amman was shut down by police for serving alcohol and food during Ramadan, among reasons. The action sparked a debate on the country's active blogosphere on Islam, coexistence, and democracy, reports Mohammad Azraq.
Ukraine, EU: A Closer Relationship?
The EU's plan to finalize an Association Agreement with Ukraine in 2009 was made public at the EU-Ukraine Summit in Paris on Sept. 9. The media and bloggers greeted it with mixed reactions. “EU offers reassurance to Ukraine,” read a BBC headline. “EU offers no promises to hopeful Ukraine,” wrote...
Russia-Georgia: The Spoils of War
Robert Amsterdam writes about alleged war profiteers following Russian troops into Georgia.