· January, 2009

Stories about Law from January, 2009

Erin Brockovich wanted in Egypt

  28 January 2009

Egyptian Blogger sued for slander and looses. Zeinobia wrote about Tamer Mabrouk who blogs from Port Said and who published a report supported by photography showing how “Trust Chemical Industries” Company was polluting the Lake Manzala with its chemical wastes from their factory. Author of “El Hakika” blog has to pay L.E 2500 as a fine and L.E 40,000 compensation for the company !!

Armenia: No PACE Sanctions

  28 January 2009

Life in the Armenian Diaspora comments on yesterday's decision by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe not to suspend Armenia's voting rights in the influential body. The blog says that promises to amend two articles of the Criminal Code remind it of moves to change legislation in Turkey...

Armenia: Council of Europe Reprieve

  28 January 2009

Yesterday's meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) gave Armenia one last chance to avoid sanctions following last year's clashes between opposition supporters and security forces in the aftermath of a bitterly contested presidential election. Armenian bloggers react to the news.

Mexico: Startling Discovery in Tijuana

  28 January 2009

Hache [es] writes about the recent discovery of a man hired by drug cartels in Tijuana, Mexico who disposed the bodies of a reported 300 murdered victims in cauldrons of acid and that the man felt “nothing.” He also claimed that “it is a common job.”

Poland: Racism, Bad Roads and Euro 2012

  28 January 2009

Writing about Euro 2012 and racism, the beatroot concludes: “There are some nasty little racists at Poland’s football stadia, but believe me, Poland’s roads are a lot bigger threat to the fabric of society – and international football tournaments – than those idiots.”

Latvia: Politics Updates

  27 January 2009

Two updates on the post-Jan. 13 politics in Latvia – at Baltic, here and here: “Whoever you speak today in this Baltic country recognizes that discontent about the present political class is simply unbearable.” All About Latvia adds: “If Latvia were a civilized country, the government would have long collapsed...

Brazil: Extradition refusal threatens relations with Italy

  27 January 2009

The Brazilian government calls Cesare Battisti a political activist. For the Italian government, the writer is a convicted terrorist. The controversial decision of the Brazilian government to guarantee political refugee status for him, two weeks ago, has divided opinions in Brazil.

Bulgaria: Martin Borilski Petition

  27 January 2009

Maya's Corner writes about an online petition to “[demand] just sentences for the culprits and punishments for prosecutors and judges responsible for the outrageous acquittal” of two Bulgarians implicated in the murder of Martin Borilski, a Bulgarian student, in Paris in 2000.

Reporting the University of Philippines Student Referendum

  27 January 2009

Student publications led by the Philippine Collegian are conducting an online real-time coverage of the week-long Student Regent Referendum at the University of the Philippines (UP). The referendum will ratify the guidelines for the selection of the highest student official in the country's premier state university.

Peru: Police Officers Killed in Pómac Forest Reserve

  27 January 2009

Three police officers, who were following a court order, were killed when they attempted to remove peasant families that had been illegally occupying lands in the Pómac Forest Reserve in Northwest Peru. Many Peruvians are mourning the loss of the 3 officers and are placing blame on officials for not providing enough resources and support for the security force. Others are providing their thoughts on those who are occupying the lands and their objectives for doing so.

Trinidad & Tobago: Big and Bad?

  27 January 2009

Following a statement from the Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago‘s chief operating officer that implied that the company was answerable to no-one, Jumbie's Watch says: “When yuh big, yuh big, and when yuh bad, yuh bad. Not so?”

St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Call for Justice

  27 January 2009

“Let the courts speak loudly on behalf of all the little children whose voices are silenced by these criminals”: Blogging from St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Abeni is all for throwing the book at sexual offenders.

Russia, Ukraine: “Gas War IV”

  27 January 2009

Leopolis analyzes the Ukraine-Russia gas dispute and the agreement signed: “There is a natural temptation to assess the ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ of the Russian-Ukrainian Gas War IV, which emerged from a commercial crisis to a political game.”