Stories about Law from August, 2009
Japan: 74-year-old American tourist detained for carrying pocket knife
James from Japan Probe updated the news story about a 74-year-old American tourist being detained for 10 days because he was carrying pocket knife.
Barbados: Illegal Fishing
Poachers at Barbados’ Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary are reportedly released from police custody, leaving The Bajan Reporter to question how committed the Environment Ministry is to its cause.
Cambodia: Traffic protest
Motorists and tuk tuk drivers in Cambodia staged a protest against the traffic police for confiscating the motorbikes of those who violate traffic laws.
Sri Lanka: Citizen Media Contest
Sri Lankan citizen journalism initiative Groundviews announced a new competition “aimed at encouraging more citizen journalism on two vital issues confronting polity and society in post-war Sri Lanka – the conditions facing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and growing reports of Police brutality”, informs ICT for Peacebuilding (ICT4Peace) blog.
Slovakia, Hungary: More on the Tensions
Michal Hudec of Blogactiv.eu writes about the Slovak-Hungarian tensions.
Hungary: Update on Hungarian Guard
Hungarian Spectrum posts an update on the Hungarian Guard (more on it, in an earlier GV post by Marietta Le).
Maldives: Ramadan Rule And Expats
Abdullah Waheed writes about relaxation of a rule in Maldives regarding the ban of restaurants in daytime during the month of Ramadan: “trade Ministry has licensed certain designated restaurants in Male to remain open during the daytime hours of the fasting month in order to feed the large number of...
Barbados: Press Threats?
A senior political figure allegedly threatens a newspaper editor, prompting Barbados Free Press to comment: “Bajans know that our country has not enjoyed true freedom of the press in two decades or more.” Keltruth Corp. adds: “The Nation [newspaper] is getting all bent out of shape because somebody threatened to...
Guyana: Striking Back
As mobile phone theft continues to rise in Georgetown, Imran Khan shares a practical way in which to strike back.
Ecuador: Flyers Announcing “Social Cleansing”
JuanPi is very concerned about the appearance of flyers in his city of Babahoyo, Ecuador, which announced “the time has come for social cleansing” [es] in regards to actions to stop delinquency in the city. Similar notices appeared in a nearby city of La Concorida, which produced two earlier deaths.
World: Reactions to the Release of the “Lockerbie bomber”
A huge debate is brewing in both the mainstream media and the blogosphere regarding the release of the only man ever convicted over the bombing of Pam Am flight 103, Libyan Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi. Katharine Ganly sums up reactions here.
Serbia: Threats to LGBT Population
Serbia's gays are facing plenty of problems - and on Sept. 20, they are planning to hold a gay pride parade in Belgrade. Sinisa Boljanovic reviews some pro and contra reactions published on Serbian blogs and in other online venues.
Russia: Flag Day Rally
LJ users daria_mas and alter-gregor post photos (RUS) from the opposition rally that took place in Moscow on Russia's Flag Day and ended with riot police detaining some of the activists.
Russia: Flags With Crosses
Eternal Remont is hoping that “the Moscow Times was recently bought out by The Onion” – and here's why: “According to the Moscow Times, the Russian Justice Ministry recently published an updated and much longer list of extremist materials on the Internet. Among the new materials destroying Russia: Winnie the...
Hungary, Slovakia: Newest Tensions
Hungarian Spectrum (here and here) and The Reference Frame report and comment on the Slovak-Hungarian tensions.
Zambia: Reactions to Chiluba's acquittal
A magistrate in Lusaka acquitted former Zambian President Frederick Chiluba of corruption charges this week in a ruling that has received mixed reactions in Zambia.
Anguilla: Parental Responsibility
“The object is not to punish the parent. The object is to convince the parent that he or she needs to do more to monitor and supervise…their child”: Corruption-free Anguilla makes a case for why parents should be held accountable for the actions of their children.
Bermuda: The Courage to Talk
Bermuda Jewel thinks that communities could take a bite out of crime by doing “something so simple as talking out.”
Peru: Proposal Shortens Time for Media to Correct Inexact Information
The Peruvian Congress has begun to debate a bill that shortens the time for “inexact information” to be corrected by the media. Many journalists and bloggers are wondering who will decide what that term means.
Hong Kong: School drug testing scheme
The Hong Kong government insisted to go ahead in implementing the school drug testing scheme despite a growing concern over its violation of children's rights.
China: Tan Zuoren’s Defense Statement
China Digital Times posted a translation of Tan Zuoren's defense statement against the charge of incitement to overthrow state power. Tan is a citizen rights activist who exposed the issue of bean dreg construction problem after the Sichuan earthquake last year.
