Stories about Law from September, 2010
Russia: Shnurov's “Khimki Forest” Song
A Good Treaty writes about and translates Sergei Shnurov's “Khimki Forest” song, “an obvious satire of liberal-leaning musicians prone to activist art.”
China: Tibetan writer awaiting trial
An update in the case of imprisoned writer Tagyal and the latest hit single from hip-hop group Green Dragon are among the stories in Dechen Pamba's roundup of the Tibetan blogging scene at High Peaks Pure Earth.
Saudi Arabia: Licence to Blog!
Saudi Arabia first announced plans to have all web publishers and online media, including blogs and forums, to be registered with the government. The following day, it backed down following a storm of protests, saying that only electronic newspapers were expected to register. Saudi netizens have their say.
India: Banning Non P2P SMS
Rajesh Jain at Emergic criticizes the ban on all bulk SMS and MMS in India to prevent mass mobilization of people before and after the Ayodhya verdict.
Anti-censorship webmaster arrested in Thailand
The webmaster of an independent online journal in Thailand was arrested at Bangkok airport today on charges of insulting the monarchy. Local mainstream media has been quiet about the issue but twitterers are providing information and other updates which help sustain the campaign to demand the freedom of the arrested activist
El Salvador: The New Anti-Gang Law Explained
Voices from El Salvador explains the new Anti-Gang law in El Salvador. The post concludes with these questions: “does imprisoning gang members really treat the root of the problem? Will the harsher penalties imposed under the new law be enough to deter individuals from joining gangs?”
China: Girl Committed Suicide After Being Molested by Police Officers
China Hush translated a local news story about a 16-year-old girl leaped to her death from hotel after being molested in Fenghuang city of Hunan province. Among the five suspects, two policemen are involved.
Barbados: Vigilante Victim Charged
The Bajan Reporter has an update on the incident in which an alleged pedophile was the recipient of vigilante justice, saying that the man “has been charged with rape of a Minor…Police will not even reveal the age of the girl involved.”
Paraguay: Interpreting the Constitution
José Maria Costa analyzes [es] how the Paraguayan constitution is interpreted to fit different political agendas. For example: “For some, freedom of speech is a relative right: it works in relation to who and what is being expressed. For others, freedom of speech is absolute and allows them to violate...
Latvia: Oct. 2 Parliamentary Elections
Notes on the upcoming Oct. 2 parliamentary elections in Latvia – at All About Latvia, Baltic, and Juris Kaža's blogs (here, here, and here).
Latvia: Investigative Journalist Flees the Country
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia reported on Sept. 12: “Lato Lapsa, a controversial Latvian investigative journalist with access to hundreds of pages of documents in a criminal investigation of politician and Ventspils mayor Aivars Lembergs, announced he was fleeing the country and shutting down his websites, including one that was...
Russia: Microsoft and Suppression of Dissent
Reactions to the Sept. 11 New York Times’ story about Microsoft and raids on advocacy groups by the Russian security services – at Oleg Kozlovsky’s English Weblog, Streetwise Professor, and Robert Amsterdam's Blog.
Russia: Campaign To Save Pavlovsk Experimental Station
Vaviblog draws attention to the campaign to save Russian botanist Nikolai Vavilov's Pavlovsk seed bank from destruction.
El Salvador: Is the Anti-Gang Law the Right Solution?
Hunnapuh [es] writes about the Anti-Gang law, saying that it has been presented to the public as a magical solution for crime and violence. But this blogger things that the law does not address the main problem: poverty, exclusion and lack of opportunities for the young men that join gangs...
Zimbabwe: Action Alert for Jenni Williams
Action Alert from Zimbabwe for Jenni Williams: “News update from WOZA – 1.30pm – Wednesday 22nd – 83 members released on free bail – Jenni Williams arrested outside Harare Magistrate’s Court.”
Poland: Jarosław Kaczyński and PiS
More updates on Jarosław Kaczyński, his Law and Justice (PiS) party, and Poland's politics – the beatroot, Raf Uzar, and Politics, Economy, Society.
Panama: Proposed Legislation to Prevent Discrimination due to Sexual Orientation
The Panamanian National Assembly started to discuss a new law that would protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The proposal has caused controversy within Panamanian society and the subject has been approached by bloggers before and after this proposal was presented.
Russia: Medvedev's “Chutzpah”
At The Huffington Post, Simon Shuster urges PM Putin to ask himself where President Medvedev got “such chutzpah”: “[Medvedev] is seen as having his own agenda for reforms, independent and vaguely appealing, a westernizer, you see, like a fun-sized Peter the Great.”
Barbados: Drug Smuggling
Bajan Global Report links to a mainstream media news item about arrests made in a multimillion pound drug ring, noting that this was the “2nd major cocaine drug haul in six weeks leaving Barbados airport.”
Russia: Luzhkov “Power Struggle”
A Good Treaty analyzes the situation with the Moscow mayor, suggesting “that Yuri Luzhkov will not be replaced before his term expires next year”: “But the Luzhkov affair has the appearance of a power struggle […]. The appearance of a more active and confident Medvedev gives off the impression that...
China: Rights to strike
The past year has seen a growing number of Chinese laborers fighting for their rights in incidents from across the country; a recent move by Chinese workers to go on strike in Russia has raised questions on both sides of the border.
