Stories about Law from December, 2010
Pakistan: The Blasphemous Use Of Blasphemy Law
The interpretation of Blasphemy law in Pakistan has, for long, aroused controversy and has been criticized and questioned by the human rights activists. It has been used as a tool to spread violence and incite fear specifically among the minorities. Neitzens call for amendment of the law.
India: Doctor Gets Life Sentence On Sedition Charges
On 24th December, 2010, a Sessions Court in Raipur, Chattisgarh, convicted civil rights activist Dr. Binayak Sen on charges of sedition and conspiracy. The court found Dr. Sen guilty of aiding Maoist rebels in the State and have sentenced him to life imprisonment. Netizens reacted to the verdict.
Caribbean: Defining Moments of 2010
Many landmark events happened in the Caribbean this year, prompting reactions from the regional blogosphere. Here's a look back at some of the most important stories of 2010...
Venezuela: Police Repression During Protest Over University Law
Miguel Octavio in The Devil's Excrement says that students faced severe police repression during a protest against a new law that gives the government more control over universities. Furthermore, in Venezuela News and Views Daniel Duquenal reports that an AFP journalist was hurt while taking pictures of the protest.
Global: New ‘Digital Rights Watch’ Wiki
Digital RIghts Watch is a new wiki for mapping legal issues like censorship, surveillance and intellectual property around the world.
China: Legal action threatened over #netfreedom violation
Sina blogger Wu Fei has written a letter to Tencent CEO Ma Huateng threatening legal action over the company's specific practice of filtering from QQ one term protected by the constitution and used across the Chinese Internet, government websites included: “freedom of speech”.
Belarus: More on the Post-Election Situation
Democratist and Jamestown Foundation Blog discuss the post-election situation in Belarus; Information Policy writes about the hijacking of “independent media sites” during the election.
Russia: Media Coverage of Manezh Riots
A Good Treaty posts a detailed review of the Russian press coverage of the Manezh riots in Moscow.
Hungary: New Media Law and Censorship
BloggingPortal.eu and Hungarian Spectrum (here and here) discuss Hungary's new media law. According to BloggingPortal.eu, “[u]nder this new law, a National Media and Communications Authority (NMHH) will be set up – a body that Reuters reports will be ‘dominated by people loyal to the ruling Fidesz party.’ Members of this...
Pakistan: Being Smart About the Blasphemy Law
Teeth Maestro feels that Pakistan needs to be smart about its Blasphemy Law and that what is required now is to improve the law and, more so, to make its implementation more effective and impartial.
Haiti: Post-Election Update
“Two weeks after the preliminary results were announced, the streets of Port-au-Prince are calm, but the situation is just as confusing and worrying”: prophet N gives an update.
Bermuda: Government Inspiration?
Vexed Bermoothes suspects that the government has sent him an inspirational postcard, saying: “Sending a post card won’t change the tone of Bermuda politics, halt the gang warfare, and or make us nicer people.”
China: Gold farming couple handed down heavy sentence
The verdict this month of a fine of USD 450,000 and several years in prison for one couple who ran a gold farm throughout 2007 has left those following the trial shocked, angered and wondering how something so common in China could suddenly be punished so heavily.
Venezuela: Hugo Chavez Granted Special Powers for 18 Months
On December 17, Caracas Gringo wrote that President Hugo Chavez “was granted special powers to rule by presidential decree until June 2012.” An Enabling Law that Venezuelan Analysis reports was passed “in order to bring rapid relief to 130,000 flood victims and to further engrain 21st Century Socialism in the...
Trinidad & Tobago: Give Peace a Chance
How is Trinidad's capital city connected to John Lennon? aka_lol explains.
Guatemala: International Commission Against Impunity Extended to 2013
In Central American Politics, Mike writes that “the United Nations General Assembly agreed to extend the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala's (CICIG) mandate another two years until September 2013. […] Colom requested the extension because he did not believe that the justice and security sectors would be able capable...
Guyana: Dispensable Lives?
“Thinking about how things are in Guyana these days, particularly about how cheap human life has become”, reminds Imran Khan of a poem he penned a few years ago in “a poor attempt to speak to injustice and inequality.”
Africa: The Scandal of the “Ill-gotten Gains”
In the scandal of the wealth accumulated by some African politicians, the French Supreme Court of Appeals reversed the verdict pronounced by Paris Court of Appeals a year ago. The court of appeal deemed that the claim of embezzlement filed by Transparency International against the leaders of RDC, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and their entourage was valid. Bloggers discuss the implications of this wealth accumulated by African leaders in contrast with the poverty of the rest of the population.
South/North Korea: A Review of 2010 in Keywords
From Cheonan incident in March to the latest North Korean attack on Yeonpyeong island, Global Voices took a look back at the year’s hottest keywords that have been widely circulated over Korean internet venues.
Belarus: Presidential Election Day Ends in Protests and Crackdown
December 19, the 2010 presidential election day in Belarus, ended in mass protests, arrests and violent clashes with the riot police in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Below is a small selection of citizen media reports on what happened.
Japan: Woman sued Google Street View for pics of underwear
Again troubles for Google Street Views [en] in Japan. Reports said [en] that a young woman sued Google for showing pictures of her underwear drying on the balcony and claimed about 7,000 USD for damages. A blogger at Gundam Nikki commented saying that such an action is exaggerated and due...