Stories about Law from July, 2011
Slovakia: Big Money in the Tube
A few weeks ago, the Slovak Performing and Mechanical Rights society (SOZA) - the country's music copyright organization - started billing web servers, typically for young music fans, which were embedding YouTube and Vimeo videos on their pages. Tibor Blazko reports on the Slovak netizens' reactions.
Belarus: East and West and Nothing in Between?
"East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet." This chronically misused Kipling phrase seems to catch the realities for an increasing number of Belarusians, who, waking to a wild and hostile world, are asking: "Who cares about Belarus?"
Barbados: Where's the Integrity Legislation?
Barbados’ new government promised Integrity Legislation within 100 days of taking office; 1000+ days later, Barbados Underground is still waiting…
Saudi Arabia Blocks Amnesty International's Website
Saudi Arabia has blocked access to the website of the human rights organisation Amnesty International following their leak of a draft for a new Saudi anti-terrorism law that would introduce harsher penalties for political dissent or critique of the royal family.
Norway: Courtroom Doors Will be Closed
More than 70,000 people joined a Facebook event over the weekend advocating for the first court hearing of mass-murderer Anders Behring Breivik on Monday, July 25, 2011 to be held behind closed doors. Today it was confirmed [no] that no press or members of the public will attend. Breivik does...
Saudi Arabia: New Anti-Terror Law Crushes Protests
Amnesty International's leaked draft of the new Saudi anti-terror law has prompted a strong reaction to the proposed legislation. Twitter users are using the hashtag #SaudiTerrorLaw to voice their opinions.
Ukraine: Parallels to Khodorkovsky Case
LevKo of Foreign Notes draws parallels between Russia's Khodorkovsky case and the current legal processes against former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko and Minister of the Interior, Yuri Lutsenko, against the background of a debate in the Financial Times.
Russia: Medvedev's Judicial Reform
Gordon M. Hahn of Russia: Other Points of View argues that, despite the Khodorkovsky case, the Russian legal system is improving as a result of President Medvedev's judicial reform work.
Barbados: Still Waiting on Integrity Legislation
According to Barbados Underground, “it is only naïve Barbadians who expect politicians to proclaim integrity legislation in this century or the next.”
Jamaica: Suspect Charged in BMW Murder
Active Voice is disappointed with the Jamaican media's lack of information about Patrick Powell in the wake of his being charged in the “X6″ murder; she provides an update on the case, here.
Ecuador: President Correa Wins Libel Case
Jim Wyss, in Inside South America, explains the latest developments in a libel case involving President Rafael Correa and newspaper El Univero. Monica Medel also reports on the case at the Knight Center's Journalism in the Americas blog: “Ecuador sentences newspaper directors to jail and millions in fines in president's...
Russia: Envisioning the “Cloud Democracy” Utopia
'Cloud Democracy' is the title of the new book written by Leonid Volkov and Fyodor Krasheninnikov, two political bloggers from the Urals region of Russia. The book displays the authors' vision on how a system of 'future' democratic governance can be built with the help of online tools.
Russia: Beer Considered Alcohol
Kyle Keeton of Windows to Russia turns attention to a new Russian law that finally defines beer as alcohol in the country.
Romania: Ceaucescu's Repressive Machinery
Nelson Duque at The View East discusses the repressive role of the security service, Securitate, in Ceaucescu's communist Romania.
Hungary: Acquittal of Accused War Criminal
Eva Balogh of Hungarian Spectrum writes about the trial against and acquittal of Sándor Képíró, accused of the 1942 Novi Sad Massacre, in Serbia during World War II.
Colombia: Challenges of the Victims’ Law
Paula Delgado-King writes about some of the challenges the recently approved Victims’ Law faces: “the process needs to provide loans and credits, guidance for which crops and animals are most suitable where, and access to markets,” and that “the law has no accompanying truth commission to create a national conscience...
Cuba: Approaching “Adulthood”
As her son approaches the age of majority, Generation Y says, “without maternal excess, that they are too young, too fragile, to face the burden of being considered adults by a legal system that does not correspond to international norms.”
Puerto Rico: Perform & Get Paid
All jokes aside, Gil the Jenius wonders why not pay according to performance when it comes to lawmakers?
Grenada: Justice Isaac Dies in Canada
The Caribbean Camera acknowledges the passing of “the honorable Julius A. Isaac, Canada’s first black Chief Justice”, who “ironically…died on the eve of one of the festivals he helped formulate – Caribana.”
Cuba: Activists Under Pressure
Cuban bloggers report on several arrests and attempts at intimidating independent journalists and activists, here, here and here.
Barbados: Legal Battle over Wetlands
Barbados Free Press recounts the falling out between a Canadian philanthropist and the government over the latter's alleged action of “dumping raw sewerage into the Graeme Hall wetlands and other violations of various treaties and agreements”, saying: “The truth is that Peter Allard has been a better friend to ordinary...
