Stories about Law from August, 2011
Ukraine: Yulia Tymoshenko's Case
At OpenDemocracy.net, Valery Kalnysh explains in detail the case against Ukraine's former PM Yulia Tymoshenko.
Ukraine: “Proper” vs “Improper” Journalism
At OpenDemocracy.net, Aleksey Matsuka, a Donetsk-based journalist, explains what “proper” journalism means in this Eastern Ukrainian region – and what awaits those who are deemed “improper” journalists.
Trinidad & Tobago: More Questions on State of Emergency
As the State of Emergency continues in Trinidad and Tobago, the government's communication efforts about it continue to be muddled at best: Is it limited or national? Is there a solid strategy in place or not? Local bloggers are voicing their opinions, confusion and frustration online.
Cuba: Female Activists Detained
Four women who took to Havana's Capitol building to protest recent actions against The Ladies in White have reportedly been detained; Uncommon Sense has the details.
Peru: Congress Passes Law Requiring Prior Consultation With Indigenous Peoples
The Peruvian Congress unanimously approved the ‘Prior Consultation Law‘ for indigenous or native peoples (“Ley de Consulta Previa a los Pueblos Indígenas u Originarios“[es] in Spanish), which establishes the mandatory...
Sri Lanka: Grease Devils Targetting Women In The North And The East
D.B.S Jeyaraj shares a report of the The Womens Action Network (WAN) on the attacks on women by assailants posing as the mythical character “Grease Devil”. The attacks have occurred...
Cuba: Amnesty Reports on “Las Damas”
The Ladies in White are on Amnesty International's radar. Read more, here and here.
Jamaica: Obama Rejects Plea for Garvey Pardon
Geoffrey Philp is surprised by the Obama administration's rejection of the request for a presidential pardon for Marcus Garvey on the grounds that “it would be ‘a waste of time...
Guyana: Supporting T&T's State of Emergency
Demerara Waves reports that Guyana has officially declared its “support of Trinidad and Tobago’s limited state of emergency that has been imposed to quell a spike in drug-related murders and...
Trinidad and Tobago: Debating a State of Emergency
On Sunday 21 August, the government of Trinidad and Tobago declared a national state of emergency to deal with the violent crime that has afflicted the Caribbean nation in recent years. This legal move — which affects citizens' civil rights — triggered debate and concern among Trinidadians online.
Russia: Memories of 1991
Kim Green of The Greenery shares her memories of living in Russia in 1991 as a student, right after the August Coup 20 years ago.
Peru: Customers Show Support for Ripley Department Store Employees
Peruvian social networks are buzzing with talk about the temporary closing of a Ripley department stores. Although the closing of the store is officially in accordance with the lack of a security certificate issued by the Civil Defense, it has come about in the middle of a long conflict with its employees.
Ukraine: Yuri Lutsenko's Case “Falling Apart”
Foreign Notes writes that the criminal case against Yuri Lutsenko, Ukraine's former Minister of the Interior, is “falling apart.”
Russia: “Democracy Without Balls”
Oleg Klimov writes [ru] that Mikhail Gorbachev, speaking on the 20th anniversary of the Soviet Union's collapse, said that “Putin is no dictator – he has just castrated democracy by...
Lebanon: Smoking Banned
“The Lebanese Parliament endorsed a law that bans smoking in public or closed spaces. The law also bans any sort of tobacco advertising and promotions….” reports Moudz, who added that...
Ukraine: 20 Years of Independence
As Ukraine is about to turn 20 years old, Alexander J. Motyl of Ukraine's Orange Blues and Vasyl of uaMuzik sum up the current political and social situation in the...
Sri Lanka: The Return Of The Grease Devils
In many rural areas of Sri Lanka the mythical figure of the Grease Yaka (Grease Devil) is being blamed for nighttime assaults on women and thefts/robberies. A number of suspects have been arrested and a few of them even mob-lynched by villagers. Rezwan investigates.
Barbados: New CJ Appointed
Two different takes on the appointment of Barbados’ new Chief Justice, here and here.
Lebanon: Special Tribunal Unseals Indictment
“The first question that comes to mind is: is this it? After nearly six years of investigation, does the case truly rest solely on telecommunications data? What about witness testimony?...
Kuwait: Fined for Bad Breath
From Kuwait, Mark shares a news item about an Arab motorist who was fined by a policeman for “having bad breath.” “If they’re issuing tickets for bad breath then my...
Cuba: From the Mouths of Las Damas
Pedazos de La Isla has an account of “physical blows, shoving, threats, deportations, and arrests” against members of the Ladies in White.
