· June, 2012

Stories about Law from June, 2012

Pakistan: Supreme Court Disqualifies Prime Minister

The Pakistani Supreme Court ruled that the Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani had been disqualified ever since April 26th, when it gave the final ruling on a contempt case imprisoning him for a few seconds. The popular sentiment was divided: some cheered and some termed it as a 'judicial coup'.

20 June 2012

Ethiopia: Disconnecting Citizens From the Future

"Well we Ethiopians have never had dragons in our mythology and folklore like Chinese but so far there has been attempt by Ethiopians to bring on dragons to our culture in the most nauseating manner – internet censorship," writes Endalk in his analysis of the controversial bill which criminalizes the use of internet services such as Skype and Google Talk.

19 June 2012

Trinidad & Tobago: Speaking Out Against Sexual Abuse

The case of a 12-year old girl, who recently gave birth to her stepfather's child in Guyana, gets Outlish talking about feminism, education and the everyday reality of women in the Caribbean, while journalist and blogger Lisa Allen-Agostini says it is time to speak out about child sexual abuse.

19 June 2012

Cuba: Two Protests, Many Arrests

The Ladies in White (Las Damas de Blanco) are again top of mind with Cuban diaspora bloggers. As one of the oldest and most respected opposition entities on the island, their peaceful protests - and regular arrests by state security forces - continue to attract attention. The most recent confrontation happened this past weekend as members of the group attempted to carry out two protests in Havana.

19 June 2012

Jamaica: Windscreen Murder

Jamaica Woman Tongue blogs about the murder of a man who cleaned windscreens for a living, saying: “This murder seems to be about rank class prejudice. We have to find...

19 June 2012

Ukraine: President Yanukovych's European Assets

On OpenDemocracy.com, Ukrainian journalist Serhij Leschenko writes about President Viktor Yanukovych's “luxury residence and the money trail that leads to London”: “Having completely rejected such European values as human rights...

18 June 2012

Russia: Interview with Jesse Heath of The Russia Monitor

RuNet Echo

As an American lawyer and Anglophone blogger writing about Russia, Jesse Heath's work is distinct for its detailed focus on technical aspects of Russian law, economics, and politics. Kevin Rothrock recently spoke with Heath by telephone, to learn more about his history as a blogger and his contributions to the RuNet.

17 June 2012

Understanding the Violence in Western Myanmar

Dozens dead, more than two thousand houses burned down, and thirty thousand residents have been displaced by the communal violence in Rakhine State, west of Myanmar. Who are responsible for these deaths? How was the internet used to spread hate and racism? What are the views of ordinary citizens on this very complicated issue?

16 June 2012

Bulgaria: Protests Against Forest Act in Sofia

For two days, June 13 and 14, Bulgaria's capital Sofia was blocked due to the unsanctioned protests against the modification of the vague Forest Act. The third rally is scheduled to take place today. Ruslan Trad reports.

15 June 2012

Cuba: Bloggers say there are more like “Antunez”

Diaspora bloggers still have their attention focused on Cuban dissident Jorge Luis García Pérez (Antunez), who was reportedly beaten and detained following his testimony at a United States Senate sub-committee hearing concerned with infringements on the human rights of Cuban citizens.

14 June 2012

Jamaica: “Dudus” Sentenced

As Christopher “Dudus” Coke receives a 23-year jail sentence in the United States, Jamaica Salt suggests that “maybe he should consider telling his story publicly, as…the country needs to know...

14 June 2012

Guyana: Shared Humanity

“I do not believe that the response to human savagery and the solution to banditry should be vulgar violence and the public glorification of the defilement of a human being”:...

14 June 2012

South Korea: Birth Control Regulation Changes Provoke Debate

The Korean Food and Drug Administration has announced that emergency contraceptives, known as morning-after pills, will become available over the counter. However, non-emergency oral contraceptives have become a prescription drug. This sudden reversal on birth control drug regulations has sparked heated discussions online.

13 June 2012

Cuba: Bloggers Rally Around Beaten Dissident

Bloggers from the Cuban diaspora are concerned about the reported beating and detainment of dissident Jorge Luis García Pérez, more popularly known as Antunez, after he testified via teleconference at a U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing about the human rights situation on the island.

12 June 2012