Stories about Law from September, 2012
Romania: “Church and State”
At OpenDemocracy.net, Luke Dale-Harris writes about the Romanian Orthodox Church's “threatening influence on democracy in the country.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Not “Moving On” from Section 34
The Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago advised earlier this week that the country should “move on” from the Section 34 debacle; contrary to his request, thousands of citizens marched against the betrayal of trust and bloggers are refusing to let the issue go.
Puerto Rico: Corruption Ranking
Riding the crest of public corruption, Puerto Rico cements its place as #1 with an astonishing 130 corruption convictions–convictions, people–in 2011. Gil the Jenius blogs about this dubious honour.
Brazil: Internet Bill of Rights Vote Postponed Again
The progressive Bill of Rights for Internet users in Brazil, the Marco Civil da Internet, which was expected to be voted in Congress today, September 19, 2012, ended up being cancelled for the third time since June. The vote was postponed until after the elections in October, inform Twitter users under...
Philippines: ‘Anti-Cybercrime Law Threatens Media Freedom’
The Philippines has recently passed an anti-cybercrime law which aims to protect the security and rights of internet users. But journalists and bloggers fear that the new law could lead to the curtailment of internet and media freedom in the country.
Georgia: Brutality Behind Bars
A video showing prisoners being beaten up in one of Georgia's modernized prisons has been uploaded onto YouTube. Other videos appears to show more graphic incidents with one comment on Facebook hoping that they ‘provide impetus to serious structural reforms’ and that ‘prison personnel are held responsible.’
Russia: SocialCamp, Crowdsourcing and Open Data
A SocialCamp Russia 'unconference' took place in Moscow from 7th to 9th of September. Over the course of three days social activists spoke about projects aimed at raising awareness, improving mutual understanding, promoting philanthropy, and much more.
Bangladesh: Draft Online Media Policy Draws Criticism
There are almost 200 online newspapers in Bangladesh but no specific regulations exist for them. The government of Bangladesh has taken steps to administer them by preparing draft regulations, but netizens have expressed concerns already.
Ukraine: “Ashes of Freedom of Speech”
A few hundred people gathered at Kyiv's Independence Square on Sept. 16 to honor the memory of Georgiy Gongadze, a Ukrainian journalist who disappeared on this day 12 years ago, and of more than 60 other journalists who lost their lives in the years since Ukraine gained independence in 1991.
Russia: Protest Movement Struggles with Keeping Itself Democratic
Maksim Martsinkevich, who goes by the nickname Tesak (Machete), gained notoriety on the RuNet between 2005 and 2007. A white-supremacist who later spent several years in prison for inciting ethnic and religious hatred, Tesak has returned to public life and is now trying to gain access to the protest movement's internal elections.
Trinidad & Tobago: Down the Rabbit Hole?
Further to the outrage expressed by political bloggers in Trinidad and Tobago earlier this week, the country's Parliament convened to debate the controversial Section 34, which resulted in it being repealed - but citizens, both on and offline, seem to be taking limited comfort in the law's recall.
Saudi Arabia: Committee Backs Legalizing Infinite Detention
The Committee of Islamic and Judicial Affairs in the appointed Saudi Consultative Assembly supported suggestions to relax the requirements for execution and to give courts the right to approve infinite detention. The current law mandates unanimity in the national Judicial Council for death sentences, but the suggested amendment would allow death sentences to pass by a majority of opinions. Activists make their opposition heard on Twitter.
Bangladesh: Mismanagement In The Banking Sector
An ordinary citizen reflects on the recent huge bank loan scam in Bangladesh and the blogger is worried about the mismanagement in the banking sector.
India: Husbands to Pay Wives for Doing Household Chores?
The Union Women and Child Development Ministry in India is considering a draft bill which, if passed by parliament, would make it legally compulsory for husbands to pay out a portion of their monthly income to their homemaker wives, for doing household chores.
Hungary: Armenian Singer Condemns Diplomatic Failure
It seems that to some politicians money means more than the honour of their own country or their relations with other countries. This case could affect the stability of the whole region. Lángoló Gitárok, a Hungarian music blog, has published an interview [hu] with Gaya Arutyunyan, a Hungary-based singer of...
Argentina: Blog Covers Trial for Crimes Against Humanity
The blog Juicio V Cuerpo Ejército Bahía Blanca [es] has been following a trial over crimes against humanity committed in the city of Bahía Blanca during Argentina's military dictatorship. In the blog you can read a detailed report about the case [es] and the victims [es]. You can also follow...
Jordan: ‘Day of Mourning’ as Parliament Approves Internet Restrictions
Jordanian netizens held a mock funeral outside parliament today [Sept 12, 2012] to mourn the death of the freedom of the Internet. Inside parliament, MPs approved a new press and publications law, which will stifle freedom of speech.
Trinidad & Tobago: Section 34? Last Straw!
Political bloggers in Trinidad and Tobago are having a field day with the government's latest missteps - from a failed motion to remove the Minister of National Security from his post because of corruption allegations to the possibility of the accused in the airport corruption scandal walking free thanks to a section of the Indictable Offences Act.
Brazil: Threat to the Autonomy of Indigenous Lands
The issuance in mid-July of a governmental measure, Decree 303, that restricts the autonomy of indigenous lands in Brazil has been strongly criticized by many social movements, both in Brazil and beyond, which fight for the rights of indigenous peoples.
Philippines: Senate President Wants Law to Regulate Blogs
Philippine Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile admitted that he doesn’t know anything about blogs and blogging but he still proposed a law to regulate blogs after one of his colleagues in the senate complained of being a victim of cyber bullying. Many people think it is an attempt to restrict online freedom in the country.
