Stories about Law from August, 2010
Haiti: Beauty & Controversy
As controversy swirls around Haiti's representative for the 2010 Miss Universe beauty pageant, The Haitian Blogger says: “The assassination of Miss Haiti's mother was a terrible tragedy. Unfortunately the sad event is being used by many to demonize Haiti's first real democratically elected government and the Lavalas political party.”
Pakistan: Horrid Act of Mob Shock The Citizens
Pakistanis are in shock as the news and video of the brutal mob-lynching of two teenage brothers in front of police and an enthusiastic crowd in Sialkot were aired on local media. Netizens question why this savage act was allowed to happen without any opposition.
Barbados: Paper Trail?
As a police raid in Trinidad and Tobago reveals alleged illegal activity at a deceased contractor's house, Barbados Free Press “want[s] to know…if the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau found any paperwork relating to Karamath’s connections to the Barbados politicians and officials who awarded him big government contracts here.”
Iran: International Protest against Stoning
Those condemned to be stoned in Iran now have a face in international media, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashitiani, a 43-year-old mother of two, who was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery.
South Korea: Civil Service Exams Removed, Years of Studies Wasted?
Many South Koreans are angry over a government's decision to replace the civil service exam with open recruitment. The exam has been praised for giving equal opportunities to applicants regardless of their education and family background. The online space is exploding with enraged bloggers' condemnations of the reform as a way of stalling the nation’s already flatlining social mobility.
Hong Kong: Transparency on filtering
Hong Kong Government Chief Information Officer, Jeremy Godfrey, has opened a twitter account @HKGCIO and he is discussing with @daaitoulaam regarding transparency on filtering.
Benin: President Boni Yayi In Impeachment Row as MPs Switch Strategy
Le Blog Visage du Benin writes that The head of Benin's parliament has rejected a request by 48 MPs to impeach President Boni Yayi on charges of fraud [fr]. It adds that the MPs have decided to switch strategy and move the impeachment motion to an emergency procedure to be...
France: Learn More about the Itinerant Community
Around the hot topic of the “gens du voyage” in France – the itinerant community – Léa Charles from suite101.fr, gives a few definitions to sport out any confusion; Les actualités du droit outlines the details of the law as they ought to be applied on this issue, Yann Savidan interviews...
China: Finland Bath
Carrie Yang and Katrien translated Han Han's short story, I want to talk to this world, which describes Finland Bath business and a police crackdown incident.
Venezuela: Rapper Defies New Ban Against Violent Images
Venezuelan rapper OneChot is using social media to distribute his video criticizing the violence in Venezuela in days after president Chavez declared a month long ban on media's use of violent images, triggering an investigation surrounding the video's release.
Explicit Websites Blocked In Nepal And Violators To Be Criminalized
XNepali Blog informs that the Nepalese Government has decided to block all websites containing explicit contents and nudity and criminalize the violators who view or host such websites in Nepal.
Bangladesh: An Important Recognition
Andalib at Cadet College Blog discusses [bn] about the recent decision of Bangladesh election commission to recognize “sex worker” as a profession in the voter ID.
Liberia: Charles Taylor Trial Update
Alpha Sesay writes about the testimony Isa Sesay, the former interim leader of the Sierra Leonean rebel group that Charles Taylor is accused of providing support at the Charles Taylor trial at the Hague.
Hong Kong: Policemen Issued Threats On Facebook
Two policemen wrote in Facebook that they would shoot, Amina, the cop-slapper. Upon investigation, they have been assigned to desk duty and not allowed to carry firearms. However, similar threats made by ordinary citizen had ended up in court with criminal charges. (more from ESWN)
Ghana: Leave the judges alone
Nana Sarpong wants the National Chairman of the Ghanaian ruling party to leave judges alone after he called on the Chief Justice of Ghana to ‘clean up’ the judiciary.
Cuba: Youth in Prison
Iván's File Cabinet blogs about the majority of “common (non-political) prisoners in Cuba [being] black or mestizo”, saying: “The environment in which these youths grow up is fertile ground for delinquency. The worst part [is] that the Cuban State doesn’t have a solution for the problem of a society that...
Barbados: How Many More?
“Fortunately no one died in Tuesday’s bus crash in Christ Church but 22 people were injured”: Barbados Free Press thinks it's high time the country introduced breathalyzer laws.
France: Racism and Politics
Following a speech from French president Sarkozy that France ought to consider stripping delinquents of their citizenship and the planned expulsion of groups of Roma people back to Rumania and Bulgaria, the UN Comittee on the Elimination of Racial dDiscrimination (CERD) denounced a "recrudescence of racism and xenophobia" in France. Bloggers weigh in on the tense social scene in France.
South Africa: Would Media Appeals Tribunal be constitutional?
Pierre de Vos discusses the constitutionality of the proposed Media Appeals Tribunal (MAP) in South Africa: “The legislature will thus either pass a law creating a MAP that will not change anything, or it will pass a law creating a MAP that would be unconstitutional…”
Nigeria: Communications Commission wants to track your movement
Should the Nigerian Communications Commission be allowed to track your movement? David Ajao answers: “This is ludicrous. Telecom operators are now law enforcement agencies. Even if the NCC was allowed to implement this absurdity, how would they access the GPS coordinates of a mobile phone…”
Cuba: Same Old?
As U.S. President Obama prepares to reconsider the travel ban on Cuba, Uncommon Sense says: “Before he does so, he might want to consider the assessment of the three prisoners who were released this week.”
