Stories about Law from July, 2012
DR of Congo: Controversial Sentence for Thomas Lubanga
On 10 July, the International Criminal Court convicted Congolese Thomas Lubanga Dyilo to 14 years in prison. He was found guilty of war crimes for having recruited and enrolled children under 15-years-old. Congolese bloggers lament over the restrained sentence.
Slovakia: Catholics Protest the Sacking of Popular Archbishop
A concert in support of Róbert Bezák, the popular archbishop of Trnava who was sacked for unknown reasons, took place on Tuesday and was the next step in various protests,...
Hong Kong: Foreign Domestic Workers Protest Mandatory Live-in Policy
A popular singer's outrageous treatment of her maid, who is forced to sleep in a customized bed on top of a toilet bowl, sparked protests outside the immigration office against Hong Kong's mandatory live-in policy which makes foreign domestic workers vulnerable to ill-treatment.
China: Shifang Government Goes From Angel to Satan in Crackdown?
Chinese bloggers try to understand why the Shifang government went from angel to satan by brutally and savagely cracking down on a peaceful week-long NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) protest in a small city in southwestern China's Sichuan province.
Bulgaria: How to Become a Prostitute in 1888
The blog “Живот Мой” (“My Life”) published [bg] the 1888 local legislation on how to become a prostitute in the Black Sea coastal city of Varna. The bill contains the...
Video: Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project Helps Iraqis Waiting for Resettlement
The Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project strives to help the Iraqi people who are in the legal limbo of waiting for resettlement papers. This series of videos tells the stories of refugees and also shows how through policy advocacy, providing legal representation to refugees and assistance once they are resettled, the IRAP is helping them out.
Brazil: Activists Support Civic Framework for Internet
Internet activists are discussing the civic framework (“marco civil”) for internet in Brazil, to be voted on National Congress today. Mega Yes Movement [pt] says the framework will establish fundamental...
Russia: A Great Firewall to Censor the RuNet?
The Russian language section of Wikipedia suspended service today in protest against a draft law now under review by the Russian parliament that many believe threatens the RuNet with censorship. Kevin Rothrock reports on the political context and details of the legislation.
Tunisia: Online Platform to Monitor Police Abuse
Yezzi is an online Tunisian collaborative platform, which documents and reports police abuse and wrongdoings. For years, police corruption and abuse went unnoticed and unpunished in Tunisia. People would talk about it among themselves, but only few would dare speak up in public or resort to justice. Yezzi aims to change that.
Israel: Netizens Respond with Ridicule to No Occupation Report
Israel's netizens react with satire to a recently released report that claims Israel is not an occupying power in the West Bank. Image caption reads: "Listen, I'm gonna take off the blindfold. Tell me if you still see the occupation."
Pakistan: Angry Mob Lynches Alleged Blasphemer
In a shockingly outrageous incident in Bahawalpur, an angry mob attacked an alleged blasphemer and burnt him alive.
Russia: Krymsk Footage & the Reservoir's Owners
Krasnodar environmental activist Suren Gazarian blogs videos from the wreckage in Krymsk, dismissing the theory [ru] that the flooding was caused by water released from the Neberdzhaevsky Reservoir. Marina Litvinovich, meanwhile, provides background [ru]...
Rwanda: From Colonialism And Genocide to Recovery
1 July was a very special day in Rwanda as the country celebrated 50 years of Independence and 18 years of liberation which brought an end to Rwandan genocide. It is estimated that over a million people died in a period of 100 days.
Indonesia: Lobby Power of Tobacco Firms
Elizabeth Pisani writes about the lobby power of tobacco companies in Indonesia and the prospects of introducing legislation and programs that would curb smoking in the country
Indonesia: Copyright Law Review
Ario Tamat reviews Indonesia's revised Copyright Law which was passed in 2002.
Trinidad & Tobago: On the Exam Results Leak
The Eternal Pantomime blogs about the leak of the Secondary Entrance Assessment examination results here and here.
Moldova vs. Moldova: Who is the Winner?
On June 28, 1940, Moldova was overrun by the Soviet troops, after it had been given up by Romania. The Soviet Union quickly added it to its territory. Was it liberation or occupation? Diana Lungu reviews the opinions of Moldovan netizens.
South Korea: President's Brother Questioned in Corruption Probe
Following bribery allegations, the South Korean President's brother Lee Sang-deuk has been questioned by authorities, but many speculate that he might be a scapegoat in a wider scandal that could involve the President himself.
Portugal: Citizens Audit of Public Debt Still Without Answers
With the troika's "bailout" operation in full implementation, recession and social woes worsen in Portugal. The Initiative for a Citizens Audit of Public Debt (IAC), launched in late 2011, promised to deepen the debate around the legitimacy, legality and implications of bailout. However, months have passed, and the IAC presents itself as a "great nebula."
Colombia: One Night in a Cell
In his blog La Ventana, Juan Batallas publishes a two-part post about one night he spent in a cell at an “immediate reaction unit” (unidad de reacción inmediata, URI, set...
China: How Myanmar's Opening Up Differs
Just back from the Myanmar Investment Summit in Yangon, as the country continues rapid opening to foreign capital, China Law Blog‘s Steve Dickinson contrasts Myanmar's economic globalization efforts with China's...
