Stories about Law from August, 2007
Bulgaria: “Foreigner Tax”
The Balkan Yankee writes on the ways in which the so-called “foreigner tax” is applied in Bulgaria.
Russia: More on Politkovskaya and Litvinenko
Sean's Russia Blog posts an update on the investigation of Anna Politkovskaya's murder and remind his readers of another ongoing case: Aleksandr Litvinenko's murder.
India: Working women and Housewives
Ultra Violet on a recent court judgment that rules that a working woman is a “housewife first”.
Turkey is Typing….WordPress Still Blocked
Last week Sami Ben Gharbia did an excellent posting about the blockage of the Wordpress blogging platform in Turkey, this week we will examine what Turkish bloggers have to say about it. There is anger, resentment, and sense of utter amazement at the absurdness of the situation. And yet, there is a powerful spirit of strength in combating this ban.
Egypt: Complaining for Change
Something I love about Egyptian blogs is our tendency to complain. Firstly because we're Egyptian and its our nature and secondly because we have so much to complain about. Among our complaints this week: international scandals, intellectual persecution, the Egyptian Legal system (or lack thereof), the question of beauty and as usual, religious persecution rounding out the group, writes D.B. Shobrawy.
Russia: Politkovskaya Updates
Sean's Russia Blog is posting updates on Anna Politkovskaya's murder investigation – here, here, here (46 comments), and here.
Bangladesh: Anwar Hossain and the Military
Mash on the disregard for human rights in Bangladesh, and on the specific case of Dhaka University professor Anwar Hossain, who was taken away by the military in the middle of the night.
Jordan: Prohibited Items
Charles Levinson, who lives in Jerusalem, compiles a list of all the items banned on flights from Jordan's Queen Alia's Airport.
Bahrain: Editor in Court
A Bahraini newspaper editor is in court for defamation, writes Mahmood Al Yousif.
Russia, Ukraine: Crimea Brawl
Foreign Notes writes about the recent diplomatic scandal caused by remarks on the Crimea by an adviser of the Russian embassy in Ukraine.
Russia: Panyushkin's Detention
Robert Amsterdam writes about a recent detention of journalist Valery Panyushkin under Russia's extremism law.
Russia: Arrests in Politkovskaya's Murder Case
Ten unnamed people have been arrested in connection with last year's slaying of journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Sean's Russia Blog writes that she “as ‘political football’ has been dusted off and re-inflated just in time for a new season.” Robert Amsterdam doesn't think Russian prosecutors are capable of getting their jobs...
Pakistan: The Supreme Court
Metroblogging Islamabad on the role of the Supreme Court in politics and the implications.
Indonesia: Kidnapping Children for Ransom
Nobody in Indonesia feels sure as to what motivates the criminals to abduct a child to serve their purpose. One thing is clear this trend is growing and it grows at an alarming pace. The “climax” of such child abduction criminal trend was the release of Raisya, a 4-year-old pre-nursery...
Japan: Three Death Penalty Executions on Aug. 23
Adamu at Mutant Frog Travelogue reports on the recent executions in Japan of three death row inmates: “It is really scary that the final decision of when and if these prisoners die lies solely in the hands of a political appointee […] who goes through no official vetting process, and...
Lebanon: Prostituting in France
Lebanese Rampurple links to a news article about a Lebanese pimp caught up in a prostitution racket in France.
Guyana: Let There Be Light
“Yes, in these bright nights of electricity and days of sunlight, jumbies stalking we land, living jumbies with minds so dead they can’t switch on the light no more…” Guyana-Gyal finds a way to shine light on dark days.
Tunisia: explanations about lodging regulations
Mouwaten Tounsi explains that the accusation of racism in a dispute over lodging regulation is much ado about nothing. He explains that in Tunisia, it is against the law to rent a room to unwed Tunisian couples. This rule applies only if you are of Tunisian citizenship. Therefore the couple...
Ukraine: Another Poisoning?
Foreign Notes writes about an alleged poisoning of the author of “the only book written to date describing the turf wars that took place in the early and mid '90's in Donetsk and their alleged participants.”
Anguilla: Transparency International
Corruption-free Anguilla sees merit in Transparency International establishing a branch in Anguilla.
Egypt: Cultureligious Curse
The Big Pharaoh from Egypt describes the outlawed practice of female circumcision as a ‘cultureligious curse.’