Wendy Zeldin

Topic: Corporations
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Landmark Case Ends Patriarchal Inheritance System (Oct. 16, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On October 12, 2012, the High Court of Botswana issued a landmark decision on women's inheritance rights, for the first time according women the right to ...

Topic: Women
Jurisdiction: Botswana

Individual Access to Constitutional Court (Oct. 12, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On September 24, 2012, the day that new provisions allowing access by individuals to Turkey's Constitutional Court came into effect, seven persons filed petitions with the ...

Topic: Constitutional law
Jurisdiction: Turkey

Agreement to Combat Human Trafficking (Oct. 05, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On October 3, 2012, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in combating trafficking in human beings took effect between the

Topic: Trafficking in persons
Jurisdiction: Indonesia / Taiwan

Tobacco Display Ban Upheld (Oct. 01, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On September 14, 2012, the Oslo District Court issued a ruling upholding Norway's ban on the display ...

Topic: Tobacco and smoking
Jurisdiction: Norway

Cabinet Approves Increase in Minimum Hourly Wage (Sep. 28, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Executive Yuan (Cabinet) has approved a proposal put forward by the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) to increase the minimum hourly wage in Taiwan) announced on September 23, 2012, ...

Topic: Natural resources
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

Driver's License Reform (Sep. 25, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Finland plans to inaugurate the use of a new, fixed-term driver's license as of January 19, 2013, ...

Topic: Drivers
Jurisdiction: Finland

Legislative Proposal on Transgendered Individuals (Sep. 25, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On August 24, 2012, Fred Teeven, the State Secretary of Security and Justice in the Netherlands, submitted ...

Topic: Gender equality
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Proposed Reduction in Corporate Tax Rate (Sep. 24, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Swedish government has put forward a proposal to reduce the corporate tax rate in 2013 from the current level of 26.3% to 22%, an approximately ...

Topic: Taxation
Jurisdiction: Sweden

Electronic Firearms Registry Part of Integrated Police Records System (Sep. 24, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported on September 6, 2012, that Finland's police force will have a new, electronic registry ...

Topic: Firearms
Jurisdiction: Finland

2009 Industrial Property Law Now in Force (Sep. 18, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported on July 31, 2012, that Djibouti's new Industrial Property Law, adopted in 2009, had ...

Topic: Intellectual property
Jurisdiction: Djibouti

Legislation to Limit Children's Smartphone Spending Being Considered (Sep. 14, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On September 12, 2012, Birgitta Ohlsson, the Swedish minister responsible for consumer affairs, announced that the government might introduce legislation "to prevent children from emptying their ...

Topic: Communications and electronic information
Jurisdiction: Sweden

Surcharge on Electronic Waste Takes Retroactive Effect (Sep. 12, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported on September 10, 2012, that China's State Administration of Taxation (SAT) has issued an ...

Topic: Taxation
Jurisdiction: China

New Foreign Direct Investment Law Adopted (Sep. 12, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On September 7, 2012, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Assembly of the Union, the parliament of Burma) approved a new Foreign Investment Law, after several months of parliamentary ...

Topic: Foreign investment
Jurisdiction: Burma

Resignation of Constitutional Court Justices (Sep. 12, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The nine justices of the Constitutional Tribunal of Myanmar (Burma) all resigned on September 6, 2012. The abrupt move was made in response to a vote ...

Topic: Courts
Jurisdiction: Burma

Newly Amended Data Retention Law (Sep. 07, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported on August 1, 2012, that both chambers of the Czech Parliament had approved an act to amend the 2005 Electronic Communications Act. (

Tax on Public Broadcasting (Sep. 07, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The President of Finland approved law proposal HE 28/2012 on August 31, 2012, which introduces a tax to finance the country's national public service broadcasting company, ...

Topic: Taxation
Jurisdiction: Finland

Further Smoking Restrictions Contemplated (Sep. 04, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported in June 2012 that the Health Ministry of the Czech Republic was preparing to tighten the country's anti-smoking legislation through the adoption of ...

Topic: Tobacco and smoking
Jurisdiction: Czech Republic

Ruling on Embryo Screening (Aug. 31, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On August 25, 2012, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Italy's ban on embryonic screening violates article 8 of the European Convention on ...

Topic: Human rights
Jurisdiction: European Court of Human Rights / Italy

New Government Statement on Remuneration in State-Owned Companies (Aug. 31, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On August 13, 2012, the Government of Finland released a new statement on the remuneration of senior executive management in state-owned companies, which takes "openness and ...

Topic: State corporations
Jurisdiction: Finland

Report of Official Executions Being Carried Out After Long Hiatus (Aug. 30, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Amnesty International (AI) reported on August 24, 2012, that it had "received credible reports" of nine persons having been executed in The Gambia on the previous ...

Topic: Capital punishment
Jurisdiction: Gambia

Unilateral Decree on Avoidance of Double Taxation Amended Due to Introduction of New Tax on Banks (Aug. 30, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

A decree amending the 2001 Unilateral Decree on the Avoidance of Taxation (Besluit voorkoming dubbele belasting 2001, Bvdb 2001, hereinafter Unilateral Decree) was published in the ...

Topic: Taxation
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Making Public Threats on a Blog Will Be Criminalized (Aug. 13, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Storting, Norway's parliament, may update the country's Penal Code in connection with the crime of making threats in public, in the aftermath of a Norwegian ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: Norway

Proposal to Raise Minimum Wage (Aug. 13, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Taiwan's Council of Labor Affairs (CLA), a Cabinet-level agency in charge of labor matters at the national level, announced on August 9, 2012, that Taiwan's minimum ...

Topic: Labor
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

New Constitution Approved (Aug. 09, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On August 1, 2012, Somalia's special, 825-member National Constituent Assembly approved a new constitution for the country by a large majority over 96% of the ...

Topic: Constitutional law
Jurisdiction: Somalia

Constitutional Reform Underway (Aug. 09, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Turkey's Constitutional Reconciliation Commission reconvened on August 1, 2012, to resume its preparation of a new constitution for the country. The parliamentary body will reportedly start ...

Topic: Constitutional law
Jurisdiction: Turkey

Tobacco Control Law Tightened (Jul. 25, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On July 4, 2012, the Turkish Parliament (the Grand National Assembly, Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi, or TBMM), passed amendments to the Law on the Prevention and ...

Topic: Tobacco and smoking
Jurisdiction: Turkey

Law Restricting Caesarean Births (Jul. 17, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Turkey's Parliament passed a new law on July 4, 2012, to limit births by Cesarean section to cases of medical necessity. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ...

Topic: Health and safety
Jurisdiction: Turkey

Accession for Least Developed Countries Being Streamlined (Jul. 17, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On July 6, 2012, Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) validated a decision of the Sub-Committee on Least Developed Countries to streamline and facilitate the ...

Topic: Trade and commerce
Jurisdiction: World Trade Organization

Action Plan to Eliminate Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers (Jul. 12, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On July 3, 2012, the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the United Nations signed an Action Plan on concrete steps for the Government to take ...

Topic: Children
Jurisdiction: Somalia

First Resolution on Internet Free Speech (Jul. 12, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On July 5, 2012, the Human Rights Council (HRC) of the United Nations, unanimously adopted a resolution to protect the free speech of individuals on the ...

Topic: Communications and electronic information
Jurisdiction: U.N. Human Rights Council

Regional Court Ruling Criminalizes Circumcision of Young Boys (Jul. 03, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

According to a decision handed down by the Cologne regional court (Landgericht Kln) on June 26, 2012, circumcision of young boys is a criminal act, prohibited ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: Germany

Overhaul of Rules on Review of Criminal Cases (Jul. 02, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On June 12, 2012, the Upper House (Eerste Kamer) of the Dutch Parliament (Staten-Generaal) adopted draft legislation reforming the rules on criminal case review, which are ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

New Bank Tax Under Consideration by Parliament (Jun. 28, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

In December 2011, draft legislation on the introduction of a bank tax in the Netherlands was released by the government. The Lower House (Tweede Kamer) of ...

Topic: Taxation
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Proposed Constitutional Amendment to Tighten Parliamentary Control over Foreign Deployment of Armed Forces (Jun. 27, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported on June 18, 2012, that Norway's Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti, or SV) has proposed and presented to Norway's Parliament (Storting), a constitutional ...

Topic: Constitutional law
Jurisdiction: Norway

Four Different Constitutional Amendment Proposals in Parliament (Jun. 27, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

At present there are four proposed amendments to the Norwegian Constitution in the initial stage of consideration by the Storting, Norway's parliament. The proposals have to ...

Topic: Constitutional law
Jurisdiction: Norway

Changes in Corporate Tax and Withholding Tax (Jun. 26, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On June 13, 2012, the Danish Parliament (Folketinget) passed L 173, draft legislation to amend the corporate tax law, withholding tax law, tax control law, tax ...

Topic: Taxation
Jurisdiction: Denmark

Investigation of Late Forced Abortion Leads to Suspension of Local Officials (Jun. 21, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Xinhua News Agency reported on June 15, 2012, that Chinese authorities were investigating a case of an alleged forced abortion, carried out in a woman's seventh ...

Topic: Abortion
Jurisdiction: China

Draft Measures on Internet Information Services Management (Jun. 19, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On June 7, 2012, the State Council issued for public comment the revised draft Measures on the Management of Internet Information Services (Hulianwang xinxi fuwu ...

Court Decision in Privacy Violation Case Partially Favorable to Google (Jun. 15, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On June 8, 2012, Switzerland's Federal Supreme Court (Bundesgericht) announced that it had partially upheld Google's appeal in a case involving the company's alleged violations of ...

Topic: Communications and electronic information
Jurisdiction: Switzerland

Justices Charged with Sedition (Jun. 14, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea (PNG) was arrested on charges of sedition on May 24, 2012, after police ...

Topic: Judges
Jurisdiction: Papua New Guinea

Draft Laws on Digital Communication with the Public Sector (May. 23, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported on May 1, 2012, that two legislative proposals currently before the Danish Parliament, L 160 and L 159, will make the use of ...

Topic: Communications and electronic information
Jurisdiction: Denmark

Full Digitalization of Public Administration (May. 22, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, announced on April 12, 2012, that "[c]orrespondence between the public and the administration will be based on digital mail," ...

Topic: Communications and electronic information
Jurisdiction: Norway

Rising Retirement Age (May. 22, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported on May 18, 2012, that, based on the 2012 budget agreement called the Spring Accord, reached three weeks ago by a coalition of ...

Topic: Pensions and retirement
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Changes in Investment Incentives (May. 18, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On April 25, 2012, the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic approved a bill amending the Act on Investment Incentives (Act No. 72/2000, as ...

Topic: Investments
Jurisdiction: Czech Republic

Court Orders Blocking of The Pirate Bay (May. 17, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

In a ruling issued on May 10, 2012, a Dutch district court in The Hague ordered Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the Netherlands to block The ...

Topic: Communications and electronic information
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Amended Law on Electronic Communications (May. 15, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On May 10, 2012, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament) adopted controversial amendments to the country's Electronic Communications Act, which regulates the monitoring of Internet and telephone activity ...

Topic: Communications and electronic information
Jurisdiction: Sweden

Amended Telecommunications Act Prescribes Net Neutrality, Stricter Cookie Provisions (May. 15, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On May 8, 2012, the Senate (Eerste Kamer) of the States-General (Staten-Generaal, the Dutch Parliament), unanimously adopted amendments to the Telecommunications Act in order to conform ...

Topic: Communications and electronic information
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Proposed Amendments to Acts on Nuclear Damage (May. 07, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On April 19, 2012, the Education and Culture Committee of Taiwan's legislature gave initial approval to amendments to the Nuclear Damage Compensation Act and the Nuclear ...

Topic: Disasters
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

Data Protection Act Amended (May. 03, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On February 9, 2012, amendments to the Dutch Personal Data Protection Act came into force. (Personal Data Protection Act (Unofficial Translation), Institute for Information Law ...

Topic: Right of privacy
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Cabinet Approves Capital Gains Tax Proposal (Apr. 30, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On April 26, 2012, the Executive Yuan (Cabinet) of the Republic of China on Taiwan approved a previously effective capital gains tax, to be reinstated as ...

Topic: Taxation
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

Proposed Changes to Data Protection Act (Apr. 30, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On April 11, 2012, Taiwan's Ministry of Justice sent to the Executive Yuan (Cabinet) a proposed amendment to the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Although the ...

Topic: Right of privacy
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

Supreme People's Court Issues Provisions to Aid Interpretation of Internet Copyright Infringement (Apr. 25, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On April 22, 2012, China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) issued draft provisions for public consultation, available on its website, concerning Internet copyright infringement. The 20-article provisions ...

Topic: Intellectual property
Jurisdiction: China

First U.N. Investigation of Native American Rights (Apr. 24, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

From April 23 to May 4, 2012, James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as Regents Professor and the ...

Topic: Native peoples
Jurisdiction: United Nations / United States

Dangerous Dogs Act Finally to Come into Force (Apr. 24, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Ministry of the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago (Tandamp;T) stated in a press release on April 16, 2012, that the Dangerous Dogs Act would ...

Topic: Treatment of animals
Jurisdiction: Trinidad and Tobago

UNODC and IOM Sign MOU to Enhance Cooperation in Combating Human Trafficking, Migrant Smuggling (Apr. 23, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on April 17, 2012, to ...

Topic: Trafficking in persons
Jurisdiction: United Nations

Supreme Court Holds U.N. Cannot Be Sued in Bosnia Massacre Case (Apr. 19, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Supreme Court of the Netherlands (Hoge Raad der Nederlanden), in a ruling issued on April 13, 2012, held that the United Nations cannot be sued ...

Topic: International law
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Ban on Gold as Medium of Exchange (Apr. 18, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On April 3, 2012, the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) issued Decree No. 24/2012/ND-CP on the management of gold trading. The Decree ...

Topic: Currency and coins
Jurisdiction: Vietnam

Controversial Education Reform Legislation Passed (Apr. 17, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Grand National Assembly (GNA, Turkey's parliament) passed an education reform bill on March 30, 2012, extending the length of compulsory education from eight years to ...

Topic: Education
Jurisdiction: Turkey

Landmark Trial of 1980 Military Coup Leaders Begins (Apr. 12, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Two retired generals have been placed on trial for their role in the September 12, 1980, coup d'etat in Turkey, which imposed military rule on the ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: Turkey

Tax on Metal Exploitation Introduced (Apr. 12, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Poland's new Law on Taxation of Extraction of Certain Metals of March 2, 2012, was published in the country's Official Gazette (DZIENNIK USTAW RZECZYPOSPOLITEJ POLSKIEJ) on ...

Topic: Taxation
Jurisdiction: Poland

Landmark ICC Ruling Finds Congo Militia Leader Guilty (Apr. 11, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The International Criminal Court (ICC), established in July 2002, issued its first decision on March 14, 2012. In the landmark case, "The Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: International Criminal Court

Groundwork for Campaign Finance Law (Apr. 11, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On April 4, 2012, the six parties represented in Hungary's National Assembly (Orszandaacute;ggyul;s) agreed on the main principles of political party and campaign financing in the ...

Topic: Politics and government
Jurisdiction: Hungary

Amendment of Criminal Procedure Law (Apr. 09, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On March 14, 2012, China's National People's Congress (NPC) adopted an amendment to the country's 1979 Criminal Procedure Law. The Law was first extensively revised in ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: China

Disputed Data Protection Law Amended (Apr. 06, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On April 2, 2012, the Members of the Hungarian Parliament, by a large majority, amended the country's Information Freedom Act "to strengthen the independence of the ...

Topic: Right of privacy
Jurisdiction: Hungary

Proposal to Do Away with Penalty of Compulsory Institutional Care (Apr. 06, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported on April 3, 2012, that a government-appointed committee has presented a proposal to the Ministry of Social Affairs to eliminate the possibility of ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: Sweden

2012 Tax Incentives (Apr. 05, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On January 2, 2012, the President of Gabon promulgated Decree No. 0001 on the Finance Law for 2012. Tax incentives under the new Law apply to ...

Topic: Taxation
Jurisdiction: Gabon

Efforts to Expedite Patent Processing (Apr. 05, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Beginning on March 1, 2012, Taiwan launched a six-month trial program, the "Taiwan-Supporting Using the PPH [Patent Prosecution Highway] Agreement" (TW-SUPA). The purpose of the program ...

Topic: Intellectual property
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

Proposed Tightening of Supervision over Legal Profession (Mar. 26, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Cabinet of the Dutch government has put forward a legislative proposal on the creation of an independent Supervisory Board to be the body ultimately responsible ...

Topic: Lawyers
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Media Reform Program (Mar. 23, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Minister of Information and Culture of Myanmar (Burma), Kyaw Hsan, stated on March 19, 2012, at a two-day conference on "Media Development in Myanmar," that ...

Topic: Freedom of the press
Jurisdiction: Burma

Criticism of Newly Proposed Budget (Mar. 21, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Iran's Parliamentary Research Center recently put forward three major criticisms of the government's budget bill for the upcoming year (1391/Mar. 20, 2012-Mar. 20, 2013), in addition ...

Topic: Budget
Jurisdiction: Iran

Proposal on Making Biometric Data Mandatory for Residency Permit Applications (Mar. 16, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Dutch Minister for Immigration, Integration and Asylum Policy, Gerd Leers, recently submitted a bill on the use of biometrics in the immigration process to the ...

Topic: Immigration
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Citizens Group Seeks New Right to Die (Mar. 16, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) of the Dutch Parliament held a plenary session on March 8, 2012, concerning a citizen's initiative on euthanasia. The group ...

Topic: Death and dying
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Parliament Adopts Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence (Mar. 15, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Turkey's Parliament (the General Assembly) passed a law on March 8, 2012, notably on International Women's Day, designed to prevent violence against women. In the words ...

Topic: Domestic violence
Jurisdiction: Turkey

Call for Amendment of Domestic Laws to Conform with Human Rights Covenants (Mar. 15, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On March 9, 2012, it was reported that Taiwan legal experts and activists have called for government fast-tracking of amendments to Taiwan's laws to bring them ...

Topic: Human rights
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

Ban of the Drug Khat Proposed (Mar. 14, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Dutch government has decided to ban the drug Khat. The fresh leaves, twigs, and shoots of the Khat plant (Catha edulis) are an addictive substance ...

Topic: Narcotics and drug abuse
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Indictment of Breivik for Terrorism, Arson, Murder (Mar. 13, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On March 7, 2012, Norwegian prosecutors made public the 18-page indictment against Anders Behring Breivik on charges of terrorism, arson, and murder. Breivik is accused of ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: Norway

Proposal to Outlaw Use of Smartphones to Take Compromising Pictures (Mar. 08, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On February 29, 2012, the Swedish government made public draft legislation to outlaw the use of camera-equipped smartphones to take compromising pictures of people without their ...

Topic: Right of privacy
Jurisdiction: Sweden

Proposal to Increase Human Trafficking Punishment (Mar. 08, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On March 1, 2012, the Ministry of Security and Justice of the Netherlands submitted a legislative proposal to the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) of the ...

Topic: Trafficking in persons
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Cases Before European Court of Human Rights on Lengthy Detentions to Be Addressed (Mar. 06, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Turkey's Minister of Justice, Sadullah Ergin, announced on March 1, 2012, that the government would establish a special commission to handle cases filed with the European ...

Topic: Human rights
Jurisdiction: Turkey

Crime Victims' Compensation to Be Increased After July 2011 Massacre (Mar. 01, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

It was reported on December 8, 2011, that the Storting (Norway's Parliament) will increase the amount of compensation given to victims of violent crime as well ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: Norway

Ratification of Disabilities Convention (Feb. 27, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On January 26, 2012, the Bulgarian National Assembly unanimously ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Bulgaria had signed the Convention ...

Topic: Disability
Jurisdiction: Bulgaria

Cabinet Submits 53 Priority Draft Proposals to the Legislature (Feb. 27, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Executive Yuan (Cabinet) of the Republic of China on Taiwan had 53 priority draft items of legislation to submit to the country's legislature for review, ...

Topic: Legal systems
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

Federal Supreme Court Amends Women's Protection Law (Feb. 15, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On February 9, 2012, the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional article 16 of the Brazilian Women's Protection Law (Lei Maria da Penha, Lei No. ...

Topic: Women
Jurisdiction: Brazil

Human Rights Activist Li Tie Sentenced for Subversion (Feb. 09, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On January 18, 2012, the Intermediate People's Court in Wuhan (the capital of China's Hubei Province) sentenced writer and human rights activist Li Tie to ten ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: China

Tightened Controls on Microblogging, Including Real Name Requirement (Feb. 08, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On February 7, 2012, it was reported that China's four major microblogging (weibo) websites -- Sina.com, Sohu, NetEase, and Tencent -- will institute a real-name identification ...

Topic: Freedom of the press
Jurisdiction: China

Wearing of Face Coverings in Most Public Places to Be Banned (Feb. 03, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On January 27, 2012, the Cabinet of the Netherlands reaffirmed an earlier decision and announced that a ban on burqas and other face coverings, which had ...

Topic: Women
Jurisdiction: Netherlands

Constitutional Court Holds Election Law Unconstitutional (Feb. 01, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Romania's Constitutional Court, in a ruling delivered on January 25, 2012, held as unconstitutional a new law that permits local and parliamentary elections to be held ...

Topic: Elections
Jurisdiction: Romania

Military Arrests and Detains Criminal Court Judge (Jan. 30, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On January 16, 2012, the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) took the unprecedented step of arresting and detaining Abdulla Mohamed, Chief Judge of the country's criminal ...

Topic: Judges
Jurisdiction: Maldives

Election Law Amended, New Election System Adopted (Jan. 26, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Mongolia's Parliament, the State Great Hural, reportedly passed a revision of the country's election law on December 14, 2011. The amended law changes the parliamentary election ...

Topic: Elections
Jurisdiction: Mongolia

Agreement on Enforcement of Sentences (Jan. 25, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

The Republic of Mali and the International Criminal Court (ICC), seated in The Hague, signed an agreement on January 12, 2012, on enforcement of ICC sentences ...

Topic: International law
Jurisdiction: International Criminal Court / Mali

Law on Research Using Human Subjects (Jan. 23, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On December 9, 2011, Taiwan's legislature adopted a new law on the use of human subjects in research projects. Previously, research involving humans was governed by ...

Topic: Research and technology
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

Developments in Mass Murder Case (Jan. 20, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

On January 13, 2012, the Oslo District Court ordered a new psychiatric evaluation of criminal suspect Anders Behring Breivik, who has confessed to launching a car-bomb ...

Topic: Criminal law and procedure
Jurisdiction: Norway

Judges Evaluation Committee Operational as Part of New Judges Act (Jan. 12, 2012) by Wendy Zeldin

Taiwan's Judicial Yuan, its highest judicial organ, announced on January 5, 2012, that the new evaluation mechanism for judges, based on the Judges Act adopted last ...

Topic: Judges
Jurisdiction: Taiwan

Peaceful Protest Law (Dec. 30, 2011) by Wendy Zeldin