Two new laws were signed by Putin this week: one ordered internet providers to block websites that offer VPNs; the other orders instant messaging services to establish user IDs by using phone numbers, and also allows the government to order operators to restrict internet users if the government decides the users are disseminating illegal content.
The Russian government wants less anonymity on the internet. It says the steps are taken in order to prevent extremist materials and ideas.
However, there are questions about how these laws are used: Already, a Russian blogger was given 3 1/2 years (later reduced to 1 year) suspended sentence for posting videos deemed by the Russian courts to incite hatred and insult religious believers' feelings. He was seen playing Pokemon Go in a church in one of his videos. He was also added to the "terrorists and extremists" list.
Showing posts with label Abuse of Law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Abuse of Law. Show all posts
Wednesday, 2 August 2017
Saturday, 29 July 2017
34 Criminal Cases Dismissed After Bodycam Footage Shows Police Planting Drugs
Dozens of cases have been dropped after a court reviewed footage recorded by a police body cam that appears to show an officer accidentally recording himself planting drugs while other officers look on.
The body cams used by these officers record video footage from 30 seconds before the officer presses the record button.
123 cases in total are under review with regards to this scandal.
One of the cases that was dismissed included a person who was the target of the drug plant and who has been in jail since January under $50k bail he could not post.
The video on YouTube
The body cams used by these officers record video footage from 30 seconds before the officer presses the record button.
123 cases in total are under review with regards to this scandal.
One of the cases that was dismissed included a person who was the target of the drug plant and who has been in jail since January under $50k bail he could not post.
The video on YouTube
Thursday, 1 June 2017
Innocent Man Jailed for Rape Has Been Released, and His Lying Ex Is Now Jailed
The man was jailed after his ex-spouse charged him with choking and trying to rape her.
The story she and her attorney told the judges in the original 2015 trial was that her ex broke into her apartment, threw her on her bed, choked her, threatened to kill her, and attempted to rape her multiple times, and they presented as evidence injuries to her neck. The man was charged and sent to prison.
19 days later, the woman came forward with the truth: that she made it up.
The 34-year-old Ontario woman was then charged with mischief for the lie (mischief in Canada has maximum punishment of 14 years). Her lawyer suggested a punishment of a conditional sentence, citing that she had changed since she made the claim, that she had recently completed anger management, and that she was making progress in drug recovery. They also presented a letter to the court written by her daughter asking that her mother not be sent to jail and an unsigned letter from her ex asking the same.
However, because the woman had a previous criminal record and had been in jail several times, the court said, it gave her jail time: 60 days.
The court justice said of the sentence, "When you go to a police officer and pretend to be a victim, the police officer begins investigating the case, but that takes that officer away from investigating real cases. ... (Your story) was calculated. You inflicted injuries to your neck. You said they were caused by someone. You gave a sworn statement to police. You knew (the ex-spouse) was arrested and in custody …
"One day went by. Two days went by. A week went by. Nineteen days went by knowing an innocent man was in jail."
The story she and her attorney told the judges in the original 2015 trial was that her ex broke into her apartment, threw her on her bed, choked her, threatened to kill her, and attempted to rape her multiple times, and they presented as evidence injuries to her neck. The man was charged and sent to prison.
19 days later, the woman came forward with the truth: that she made it up.
The 34-year-old Ontario woman was then charged with mischief for the lie (mischief in Canada has maximum punishment of 14 years). Her lawyer suggested a punishment of a conditional sentence, citing that she had changed since she made the claim, that she had recently completed anger management, and that she was making progress in drug recovery. They also presented a letter to the court written by her daughter asking that her mother not be sent to jail and an unsigned letter from her ex asking the same.
However, because the woman had a previous criminal record and had been in jail several times, the court said, it gave her jail time: 60 days.
The court justice said of the sentence, "When you go to a police officer and pretend to be a victim, the police officer begins investigating the case, but that takes that officer away from investigating real cases. ... (Your story) was calculated. You inflicted injuries to your neck. You said they were caused by someone. You gave a sworn statement to police. You knew (the ex-spouse) was arrested and in custody …
"One day went by. Two days went by. A week went by. Nineteen days went by knowing an innocent man was in jail."
Monday, 29 May 2017
Chinese Still Executing Prisoners for Their Organs, Human Rights Lawyers Say
China has been harvesting organs from prisoners, including prisoners of conscience (those jailed for nothing more than practicing a religion that is not state-sponsored), for years, and despite saying they have reformed the practice in 2015, China is still doing it, according to human rights workers David Matas and Ethan Gutmann.
According to the lawyer and investigator, China "obviously has got a lot of people sitting around waiting to be killed for a transplant, and they're just picking the right person to be killed depending on who the patient is."
Chinese businesses profit from transplant tourism -- people coming from other countries to get quick organ transplants -- as well as meeting local needs. There aren't enough organs volunteered to meet demand, so China takes them from prisoners. Prison officials coordinate with doctors in China to make this happen.
According to authorities around the world who keep track of people going to China for transplants, the numbers have markedly reduced, indicating that China has made serious efforts, but it has not stopped.
China executes thousands of people per year -- around 3 times the amount of the rest of the world combined, although stats are hard to get because China blocks publication of them (it's currently a state crime), even though Amnesty International and other groups keep track of all executions in all countries.
Many of those executed come from populations China doesn't like very much, like religious and ethnic minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang.
According to the lawyer and investigator, China "obviously has got a lot of people sitting around waiting to be killed for a transplant, and they're just picking the right person to be killed depending on who the patient is."
Chinese businesses profit from transplant tourism -- people coming from other countries to get quick organ transplants -- as well as meeting local needs. There aren't enough organs volunteered to meet demand, so China takes them from prisoners. Prison officials coordinate with doctors in China to make this happen.
According to authorities around the world who keep track of people going to China for transplants, the numbers have markedly reduced, indicating that China has made serious efforts, but it has not stopped.
China executes thousands of people per year -- around 3 times the amount of the rest of the world combined, although stats are hard to get because China blocks publication of them (it's currently a state crime), even though Amnesty International and other groups keep track of all executions in all countries.
Many of those executed come from populations China doesn't like very much, like religious and ethnic minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang.
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