April 2010
Court Upholdings “Defamation of Religions” Laws
On Monday 19 April, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court upheld the country’s controversial laws on “defamation of religions” or blasphemy. The legal provisions, which impose criminal penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment on individuals or groups that “deviate” from the basic teachings of the official religions, seriously threaten the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of thought, conscience and religion in Indonesia, especially in relation to minority groups.
Secular Indonesia Outraged Over Aceh Mob Justice
A government prosecutor hands over a whip to the executioner during a public caning in Aceh Besar in January this year. There is growing outrage after a man and woman caught committing adultery on were beaten and possibly caned under Islamic law by a mob on Wednesday.
Pakistan: ‘Karo Kari’ victim’s family in Islamabad to seek justice
With his clothes ragged, face tired and body trembling, Dhatti Bakhsh Baloch entered ‘The News’ office here and narrated the story of her teenage daughter, who was allegedly killed in September last year by her husband Wahid Bakhsh with the help of his brothers in the wake of the centuries-old tradition of ‘Karo Kari’.
Canada: Polygamy Law
Polyamorists, civil libertarians, supporters of Holocaust deniers square off against B.C. teachers, a Catholic family coalition, REAL Women
Yemen: Child forced into marriage dies
Mohammed al Qadhi, Foreign Correspondent
SANA’A // Elham Mahdi al Assi, a 13-year-old girl, died from severe haemorrhaging and the rupturing of internal organs as a result of sexual intercourse, just five days after she was married.
ASEAN gets commission for children and women
ASEAN officials inaugurated Wednesday the Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), to augment the human rights body established last year.
London: Equality Bill passes through parliament
The Equality Bill has passed through its final stages in parliament and will now become law after receiving royal assent.