#AUSTRALIA: Law With $90K Fines For Protesting Condemned As "Attack On Democracy"

[world politics news]

 

New powers will allow Victoria Premier Dan Andrews to impose a state of emergency any time he likes - and citizens could face $90,000 fines or two years in jail if they protest.

Under the legislation, opposition MPs fear the premier could use public health orders to target individuals on age, gender, sexual orientation, political belief, or activity, hand raised civil rights concerns about the abridgment of a citizen's right to protest.

Health minister Martin Foley insisted the new legislation was designed to be transparent, but it was savaged by the opposition as 'an attack on democracy.'

Australia, and Victoria state in particular, have recently endured some of the most stringent and brutal lockdowns in the world.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: MP Calls For "Restrictions" On The Unvaccinated

[world politics news]

An Australian parliamentarian has demanded that the Covid-19 vaccine be made mandatory for everyone above 18 and those who refuse to take it should have their movements “controlled and restricted.”

Upper House politician Frank Pangallo from the SA-Best party, has demanded that vaccination be made mandatory for workplaces, travel and when visiting public or hospitality venues.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Justice Group Sues Over Saskatchewan Ban On Protests Over 10 People

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The Justice Centre, a civil rights and freedom defending organization, has filed a constitutional challenge in the Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench on behalf of two anti-lockdown protesters who were ticketed for attending peaceful outdoor protests that exceeded Saskatchewan’s 10-person outdoor gathering limit.

On December 19, 2020, these individuals participated in a peaceful protest at the Vimy Memorial in Kiwanis Park in Saskatoon, against the Government’s lockdown measures.

The Justice Centre alleges in the filed court document that prohibiting outdoor protests in excess of 10 people violates the freedoms of thought, belief, opinion and expression, peaceful assembly and association, guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Ontario Medical Chief Says Those Not Taking Vaccine Won't Have "Freedom To Move Around"

[world politics news] 

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer says that those who refuse to take the COVID vaccine won’t have “freedom to move around” and will have to continue to wear masks.

Dr. David Williams acknowledged that “we can’t force someone to take a vaccine,” but when on to explain how people who didn’t take it would have their freedom of mobility severely restricted.

“What we can do is to say sometimes for access or ease of getting into certain settings, if you don’t have vaccination then you’re not allowed into that setting without other protection materials,” said Williams.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HONGKONG: Gov't Dismisses Concerns Over New Security Law

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Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam has said other countries "have no place" interfering in the territory, as she robustly defended a controversial national security law planned by China.

The law would ban treason, secession, sedition and subversion. Critics say it would limit the city's freedoms. Many fear it would be the end of the "One Nation, Two Systems" arrangement made between the city-state and the Communist Chinese mainland in 1997 when it was handed back by the British.

But in her weekly press conference, Ms Lam said it was a "responsible" move to protect the law-abiding majority.

She denied that the law would curtail the rights of Hong Kongers.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHINA: People's Congress To Consider Law To Ban Dissent In Hong Kong

[world politics news]

Pro-democracy activists say they fear "the end of Hong Kong", after China announced plans for a new security law.

The US said the move could be "highly destabilising" and undermine China's obligations on Hong Kong's autonomy.

China's National People's Congress will on Friday debate the law, aimed at banning "sedition and subversion," which many fear will be broadly defined as any type of dissent against the Communist Party in mainland China.

Supporters say it is needed to tackle the violence in political protests that erupted last year, broadly disrupting normal life for many.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HONGKONG: Four Leaders Of 2014 Umbrella Protest Movement Jailed

[world politics news]

Hong Kong reopened one of the most emotional and divisive chapters in its history this week as four of nine democracy leaders and key activists convicted on public nuisance charges over the 2014 Occupy protests were jailed for up to 16 months.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#RUSSIA: Proposed Bill Would Fine, Jail, Organizers Of "Unauthorized" Protests That Include Children

[world politics news]

The lower chamber of the Russian parliament has passed a bill setting out punishment for people who involve minors in unauthorized protests, rallies, and demonstrations. In its third and final vote, the State Duma approved legislation under which organizers of unsanctioned public gatherings in which people under the age of 18 participate will face up to 15 days in jail and a fine of up to 50,000 rubles ($750.)

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#TURKEY: Pres. Erdogan Makes Explosive "Nazi" Reference To Germany After Banned Rallies

[world politics news]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lashed out at Germany for blocking several rallies on its soil in the run-up to a referendum in Turkey, likening its stance to Nazi practices. Last week federal authorities in two German states withdrew permission for political rallies targeted at Turkish residents in Germany amid growing public outrage over Ankara’s arrest of a Turkish-German journalist. Germany and Turkey have clashed repeatedly with several escalating diplomatic incidents over Turkey's treatment of journalists.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#VENEZUELA: Opposition Marches Call For President Maduro's Ouster Amid Violent Crackdown

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Rivals and allies of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rallied in the streets Monday as the opposition demanded early elections to oust him over the country's ongoing economic and political crisis. It was the first coordinated street demonstration called by the opposition since Maduro launched a crackdown with the arrests of several of his opponents early this month.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#HONGKONG: Candidate For Chief Executive Endorses Controversial Security Legislation

[world politics news]

Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, leader of the Pro-Beijing New People’s Party, has entered the race to be Hong Kong's next Chief Executive, but her support for security legislation is raising concerns about civil liberties. Ip resigned from the Executive Council (Hong Kong's core policy-making body) in 2003, after seeming to oppose pro-democracy demonstrations. Her newly announced campaign platform includes support for enacting the national security legislation under Article 23 of the city-state's Basic Law, which allows Hong Kong to enact laws "to prohibit treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People's Government.''

Pictured, Sir David Akers-Jones, left, lends Regina Ip, a hand. Sir David is a special adviser to Ip

[FULL STORY HERE]

#IRAN: Pres. Rouhani Signs "Charter of Citizenship Rights"

[world politics news]

Pres. Hassan Rouhani has signed into law a landmark bill of rights, guaranteeing freedom of speech, protest, fair trials and privacy, saying the achievement was "one of my oldest dreams" despite Iran being considered one of the biggest human rights violator with an unprecedented number of executions in the past three decades. Although many of the rights are already enshrined in Iran’s constitution written after the 1979 Islamic revolution, Rouhani said it offered the first clear list of principles that could be used to check the performance of state institutions.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#MALAYSIA: New Security Law Gives PM Broad Police Powers To Arrest

[world politics news]

A new security bill, passed this week in a voice vote in parliament, gives the prime minister broad new powers to arrest anyone without a warrant once an area is declared a security area. The head of the Malaysian Bar Association called the bill a "a lurch towards an authoritarian government."

#VENEZUELA: Maduro Condemns Spanish Security Law As "Fascist"

[world politics news]

Pres. Nicolás Maduro has denounced Spain’s controversial Citizen Security Law, saying it violates human rights and resembles a dictatorship. Maduro himself has faced criticism for his own security forces' violence against protesters and opponents. He has jailed his two main opposition leaders. Spanish-Venezuelan diplomatic relations have deteriorated in recent months.

#TUNISIA: Pres. Declares State Of Emergency In Wake of Beach Massacre; Assumes More Powers, Limits Assembly Rights

[world politics news]

Pres. Beji Caid Essebsi declared a state of emergency Saturday to give his government more powers following an Islamic militant attack on a beach hotel, in which 38 foreign tourists, including 30 Britons were killed. The state of emergency gives security forces more powers and limits the right to public assembly.