By: Lauren Kissel.
In 2016 a toxic spill from a steel plant caused one of the biggest environmental disasters in Vietnamese history. Vietnam suppressed speech about this incident and imposed lengthy prison sentences on several bloggers for reporting about the spill. This incident highlighted the continual problem of violation of freedom of speech by the Vietnamese government, a right that is guaranteed to its citizens by both the constitution and under principles of international law.
Read MoreBy: Amanda Carmichael.
Lipstick, pizza dough, instant noodles, ice cream, detergent, margarine, cookies, biodiesel, and soap. These are just a few of many everyday products that are used worldwide which contain palm oil. As production continues to grow for this product, so does deforestation and legislation surrounding its use. Read this blog to see the different arguments for and against stricter legislation.
Read MoreBy: Alexandra Arkin.
The Norwegian constitution and Norwegian law prioritize media pluralism and media ownership transparency by targeting concentration of media ownership and supporting public media. In contrast, the U.S. seems to be reversing policies that limit the concentration of media ownership, and the Trump administration wants to cut federal funding for public broadcasting by almost 94%.
Read MoreBy: Michael T. Moran.
This blog post explores the recent developments regarding the indictment issued against New York Knicks center Enes Kanter. Kanter, an open dissident of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, published tweets in May and June 2016 about Erdoğan, which the government interpreted as insulting toward the president. This blog also examines the possibility of Kanter’s extradition if he is found guilty in a Turkish court.
Image source: Source: https://flic.kr/p/D4oDKP
Read MoreBy: Sarah Faris.
There is an old provision in the Australian constitution that prevents any dual citizens from holding office. In 2017, this provision was revisited and confirmed, causing the deputy prime minister to abdicate has the position because of a New Zealander father. It seems that moving forward, it could be in Australia’s best interest to revisit this provision.
Image credit: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/336103/australian-state-premier-ignores-nz-agreement
Read MoreBy: Matthew Thran
Read MoreBy: Kellina Yzette Heylek.
The Federal Council of Psychology in Brazilian ruled over 18 years ago that psychiatrists cannot advertise sexual orientation reversion therapies to potential patients as a cure for homosexuality. Many professional medical associations have made statements discrediting these conversion therapies stating it is ineffective and harmful. However, in September 2017, a federal judge in Brazil has overruled this precedent and has allowed psychiatrists to again advertise these treatments.
Image credit: © 2006 Reuters. A man shows his rainbow flag during the Gay Pride parade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 30, 2006. https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/styles/1200w1200h/public/multimedia_images_2017/201709americas_brazil_lgbt.jpg?itok=7kN5oDSa
Read MoreBy: Shivani Verma.
Countries around the world are beginning to grapple with the legal rights of citizens in the technology age. India has joined the European Union in recognition of a right to privacy. What led to this landmark decision, and what are the implications?
Image credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Supreme_Court_of_India_-_Central_Wing.jpg
Read MoreBy: Evan Bonnstetter .
Across the globe, countries have recognized the significant costs and risks to consumers relating to the market in stolen and counterfeit pharmaceuticals. A growing, global trend is the enactment of legislation that will eventually require the entire pharmaceutical supply chain to monitor individual prescription drugs from manufacture to consumption. As the Russian government and pharmaceutical companies seek to develop the industry within Russia, implementation of a drug tracking system in Russia is delayed and the timetable remains uncertain.
Read MoreBy: Megan Hall.
Australia has convicted its first person for marrying a child, four years after enacting laws prohibiting child marriage. Hopefully, Australia can continue this positive trend of enforcement to fully prevent child marriages in the future.
Image credit: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/804392
Read MoreBy: Morgan McCaul.
Morgan was a keynote speaker at the Michigan State International Law Review's 2018 Symposium, Issues in Sports in Courts. We are sharing her statement to convey her important message to the legal community at large.
Read MoreBy: Jessica Smith.
Jessica was a keynote speaker at the Michigan State International Law Review's 2018 Symposium, Issues in Sports in Courts. We are sharing her statement to convey her important message to the legal community at large.
Read MoreBy: Inessa Wurscher.
Since 2016, tensions have been high between Poland and the European Union over several new laws that Poland has been working to pass regarding their court system. In response to these new laws, the European Union has begun to implement both the rule of law procedure and the infringement procedure against Poland. While these legal changes may serve an important role in increasing judicial efficiency in Poland, the new legislation may not be in compliance with Poland's obligations under European Union law, leaving Poland open to potential sanctions.
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