Agri laws

The Human Rights Watch is speaking up against Thailand’s use of the lèse majesté law after 4 prominent pro-democracy activists were denied bail by the Bangkok Criminal Court and ordered into pretrial detention for allegedly insulting or defaming the Thai Monarchy. The HRW says the activists could be in detention for years until their trials are concluded. At a time of ongoing political protests calling on monarchy reform, Thai authorities have been “abusing” the draconian lèse majesté law by using it to “aggressively clamp down on speech they don’t like,” according to HRW’s Asia director Brad Adams. “Holding people in pretrial detention for peaceful expression portends a return to the dark days when people simply charged with this crime end up spending years in jail while their trials drag on interminably.” The lèse majesté law, under Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code, carries a punishment of up to 15 years in prison for insulting or defaming the Thai Monarchy. ... » Learn More about Human Rights Watch says Thailand abuses lèse majesté law to silence protesters

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has rescheduled again its oral argument on the petitions against the Anti-Terrorism Act set on Tuesday, March 9, as some of the justices are currently on self-quarantine. In the notice issued by en banc Clerk of Court, Atty. Edgar Aricheta, the 5th day of the oral argument is set on March 16. “Considering that some of the Justices are on self-quarantine as a health precaution against Covid-19, you are hereby informed per instruction of the Honorable Supreme Court, of the suspension of the oral arguments scheduled on March 9, 2021,” the Clerk of Court stated. This is the second time that the oral argument on the case has been rescheduled due to the need for justices to undergo self-quarantine. EDV For more news about the novel coronavirus click here. What you need to know about Coronavirus. The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) ... » Learn More about Some SC justices again on quarantine, terror law debates moved next week

People gather during a demonstration in honor of George Floyd on March 7, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jury selection in the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who is accused of killing Floyd, starts on Monday, March 8. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Stephen Maturen / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) MINNEAPOLIS — The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd was due to begin on Monday with the screening of jurors to weigh murder and manslaughter charges in a case seen as a referendum on police violence against Black Americans. The judge has set aside three weeks for jury selection alone, mindful of the difficulties finding impartial Minneapolitans in a case that has convulsed a nation and in which an image of the victim — a selfie of Floyd faintly smiling — has fast become an international icon of racial justice. The court mailed prospective jurors an unusually detailed 16-page ... » Learn More about Minneapolis trial in George Floyd death starts with weeks of painstaking jury selection

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights will pursue independent investigations on simultaneous crackdown operations conducted by state forces against militant leaders that resulted in the killing of nine activists and arrest of six others in Southern Tagalog on Sunday. CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia on Monday said the commission found the number of deaths “most concerning” considering the pattern of “prevalent red-tagging and escalating attacks against activists.” The police and military conducted several raids on progressive groups in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Rizal on Sunday, which led to the deaths and arrests. “Despite several commitments by the Philippine Government—domestically and internationally—to uphold, respect, and protect human rights, we have yet to see a concrete response to our repeated plea for tangible reduction of violence on the ground,” De Guia said in a statement. “All necessary actions must be done to demonstrate our genuine regard ... » Learn More about CHR to probe ‘Calabarzon 9’ killings, cites concern over Duterte’s kill order

Hi all, In today's bulletin: Two people were killed and several others injured when Myanmar police fired on protesters in northern Myitkyina town; American and Chinese spacecraft reach Mars in quick succession last month, sparking talk of a space race between the two major powers; Indonesia eases rules to attract foreign investment; and more. Reading this on the web or know someone who might enjoy receiving Asian Insider? Our sign-up page is here . More killed in Myanmar protests as unions call for economic shutdown Two people were killed  and several others injured when Myanmar police fired on protesters in the northern town of Myitkyina on Monday (March 8), witnesses said. This was as shops, factories and banks were closed in Myanmar’s biggest city Yangon on Monday (March 8), after major trade unions called for a shutdown of the economy as part of the uprising against the country’s military rulers who had ousted the civilian government in a Feb 1 coup. ... » Learn More about Asian Insider, March 8: More deaths in Myanmar protests; US-China rivalry extending to space

71 new Covid cases in Thailand today, the generals are being told they’re going to face pay cuts and a Thai doctors has issued a warning about the link between Thai’s love for sugary sweets and life-threatening diseases… there goes my afternoon donut. And don’t worry, I’m not going to sing my way through the news today, it’s just nice and cool in my home studio so you can enjoy the cool with me. We’ve also got a new segment at the end of the news today… you’ll see that soon enough. 71 new coronavirus cases have been announced today, 31 of them from the hotzone of Samut Sakhon, just south of Bangkok. This beings the total number of confirmed cases in Thailand to 26,441. The death toll remains at 85 people. The Thai Army, Navy and Air Force are aiming to trim the number of generals in the ranks by 25% by 2029. But plenty of critics say the plan is probably just more words and won’t ever happen. A Thai doctor is reminding Thais about the clear links between eating sugary foods and ... » Learn More about Thailand News Today | Thai army trim the Generals, sugar making Thais fat | March 8

The Criminal Court has rejected a bid by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to remove a piece of online footage that criticises the government’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The former leader of the Future Forward Party, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, took to Facebook to live stream his thoughts on the government’s handling of the national vaccination programme, criticising officials for procurement decisions and referencing the Monarchy. Thai firm Siam Bioscience, which is owned by the Crown Property Bureau, has been given sole rights to manufacture the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine in the Kingdom. Production is expected to begin in mid-2021. The government had attempted to use the country’s strict lèse majesté law as grounds to remove Thanathorn’s footage. The law prohibits criticism or defamation of the Monarchy. However, in its ruling, the court says most of Thananthorn’s criticism was directed at the government’s handling of the vaccine rollout, with little ... » Learn More about Court denies request to remove online footage of Thanathorn’s criticism of vaccine rollout

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for the New York-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW), has condemned the series of police operations against suspected left-leaning individuals in Calabarzon Region. Robertson said HRW is “seriously concerned about reports of raids conducted by law enforcement authorities that resulted in activists’ deaths in the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Rizal.” Calabarzon groups the four provinces, together with Quezon province. “The Philippine government should act now to investigate the use of the lethal force in these raids, stop the mayhem and killings that have gone hand in hand with the practice of Red-tagging, and respect of Filipinos to exercise their civil and political right and dissent,” he said in a statement. Robertson believed that the simultaneous operations were “clearly part” of the Philippine government’s “increasingly brutal counter-insurgency campaign,” with the administration’s ambitious bid to end the 52-year-old ... » Learn More about Watchdog condemns Calabarzon killings

ZAMBOANGA CITY: An Abu Sayyaf terrorist who fought fiercely with security forces the past eight years has surrendered to the military along with six others after the capture of his wife in Sulu province in southern Philippines. The 35-year-old veteran fighter Jaber Binuri and the six other pro-Islamic State fighters yielded on Wednesday and are being interrogated by security officials. Binuri’s wife Nudsza Ismanu Aslum was among nine women, who were potential suicide bombers, arrested separately in operations mounted by soldiers and police commandos in Sulu last month. Binuri’s wife lied to military interrogators when she said her husband was already dead. The nine women are facing criminal charges after security forces seized improvised explosives from their hideouts. Army Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu, said Aslum and the other women were potential suicide bombers who were planning to conduct inhumane acts of terrorism in Sulu and ... » Learn More about Battle-scarred Abu fighter surrenders

GUMACA, Quezon: Fourth District Rep. Angelina “Doktora” Helen Tan has urged the public nationwide to submit themselves to inoculation with the Sinovac vaccine CoronaVac made by a Chinese pharmaceutical company in order to fight Covid-19, saying the vaccine is safe and effective. The chairman of the Committee on Health at the House of Representatives made the appeal recently in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s appeal to all Filipinos to have themselves vaccinated. Tan, a medical doctor, told The Manila Times on Wednesday that mass inoculation was the only solution in order that the economy will be able to return to normal once 99 percent of the population is able to receive the vaccine. She also urged the people to follow the instructions of health workers in their localities and surrender themselves to proper care in order that the campaign of the government will be achieved. Tan did not violate any law when she allowed herself to be inoculated with the Sinovac vaccine at ... » Learn More about Lawmaker vouches for Sinovac vaccine