The plan, to be carried out by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism with the aim of increasing tourist arrivals, has garnered positive reactions from the industry. The ministry said it will make an official statement after the plan is finalised. The easing of restrictions for Europe comes after the government last year implemented similar measures for Japan, South Korea and China, resulting in a 30 percent rise in the number of tourists from those countries. However, local tour companies claimed that the moves were insufficient to offset the fall in tourists to Myanmar caused by the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State that began in August 2017. Monk declared fugitive Ultranationalist monk U Wirathu has been declared a fugitive by the Western District Court of Yangon. An arrest warrant for the monk on a sedition charge was issued last week, but he failed to appear in court as scheduled on Tuesday and was declared a fugitive. Citizens were urged to report him to the … [Read more...] about Week in Review: Myanmar relaxes European visas
The european arrest warrant
Swedish hearing to decide on Assange extradition request
UPPSALA: A Swedish court will hear arguments on Monday (Jun 3) to decide whether prosecutors can proceed to request Julian Assange's extradition from the UK, after a 2010 rape probe was re-opened in May.Swedish deputy director of public prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson filed a request with the Uppsala District Court to have Julian Assange arraigned in his absence on May 20.Detaining someone in their absence is a standard part of Swedish legal procedure if a suspect is outside the country or cannot be located.The Australian whistleblower, who holed himself up in the Ecuadoran embassy in London for seven years to avoid a British extradition order to Sweden, was arrested by British police on Apr 11 after Ecuador gave him up.He was subsequently sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for breaching bail conditions when he took refuge in the embassy.Following his arrest Swedish authorities reopened a 2010 rape investigation, which had been closed in 2017 with the argument that as Assange could not be … [Read more...] about Swedish hearing to decide on Assange extradition request
Ecuador court denies bail to accused hacker linked to Assange
QUITO: A Swedish national linked to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and accused of computer hacking was denied bail by a court in Ecuador on Wednesday (May 29).Ola Bini was arrested while trying to leave Ecuador for Japan on Apr 11 - the day Quito withdrew its offer of asylum to Assange, who had taken refuge in its London embassy since 2012.The Ecuadorian government has accused Bini, 36, of plotting to attack computer systems in the country.Bini had refused to cooperate with investigators and the prosecution was therefore unable to identify the possible victims or damage caused by the alleged hacking, Judge Yadira Proano said in denying his bail application.Defense lawyer Jose Charry said Bini's rights had been infringed and the prosecutor "did not do his job" by failing to identify or explain the nature of the charges.Assange was taken into British custody and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for violating the conditions of his bail in 2012, when he sought asylum at the embassy … [Read more...] about Ecuador court denies bail to accused hacker linked to Assange
Swedish prosecutors seeks Julian Assange’s detention
Swedish prosecutors on Monday requested that the founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, be detained to face questioning over rape allegations he had originally evaded by seeking diplomatic asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for almost seven years. Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson submitted an application for a detention order to Uppsala District Court in which she requested the court to detain the Australian who is currently in custody in the UK. "I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape," said Persson. "If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden," she added, reported Efe news. The Australian is currently serving a 50-week sentence in the UK's Belmarsh prison after he was found guilty of breaching the terms of his bail relating to allegations, including "lesser-degree rape," lodged in Sweden, where an investigation was reopened … [Read more...] about Swedish prosecutors seeks Julian Assange’s detention
Tunisia’s arrest of UN expert sparks diplomatic row
TUNIS: Tunisia's arrest of an expert investigating possible violations of an arms embargo on war-torn Libya has sparked a diplomatic standoff between the North African country and the United Nations.Moncef Kartas, a member of a UN panel of experts, has been held for five weeks on suspicion of spying for unnamed "foreign parties" - charges that could carry the death sentence.The UN insists Kartas has diplomatic immunity and has demanded that authorities reveal the reasons for his detention on arrival in Tunis on Mar 26.In mid-April, the world body said Tunisia had "failed to provide an adequate response" in line with its international legal obligations.On Tuesday, a group of researchers published an open letter in several European newspapers, demanding his immediate release."The detention of Moncef Kartas on false grounds and in violation of his immunity raises serious questions about the rule of law in Tunisia," wrote the group of around a hundred academics and … [Read more...] about Tunisia’s arrest of UN expert sparks diplomatic row