Global Legal Monitor

Archive for Topic: Crime and law enforcement
(1242 posts)
(Jan. 15, 2021) On December 8, 2020, Jamaica’s House of Representatives passed amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1948, and the Evidence Act, 1843. If enacted, the amendments would introduce new procedures for securing and disposing of drugs seized in connection with drug crimes and enable the admission of drug samples and recorded images as […]
Israel: Law for Removal of Guardianship from Parents Convicted of Serious Domestic Offenses Adopted
(Jan. 15, 2021) On December 14, 2020, the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) passed legislation to remove guardianship from a parent of a minor child when the parent has been convicted of the murder or attempted murder of the child’s other parent or the parent’s other children, or of raping or sodomizing any of the parent’s children. […]
Iraq: Parliament Considers New Anti-cybercrimes Bill
(Jan. 14, 2021) On November 23, 2020, the Iraqi Council of Representatives (parliament) finished reading and discussing a new anti-cybercrimes bill. The bill identifies a number of acts as cybercrimes and establishes penalties for them. While discussing the provisions of the bill, members of the parliament called for striking a balance between the crimes cited […]
Egypt: New Crimes Added to Penal Code
(Jan. 11, 2021) On December 16, 2020, the Egyptian cabinet approved a proposed addition to the penal code concerning the criminalization of video and audio recordings of criminal trial hearings. Additionally, the Egyptian Parliament in September 2020 passed two laws introducing the new crimes of (1) bullying and (2) conducting foreign currency exchanges outside credited […]
Italy: Constitutional Court Limits Drug Searches Conducted Without Judicial Authorization
(Jan. 5, 2021) On November 26, 2020, the Italian Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional a provision in Presidential Decree No. 309 of October 9, 1990, that allows police to conduct searches and seizures in illegal drug cases without previous authorization from a magistrate. (Decision No. 252 of November 26, 2020 (in Italian).) Article 103, paragraph 3 […]
Qatar: Minister of Justice Issues Regulation on Lawyers’ Legal Obligations Regarding Anti-money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Requirements
(Dec. 3, 2020) On July 9, 2020, Qatar’s minister of justice issued a regulation laying out lawyers’ legal obligations when developing an anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing program and policies for the lawyers’ organization. Minister of Justice Regulation No. 24 of 2020 was published in Qatar’s Official Gazette following the ratification of the draft by […]
United States: Federal Appellate Court Affirms Conviction of International Parental Kidnapping for Unlawful Retention of Children in Yemen
(Dec. 2, 2020) On November 13, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the conviction and sentence of Mahyoub Molhi Mohamed Houtar for international parental kidnapping under the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (IPKCA) and for passport fraud. (United States v. Houtar, New York, No. 19-3627, slip op. (Nov. 13, 2020).) […]
Austria: Federal Chancellor’s Office Publishes Draft Act to Combat Hate on Online Platforms
(Nov. 10, 2020) On September 3, 2020, the Austrian federal chancellor’s office published and introduced to the National Council (the lower house of the Austrian Parliament) a draft bill to fight hate on social media and to protect communication platform users. The Draft Federal Act on Measures to Protect Users on Communication Platforms (English translation) […]
Japan: Illegal Receipt of COVID-19 Subsidy for Small- and Medium-Sized Companies Rigorously Prosecuted
(Nov. 2, 2020) On July 22, 2020, a 19-year-old college student became the first person in Japan to be arrested for submitting false information and fraudulently receiving COVID-19 subsidy money intended for small- and medium-sized companies and freelancers. Later, on October 22, 2020, five people in their 20s who had taught the college student how […]
France: Constitutional Court Finds Arrested Persons Have Constitutional Right to Challenge Conditions of Incarceration
(Oct. 28, 2020) In a decision of October 2, 2020, the Conseil constitutionnel (Constitutional Council), France’s high court for constitutional questions, found that the absence of judicial recourse for persons under arrest to challenge their conditions of incarceration is unconstitutional. This decision was given in response to two questions prioritaires de constitutionalité (QPC) (priority question […]