Chinese foreign ministry today claimed that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-biggest-jailer-of-journalists-turkey-second-worst-report-267594">report highlighting China</a> as having jailed the most journalists in 2019 lacked ''credibility''.

The report was released by a United States-based non-profit organisation. 
 
According to the report, China imprisoned at least 48 journalists this year, more than any other country, effectively dethroning Turkey.&nbsp;

The report was published by the Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday.&nbsp;The report, which is published annually, said that at least 250 journalists were imprisoned worldwide this year.

Hua Chunying, the spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said that she knew nothing about the imprisoned journalists. She rebuffed the claim by saying, "you need to think about what illegal things these 40-some people have done."

Turkey was ranked second in the report, as it had imprisoned 47 journalists in 2019, down from 68 last year. Saudi Arabia and Egypt, both with 26; Eritrea with 16; Vietnam, with 12; and Iran with 11 were the next-most oppressive countries for journalists, the report said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Chinese foreign ministry today claimed that the report highlighting China as having jailed the most journalists in 2019 lacked ''credibility''. The report was released by a United States-based non-profit organisation.

Chinese foreign ministry today claimed that the report highlighting China as having jailed the most journalists in 2019 lacked ''credibility''. The report was released by a United States-based non-profit organisation. According to the report, China imprisoned at least 48 journalists this year, more than any other country, effectively dethroning Turkey. The report was published by the Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday. The report, which is published annually, said that at least 250 journalists were imprisoned worldwide this year. Hua Chunying, the spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said that she knew nothing about the imprisoned journalists. She rebuffed the claim by saying, "you need to think about what illegal things these 40-some people have done." Turkey was ranked second in the report, as it had imprisoned 47 journalists in 2019, down from 68 last year. Saudi Arabia and Egypt, both with 26; Eritrea with 16; Vietnam, with 12; and Iran with 11 were the next-most oppressive countries for journalists, the report said. (With inputs from Reuters)

No 'credibility' to report highlighting detention of journalists: Chinese foreign ministry

Brazil's Supreme Court decided November 7 to end the mandatory imprisonment of convicted criminals after they lose their first appeal, restoring the previous rule that they should be allowed to exhaust all their appeal options before being locked up.

Brazil Changes Jail term Rules: Ruling could free Ex-Prez Lula Da Silva

Pakistan's ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will return to jail here in a procession of Pakistani workers on Tuesday to complete the remaining period of his seven years imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case.

Sharif, 69, was granted six-week interim bail by the top court on March 26 to undergo medical treatment and he filed the petition on April 27 for permanent bail as he was suffering from acute anxiety and depression that may lead to "sudden death".

The bail expires on May 7 as the apex court rejected his review petition seeking permission to go to the UK for the treatment.

"Nawaz Sharif will return to Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore on Tuesday in a procession of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers. A call has been given to the workers to gather at the Jati Umra residence of Sharif to march towards the jail along with him," PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb told PTI on Monday.

She said the PML-N workers are eager to come to roads against Prime Minister Imran Khan's anti-people policies and they are waiting a call from the leadership.

"Sharif did not want to go to jail in the procession but the workers insisted him for this,' she added.

Sharif, three-time prime minister, has been serving a seven-year prison term at the jail since December 24, 2018, when an accountability court convicted him in one of the three corruption cases filed in the wake of the apex court's July 28, 2017 order in Panama Papers case.

He was imprisoned in Adiyala Jail and shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail on his request.&nbsp;

Pakistan's ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will return to jail here in a procession of Pakistani workers on Tuesday to complete the remaining period of his seven years imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case.

Pakistan's ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will return to jail here in a procession of Pakistani workers on Tuesday to complete the remaining period of his seven years imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case. Sharif, 69, was granted six-week interim bail by the top court on March 26 to undergo medical treatment and he filed the petition on April 27 for permanent bail as he was suffering from acute anxiety and depression that may lead to "sudden death". The bail expires on May 7 as the apex court rejected his review petition seeking permission to go to the UK for the treatment. "Nawaz Sharif will return to Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore on Tuesday in a procession of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers. A call has been given to the workers to gather at the Jati Umra residence of Sharif to march towards the jail along with him," PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb told PTI on Monday. She said the PML-N workers are eager to come to roads against Prime Minister Imran Khan's anti-people policies and they are waiting a call from the leadership. "Sharif did not want to go to jail in the procession but the workers insisted him for this,' she added. Sharif, three-time prime minister, has been serving a seven-year prison term at the jail since December 24, 2018, when an accountability court convicted him in one of the three corruption cases filed in the wake of the apex court's July 28, 2017 order in Panama Papers case. He was imprisoned in Adiyala Jail and shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail on his request.

Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif will return to jail on Tuesday

In the wake of the acquittal of Gerald Stanley in the death of Colten Boushie, there have been loud calls for reform to address Canada&rsquo;s blatant systemic racism in the criminal justice system.

Boushie, 22, died after being shot by Stanley in the back of the head as he sat in an SUV on a farm near Biggar, Sask.

The Canadian justice system works against Indigenous people at every level, from police checks and arrests to bail denial and detention, sentencing miscarriages and disparities and high incarceration rates.

These trends are also well-documented in countries like the United States, Australia and New Zealand. It is clear that the problem lies in our justice systems.

Around the time that Canada started receding its formal &ldquo;Indian assimilation&rdquo; policies in the 1950s, including the end of the residential school requirement, penitentiary and child welfare systems started to quietly assume a new role in the lives of Indigenous people.

In fact, prior to the 1960s, Indigenous people only represented one to two per cent of the federal prison population. The rates have consistently increased every year since.

The Office of the Correctional Investigator reports the incarceration rate of Indigenous people is now at 26.4 per cent of the federal prison population, while they comprise only four per cent of the Canadian population. Incidentally, the Canadian crime rate has fallen in the last 20 years.

Placed in segregation

Not only are Indigenous people more likely to be imprisoned, but they are also more often subjected to some of the most restrictive levels of punishment, including segregation, forced interventions, higher security classifications, involuntary transfers, physical restraints and self-harm.&nbsp;

Kinew James died of a heart attack after the emergency call button in her cell was routinely ignored at the Saskatoon Regional Psychiatric Centre.

Eddie Snowshoe committed suicide after 162 days in solitary confinement at the Edmonton maximum security institution.

Renee Acoby accumulated an additional 21 years of charges in prison, spent more than half of her time in segregation, and was eventually given a dangerous offender designation for a series of prison hostage-takings. She is now effectively behind bars for life.

Addressing these deeply problematic prison realities is currently at the forefront of the government of Canada&rsquo;s criminal justice review, including two House of Commons studies and one by a Senate committee.

In considering remedies, two important issues are at play.

Imprisoned more often

First, Indigenous people are more often criminalized and imprisoned for acts that are linked to poverty, lack of educational and employment opportunities, lifestyles of substance use, mental health concerns and histories of sexual abuse, violence and trauma &mdash; in other words, colonialism.

Second, prisons are characterized by authoritarianism, power imbalances, restriction of movement and activities, isolation, lack of freedom of association and enforcement of sometimes arbitrary and trivial demands. Prison environments often reflect and even perpetuate the very trauma and violence experienced by Indigenous people.&nbsp;

The federal government would do well to consider community options.

According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, it costs upwards of $343,810 to incarcerate one woman for a year and $223,687 to incarcerate a man. The community placement option, on the other hand, is priced at $85,653 per year per person, and parole costs as little as $39,084.

There are already existing remedies in the Correctional and Conditional Release Act, Sections 81 and 84, that allow for agreements in the community where Indigenous and non-Indigenous prisoners can serve their sentence and parole in a supported way.

If we want to alleviate the conditions that foster conflict and harm in the first place, we also need to ensure that basic national standards and human rights are being met for Indigenous people.

The private members&rsquo; Bill C-262, which outlines the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, just passed its second reading.

Approving this bill would ensure some of the most basic rights for Indigenous communities, including the provision of clean water, electricity, employment, education and adequate social and health services.

In its calls to action, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has recommended that the federal, provincial and territorial governments make a commitment to eliminate the over-representation of Indigenous people in custody over the next decade.

If the federal government takes up this call, prisons would no longer be part of the solution. As noted by Romeo Saganash, NDP&rsquo;s critic for Intergovernmental Indigenous Affairs, &ldquo;there will be no reconciliation without justice.&rdquo;&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Colten Boushie's death and the subsequent acquittal of his killer has fuelled loud calls for reforms to Canada's criminal justice system and its treatment of the Indigenous. Why has it taken so long?

In the wake of the acquittal of Gerald Stanley in the death of Colten Boushie, there have been loud calls for reform to address Canada’s blatant systemic racism in the criminal justice system. Boushie, 22, died after being shot by Stanley in the back of the head as he sat in an SUV on a farm near Biggar, Sask. The Canadian justice system works against Indigenous people at every level, from police checks and arrests to bail denial and detention, sentencing miscarriages and disparities and high incarceration rates. These trends are also well-documented in countries like the United States, Australia and New Zealand. It is clear that the problem lies in our justice systems. Around the time that Canada started receding its formal “Indian assimilation” policies in the 1950s, including the end of the residential school requirement, penitentiary and child welfare systems started to quietly assume a new role in the lives of Indigenous people. In fact, prior to the 1960s, Indigenous people only represented one to two per cent of the federal prison population. The rates have consistently increased every year since. The Office of the Correctional Investigator reports the incarceration rate of Indigenous people is now at 26.4 per cent of the federal prison population, while they comprise only four per cent of the Canadian population. Incidentally, the Canadian crime rate has fallen in the last 20 years. Placed in segregation Not only are Indigenous people more likely to be imprisoned, but they are also more often subjected to some of the most restrictive levels of punishment, including segregation, forced interventions, higher security classifications, involuntary transfers, physical restraints and self-harm. Kinew James died of a heart attack after the emergency call button in her cell was routinely ignored at the Saskatoon Regional Psychiatric Centre. Eddie Snowshoe committed suicide after 162 days in solitary confinement at the Edmonton maximum security institution. Renee Acoby accumulated an additional 21 years of charges in prison, spent more than half of her time in segregation, and was eventually given a dangerous offender designation for a series of prison hostage-takings. She is now effectively behind bars for life. Addressing these deeply problematic prison realities is currently at the forefront of the government of Canada’s criminal justice review, including two House of Commons studies and one by a Senate committee. In considering remedies, two important issues are at play. Imprisoned more often First, Indigenous people are more often criminalized and imprisoned for acts that are linked to poverty, lack of educational and employment opportunities, lifestyles of substance use, mental health concerns and histories of sexual abuse, violence and trauma — in other words, colonialism. Second, prisons are characterized by authoritarianism, power imbalances, restriction of movement and activities, isolation, lack of freedom of association and enforcement of sometimes arbitrary and trivial demands. Prison environments often reflect and even perpetuate the very trauma and violence experienced by Indigenous people. The federal government would do well to consider community options. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, it costs upwards of $343,810 to incarcerate one woman for a year and $223,687 to incarcerate a man. The community placement option, on the other hand, is priced at $85,653 per year per person, and parole costs as little as $39,084. There are already existing remedies in the Correctional and Conditional Release Act, Sections 81 and 84, that allow for agreements in the community where Indigenous and non-Indigenous prisoners can serve their sentence and parole in a supported way. If we want to alleviate the conditions that foster conflict and harm in the first place, we also need to ensure that basic national standards and human rights are being met for Indigenous people. The private members’ Bill C-262, which outlines the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, just passed its second reading. Approving this bill would ensure some of the most basic rights for Indigenous communities, including the provision of clean water, electricity, employment, education and adequate social and health services. In its calls to action, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has recommended that the federal, provincial and territorial governments make a commitment to eliminate the over-representation of Indigenous people in custody over the next decade. If the federal government takes up this call, prisons would no longer be part of the solution. As noted by Romeo Saganash, NDP’s critic for Intergovernmental Indigenous Affairs, “there will be no reconciliation without justice.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why are indigenous Canadians in prison?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed an increase in the term of sentence for &quot;telephone terrorism&quot; (bomb hoaxes) from&nbsp;5 to 10 years of imprisonment.&nbsp;

Putin signed an amendment on Saturday in the country&#39;s code of law.&nbsp;

Amendments to Article 207 of Russia&rsquo;s Criminal Code states that &quot;a knowingly false report about planned explosion, arson or other activities that pose threat to people&rsquo;s lives or could inflict significant damage to property will be punished by imprisonment for a period of 3 to 5 years.&quot;

The accused will also be charged with more than 1 million rubles ($17,319).

It further states that false phone calls that are made to &quot;destabilize the activities of government agencies&quot; shall be punished with a jail term for up to 6-8 years.&nbsp;

The maximum term of sentence in severe cases like - when false reports of terrorist acts led to the death of a person or other grave consequences - the accused will be subject to 8 to 10 years imprisonment.

These amendments come at a time when the Russian president amended its existing terrorism law to crack down on terrorist activities in the country and stringently punish those who finance terrorism or recruit terrorists.&nbsp;

The earlier version of the law had a maximum term of five years of rigorous imprisonment for bomb hoaxers

Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed an increase in the term of sentence for "telephone terrorism" (bomb hoaxes) from 5 to 10 years of imprisonment. Putin signed an amendment on Saturday in the country's code of law. Amendments to Article 207 of Russia’s Criminal Code states that "a knowingly false report about planned explosion, arson or other activities that pose threat to people’s lives or could inflict significant damage to property will be punished by imprisonment for a period of 3 to 5 years." The accused will also be charged with more than 1 million rubles ($17,319). It further states that false phone calls that are made to "destabilize the activities of government agencies" shall be punished with a jail term for up to 6-8 years. The maximum term of sentence in severe cases like - when false reports of terrorist acts led to the death of a person or other grave consequences - the accused will be subject to 8 to 10 years imprisonment. These amendments come at a time when the Russian president amended its existing terrorism law to crack down on terrorist activities in the country and stringently punish those who finance terrorism or recruit terrorists.

Putin increases punishment for bomb hoaxes to 10 years in prison

Former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat&nbsp;was sentenced today to nine years in prison for abuse of power, a charge his lawyer said was a politically motivated attempt to humiliate him. 
 
Filat was arrested during a parliamentary session last October after months of mass street protests over the disappearance of $1 billion from the banking sector, equivalent to one-eighth of the tiny ex-Soviet republic&#39;s economy. He denies any connection to the crime and all charges against him. 
 
Prosecutor Adriana Betisor, who had sought a sentence of 19 years, said the ruling, at the end of a closed trial, was &quot;too soft&quot;, and vowed to continue pursuing other cases against Filat connected to the banking fraud. 
 
&quot;He has pleaded not guilty, but his guilt is clear ... Investigations will continue in other areas,&quot; Betisor said. 
 
Filat&#39;s lawyer, Igor Popa, called the case &quot;a political, well-directed spectacle.&quot; 
 
&quot;Its goal was to destroy Filat as a person, in the most humiliating and crushing manner possible. We will seek a fair trial outside Moldova and will find a lawful ruling,&quot; he said. 
 
Filat, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2013, is credited with putting Moldova on a pro-European path by signing an association agreement with the European Union. But an enduring economic crisis and perceived corruption in the ruling elite pushed his public trust rating into single digits. 
 
He says he has become a scapegoat over the banking scandal, which weakened Moldova&#39;s currency and damaged living standards in what was already Europe&#39;s poorest country. 
 
The crisis has held up the disbursement of valuable budget support from international lenders and highlighted the corrosive rivalry between oligarch groups in Moldova. 
 
The appointment of a new prime minister in January with close ties to Vladimir Plahotniuc, one of Moldova&#39;s richest and most unpopular public figures, angered opposition lawmakers and citizens, who wanted a snap parliamentary election. 
 
(Reuters)

Vlad Filat was arrested last October after months of mass street protests over the disappearance of $1 billion from banking sector

Former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat was sentenced today to nine years in prison for abuse of power, a charge his lawyer said was a politically motivated attempt to humiliate him. Filat was arrested during a parliamentary session last October after months of mass street protests over the disappearance of $1 billion from the banking sector, equivalent to one-eighth of the tiny ex-Soviet republic's economy. He denies any connection to the crime and all charges against him. Prosecutor Adriana Betisor, who had sought a sentence of 19 years, said the ruling, at the end of a closed trial, was "too soft", and vowed to continue pursuing other cases against Filat connected to the banking fraud. "He has pleaded not guilty, but his guilt is clear ... Investigations will continue in other areas," Betisor said. Filat's lawyer, Igor Popa, called the case "a political, well-directed spectacle." "Its goal was to destroy Filat as a person, in the most humiliating and crushing manner possible. We will seek a fair trial outside Moldova and will find a lawful ruling," he said. Filat, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2013, is credited with putting Moldova on a pro-European path by signing an association agreement with the European Union. But an enduring economic crisis and perceived corruption in the ruling elite pushed his public trust rating into single digits. He says he has become a scapegoat over the banking scandal, which weakened Moldova's currency and damaged living standards in what was already Europe's poorest country. The crisis has held up the disbursement of valuable budget support from international lenders and highlighted the corrosive rivalry between oligarch groups in Moldova. The appointment of a new prime minister in January with close ties to Vladimir Plahotniuc, one of Moldova's richest and most unpopular public figures, angered opposition lawmakers and citizens, who wanted a snap parliamentary election. (Reuters)

Moldovan court jails ex-PM for 9 years for abuse of power

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