International brief ~ Kenya outlaws opposition rallies, dismisses new elections News
International brief ~ Kenya outlaws opposition rallies, dismisses new elections

[JURIST] Leading Monday's international brief, Kenyan Vice-President Moody Awori has announced that the Kenyan government is outlawing all rallies by the Orange Movement, the anti-constitution coalition that handed Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki [official profile] a solid defeat [JURIST report] in last week's referendum [JURIST report]. Awori said that the ban reflected the government's position that the referendum was simply a vote on the proposed constitution, not a reflection of the populace's approval of the government. As well as inappropriate, Awori said the call for mass demonstrations by Orange leaders was a threat to national security and thus all demonstrations were outlawed. Awori also said that the government was rejecting calls for the dismissal of Parliament and the holding of snap elections. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Kenya [JURIST news archive]. Kenya's East African Standard has local coverage.

In other international legal news …

  • The South African extradition hearing for Ibrahim Abubaker Tantoush, a Libyan with alleged links to the al Qaeda terrorist organization, was taken off the court docket Monday after the Central Prosecuting Authority confirmed that South African President Thabo Mbeki [official profile] had not given his consent for the hearing. Mbeki's consent is required under South African law since South Africa and Libya, where Tantoush is wanted on criminal charges, do not share an extradition agreement. Tantoush's lawyer is arguing that his client cannot be removed from South Africa until his application for political asylum is decided. The UN Convention on the Status of Refugees [text] allows governments to deny asylum to otherwise worthy individuals if they are reasonably believed to have committed a serious crime prior to applying for refugee status. Tantoush was picked up on charges of using a fake passport and then detained when the Interpol warrant against him was discovered. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of South Africa [JURIST news archive]. South Africa's News 24 has local coverage.
  • Police officials in Nepal conducted a raid on Radio Sagarmatha [media website], the first independently-owned community radio station in Nepal, for allegedly "airing programmes that encourage terrorists and terrorism against Section 15 (d) and (i) of the National Broadcasting Act- 2049 BS and the licence provided to the radio station." The letter from the Ministry of Information and Communication [official website] left at the radio station accused personnel of attempting to air an interview of Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal concerning the recent political understandings reached between the Maoists and the Seven-part Alliance. All radio stations in Nepal were also simultaneously banned from carrying the BBC Nepali Service. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Nepal [JURIST news archive]. Kantipur Online has local coverage.