Death of Model after Party Shines Spotlight on Murky Part of Thailand's Entertainment Sector
The Japan Times - Bangkok, Thailand, 9/30/2019
Thai police investigating a model’s unexplained death are hunting for more suspects in a case that has sparked rare outrage over the treatment of women in a poorly understood sector of the entertainment industry. The body of model Thitima Noraphanpiphat was found in the lobby of a Bangkok apartment block, hours after she attended a party where she was paid to serve drinks. This has fuelled a conversation around the ‘pretty’ industry in Thailand, which hires promotional models to attend clubs, parties, etc. But critics say it exists in a legal gray area where women at these parties can be coerced into sex or raped under the influence of alcohol. As the inquiry widens, authorities hope the case will fuel more conversations around this.
Divorce on Grounds of Desertion Subject to Maintenance: SC
India Today - New Delhi, India, 9/29/2019
The Supreme Court of India on September 28, 2019, ruled that a wife, who has been divorced on the ground of desertion, is entitled to claim maintenance from her ex-husband. A bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta dismissed the petitioner's (husband) plea to refer the matter to a larger bench. ‘This view has been consistently taken by this Court and the said view is in line with both the letter and spirit of the Code of Criminal Procedure,’ said the court. The petitioner (the husband) had in his appeal cited that the law says that a wife who has deserted her husband cannot claim maintenance under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. But the apex court declined to entertain contentions raised by the husband.
Saudi to Impose Fines for Tight Clothes, Kissing In Public
NDTV - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 9/29/2019
Saudi Arabia on September 28, 2019 said it would impose fines for violations of ‘public decency’, including ‘immodest clothing’ and public displays of affection, a day after the kingdom opened up to foreign tourists. The interior ministry said it had identified 19 such ‘offences’ but did not specify the penalties, as the ultra-conservative Islamic country begins issuing tourist visas for the first time as part of a push to diversify its oil-reliant economy. ‘The new regulations require men and women to dress modestly and to refrain from public displays of affection. Women are free to choose modest clothing,’ a statement said. While the opening up of Saudi Arabia to tourists has received some positive reactions from citizens, it continues to uphold conservative rules such as this.
Transgender and Homosexual Fans 'Welcome' at 2022 FIFA World Cup, Affirms Qatar
News18 - Doha, Qatar, 9/27/2019
A top Qatari World Cup official has said that transgender and gay fans would be welcomed to the 2022 tournament to be held in the country. Same-sex sexual acts are banned in Qatar, although laws around transgender people are more unclear, and these issues are seldom addressed by government or other authorities. However, while responding to media questions on September 26, 2019 about the position of transgender fans who might want to attend the World Cup but are unclear what legal and human rights protections they will have, the World Cup official stated the safety and security of every LGBTQ fan will be ensured. However, LGBTQ issues remain sensitive in Qatar, so it is yet to be seen how this promise is put in practice.
Afghan Women Fear Mandatory Poll Photos Could Stop Them from Voting
Reuters, Afghanistan, 9/26/2019
Afghan women’s rights activists have demanded the authorities lift a requirement that all voters be photographed at polling stations in Saturday’s presidential election, arguing that it could prevent hundreds of thousands of women from voting. Afghanistan’s electoral authorities have decided to photograph all voters using facial recognition software as an anti-fraud measure, but the photo requirement could be particularly difficult for women, especially in areas where most adult women and older girls cover their faces in public. The election commission says that women voters can have their pictures taken by female staff, but at least 1,450 of the nearly 30,000 polling stations employ no women. Hence, 18 women’s rights groups have separately written to the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to call for this to be scrapped.
Singapore Activist Files Legal Challenge Against Gay Sex Ban
New Indian Express, Singapore, 9/25/2019
A Singaporean gay rights activist on September 25, 2019, filed a legal challenge against a law banning same-sex sexual acts, the third recent bid to overturn the legislation. The law - known as Section 377A of the penal code - was inherited from the British colonial era but is rarely enforced in Singapore. Campaigners in the city-state have renewed efforts to do away with it since India's Supreme Court in September 2018 decriminalised gay sex by overturning a statute from its own period under British rule. The latest court challenge was filed by Roy Tan, a 61-year-old retired doctor, who argues the law is unconstitutional and can lead to gay people feeling socially isolated and depressed, while also fuelling negative media representation of the LGBT community.
In a First, this Madurai Library Aids Scholars to Take Up Research on Transgender Issues
Bangalore Mirror – Chennai, India, 9/24/2019
For the first time in India, a library is actively working with colleges and educational institutions in encouraging and aiding PhD and M.Phil students to choose topics related to transgender issues and rights for their research. The library has about 170 books exclusively on transgender issues besides paper clippings right from 1999, court orders, short films and documentaries. The library is a part of Transgender Resource Centre functioning at Viswanathapuram in Madurai since 2016. What started off as an awareness programme to help young trans and gender non-conforming adolescents who drop out of school, the centre has now grown to the level of signing MoUs with colleges and conducting seminars and conferences. The library is the latest in its efforts to ensure more awareness around trans issues.
Thousands Rally Against Indonesian Bill to Ban Extra-Marital Sex
Reuters – Jakarta, Indonesia, 9/23/2019
Thousands of students protested at rallies across Indonesia on September 23, 2019, against a new criminal code that would outlaw sex outside marriage and gay sex, as lawmakers met the president to discuss how to proceed with a bill that has divided Indonesians. The revisions to the country’s criminal code, which has not been updated since its inception during the Dutch colonial-era, also include a four-year jail term for abortions in the absence of a medical emergency or rape, and a prison term for black magic. Students rallied in the capital Jakarta - where some climbed the gates of the parliament to hang banners - and cities including Yogyakarta, in central Java, and Makassar, on Sulawesi island, to oppose the bill.
UP: Woman Panels to Visit Districts for Feedback on Improving Safety
The Indian Express - Lucknow, India, 9/22/2019
To address women’s issues in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government will soon constitute several panels of senior women officers who will visit each of the 75 districts for three days and submit their feedback and recommendations. Each of the panels will consist of three women officials and is expected to hold meetings with district level officials, police as well as women at the village level. The plan is aimed at helping the government frame better policies on women empowerment and their safety. The issues the panels will delve into will mainly be crimes against women like sexual harassment and domestic abuse, while also their health, education and employment opportunities, among others. After submitting reports, the panels will revisit the urban and rural areas for a follow-up.
Moroccan Journalist’s Trial for Illegal Abortion Sparks Heated Debate about Individual Rights
The Arab Weekly, Morocco, 9/21/2019
The trial of journalist Hajar Raissouni for ‘illegal abortion’ and ‘extramarital sex’ has divided Moroccans about individual liberty amid calls for changing the penal code that bars sex before marriage and abortion. Raissouni, 28, who writes for an Arabic-language newspaper, has been detained since August 31, 2019, after she allegedly underwent an abortion at a clinic in Rabat, and is currently on trial. Her Sudanese partner and doctor are also in custody. She could be sentenced to two years in prison if found guilty. Raissouni’s case has intensified public debate on the patriarchal nature of several criminal law provisions in Morocco, that violate the privacy of individuals (specially women) and restrict their freedoms, leading to heated conversations around the same both online and offline.
News Archives
2022
248