The German Bundestrat approved the Cannabis Act Friday to decriminalize limited personal cannabis consumption and cultivation, allowing the act to go into effect on April 1. The act was previously approved by the Bundestag in February. The act seeks to better regulate cannabis consumption and combat organized crime. The act requires a cultivation association to [...]
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ECJ declares the mandatory inclusion of fingerprints on ID cards legal under EU law
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday that the mandatory inclusion of fingerprints on identity cards is in contravention of the fundamental rights of respect for private life and the protection of personal data. The ECJ noted that the requirement to get fingerprints recorded is intrinsic for issuing identity cards as it will [...]
The German state of Bavaria banned Tuesday the use of “gender-sensitive” language in schools and universities. Ministers expressed that while they want to uphold gender equality in language, the use of symbols within words could impact comprehensibility and have therefore banned the practice. The ban was passed by the Council of Ministers in Bavaria to [...]
Explainer Part II: The Israel-Hamas War and the International Court of Justice
The ongoing conflict engulfing Israel and Palestine continues to raise significant issues of international law and policy. My earlier contribution focused on the jurisdiction and substantive law of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Here I address the ongoing litigation before the International Court of Justice (ICJ or Court). Because the crime of genocide can be [...]
Civil liberties network report highlights decline of rule of law in EU
The Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) published its Liberties Rule of Law Report 2024 on Monday, in which the organization raised concerns about the declining state of the rule of law and weakening democratic checks and balances across the EU. Liberties, headquartered in Berlin, is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that promotes civil liberties for [...]
Dr. Asaf Lubin, an Associate Professor of Law at Indiana University Maurer School of Law, brings extensive expertise in international law, cybersecurity, and information warfare. With affiliations at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Yale Law School’s Information Society Project, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Federmann Cyber Security Research Center, he [...]
Swiss police bar far-right Austria activist from speaking at event
Swiss police blocked a far-right Austrian political activist from delivering a speech at an event on Saturday. Martin Sellner, the leader of the nationalist Identitarian Movement of Austria, was invited by a far-right Swiss group called “Junge Tat” to deliver a speech in the Swiss canton of Aargau but was issued an entry ban by [...]
The US Department of State imposed arms restrictions Thursday on the import or export of US-origin weapons and services from or to Nicaragua. In a statement to the press, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller cited “brutal repression” and “recent sham elections” as ongoing concerns for the Biden administration, vowing to continue to use “diplomatic and [...]
Kyrgyzstan adopts bill modeled after Russia 'foreign agents' law
The Parliament of Kyrgyzstan passed a bill modeled after Russia’s “foreign agents” law on Thursday, increasing the government’s oversight of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The law will require anyone receiving foreign donations to label themselves a “foreign representative” and follow tighter guidelines when documenting their activities. The bill specifically targets NGOs receiving foreign funding, and it requires [...]
European Parliament adopts Media Freedom Act in move to protect journalists
The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted the Media Freedom Act to protect journalists and press freedoms. The new law was adopted with 464 votes in favor, 92 against and 65 abstentions. The act forbids EU member states from compelling journalists to disclose their sources and deploying surveillance spyware against journalists. A new European Board for [...]