perestroika

joined 2 years ago
[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 6 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Nope. That makes it somewhat odd.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 21 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (5 children)

This is not a special law against antisemitism. This is a generic law against incitement of hate and discrimination, with more serious punishments if violence is done, or if a group does it, or if serious consequences happen.

They added the word "anti-semitism" to the list of forbidden forms of incitement (it already forbade inciting ethnic and religous hate).

The Israeli newspaper makes it sound special, but it really is not.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Details can be found here:

Alteration: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2037-IX

Paragraph one of Part One of Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rada of Ukraine, 2001, No. 25-26, p. 131) shall be supplemented with the words "manifestations of anti-Semitism" after the words "honor and dignity".

Code: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2341-14#Text

They upgraded paragraph 161 of the criminal code of Ukraine. It forbids discrimination, specifies punishments for deliberately inciting hate, and more severe punishments if the inciter also does violence or if the incitement leads to severe consequences.

Notably, so far it did not contain the word "antisemitism" and inciting hate against Jewish people was considered either as inciting ethnic, national or religious hate, according to the context. Now antisemitism is mentioned. No protected group is given more protection. I'm not sure if I agree with the wording (how does antisemitism differ from what was already forbidden?). But it's fairly standard text for an average European country.

Article 161. Violation of the equality of citizens depending on their racial, national, regional affiliation, religious beliefs, disability and on other grounds

  1. Intentional actions aimed at inciting national, regional, racial or religious enmity and hatred, at humiliating national honor and dignity, or insulting the feelings of citizens in connection with their religious beliefs, as well as direct or indirect restriction of the rights or establishment of direct or indirect privileges of citizens on the grounds of race, skin color, political, religious and other beliefs, gender, disability, ethnic and social origin, property status, place of residence, on language or other grounds -

shall be punishable by a fine of two hundred to five hundred non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens or restriction of liberty for a term of up to five years, or imprisonment for a term of up to three years, with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years or without it.

  1. The same actions, combined with violence, fraud or threats, as well as committed by an official, -

shall be punished by a fine of five hundred to one thousand tax-free minimum incomes of citizens or by imprisonment for a term of two to five years, with or without deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years.

  1. The actions provided for in parts one or two of this article, which were committed by an organized group of persons or caused grave consequences, -

shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of five to eight years.

Note. In this article, regional affiliation should be understood as a person's affiliation by birth or residence to a region - part of the territory of Ukraine or a territory of compact settlement of Ukrainians outside the territory of Ukraine - that differs from other territories by a number of historical, geographical, linguistic and other features.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 26 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (8 children)

I'm really happy that Hungarians got their wannabe president-for-life kicked out peacefully. :)

Regarding Russia - Putin's popularity is in a clear downward dive, but a dive from very high altitude (he has built a formidable propaganda machinery and brainwashed people severely) so it will take time. His regime currently has almost full control of Internet use in Russia, so the only channels which can operate freely are VPN tunnels to services hosted abroad (Telegram being most popular). I hope self-organizing mesh networks will also offer a challenge in cities, but that remains to be seen.

Sadly, unlike Orban, Putin has also rebuilt the system so that he can order arbitrary violence (e.g. poisonings). As a result, most likely in Russia, when time comes, it will be bloody. But there's a positive thing about Putin: he's old and might just die one day (or touch the wrong door handle without gloves, if others near him decide he's too old), opening an avenue for peaceful change.

Trump will be kicked out, I'm 95% sure of that. But Americans will have to rethink the role and authority of the president quite soon after that. And I mean limiting it.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 39 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

If the French embassy does not manage to resolve this, given her age, sadly I think ICE will detain her to death.

Whoever snitched (it's obvious from the article) should experience big setbacks in life.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 days ago

Considering what has managed to happen during this year, I would sadly expect dramatic growth.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Back in the days, the US could make things unwinnable for the USSR in Afghanistan. This is a similar situation. If China wants, it can make victory impossible for the US in Iran.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 41 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

Yay. :)

I also note the turnout is huge, in the early evening, 75% of eligible people had voted.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 11 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Signed, and I notice that they have 894 339 signatures of the 1 M required.

Having to discuss the measure does not guarantee passing it, though, so I caution against premature optimism.

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

This is not "spread of communism". Vietnam is a one-party communist state.

They just re-elected a guy or gave him a new title (with more power).

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Trump "confirms" so many things, but few of them are true. None of Iranian Kurdish parties have confirmed receiving arms.

The absolutely only instance I have seen of protesters in Iran being armed with firearms (and I've watched a lot of footage), was a day-time protest in the Kurdish-majority mountainous borderland. Since there was a risk of authorities spilling blood, 4 old guys (appearance well over 50 years of age) in traditional clothing were present at a protest in an open area, carrying hunting rifles which looked older than the guys. They could have, theoretically, bought time for others to escape by offering some counter-fire for a minute or two. But on that protest, authorities did not attack. Probably because the whole town was Kurdish and cops decided to stay home.

Also I apologize for re-posting, but:

Kurdish Iranian opposition groups deny claims of receiving weapons from US

Mohammed Nazif Qaderi, a senior official from the opposition Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), told Rudaw that “those statements made are baseless and we haven't received any weapons.

/.../

Kako Aliyar, a member of the leadership committee of the Kurdish Iranian opposition party Komala, told Rudaw that "as our own party, no weapons have come to us and we haven't received anything, we're not even aware of the matter.

/.../

Amjad Hussein Panahi, head of communications for Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan, also told Rudaw, “We assure you we haven't received a single bullet or weapon from any country or place, and we're not aware of the existence of such a thing; what we have is our own.”

/.../

Hamno Naqshbandi, a member of the general command of the Kurdistan National Army affiliated with the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), said that “Donald Trump's message is unclear to us. What is there is that we as our army have in no way received weapons from the US or any other country, not even a single bullet."

[–] perestroika@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 week ago

In case someone thinks the UAE are good guys, well, they support RSF (former Janjaweed) in Sudan. They try to conceal it well.

 

NYT reports that one of the US aircraft carriers has to withdraw to port due to a laundry room fire. About 600 sailors lost access to their bunks.

The fire, according to two officials, began in the vent of a dryer in the ship’s laundry facilities and quickly spread. Sailors battled the blaze for more than 30 hours, officials and sailors said.

The Navy did not respond to a request for comment. Central Command said in its statement that the fire caused “no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational.”

 

The Trump administration has been in active discussions with Iranian opposition groups and Kurdish leaders in Iraq about providing them with military support, the sources said.

Iranian Kurdish armed groups have thousands of forces operating along the Iraq-Iran border, primarily in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Several of the groups have released public statements since the beginning of the war hinting at imminent action and urging Iranian military forces to defect. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been striking Kurdish groups and said on Tuesday that it targeted Kurdish forces with dozens of drones.

 

"Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you (Afghanistan)," Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Friday.

The strikes threaten to unleash a protracted conflict along the 2,600-km (1,615-mile) frontier with relations between Kabul and Islamabad shattered by a long-running dispute over Pakistan's accusation that Afghanistan harbours militants carrying out attacks across the border.

 

Two women have been arrested and detained in Uganda after allegedly kissing in public, an act of “same-sex activity” which can lead to a life sentence in the east African country.

 

Summary: according Guardian, the vice president and her brother appear to have promised cooperation after Maduro's fall, but not assistance in making him fall.

According to Reuters, the interior minister also participated in some talks with US officials, the content of which isn't mentioned.

 

Summary: the ceasefire did not hold, Kurds are withdrawing and doing a general mobilization, Kobani is under siege, imprisoned Islamic State fighters broke out of an abandoned prison, etc. The Syrian civil war has basically started again.

 

State media said on Saturday that the army took over the northern city of Tabqa and its adjacent dam, as well as the major Freedom dam, formerly known as the Baath, west of the Syrian city of Raqaa. It came despite US calls to halt the advance.

 

Summary: Republicans are 50/50, everyone else is strongly opposed.

 

Summary: the Iranian government has intensely used lethal force on protesters. In Tehran alone, several hundred people have been killed. In the whole country - most likely several times more.

 

Summary: the ICE agent Jonathan Ross was not in danger of getting run over when he killed Renee Good. He came in contact with the car, but could clearly see that the driver was steering away from him. Regardless, he shot 3 times, once after being passed by.

 

As strikes and protests spread to several major cities across Iran on Wednesday, the head of the judiciary threatened to intensify crackdowns and prosecute protesters.

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