The Legal Research Society

Call for Papers The Legal Research Society is organizing an Essay Competition and invites all postgraduate law students from the University of Aberdeen to participate. – Engage in Research! – Submit an excellent Essay! – Win a valuable Prize (worth of £100)! – We welcome essays in the areas of EU Law , Private and Commercial Law and Public International Law . The essays should be of approximately 3,500 words and they should be sent to k.bashir@abdn.ac.uk by February 14th, 2009 . All taught and research postgraduate law students are eligible to participate provided that they have not graduated by the time of the deadline of submission. Essays will be assessed on the basis of excellence and depth of analysis, of critical thought, of evidence of extensive reading and of superior understanding of the issue. The winners in each subject area will be chosen and proclaimed in the beginning of March 2009 and a celebratory event will be held shortly afterwards. The prizes to be won a

Moving Forward The 6 th College of Arts & Social Sciences Postgraduate Conference University of Aberdeen , Scotland , UK 21 – 22 July 2009 Drawing on the success of the past five events, the Moving Forward organising committee are delighted to announce that the 6th CASS postgraduate conference will take place at the University of Aberdeen on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 July 2009 . Its aim is to bring together postgraduate research students from different universities across the UK , and further a field, to debate common issues and problems and to establish lasting contacts. In previous years there has been a truly international flavour: the conference has attracted quite brilliant delegates from prestigious universities across the world. The conference is designed to provide an opportunity to present work in a supportive and relaxed atmosphere and to discuss various findings and theories amongst fellow peers in the disciplines

December 10, marked the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights . Most people assume this day that the guarantee of human rights is an essential feature of all civilized societies. In order to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the LRS will host a roundtable discussion on ‘Human Rights: Universalism vs. Relativism’. Time: Monday, 15th December, from 4 pm until 6 pm Location : MacRobert Building 252 The UDHR enshrines universal rights that apply to all humans equally. 60 years ago, while the fledgling U.N. General Assembly ultimately passed the UDHR by 48-0 vote, a huge diplomatic effort was required to get disparate nations to agree on exactly what "human rights" are or should be. Communist countries proffered one view, while capitalist and Islamic countries had their own perspectives. Proponents of cultural relativism argue for acceptance of differe

To round off the year with a light and entertaining last movie night, on Wednesday 17th of December from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm in TAYLOR C11 (opposite to Taylor library entry) the LRS will screen “ Le Dîner de cons” ( The Dinner of Idiots ), a French comedy of the year 1998. Imagine your friend takes you to a nice dinner of a bunch of people, but the thing you don't know is that your freakiness and originality are supposed to make for a big laugh for the people around you. If you thought the French are not good at making comedies Le Dîner de cons will make you think again. The film won three awards (best actor, best supporting actor, best producer) at the national film award of France César Award in 1999. You are very welcome to come along and enjoy the movie and the refreshments.

On Wednesday 10th of December from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm in TAYLOR C11 (opposite to Taylor library entry) The LRS will screen a movie titled “Workingman's Death”. After the film we will have the opportunity to talk about the film and the issues it raises. Is heavy manual labour disappearing or is it just becoming invisible? Where can we still find it in the 21st century? Workingman's Death follows the trail of the HEROES in the illegal mines of the Ukraine , sniffs out GHOST among the sulphur workers in Indonesia , finds itself face to face with LIONS at a slaughterhouse in Nigeria , mingles with BROTHERS as they cut a huge oil tanker into pieces in Pakistan , and joins Chinese steel workers in hoping for a glorious FUTURE. Even though it's the twenty-first century, the director wants us to know that a lot of workers across the world have not benefited from the advancement in technology . You are very welcome to come along and enjoy the movie and the refreshments.

On Wednesday 3 rd of December from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm in TAYLOR C11 (opposite to Taylor library entry) The LRS will screen a movie titled “Lion of the Desert” Lion of the Desert is a 1981 historical film starring Anthony Quinn as Libyan tribal leader Omar Mukhtar who led the Libyan resistance against the Italian oppressors from 1911-1931. In 1982 the Italian authorities banned and censored the movie because, it was "damaging to the Italian Army's honour". The Movie will be preceded by a Historical and legal overview (the concept of ‘ jihad ’, International Law of War ) delivered by Khaled Bashir and Ahmed Hassanein , also there will be a discussion after the movie. You are very welcome to come along and enjoy the movie and the refreshments.

On Wednesday 26 th of November from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm in TAYLOR C11 (opposite to Taylor library entry) The LRS will screen a movie titled “No Country for Old Men” No Country for Old Men tells the story of a botched drug deal and the ensuing cat-and-mouse drama, as three men crisscross each other's paths in the desert landscape of 1980 West Texas . The film examines the themes of fate and circumstance the Coen brothers have previously explored in Blood Simple and Fargo . No Country for Old Men has been highly praised by critics . Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called it "as good a film as the Coen brothers...have ever made." Guardian journalist John Patterson said the film proved "that the Coens' technical abilities, and their feel for a landscape-based Western classicism reminiscent of Anthony Mann and Sam Peckinpah, are matched by few living directors." The film was honoured with numerous awards , garnering three British A

On Friday 21 November 5-7pm, Taylor A17 the LRS will host a presentation delivered by Nasser Alghitta, under the title:- " Africa : from the human rights commission to the court – really a step forward or just a make-up?" Abstract The presentation theme is to examine the African system of the protection of human rights to establish what the weaknesses of the system are. It also assesses the system against the more advanced regional system which is the European system of the protection of human rights. Originally the African system entrusted a commission to oversee the implementation of the African charter of human and people's rights. However after years of operation it has become clearer that the commission is not ideally suited for the job. A proposal to establish a court had been put forward. On June 9, 1998, in Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso , the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) adopted a Protocol to

On Thursday 13th November from 6pm until 8pm in TAYLOR C11 (opposite the Taylor library entry) The LRS will screen a movie titled “ The Constant Gardener ”. Gripping and intelligent entertainment, this is a dramatic thriller of sex, lies and dirty politics in modern Africa . Based on a book by espionage novelist John le Carré and directed by Fernando Mereilles (City of God ) the film blends high tension with social conscience, giving a human face to the West's exploitation of the Third World . For more information about the movie click here . The screening will be followed by a brief discussion which will be moderated by Paula Herm and Ahmed Hassanein . You are very welcome to come along and enjoy the movie and the refreshments ( free of charge) !

On Thursday 6th November at 6pm TAYLOR C11 (opposite the Taylor library entry) The LRS will screen a movie titled “Why we fight” The film was directed by Eugene Jarecki and has won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. It is an unflinching look at the anatomy of the American war machine , weaving unforgettable personal stories with commentary by a “who’s who” of military and beltway insiders. The film moves beyond the headlines of various American military operations to the deeper questions of why – why does American fight? What are the forces – political, economic, and ideological – that drive “us” to fight against an ever-changing enemy? The movie will be followed by a brief discussion which will be moderated by Paula and Khaled. You are very welcome to come along and enjoy the movie and the refreshments ( free of charge )!

On Thursday 30 October at 4pm in Taylor C24 the LRS will host its first roundtable discussion of this academic year. The topic will be the current financial crisis looked at from a legal point of view. The event will be of interest to anyone interested in the interrelation between law and economics, the role of government regulation and thus the intersection of private and public law in the field of banking and global finance. Su Jieche will give an introduction to the topic explaining the background of the credit crunch, the rescue plans and the role of the state in bank insolvency. His talk will be followed by a discussion moderated by Bo Yin . This is a chance to discuss this burning issue, join the society and enjoy the refreshments. All welcome!

To the surprise of many today, Aljazeera reported that the US defence secretary, Robert Gates, has said that “his country would `ultimately’ be prepared to reconcile with the Taliban group to end the conflict in Afghanistan”. Since the beginning of the so called 'war on terror' the question of how effective non-governmental groups are in shaping International Law has been repeatedly raised. Dr Aspremont, from Leiden University, further argues “In research circles, there is an impression that over the last twenty years international law has been shaped much less by nations and much more by non-state actors”. The reoccurrence of Pre-emptive wars, the breach of International Humanitarian Law and many more issues reflect the need to re-tackle the question without delay. to read more about the topic visit: www.news.leiden.edu/who-shapes-international-law.jsp

Since I'll be taking up a lectureship at a university in a neighbouring city next week, this will be my last post on this blog. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who was involved in setting up the LRS and keeping it going for the past two years, as well as all those who supported the Society. It's been a truly enriching experience to see the Society become a fixture in the School of Law. I wish you all the best of luck in keeping the Society going.

On Tuesday 02 September the Legal Research Society will host what is sure to be a fascinating paper by another of our co-founders, Jernej Letnar Cernic: Tuesday 02 September, 3pm, Taylor C16 Jernej Letnar Cernic, 'The Prosecution of Crimes Against Humanity committed in Slovenia after the Second World War - The Prosecutor v. Mitja Ribičič case before the Slovenian Courts' Abstract : This presentation examines the recent decision by the Slovenian Courts in the case of Prosecutor v. Mitja Ribičič concerning alleged commission of crimes against humanity in the Slovenian territory in the months following the end of the Second World War. As many as one hundred thirty thousands person are estimated to have been extra-judicially killed in the months following the end of the Second World War by Secret Police controlled by Yugoslav Communist Party. Mass grave sites numbering between four and five hundred have been so far found on the Slovenian territory. In August 2006, the Sloven

I have a lot of respect for the Maryland Court of Appeals and its recent decision in Thomas L. Clancy, Jr. v. W and T. King . The case has to do with whether the author Tom Clancy violated his fiduciary duties by withdrawing from a book series. That, however, is not the reason for why the Maryland Court deserves respect. In the case, the judges cite, as an example of bad faith in contract, Jerry Seinfeld and his conduct in the episode the Wig Master . The judges refer to the dispute Jerry has with a store clerk when he tries to return an expensive jacket because of “spite” and refer to Jerry’s reason as an example of breach of the duty to act in good faith toward the other party to a contract. This is a brilliant example of sound legal reasoning made available to non-lawyers. The Wall Street Journal’s Law blog has the story and you can read the decision here .

Although term start is still a few weeks away, the Legal Research Society kick starts this academic year with a presentation by founding member J ustin Borg Barthet titled “ How Corporate Europe was Built in Kirchberg: An overview of AG Maduro's Opinion in Cartesio ". The presentation will take place on Monday August 25 (sorry for the short notice) at 14.00 in Taylor Building room C16. Here is the abstract: This presentation addresses the opinion of Advocate General Maduro (ECJ) in Case C‑210/06 Cartesio Oktató és Szolgáltató bt . The case concerns the refusal of the Hungarian courts to allow a Hungarian limited partnership to transfer its operational headquarters to Italy while remaining incorporated under Hungarian law. In keeping with the flow of liberalisation that began with the ECJ's judgment in Centros , AG Maduro finds that the Hungarian law at issue constitutes an unjustified restriction on freedom of establishment as provided in Articles 43 and 48 of the EC

I t is with enormous pleasure that I take this opportunity to congratulate our colleague and LRS member Ian Taggart on having his pub lication cited in a House of Lords decision ( Doherty (Fc) and Others V Birmingham City Council , [2008] UKHL 57 , at para. 31 ). The decision concerns Gypsies/ Travellers and their rights under Article 8 European Convention on Human Rights. Ian's Article ' One Scotland Many Cultures?' was published in the SCOLAG Legal Journal, March 2008, pp. 66/ 67 . It is part of his extensive research into Travellers' rights in Scotland. His previous survey ' Moving on - again? ' , compiled in summer 2007 as part of his thesis, is available on the Aberdeenshire Council website. Ian's research related to the Council's community planning processes. Very well done, Ian! PS: Subsequent to our blog entry, the Scottish Legal News also reported the citation of Ian's SCOLAG article. For their news item, please click here .

Today's edition of The Times leads with an interesting piece about criminal defences in murder trials. It is being proposed that the partial defence of provocation should be reframed by repealing the defence of sudden passion and introducing a partial defence for defendants who have been victimised. In a 2004 report the Law Commission framed the issue as follows: We think that the defence as it presently operates is in some respects too broad and in other respects too narrow. We think that it is too broad in that it can apply to conduct by the victim which is blameless or trivial. It is too narrow in that it provides no defence to a person who is subjected to serious actual or threatened violence, who acts in genuine fear for his or her safety (but not under sudden and immediate loss of self-control) and who is not entitled to the full defence of selfdefence (either because the danger is insufficiently imminent or their response is judged to have been excessive). We are satisfi

This blog has gone through a rather lengthy hiatus, for which we apologise to the dedicated handful that check back regularly. Unfortunately our contributors’ busy schedules have not allowed regular blogging. That being said, a slightly contradictory statement from the EU’s Tax Commissioner inspired a quick break from my work. The Commission has proposed an increase in excise duty on cigarettes in order to reflect inflation and combat consumption (more on the story at the EUObserver ), as commendable an initiative as any. The Commissioner stated that "Substantial differences in tax and price levels of tobacco products lead to considerable cross-border shopping and intra-community smuggling...These differences undermined the budgetary and health objectives of the Member States and resulted in a distortion of the functioning of the Internal Market". The contradiction, small as it is, lies in the Commissioner’s reference to the ‘functioning of the internal market’. Certain

Although a right to “sexual pleasure” usually does not fare among traditional rights enshrined in constitutions, such a right was nevertheless proposed by a female member of the Ecuadorian parliament when debating a forthcoming new constitution. Reuters report that the idea behind the proposal was to facilitate gender equality and to avoid sexual violence. Ultimately, however, and in spite of this noble cause, the proposal failed.

Yesterday’s quarrel, conducted in the open through the media, between Shami Chakrabarti, Director of the UK based human rights group Liberty, and Culture Secretary Andy Burnham over the decision by Tory MP David Davies to stand down and call an election over his parliamentary seat in light of the government’s successful attempt to increase the number of days that terror suspects can be held before being charged to 42, brings to mind Harvard Professor David Kennedy’s excellent 2002 essay The International Human Rights Movement: Part of the Problem . Although the paper relates to international issues, there might be a few pointers relevant for the UK human rights movement and its choice of methods of advocacy. In light of popular opposition to the Human Rights Act in the UK and pledges by the Tories that they will consider scrapping it once in office , it could be questioned whether the UK human rights movement has itself to partly thank for this situation. For instance, high profil

Professor Charles Wyplosz has a very interesting and succinct piece in yesterday’s Financial Times on the rejection of the Lisbon treaty by the Irish voters. Interestingly, Wyplosz argues, when discussing whether certain EU issues and questions are unsuited for national referendums due to complexity, that European voters are merely cynical as rejection of grand EU policies, be it the failed constitution or treaties, is the only way in which citizens of Europe get to have a say in the Union’s policy. This is a point regularly overlooked in the frantic discussions that often follow popular refusal to vote Yes to the various EU policies.

‘A day will come when all the nations of this continent, without losing their distinct qualities or their glorious individuality, will fuse together in a higher unity and form the European brotherhood. A day will come when the only battlefield will be the market-place for competing ideas. A day will come when bullets and bombs will be replaced by votes.’Now Victor Hugo’s predictions in 1849 come true. The 21st century offers brighter prospects to European Union. According to Victor Hugo’s words, it seems that the territorial proximity within the same continent is an important element of establishing a Union. Moving to the Asia-Pacific, do you think it is possible to establish a Union, which is similar to European Union, among China, Japan and etc.? Discuss.

Early indications from Ireland point towards a rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by the Irish people. The BBC has the latest . UPDATE: While it is likely that Ireland will face significant criticism in EU circles for turning down the Lisbon Treaty, and arguments in Brussels are likely to go along the lines of “after all we have done fore Ireland” and “with all the money they have received”, polls indicate that many voters have voted no simply because they claim that they did not understand the Treaty. In this light, it is evident that the Irish Yes campaign and its supporters from across Europe has failed in pointing out the benefits of the Treaty to the Irish voters.

A poll published today in the Irish Times indicates that this is not as far fledged a scenario as most Eurocrats would have thought likely. The Irish will vote on the Lisbon Treaty, as the only country, next week. Currently, the number of people intending to vote No has almost risen to 35 per cent whereas the Yes side stands at 30 per cent. Although undecided voters still amount to a massive 28 per cent, the surge in support for the No side is striking. If indeed the Irish decide to turn down the Treaty, this is likely to be a significant chock to Brussels and will undoubtedly deliver a big blow to the EU, given that it is not yet clear what will happen should the Lisbon Treaty fail to be incorporated in all 27 countries; European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is today by Reuters quoted as saying “there is no plan B”.

A new ECHR blog has been launched by Antoine Buyse of the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights. It looks as a really good place for updates and commentary on recent ECtHR decisions and adds a much needed ECHR space to the blogosphere. Worth a look.

The Programme and Abstracts for the 5th CASS Postgraduate Conference are now available at the Conference website . The Conference will be held at the University of Aberdeen on June 11-12. Jernej Letnar Cernic, the Law Section Coordinator, explains that this year's Law Section is the largest yet. The Law Section features participants from four continents, and will address a wide range of topics including Human Rights, International Law, International Criminal Law, European Law, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law and Arbitration Law. Many thanks and congratulations to the Organising Committee , particularly the Law Section organisers: Jernej Letnar Cernic, Gerd Koehler and Alessia Vacca.

Advocate General Maduro (ECJ) today delivered his opinion in Case C‑210/06 Cartesio Oktató és Szolgáltató bt , a reference for a preliminary ruling from a Hungarian Court of Appeal. The case concerns the compatibility of the real seat theory with Articles 43 and 48 EC. The relevant question referred is the following: ‘(4(a)) If a company, constituted in Hungary under Hungarian company law and entered in the Hungarian commercial register, wishes to transfer its seat to another Member State of the European Union, is the regulation of this field within the scope of Community law or, in the absence of the harmonisation of laws, is national law exclusively applicable? (b) May a Hungarian company request transfer of its seat to another Member State of the European Union relying directly on community law (Articles 43 [EC] and 48 [EC])? If the answer is affirmative, may the transfer of the seat be made subject to any kind of condition or authorisation by the Member State of o

Thursday 22 May, 5pm, Taylor A19 Jernej Letnar Cernic, 'Fundamental Human Rights Obligations of Corporations' Abstract: This paper argues that fundamental human right obligations of corporations derive primarily from national legal orders and only secondarily from international level, whereas both draw their foundations from international value system. The tenets of every normative system are principles and rules that create rights and obligations of the subjects/participants of that system. Validity of any positive norm derives its legal authority from the membership in a legal order, which gives it a binding force. Legal authority means a source of law where a positive law norm is derived from. Legal scholarship has so far predominantly focused on international legal obligations of corporations. In contrast, the present paper argues that fundamental human rights obligations of corporations derive its legal authority from national normative orders and only secondary from inter

An article by our very own and founding member of LRS Justin Borg Barthet has been accepted for publication by I nternational and Comparative Law Quarterly and is now available through their website and the library. The article, titled Online Gambling and the Further Displacement of State Regulation: A Note on PMU v Zeturf , deals with the quagmire that legal regulation of online gambling has turned into in light of the recent judgement G IE Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) v Zeturf Ltd by the Cour de Cassation in Paris. Abstract: Online gambling constitutes a service for the purposes of the freedom to provide services in the EC Treaty. However, Member States may limit that freedom in order to protect societal norms. This regulatory latitude causes significant uncertainty. This paper analyses recent litigation in which the highest courts of two Member States considered the limits to the freedom to provide services, jurisdiction and recognition and enforcement of judgments, and the in

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the launch of the report Ensuring Access to Environmental Justice in England and Wales at a seminar at King’s College hosted by the UK Environmental Law Association ( UKELA ). The Report is the result of deliberations of a Working Group chaired by the Hon Mr Justice Sullivan examining whether the current regime of judicial review in England and Wales fulfils the UK Government’s obligations under the 1998 Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters. The Report deals with the ‘third pillar’ of the Aarhus Convention on access to justice, more specifically Article 9(4), which states that the procedures which the contracting parties rely on “ shall provide adequate and effective remedies, including injunctive relief as appropriate, and be fair equitable, timely and not prohibitively expensive.”. The Report concludes that the current law on costs, including the p

In light of the tragic events taking place in Burma, or Myanmar as the ruling military junta renamed it in 1989, a few interesting questions of international law spring to mind. Notwithstanding the fact that urgent need for relief and assistance to the Burmese people takes precedence over legal debates, the very refusal to accept foreign aid workers on its soil by the Burmese junta raises legal questions ( the Times has a story on the situation ). For instance, is it possible that this denial of foreign assistance could constitute crimes against humanity as defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC)? Article 7 of the Rome Statute defines crimes against humanity as acts “committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack”. For the purpose of this discussion the “acts” referred to in subsection 1 of Article 7 would be “[ O]ther inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causi

‘World peace cannot be safeguarded without the making of creative efforts proportionate to the dangers which threaten it. The contribution which an organized and living Europe can bring to civilization is indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations. In taking upon herself for more than 20 years the role of champion of a united Europe, France has always had as her essential aim the service of peace. A united Europe was not achieved and we had war. Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity. The coming together of the nations of Europe requires the elimination of the age-old opposition of France and Germany. Any action taken must in the first place concern these two countries...’ (Full text of the Schuman Declaration available here )

In the south of Europe the warmer weather brings with it a heated debate about illegal immigration as the calmer seas allow boat loads of migrants to cross the Mediterranean in search of a better life. Despite the good weather, their journey is often unsafe and many perish at sea. Those who survive the crossing find that their ordeal is not over. Most European States have detention policies whereby illegal immigrants rescued at sea or intercepted on the shore are held in camps pending conferment of refugee status or repatriation. The detention periods vary from one Member State to another, with France capping the period at 30 days, and the United Kingdom having no upper limit. A draft European directive would have capped the period of detention at six months, with a possible extension of a further twelve months under special circumstances (See the EU Observer’s report here ). In other words, the directive would have allowed Member States to detain immigrants for eighteen month

Earlier today the Hon FDJ Brand presented his paper regarding 'South African Contract Law and the Constitution' at the University of Aberdeen's Old Senate Room. The discussion that followed was chaired by Prof David Carey Miller. Thanks to Prof Carey Miller , Ms Carol Lawie and the School of Law for their invaluable help in organising Judge Brand's visit.

We have previously blogged about how depicting the Prophet Muhammad can get you into trouble, but today’s Independent has a story on how Russian cartoonists producing satirical drawings of president Putin are not at all liked by the Russian authorities. According to the Independent, papers and publishers attempting to print satirical portrayals of Putin risk facing inspections by the “fire inspectors” or the “tax police” laying bureaucratic hindrances in their way or a call from their paper supplier kindly informing them that the price of paper has risen tenfold overnight. In the meantime, drawings depicting Putin in a favourable light are much welcomed. The one to the right is produced by KAL for the Economist .

Denise Naicker’s presentation that was previously scheduled to take place tomorrow has been postponed to Monday 5th May at 4pm. The LRS programme is now as follows: Friday 02 May, 3pm, Old Senate Room Hon FDJ Brand, 'South African Contract Law and the Constitution' Judge Brand of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa will visit the University of Aberdeen on Friday 02 May. Judge Brand holds a BA, an LL.B and an LL.M. from the University of Stellenbosch, and a Drs Juris from Leiden University. He was a practising advocate for fourteen years, before being appointed a Judge in 1992 and a Judge of appeal in 2001. We are thankful to Prof David Carey Miller who made this event possible. Monday 05 May, 4pm, Taylor C28 Denise Naicker, 'The Attempts of the UN General Assembly’s Non-Proliferation Treaty to construct a rational Nuclear Order' Abstract: The United Nations General Assembly (the “GA”) may consider general principles of co-operation in the maintenance of interna

Crofters – people living the traditional rural life in the Scottish Highland and Islands – are now exploring the possibility of being recognised as an ‘indigenous’ group in an attempt to protect and preserve their traditional way of life according to the Independent . Traditionally, crofters reside on a small plot of tenured land on which they farm and although crofting was once widespread, it is today found mainly in the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland where it remains a vital part of rural communities. The entire system of crofting and tenureship of land in these areas is a topic attracting great passion and emotions as images of the Highland clearances are frequently invoked in discussions on rights to land. In a recent report the Scottish Crofting Foundation (SCF) argues in favour of applying the label ‘indigenous’ to the crofting communities asserting that it will improve their legal status and recognition. The Report highlights the success that the Sami people of Norwa

The following is a very loose translation of a blog post by Maltese author, poet and playwright Immanuel Mifsud . Apologies in advance – the translation does not do justice to the poetry of Immanuel’s words. Immanuel draws his readers’ attention to a video produced by Amnesty International which depicts a re-enactment of water boarding. He describes the video as shocking and encourages readers to join Amnesty’s campaign against human rights abuse in the war on terror: ‘The shock multiplies when you remember that not only does this torture take place in an era of liberty and human rights, but that it is occurring with the blessing of a man who, in the privacy of his office, prayed with the Pope for the needs of the family . Water, in the past, was a symbol of life. It was used by various religions, various poets, various artists. The lack of it gave rise to conflicts and great battles; it awakened consciences too. Whichever angle you choose to look at it from, we have a