Free Republic

...Beijing and its minions have subjected politicians, journalists and individual voters in that city to some ugly threats, and worse.... Despite widespread popular support, democratic candidates are not expected to gain effective control of the Legislative Council (LegCo).... [E]arlier this year it looked like pro-democracy forces might win at least 30 seats. Then China went on the offensive, denigrating or intimidating democratic candidates and sympathizers. The leader of the pro-democracy camp, the dignified Martin Lee, was called a "clown" and unpatriotic. Mr. Lee's late father was branded a "traitor." China's government hounded other pro-democracy candidates, throwing one into a mainland...

Are Hong Kong's liberties gradually being taken away? THROW a frog into boiling water and it jumps out; gently bring it to the boil, and the frog, never noticing the incremental increases in heat, allows itself to be cooked. Is Hong Kong a frog in a pot in Beijing's kitchen? If so, then on September 24th the temperature rose another notch. On that day, Hong Kong's government formally began—by circulating a consultation paper—the process of enacting a controversial set of laws against subversion, sedition, treason and other ills, as required by Article 23 of the Basic Law, the territory's constitution....

A German police officer is facing criminal proceedings after he allegedly branded Chancellor Angela Merkel “insane”. The officer, from the western city of Solingen, could be fined three months’ wages if found guilty of slander. He is said to have made the comments at an event held by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party earlier this month. …

Germany’s private schools are violating the constitution by picking students according to their parents’ wealth, a new study has found. The result is increasing social segregation and elitism, the authors say. German state governments are allowing schools to disregard an article of the country’s constitution designed to ensure that a mixture of social classes are able to attend private schools, according to a new study by the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB). Article 7, Paragraph 4 of the “Basic Law” guarantees the right to establish private schools as an alternative to state schools — but only subject to their approval...

A wide-ranging new study by the University of Münster shows that Germany’s Turkish community still has very conservative views on the role of religion in society. The survey provides an often contradictory picture of social attitudes among Germany’s 2.7 million people of Turkish origin. A total of 47 percent of the 1,201 respondents said that “following the tenets of my religion is more important to me than the laws of the land in which I live.” But the study also reveals that this viewpoint is much more firmly held by the first generation (57 percent agreement) — Turks who emigrated...

Germany is planning to send troops to Iraq in a major break with the military policy it has followed since the end of the Second World War, and one that may even require the country’s constitution to be changed, according to reports. Angela Merkel’s government wants to send troops to northern Iraq to help train Kurdish forces fighting in the struggle against Islamic State (ISIL). German troops were have served with international forces in Afghanistan, Bosnia and elsewhere, but until now they have only taken part in missions with an international mandate from the UN, or as part of the...

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reportedly revealed at a Likud conference on Wednesday some remarkable facets of the Basic Law he submitted last Thursday, which would enshrine Israel's status as the nation-state of the Jewish people. Netanyahu told the head of Likud's hareidi division Yaakov Vider at the conference that he intends to make the Hebrew calendar, which is based on Jewish law, the official calendar of Israel, reports Kikar Hashabat. The new law also would establish the Talmud, the core work of Jewish law, as an official basis for Israeli state law. "I'm going to personally be involved in the...

No democracy for `uneducated' HK AP , HONG KONG Saturday, Apr 29, 2006,Page 4 Advertising A senior Chinese law expert has said Hong Kong isn't ready for full democracy partly because the community lacks a consensus on the issue and people need better patriotic education, local media reported yesterday. The comments were widely reported in the media because leading Chinese legal academics are believed to serve as the spokesmen for the communist leadership. The remarks were made on Thursday at a conference in Beijing about Hong Kong's mini Constitution, or "Basic Law." by legal scholar Wang Zhenmin (‰¤U–¯). "I believe...

Dec. 19, 2004 23:40 | Updated Dec. 20, 2004 17:32 Sharon, Peres push for coalition deal By GIL HOFFMAN The Shas party decided Monday evening to support a bill to amend Basic Law which would allow two vice premiers premiere' in the government, providing the bill with majority support in the Knesset. Shas' decision came as a sign of recognition to Labor leader Shimon Peres for his good relationship with the party over many years, Army Radio reported. With Shas' backing, the Knesset committee approved the vote on the bill by 15 to 5, and the preliminary vote is set...

Hong Kong Member of China's Congress Says Territory Won't Have Direct Election of Leader in 2007 Apr 25, 2004 By Min Lee Associated Press Writer HONG KONG (AP) - China's most powerful legislative committee ruled Monday that Hong Kong will not have direct elections for its next leader in 2007, crushing hopes in the Chinese territory for a quick move toward full democracy. Under the ruling, the territory will be allowed to make changes to its electoral methods but only gradually, said Tsang Hin-chi, a Hong Kong delegate to the Chinese National People's Congress Standing Committee. The decision ruled out...