Islamic vigilantes acquitted of murder by Iran supreme court

Iran's Supreme Court has nullified the death sentences awarded to several members of the Basij and Ansar-e Hezbollah paramilitary groups for killing people they accused of moral corruption under Islamic laws.

Ali Maleki and several of his associates killed Reza Nejadmalayeri and Shohreh Nikpour in Kerman in 2002, accusing them of fornication.

Iran's Islamic laws permit summary execution of those who commit blasphemy, sacrilege, repeated fornication, adultery, slander Imam Khomeini, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei or the Islamic prophets, and otherwise behave in a way that is out of sync with the Islamic criteria.

Members of the paramilitary group (Basij) - which is variously characterized as a pro-government vigilante group or militia - who had been convicted escaped the death penalty because they argued before the Islamic court that they acted in defense of Islamic laws.  The members, who pledge allegiance to Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stoned one of their victims to death and tied up four others, including Nejadmalayeri and Nikpour, before throwing them into a swimming pool where they drowned.

The accused stated in their confession the teachings of one Islamic cleric who had said that they were allowed to kill immoral people if they had ignored two warnings to stop their bad behavior.

In Iran, courts have previously imposed severe penalties for what they considered immoral behaviour. In 2004, a 16 year old girl, Atefah Sahaaleh, was executed for committing "acts incompatible with chastity", after she testified that she had been repeatedly raped while in an abusive relationship with an ex-revolutionary guard, Ali Darabi. Dabari received a sentence of 95 lashes. In 1998 a German businessman, Helmut Hofer, was sentenced to death for having a relationship with a 26-year-old single Iranian woman.


Iran : la Cour suprême annule la condamnation de plusieurs hommes reconnus coupables de meurtres en série

La Cour suprême de la République islamique d'Iran a annulé les condamnations à mort prononcées contre Ali Maleki et plusieurs membres des groupes paramilitaires Basij et Ansar-e Hezbollah [1], reconnus initialement coupables des meurtres de plusieurs personnes qu'ils accusaient de « corruption morale » selon les lois islamiques.

La première de leurs victimes aurait été un jeune homme de 19 ans, Mossayeb Afchari, d'abord roué de coups puis enterré vivant. Une semaine plus tard, ils auraient enlevé Mohsen Kamali alors qu'il sortait de son domicile, avant de l'étrangler et d'enterrer son cadavre à proximité de la tombe de leur première victime. La troisième victime du groupe serait une femme dont on ne connaît que le prénom, Djamileh, que les assassins auraient enlevée, puis poussée dans un fossé préalablement creusé où ils l'auraient lapidée, avant d'abandonner son corps dans le désert, près de Kerman, où des animaux sauvages l'auraient à demi dévoré. Les dernières victimes auraient été, en 2002, Reza Nejadmalayeri et Shohreh Nikpour, accusés de de fornication par les assassins. Ces deux dernières victimes auraient également été enlevées puis noyées dans un fossé, avant que leurs cadavres soient emmnenés dans le désert près de Kerman, tandis que leur véhicule y était incendié.

Les lois islamiques en vigueur en Iran permettent l'exécution sommaire de ceux qui commettent le blasphème, le sacrilège, la fornication répétée, l'adultère, ou qui calomnient l'imam Khomeini, l'ayatollah Ali Khamenei ou les prophètes musulmans, ou qui adoptent un comportement incompatible avec les critères islamiques.

Les membres du groupe paramilitaire Basij, vu selon les cas comme un groupe d'autodéfense progouvernemental ou comme une milice, avaient initialement été reconnus coupables et condamnés comme tels, mais ont échappé à la peine capitale après un recours devant la Cour suprême, devant laquelle ils ont plaidé avoir agi pour défendre les lois islamiques.

Les accusés ont indiqué, dans leurs confessions, rapportées le 15 avril 2007 par le journal pro-gouvernemental Etemad, avoir suivi les enseignements d'un ouléma qui avait dit qu'il est permis de tuer les gens immoraux si ceux-ci ne tiennent pas compte de deux sommations visant à cesser leur mauvais comportement.

L'acquittement prononcé par la Cour suprême aurait provoqué, selon des témoignages rapportés par l'opposition iranienne, une vive colère dans la région de Kerman.

L'Iran est connu pour les peines sévères infligées par ses tribunaux face à des comportements jugés immoraux, selon les lois en vigueur. En 1998, par exemple, un homme d'affaires allemand, Helmut Hofer, avait été condamné à mort pour avoir eu des relations illicites avec une femme iranienne célibataire âgée de 26 ans.


Israel evicts two Palestinian families from their homes

Two Palestinian families who have been living in East Jerusalem since 1956, were evicted from their homes on Sunday after an Israeli court rejected their appeal filed against the eviction. The eviction comes after increasing international pressure on Israel to stop settlement activity and end home evictions.

Israeli security forces entered the homes at 6:00 a.m. (local time) and forcibly removed the family and international activists who were also living in the homes. At least 19 children were among those removed. Al Jazeera reports that a family was beaten with batons as they tried to get back into their house. JTA reports that Jewish families moved into the homes shortly after the Palestinian families were evicted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has laid biblical claim to the areas of East Jerusalem and has stated that Jews have the right to live anywhere in the city. Although Jerusalem is internationally recognized as occupied territory, Israel continues to evict Palestinians and instead build Jewish only apartments in the area, an action which is considered to be illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Israel has plans for 350 new apartment buildings in East Jerusalem. U.N special coordinator for Middle East Peace, Robert Serry, condemned the evictions as "totally unacceptable".

The international community, including the United States, has called on Israel to stop settlement activity and allow for the creation of a Palestinian state.


Israel desaloja a dos familias palestinas de sus hogares

Dos familias palestinas que han vivido en Jerusalén Este desde 1956 fueron desalojadas de sus hogares el domingo luego de que una corte israelí rechazara la apelación presentada contra el desalojamiento. La medida ocurre poco tiempo después de que la comunidad internacional ejerciera presión sobre Israel para que detuviera su actividad de asentamiento y a la vez pusiera fin a los desalojos.

Las fuerzas de seguridad israelíes ingresaron a los hogares a las 6:00 a.m. (hora local) y desalojaron a las familias y a los activistas de derechos humanos que también habitaban en las viviendas. Había al menos 19 niños entre los desalojados.

Según reportó Al Jazeera, los integrantes de las familias fueron azotados con bastones cuando intentaron reingresar a sus hogares. JTA reportó que las familias judías ocuparon las residencias poco después de que las familias palestinas fueran desalojadas.

El Primer Ministro israelí, Benjamín Netanyahu, ha reivindicado bíblicamente las áreas de Jerusalén Este y ha declarado que los judíos tienen el derecho a vivir en donde deseen hacerlo. A pesar de que Jerusalén ha sido reconocido como un territorio ocupado, Israel ha continuado desalojando palestinos y ha construido apartamentos habitados únicamente por judíos, una acción ilegal y violatoria de la IV Convención de Ginebra.

El Estado judío, asimismo, planea construir 350 apartamentos en Jerusalén Este.

La reacción internacional no se hizo esperar, y el coordinador especial para la Paz en Medio Oriente de la ONU, Robert Serry, condenó los desalojamientos y los tildó de "totalmente inaceptables". La comunidad internacional, incluso Estados Unidos, ha ejercido presión para que Israel detenga sus asentamientos y que no detenga la creación de un Estado palestino.


கிழக்கு ஜெருசலத்தில் இருந்து பாலஸ்தீனக் குடும்பங்கள் வெளியேற்றப்பட்டனர்

ஞாயிறு, ஆகத்து 2, 2009, ஜெருசலேம், இசுரேல்:

மத்திய கிழக்கில் ஆக்கிரமிக்கப்பட்ட கிழக்கு ஜெருசலேம் பகுதியில் இரண்டு வீடுகளில் குடியிருந்த ஒன்பது பாலஸ்தீனக் குடும்பங்களை இசுரேலியப் போலீஸ் இரவோடு இரவாக அங்கிருந்து வெளியேற்றியுள்ளனர்.

அதிகாலை பொழுது புலர்வதற்கு முன்னால் பெருந்தொகையான போலீஸார் நடத்திய இந்த நடவடிக்கை முடிந்த உடனயே யூதக் குடியேறிகள் அந்த வீடுகளுக்குள் குடியேறி விட்டதாகச் செய்திகள் கூறுகின்றன.

இந்த வீடுகள் இருக்கும் நிலம் யூதக் குடும்பங்களுக்கே முதலில் உரித்தாக இருந்தது என்று இசுரேலிய உயர் நீதிமன்றம் வழங்கிய தீர்ப்பைத் தொடர்ந்தே இந்தப் போலீஸ் நடவடிக்கை வந்துள்ளது.

மூத்த ஐ.நா. அதிகாரி ராபர்ட் செரி அவர்கள் இந்த வெளியேற்றங்கள் ஏற்க முடியாது என்று தெரிவித்துள்ளார். பாலஸ்தீன அதிபர் மஹ்மூத் அப்பாஸ் அவர்கள் சார்பில் பேசிய அதிகாரி இதைச் சட்டத்துக்குப் புறம்பான, மனிதாபிமான செயலென்று தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

இசுரேல் கிழக்கு ஜெருசலேமை 1967 இல் கைப்பற்றி தன்னுடன் இணைத்துக் கொண்டது. இவ்வாக்கிரமிப்பை இதுவரை எந்த ஒரு நாடும் அங்கீகரிக்கவில்லை.


Israeli forensic institute illegally harvested organs in the '90s

In an interview conducted in the year 2000, Dr Yehuda Hiss, former head of the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute near Tel Aviv, admitted that in the 90's pathologists at the institute harvested the organs of Israeli soldiers, Israeli citizens, Palestinians, and foreign workers.

In 125 cases, Dr. Hiss and his subordinates removed organs, bones, and tissue without the permission of, and often against the wishes of, the families of the deceased.

Abu Kabir included a “museum of skulls” set up by Dr. Hiss that included the skulls of IDF soldiers that had been shot in the head. He has additionally been investigated for selling organs and falsifying testimony.

Hiss was fired from his position as Director of the institute shortly after the courts became involved, but has since remained the Chief Pathologist at the Institute.

In the interview, Hiss claims that, "body parts were used by hospitals for transplant purposes — cornea transplants.  They were sent to public hospitals."  Facts from the interview were later confirmed by an Israeli military statement on the issue which claimed, "This activity ended a decade ago and does not happen any longer."

What is still not confirmed, however, is whether or not the Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet, was correct when it claimed that Israeli soldiers were stealing organs from both dead and living Palestinians, and whether or not Israelis were intentionally killing Palestinians for their organs. In the controversial article published in Aftonbladet, it was alleged that Israeli soldiers stole the organs of Palestinians after killing them.  Israeli officials have vigorously denied the charge that Palestinians are being killed for their organs and have called the article in Aftonbladet "anti-semitic".


Izraelský Ústav soudního lékařství odebíral v 90. letech nezákonně orgány

V rozhovoru v roce 2000 připustil Dr. Jehuda Hiss, bývalý šéf Ústavu soudního lékařství Abú Kábira poblíž Tel Avivu, že v 90. letech patologové ústavu odebírali orgány izraelských vojáků, izraelských občanů, Palestinců a zahraničních pracovníků.

Ve 125 případech Dr. Hiss a jeho podřízení odebrali orgány, kosti a tkáně bez svolení a často i proti vůli rodiny zemřelého.

Součástí ústavu Abú Kábira je i "muzeum lebek", zřízené Dr. Hissem, v jehož sbírkách se nalézají lebky vojáků izraelské armády střelených do hlavy. Dr. Hiss je dále vyšetřován pro prodej orgánů a padělání důkazů.[1]

Dr. Hiss byl zproštěn funkce ředitele ústavu a krátce poté bylo zahájeno vyšetřování, ale nadále zůstává primářem patologie Ústavu.

V rozhovoru Dr. Hiss prohlásil, že „části těl byly použity v nemocnicích k transplantacím (např. transplantace rohovky). Byly zaslány státním nemocnicím“. Údaje z rozhovoru později potvrdila v svém prohlášení izraelská armáda: „Tato aktivita skončila před deseti lety a již se to neděje.“

Otázkou stále zůstává, zda je pravdivé tvrzení zveřejněné švédskými novinami Aftonbladet, že izraelští vojáci odebírali orgány mrtvým i živým Palestincům a že Izraelci údajně záměrně zabíjeli Palestince kvůli jejich orgánům. Izrael tato obvinění důrazně popřel a označil článek v Aftonbladet za „antisemitský“.[2]


Ізраїль незаконно збирав людські органи у 90-х роках

У своєму інтерв'ю доктор Ієгуда Гісс — колишній голова Інституту судової медицини в Тель-Авіві «Абу-Кабір», ще у 2001 році зізнався, що у 90-х роках патологоанатоми його інституту збирали органи померлих ізраїльських солдатів, громадян Ізраїлю, палестинців та іноземних робітників.

За зізнанням доктора Гісса, у 125 випадках його підлеглі видаляли людські органи, кістки і тканини тіла без дозволу, і часто проти волі сімей загиблих. В інституті «Абу-Кабір» доктором Гіссом навіть був створений "Музей черепів" бійців ЦАХАЛУ загиблих від пострілів у голову. Крім того, д-р Гісс знаходився під слідством за звинуваченнями у торгівлі людськими органами та фальсифікації показань свідків. Незабаром, після передачі справи до суду Гісс був звільнений з посади директора інституту, але все ще залишається на посаді головного патологоанатома інституту.

В інтерв'ю він пізніше стверджував, що: "частини тіла використовувалися для пересадки органів, зокрема пересадки рогівки ока. Ці органи відправлялися у різні державні лікарні." Факти оприлюднені доктором Гіссом пізніше були підтверджені у заяві ізраїльських військових, зокрема: "така діяльність зі збору та пересадки органів припинилася десять років тому і після того не проводилася".

До цього часу, однак, ще не з'являлось підтверджень правдивості попередніх репортажів шведської газети Афтонбладет про те, що ізраїльські солдати незаконно збирали органи з тіл живих і мертвих палестинців, і чи ізраїльські війскові скоювали навмисні вбивства палестинців заради викрадення їх органів. У своїй статті, що викликала шквал емоцій, газета Афтонбладет, зокрема, стверджувала, що ізраїльські солдати спочатку вбивали палестинців, а потім викрадали їхні органи. Офіційні особи Ізраїлю категорично відкидали ці звинувачення і назвали цю статтю в Афтонбладет "антисемітською".

24 грудня 2009


Israeli Knesset passes 'Jewish nation-state' bill

On Thursday, the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, passed the "Jewish nation-state" bill granting Israel the status of "national home of the Jewish people". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it "a defining moment in the annals of Zionism and the history of the state of Israel".

The bill was passed at 3 AM with 62–55 majority. Two lawmakers abstained. The bill declared Hebrew as the only official language and demoted Arabic from national language to a "special status" language. Netanyahu said, "An absolute majority wants to ensure our state's Jewish characters for generations to come." Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein said this bill, which received just 51.66% votes in favour out of the full Knesset of 120, was "one of the most important laws ever to be passed by the Knesset".

The Knesset began the voting on Wednesday. Previously, the bill had clauses declaring the state as a Jewish-only community as well as direction for judiciary courts to consider Jewish values over democratic values. Both of the clauses were challenged by the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and the Attorney General. The latter clause about Jewish values for courts was dropped in May; the other clause was eventually dropped, and the final draft of the bill was approved on Monday. The bill was first introduced in 2011 by the right-wing Likud party.

The latest draft of the bill said the Hebrew calendar is to be the official calendar of the state. It also read, "Israel is the historical homeland of the Jewish people, in which the State of Israel was established" and "the state views the development of Jewish settlement as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation." Israel is home to about 1.8 million Palestinians, who account for roughly 20% of the national population. The bill also declared Jerusalem, in its entirety, as the capital of Israel.

The bill received negative reception from a number of people. The Arab Joint List multi-party alliance called it "anti-democratic, colonialist, racist, and with clear characteristics of apartheid." Calling it a "shameful night", Meretz Party's Tamar Zandberg said it was a "debased and tainted law". The Joint List's Ahmad Tibi questioned, "Why are you afraid of the Arabic language?".

Last week, Netanyahu said, "We will keep ensuring civil rights in Israel's democracy but the majority also has the rights and the majority decides". Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J Street, a US-based Jewish Organisation, said the bill "was born in sin, its only purpose is to send a message to the Arab community, the LGBT community and other minorities in Israel, that they are not and never will be equal citizens. Two months ago we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Israeli Declaration of Independence, where it was written that the State of Israel 'will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or gender.' Today Netanyahu's government is trying to ignore those words and the values that they represent."


Israël neemt nieuwe wet aan: Joodse natiestaat

De Knesset − de  Israëlische regering − heeft met een kleine meerderheid van 62 stemmen voor en 55 tegen een omstreden wet aangenomen waardoor het land voortaan wordt aangemerkt als een Joodse natiestaat. Jeruzalem is volgens de nieuwe wet een ongedeelde hoofdstad. Het Arabisch, dat door zo'n 20% van de Israëlische bevolking wordt gesproken, geldt niet langer als een van de officiële talen, al krijgt het wel een speciale status. Het Hebreeuws wordt in plaats daarvan de enige officiële taal van Israël. De Israëlische premier Netanyahu noemde de goedkeuring van de wet een historisch moment.

De nieuwe wet pakt vooral nadelig uit voor Arabische Israëliërs. Zij zullen vanaf nu moeilijker toegang hebben tot basale voorzieningen als onderwijs en gezondheidszorg.  Ook verslechteren hun kansen op de woningmarkt. Ayman Odeh (en), leider van de Gezamenlijke Lijst, zwaaide uit protest in het parlement met een zwarte vlag. Hij verklaarde dat hij zijn kinderen nu moet uitleggen dat ze niet meer welkom zijn in hun eigen land.


Израиль принял закон о национальном еврейском государстве

Израильский парламент принял конституционный закон о еврейском характере государства, который вызвал бурные протесты представителей арабского меньшинства, усмотревших в нём признаки расизма и угрозу дискриминации.

Документ объявляет Израиль «национальным домом еврейского народа», а евреев — единственным народом, который имеет право на национальное самоопределение в его пределах. Закон провозглашает государственным языком только иврит, оставляя до сих пор формально равнозначному с ним арабскому «особый статус».

«Это определяющий момент в истории сионизма и Государства Израиль… Мы закрепляем в законе базовый принцип нашего существования: Израиль — это национальное государство еврейского народа, которое уважает индивидуальные права всех своих граждан. На всем Ближнем Востоке только Израиль уважает эти права», — сказал премьер-министр Биньямин Нетаньяху.

Закон получил поддержку 62 из 120 депутатов, против высказались 55, двое воздержались. Голосование шло бурно — под овации правящей коалиции и крики «апартеид» со скамеек парламентариев-арабов, демонстративно рвавших текст документа.

Арабы составляют пятую часть 8-миллионного населения Израиля. Они обладают равными с еврейским большинством гражданскими правами, включая избирательные, но часто жалуются на фактическую дискриминацию. Многие из них ведут борьбу не только за повышение собственного статуса в израильском обществе, но и отстаивают права соплеменников, живущих на оккупированных территориях. На возвращение к своим домам также претендуют миллионы разбросанных по миру палестинцев, в разные годы бежавшие с территории современного Израиля.

Вместе с арабами против законодательной инициативы правого лагеря проголосовали сионистские партии левого и центристского толка.

В законе, помимо прочего, описывается государственная символика Израиля — герб, гимн и флаг, перечислены его праздники и дни поминовения, закреплен официальный статус еврейского календаря, подтверждено право всех евреев на репатриацию и необходимость поддержания связей с диаспорой.

В процессе работы над документом из него были исключены несколько наиболее спорных моментов, в том числе возможность создания чисто еврейских населенных пунктов и идея использования «принципов еврейской традиции» в качестве источника права для судебной системы страны.

19 июля 2018 года


Italian border guards seize $134 billion in U.S. bonds at Swiss border

Italian police of the Guardia di Finanza have seized US$134 billion (€96 billion) of United States bearer bonds at the border with Switzerland at Chiasso. The bonds include 249 Treasury bonds worth $500 million each, and ten $1 billion Kennedy Bonds. Bearer bonds are unregistered bonds that are redeemable by whoever is in possession.

The bonds were being transported by two men claiming Japanese citizenship arriving by train, and were undeclared. They were uncovered by inspectors beneath a false bottom in a suitcase.

If genuine, Italian law will permit the government to seize 40% of the value, some $54 billion (€38 billion) for failure to declare these bonds.

The Japanese government has said that they are aware of the situation and that they are working with the Italian government to confirm the identity and nationality of the individuals.

Joe Weisenthal of The Business Insider speculates that the bonds are indeed forgeries. The United States no longer issues bonds in such high denominations. Further, according to the U.S. Treasury only the nations of China, Japan, and Russia own this much in U.S. debt instruments. Wikinews has been unable to confirm that "Kennedy Bonds" were ever issued.


Włoska policja celna zajęłą obligacje wartości 134 miliardów dolarów na szwajcarskiej granicy

Jak podaje angielska wersja Wikinews, włoska policja Guardia Italiana di finanza odkryła obligacje wartości $134 miliardów (€ 96 mld euro) na okaziciela ukryte w walizce należącej do dwóch mężczyzn legitymujących się japońskimi paszportami. Obligacje odkryte przez inspektorów pod fałszywym dnem walizki w Chiasso na granicy ze Szwajcarią obejmują 249 obligacje skarbowe o wartości 500 milionów dolarów oraz dziesięć po 1 miliard dolarów. Jeżeli obligacje okażą się prawdziwe, włoskie prawo pozwoli na zarekwirowanie 40% ich wartości.


Italian court overturns law preventing trial of Prime Minister Berlusconi

Italy's Constitutional Court has overturned a law that granted Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from being prosecuted. There are at least three court cases that can now proceed against him, including a corruption trial.

There had been speculation in the media that Berlusconi would resign if the law was struck down, but a spokesman said "Berlusconi, the government and the majority will continue to govern." The spokesman went on to call the decision "a political verdict," and Berlusconi has commented he expected the result because of left-wing leanings by the judges.

The panel of fifteen judges took two days to reach their decision. There is no appeals process to try and save the law, which gave immunity to the Prime Minister, President and two parliamentary speakers for as long as they held office.

Despite suggestions from the PM's lawyers that he may resign if the ruling went against him, Berlusconi said that "We go ahead," and that he felt "invigorated" by the ruling. He called the allegations he now faces in court a "real farce".

The law had halted a trial in Milan that he bribed a UK lawyer for favourable testimony in a separate corruption probe. One of the other two trials he faces involves alleged bribes to senators.

Berlusconi had an earlier version of the law overturned in 2004, and the latest decision rejects another passed last year. The court said it would breach the constitution's requirement of equality before the law, and added that as a constitutional change required for more legal process than being passed in parliament.

Berlusconi is considering running for President, which would extend his immunity for several more years under other laws. Although his opinion poll support has dropped recently he remains popular, despite allegations of media manipulation and sexual activities with prostitutes and a teenage model. A billionaire businessman, he is the longest-serving Prime Minister since the second world war.


Italien: Verfassungsgericht hebt Immunität Berlusconis auf

Rom (Italien), 07.10.2009 – Der italienische Ministerpräsident Silvio Berlusconi hat eine schwere Niederlage vor dem italienischen Verfassungsgericht erlitten. Das Gericht erklärte das Gesetz, das Berlusconi mit Hilfe seiner eigenen parlamentarischen Mehrheit im Parlament durchgebracht hatte und das ihn vor Strafverfolgung wegen verschiedener anhängiger Anklagen schützen sollte, für verfassungswidrig. Wie eine italienische Nachrichtenagentur meldete, verstoße das Gesetz gegen den Gleichheitsgrundsatz. Mailänder Staatsanwälte beschuldigen Berlusconi, seinen ehemaligen Anwalt Mills für Falschaussagen „geschmiert“ zu haben. Die Prozesse fanden in den 1990-er Jahren statt.

Das Immunitätsgesetz sollte Berlusconi und andere Politiker vor juristischer Verfolgung schützen, unabhängig davon, ob die begangenen Straftaten im Zusammenhang mit der Amtsführung standen oder nicht. Auch Anklagen wegen Gesetzesverstößen, die vor dem Amtstritt stattgefunden hatten, wurden durch das Gesetz unterbunden. Von dem Schutz dieses Immunitätsgesetzes profitierten der Staatspräsident, die Präsidenten von Senat und Abgeordnetenkammer sowie der Ministerpräsident. Regierungsanwalt Glauco Neri hat das Immunitätsgesetz bei der Verhandlung vor dem Verfassungsgericht mit den Worten gerechtfertigt, dabei sei es darum gegangen, einen „irreparablen Schaden für die gewählten Politiker oder gar den Rücktritt“ des Ministerpräsidenten abzuwenden.


Berlusconi se queda sin fueros

El Primer Ministro Italiano, Silvio Berlusconi, sufrió hoy un revés judicial cuando el Tribunal Constitucional de Roma dictaminó que la "Ley Alfano" viola la carta magna de ese país. Esta norma garantizaba inmunidad al Primer Ministro frente a procesos judiciales. Así, el Tribunal Constitucional permite reabrir causas penales contra el actual mandatario italiano, quien tiene varios asuntos pendientes con la justicia.

La "ley Alfano" suspende los juicios contra los ocupantes de los cuatro cargos más altos de la Administración Italiana, incluyendo, por supuesto, al Primer Ministro. Esta normativa, adoptada el año pasado poco tiempo después de la llegada de Berlusconi por tercera vez al poder, congeló todas las causas en su contra, incluso la que lo tiene como principal imputado en una causa por supuesto soborno contra el abogado inglés David Mills para que prestara falso testimonio en causas que ponían en riesgo los negocios privados de Berlusconi. También habilita la puesta en marcha de las investigaciones sobre fraude fiscal y falsificación contable en la compra de derechos televisivos del grupo perteneciente al magnate de medios italiano, y la causa en la que se investiga un presunto intento de soborno a senadores de la oposición.

Tras 17 meses en el poder, este contratiempo judicial puede poner en riesgo el actual mandato del Primer Ministro. La centroderecha italiana ya prepara su contraofensiva con una marcha en apoyo al premier anunciada para las próximas semanas.


Korkein oikeus kumosi Berlusconin syytelain

Italian korkein oikeus on peruuttanut pääministeri Silvio Berlusconin oikeusimmuniteettilain. Laki on perustuslain vastainen, jonka mukaan kaikki ovat yhdenvertaisia. Tuomion perustelut eivät ole vielä julkisia. Pääministeri on välttänyt oikeustoimet perustuen immuniteettiin. Päätös johtaa kahden oikeudenkäynnin jatkumiseen. Italian lain mukaan yli 70-vuotiaita, kuten Berlusconi, ei voida tuomita vankeuteen, vaikka he olisivatkin rikkoneet lakia.[1]

Berlusconi kieltäytyy eroamasta. Oppositio vaatii eroa.[2]

Italiassa säädettiin kesäkuussa 2008 laki, joka antaa syytesuojan Berlusconin lisäksi maan presidentille ja parlamentin ylä- ja alahuoneen puhemiehille. Päätös voi johtaa maan hallituksen eroon.  Berlusconia on syytetty korruptiosta ja veropetoksesta.[3]

Berlusconin omaisuus oli vuonna 2008 Forbesin mukaan 6,5 miljardia $. Omaisuutta hallitaan Holding –yhtiöiden kautta. Liiketoiminta on hajautettu satoihin yhtiöihin.[4]

Omien mediayritystensä, Fininvest –holdingyhtiön ja Mediaset -televisioyhtiön lisäksi, Italiassa pääministeri Berlusconilla on nimitysvalta  valtiollisen yleisradioyhtiön Raissa. Berlusconi on valinnut Rain johtokunnan, kanavajohtajat ja uutisohjelmien johtajat. Oppositio on nimittänyt Rain kolmoskanavan johdon. Rain liikevaihto (2008) oli 3,2 miljardia € ja nettotulos 0,0 miljardia €. Työntekijöitä oli 13 200.[4]

Missään muussa EU-maassa poliittinen ja mediavalta ei ole yhtä keskittynyt kuin Italiassa. Italian lehtityöläisistä puolet on Berlusconin palkkaamia Italiassa 70 % saa tiedot tv:stä ja joka kymmenes ostaa sanomalehden.[4]

Fininvest –holdingyhtiön liikevaihto (2008) oli 6,1 miljardia € ja liikevoitto 1,1 miljardia €. Työntekijöitä oli 19 100. Berlusconin perheen osingot 249 milj. € vuonna 2008. Finvestiin sisältyy:[4]

Mediaset -televisioyhtiön liikevaihto (2008) oli 4,3 miljardia € ja liikevoitto 1,0 miljardia €. Työntekijöitä oli 5 100. on Italian suurin kaupallinen televisioyhtiö. Mediaset-yhtiöön sisältyy:[4]

Mediasta kamppailtiin avoimesti vuosina 1994/95 ja Silvio Berlsconi oli keskeinen sytyttäjä. Lehdistöä hallitsivat suuryritykset joihin sisältyivät ENI, Feruzzi, Fiat, Finvest ja Olivetti. Televisiotoiminta oli jaettu Fininvestin kolmeen kanavaan ja valtiollisen Rain kanaviin. Vuoteen 1993 Rai:ta hallitsi yksi puolue (kristillisdemokraatit, sosialistit tai kommunistit). Heinäkuussa 1994 Rai:lle valittiin viisihenkinen johtokunta, joka valitsi johtajat ja ohjelmajohtajat. Marraskuussa 1994 Rain journalistit lakkoilivat ja opposition poliitikot protestoivat, koska Rain johto ja päätoimittajat oli vaihdettu puoluepoliittisista motiiveista johtuen.[5]

Vuonna 1995 Fininvestin liikevaihdon osuudet jakautuivat: media 44 %, kauppa 43 % ja finanssitoiminta 10 %. Konserniin sisältyivät: .[5]

Berlusconin konserni perustettiin 1978. Yritys oli v. 1995 kolmanneksi suurin Italian yksityinen liikeyritys. Lakiluonnoksen 10/1994 mukaan poliittisissa ja julkisissa viroissa isoilla mediayrittäjillä on ilmoitusvelvollisuus ja kartelliviranomaiset valvovat luottamusmiestä.

Joulukuussa 1994 perustuslakituomioistuimen mukaan yhdellä yrittäjällä voi olla korkeintaan kolme tv-kanavaa tai ¼-osa kansallisista lähetyksistä tai kolme päivälehteä. Laki pyrkii varmistamaan vapaata kilpailua ja sananvapautta. Tuomio koski Fininvestin kolmatta tv-kanavaa, jonka omistuksen säätely piti 8/1996 mennessä muuttaa. Parlamentin laati uuden medialain vuonna 1995.[5]

Berlusconi on haastanut viime vuosina oikeuteen hänestä kirjoittavia kilpailevia kotimaisia ja ulkomaisia lehtiä. Berlusconi on vaatinut miljoonakorvauksia hänen seksiskandaaleistaan kirjoittaneilta lehdiltä. Lisäksi hän on vaatinut yrityksiä lopettamaan mainonnan kilpailevissa lehdissä, jotka ovat kritisoineet hänen hallitustaan, kuten La Rebubblica ja Unita –lehdissä. Kilpailevan Rupert Murdochin satelliittikanavan Sky alv nostettiin 10 %:sta 20 %:iin. Berlusconin sanomalehti Il Giornale kehottaa jättämään tv-lupamaksut maksamatta. Berlusconi uhkailee toimittajia, jotka kirjoittavat kriittisesti.[4]

Berlusconin vaimo Veronica Lario on kertonut hakeneensa avioeroa miehestään syynä miehen suhde 18-vuotiaaseen malliin Noemi Letizian kanssa.[6] Avioerohakemuksen jälkeen Berlusconin omistama lehti Il Giornale julkaisi kuvan Belusconin vaimosta Veronica Lariosta paljasrintaisena otsikolla: Kiittämätön tähtönen.[4]

The Economist kirjoitti vuonna 2001, että mukaan vuonna 2001 Berlusconi on sopimaton johtamaan Italiaa. Berlusconi haastoi lehden oikeuteen ja hävisi. Nykyinen hallituskausi päättyy vuonna 2013. Berlusconilla on tapana halvaannuttaa oikeusprosessit todistajatulvalla ja poissaoloilla.[7]

Milanon tuomioistuin määräsi Finvestin maksamaan kilpailijalle Carlo De Benedettin kustannusyhtiölle 750 miljoonaa € vahingonkorvausta Mondadori kustantamon valtauksesta vuonna 1991. Jutun käsittelyssä Berlusconin entinen lakimies Cesare Previti tuomittiin tuomareiden lahjonnasta. De Benedettin yhtiö julkaisee La Repubblica –lehteä.[8]

Alioikeuden ja Milanon vetoomustuomioistuimen mukaan Berlusconin brittilakimies David Mills vastaanotti 400 000 € lahjuksen väärästä todistuksesta kahdessa oikeudenkäynnissä 1990-luvulla. Mills tuomittiin vuonna 2009 teosta 4½  vuoden vankeuteen. Hänen mukaansa rahat oli palkkaa.[9]

Italiassa parlamenttikausi on 5 vuotta. Vaalit oli 3/1994. Muihin Italian puolueisiin on 1990-luvulla sisältynyt: pohjoisen konservatiivit Lega Nord, vasemmistodemokraatit PDS, uusfasistit Alleanza Nazionale, kommunistit RC, konservatiivit CDD ja UDC ja joukko muita kuten kansanpuolue, vihreät, kristillisdemokraatit, demokraattinen liitto ja Pakt Segni.[5]

Silvio Berlusconi johti oikeistoliberaalista Forza Italia –puoluetta, kun se perustettiin muutama kuukausi ennen vaaleja vuonna 1994. Berlusconilla oli 45 % tv-markkinaosuus ja 80 % yksityistv-markkinoista. Forza Italian ja konservatiivien UDC –liito sai 107 paikkaa parlamentin 630 paikasta vuonna 1994. Esimerkiksi uusfasistit olivat yhtä vahvoja (105/630). Berlusconin hallitus hajosi 7 kk jälkeen 12/1994.[5]

Vuosina 1992-1994 Italiassa käytiin oikeutta 400 entistä parlamentaarikkoa vastaan korruptiosta ja laittomasta puoluerahoituksesta. Johtavia poliitikkoja joutui syytteeseen. Feruzzi konsernia ja  valtiollista energiayhtiötä ENI syytettiin rahansiirroista. ENI oli maksanut 150 Mrd. liiraa vuosina 1988-1992 (Enimont –jupakka). Fininvest, ja muut yritykset, myönsivät verorikokset ja lahjonnan. Berlusconin veli Fininvestin johtaja Paolo Berlusconi vangittiin joulukuussa 1994 laittomasta puoluerahoituksesta 7 kk vankeuteen. Entinen sosialistinen ministeri  Bettino Craxi tuomittiin 8½ vuodeksi vankeuteen.[5]

Ministereitä Giulio Andreotti, Antonio Gava ja Vinvenzo Scotti syytettiin vuonna 1994 yhteistyöstä organisoidun mafia –rikollisuuden kanssa. [5]


Il Lodo Alfano è illegittimo

Alle ore 18:15 di oggi i giudici della Corte costituzionale italiana hanno stabilito l'illegittimità della legge 124/2008 riguardante "disposizioni in materia di sospensione del processo penale nei confronti delle alte cariche dello Stato" e meglio nota come "Lodo Alfano".

La decisione è stata presa a maggioranza (9 giudici a 6) dopo due giorni di Camera di consiglio. Il comunicato ufficiale è stato diramato alle ore 18:37.

Secondo i magistrati il lodo viola due articoli della Costituzione:

La sentenza della Corte costituzionale ha provocato reazioni fra tutte le forze politiche. Il Lodo Alfano aveva, infatti, sospeso le procedure penali a carico delle quattro più alte cariche dello Stato per consentire, a chi imputato, un sereno svolgimento del lavoro in Parlmento. Le più dure reazioni sono quelle riguardanti il presidente del Consiglio Silvio Berlusconi, imputato in ben tre processi, che erano stati "congelati" dal Lodo Alfano.

L'onorevole Umberto Bossi (Lega Nord) prima della sentenza definitiva aveva assicurato che «se la Consulta dovesse bocciare il Lodo noi potremmo entrare in funzione solo trascinando il popolo». Alla chiusura della votazione ha così reagito: «Andiamo avanti, non ci piegano».

Il leader dell'Italia dei Valori Antonio di Pietro, che ha sempre definito il Lodo uno «scempio di incostituzionalità e immoralità», attacca duramente il premier sostenendo: «Faccia ciò che da 15 anni non vuole fare: l'imputato».

Dal canto suo Silvio Berlusconi attacca la Corte costituzionale, definendola «di sinistra», e il presidente della Repubblica Giorgio Napolitano, affermando: «Sapete da che parte sta». Il Quirinale ha voluto con una nota così reagire: «il presidente sta dalla parte della Costituzione con totale imparzialità».


Italian court sentences Brazilian footballer Robinho to nine years for 2013 sexual assault

On Thursday, an Italian court in Milan sentenced Brazilian footballer Robinho to a nine-year prison term for sexual assault. Robinho did not attend the hearing, but on his behalf, his lawyer pled not guilty.

The 33-year-old Brazilian forward was accused of sexually assaulting an Albanian woman in a nightclub in Milan in January 2013. Robinho played at the time for Milanese club AC Milan. The victim, who was 22 year old in 2013, is to receive a compensation of €60 thousand (about US$70 thousand) from Robinho.

Robinho's lawyer Marisa Alija said the footballer had not participated in the gang rape. Speaking to ESPN Brasil, she said, "Concerning the case involving the forward Robinho, in an incident that occurred some years ago, I want to make clear that my client has already defended himself from these accusations, affirming that he did not have any participation in this episode." ((pt))Portuguese language: Sobre o assunto envolvendo o atacante Robinho, em um fato ocorrido há alguns anos, esclareço que meu cliente já se defendeu das acusações, afirmando não ter qualquer participação no episódio.

By law, Robinho can appeal twice, after which Italy would seek to extradite him. However, Brazilian citizens are not extradited in their country, meaning he would not be arrested for the assault as long as he does not leave the country.

Back in 2009, when the Brazilian played for English club Manchester City, West Yorkshire Police arrested Robinho for "serious sexual assault" in a Leeds nightclub, but was not charged.


Un tribunal italiano condena al futbolista brasileño Robinho a 9 años de cárcel por agresión sexual

26 de noviembre de 2017Milán (Italia) —

El jueves, 23 de noviembre, un tribunal italiano en Milán condenó al futbolista brasileño Robinho a nueve años de cárcel por agresión sexual. Robinho no asistió a la audiencia, pero en su nombre, su abogada se declaró no culpable.

El delantero brasileño de 33 años fue acusado de agredir sexualmente a una mujer albana en un club nocturno de Milán en enero de 2013. En esa época Robinho jugaba con el club milanés Associazione Calcio Milan. La víctima, que tenía 22 años en 2013, recibirá una indemnización de &&&&&&&&&&060000.&&&&&060 000 euros (unos &&&&&&&&&&070000.&&&&&070 000 dólares estadounidenses) de parte de Robinho.

La abogada de Robinho, Marisa Alija, dijo que el futbolista no participó en la violación en grupo. En declaraciones para ESPN Brasil dijo que «En cuanto al caso del delantero Robinho, en un incidente ocurrido hace algunos años, quiero dejar claro que mi cliente ya se defendió de las acusaciones, afirmando que no participó en este episodio».

Por ley, Robinho puede apelar dos veces, después de lo cual Italia intentaría extraditarle. Sin embargo, los ciudadanos brasileños no son extraditados en su país, lo que significa que no sería arrestado por la agresión mientras no saliese del país.

En 2009, cuando el brasileño jugaba para el Manchester City inglés, la policía de Yorkshire del Oeste arrestó a Robinho por una «grave agresión sexual» en un club nocturno de Leeds, pero no fue acusado.


Corte italiana condena o futebolista brasileiro Robinho a nove anos pela agressão sexual em 2013

Na quinta-feira (23), um tribunal italiano em Milão condenou o futebolista brasileiro Robinho a uma pena de prisão de nove anos por agressão sexual. Robinho não participou da audiência, mas em seu nome, sua advogada não se declarou culpado.

O atacante brasileiro de 33 anos foi acusado de agressão sexual a uma albanesa em uma boate em Milão em janeiro de 2013. Robinho jogou na época pelo o milanês club AC Milan. A vítima, que tinha 22 anos em 2013, receberá uma remuneração de €60 mil euros (cerca de US$ 70 mil dólares) de Robinho.

A advogada de Robinho, Marisa Alija, disse que o futebolista não participou da gangue de estupradores. Falando para a ESPN Brasil, ela disse: "Sobre o assunto envolvendo o atacante Robinho, em um fato ocorrido há alguns anos, esclareço que meu cliente já se defendeu das acusações, afirmando não ter qualquer participação no episódio".

Por lei, Robinho pode apelar duas vezes, após a Itália pretender extraditá-lo. No entanto, cidadãos brasileiros não são extraditados em seu país, o que significa que ele não será preso pela agressão, desde que não saia do país.

Em 2009, quando o brasileiro jogou para o clube inglês Manchester City, a polícia de West Yorkshire prendeu Robinho por "grave agressão sexual" em uma boate de Leeds, mas não foi condenado.


Italian cruise ship thwarts attack by Somali pirates

An attempted hijacking of an Italian cruise ship carrying 1,500 passengers by Somali pirates was thwarted on Sunday by the vessel's security guards. Nobody was injured. The incident occurred about 290 kilometres north of Victoria, the Seychelles.

According to the captain of the ship, Ciro Pinto, six pirates in a speedboat approached the ship and started shooting, but were forced to flee after security started firing pistols and spraying water from hoses at them.

"One white small boat with six people on board approached the port side of the ship and started shooting," Pinto said, saying that two hundred rounds were shot. He continued that "our security started shooting in the air [...] and also we started spraying some water" in an effort to stop the pirates.

Witness reports say that there were many passengers on the ship's deck when the incident happened, and some of them threw chairs at the attacking pirates.

The ship, which is named the Melody, is owned by the Italian MSC Cruises company. It had departed from South Africa and was en route to Italy.

Piracy is rampant in the waters off the eastern coast of Africa and the Gulf of Aden. Since the start of this month, pirates have attacked approximately a dozen ships, despite the presence of about a score of naval warships patrolling the vicinity.


Crucero Italiano frustra ataque de piratas somalíes

Un intento de secuestro de un crucero italiano con 1500 pasajeros por piratas somalíes se frustró el domingo por los guardias de seguridad del buque. Nadie resultó herido. El incidente se produjo alrededor de 290 kilómetros al norte de Victoria, las Seychelles.

Según el capitán del buque, Ciro Pinto, seis piratas en una lancha rápida se acercó al barco y comenzaron a disparar, pero se vieron obligados a huir después de que la seguridad comenzará a disparar con pistolas de pulverización y mangueras de agua sobre ellos.

Testigos dicen que habían muchos pasajeros en la cubierta del buque cuando ocurrió el incidente, y algunos de ellos arrojaron sillas en el ataque a los piratas.

El buque, que se llama Melody, es propiedad de la compañía italiana MSC Cruceros. Que habían salido de Sudáfrica y se dirigía a Italia.

La piratería es rampante en las aguas de la costa oriental de África y el Golfo de Adén. Desde el comienzo de este mes, los piratas han atacado a aproximadamente una docena de barcos, a pesar de la presencia de patrullas navales y buques de guerra a sus alrededores.


Italian mafia implicated in radioactive waste dumping

The 'Ndrangheta, an Italian mafia syndicate, has been accused by a former member of the gang of sinking dozens of ships loaded with toxic waste, much of it radioactive. He says a journalist and cameraman were killed to keep them from revealing the activity.

Turncoat Francesco Fonti has identified a wreck located a few months ago by environmental workers as MV Kunsky or Cunsky and says he sunk it himself in 1992, complete with 100 barrels of radioactive waste. The gang received £100,000 ($162,720) for the job.

The wreck was scoured last week by a robot, but could not be identified.  It lies 480 feet below sea level, and is about 330 to 360 feet long.  Its description and location have been found to match an old account Fonti gave authorities three years ago, and environmental detection equipment has been dispatched to the ship, images of which do show barrels in the area.

Fonti claims he blew it up with explosives from Holland and it was used to dispose of Norwegian nuclear waste. The damage seen by the team working at the site does appear consistent with this version of events. Prosecutors say it appears the issue is displaying "all the appearances of being a confirmation". Fonti says waste was disposed of for businesses across Europe.

Nicola Pace, an Italian prosecutor, said there was evidence of "deliberate sinking of 42 ships with cargoes of waste, including radioactive waste" but there has never been concrete proof. Investigators will seek more shipwrecks if the mystery vessel does indeed have a toxic cargo. Over thirty vessels are believed to be in Italian waters.

Both Fonti and environmental group Legambiente have also claimed vessels were sent to Somalia and other developing countries with toxic cargoes, which were either sunk with the ship or buried on land. Legambiente alleges that local rebel groups were given weapons in exchange for receiving the waste ships. Fonti claims that Italian TV journalist Ilaria Alpi's 1994 murder alongside her cameraman was because she had seen toxic waste arrive in Bosaso, Somalia.


Schiffe mit Atom- und Giftmüll von italienischer Mafia im Mittelmeer versenkt

Catanzaro (Italien), 17.09.2009 – Vor der kalabrischen Küste ist in 487 Meter Tiefe auf dem Meeresgrund ein Schiffswrack gefunden worden. Mit Hilfe eines Roboters wurde festgestellt, dass sich in dem Wrack etwa 120 mit Giftmüll gefüllte Fässer befinden. Wahrscheinlich handelt es sich dabei um das Schiff „Cunsky“, das radioaktives Material an Bord hatte. Umweltorganisationen schätzen, dass es sich dabei jedoch nur um die Spitze eines Eisbergs handelt und in den 80er und 90er Jahren des vorigen Jahrhunderts etwa 40 Schiffe verschwunden sind.

Der süditalienischen Staatsanwaltschaft zufolge soll die Mafia bis zu 32 Schiffe mit Giftmüll im Mittelmeer versenkt haben. Die „Cunsky“ soll mit drei anderen Frachtern Ende der 1980er Jahre von der italienischen Regierung eingesetzt worden sein, um radioaktiven Müll aus dem Libanon zu entsorgen. Offiziellen Angaben zufolge war das Schiff im Januar 1992 verschrottet worden.

Seit 1994 war Staatsanwalt Francesco Neri dem Verschwinden von Schiffen nachgegangen, weil er vermutete, mit ihnen sei Giftmüll versenkt worden. Im Jahr 2000 wurde die Untersuchung jedoch aus Mangel an Beweisen eingestellt. Der Fund des Schiffes soll aufgrund von Aussagen des Kronzeugen Francesco Fonti, einem ehemaligem Mitglied bei der Mafia-Organisation ’Ndrangheta, und eigenen Ermittlungen der Umweltorganisation Legaambiente möglich gewesen sein.

Der Umweltbeauftragte der Region Kalabrien, Silvestro Greco, forderte das italienische Umweltministerium zu Nachforschungen in dem Fall auf. Kalabrien selbst habe dafür nicht die finanziellen Mittel.


Norsk radioaktivt avfall i italiensk miljøkriminalitet

Målform: Bokmål - Dato: 18. september 2009 - Oppdater siden - Rediger artikkelen - Flere nyheter

Italia: Av mer enn førti skip med miljøavfall som skal ha blitt senket av den italienske mafiaorganisasjonen 'Ndrangheta er dette det første som har blitt lokalisert. Skipet har blitt identifisert av tidligere mafiamedlem Francesco Fonti som MV Kunski, eller Cunski, og skal ha vært lastet med radioaktivt avfall fra Norge.

Funnstedet ble utpekt for italienske myndigheter allerede for tre år siden av varsler og avhopper fra mafiaen Francesco Fonti. I følge ham var skipet lastet med 100 tønner radioaktivt avfall fra Norge. Han skal selv ha senket skipet ved hjelp av eksplosiver, og 'Ndrangheta skal ha mottatt i overkant av 1,1 mill kr for jobben.
Vraket ble funnet for noen måneder siden, men ble først undersøkt nærmere i forrige uke. Endelig identifikasjon av skipet er ikke gjort, men funnstedet stemmer nøyaktig med Fontis beskrivelse. Baug og akterende har også skader som bærer preg av eksplosjoner, og tønner med tungt innhold merket med giftadvarsler ligger i vraket og spredd på havbunnen rundt.

Den italienske statsadvokaten Nicola Pace, som deltok i etterforskning av miljøkriminalitet i Sør Italia på 1990–tallet, sier det ble dokumentert at minst 42 skip lastet med miljøavfall hadde blitt senket av 'Ndrangheta, men at dette er det første håndfaste beviset som er funnet.
Etter at miljøregler ble innført i EU på 1980 tallet skal ulovlig dumping av radioaktivt avfall ha vært en lukrativ forretning for italienske mafiaorganisasjoner, og 'Ndrangheta skal ha tatt i mot ulovlig avfall fra hele Europa. En del av avfallet skal ha blitt sendt videre til utviklingsland, blant annet hevder Fonti at han selv seilte flere skip til Somalia, hvor avfallet ble tatt i mot av opprørsgrupper mot betaling i våpen fra mafiaen.

I følge Fonti førte den ulovlige dumpingen også til drapet på den italienske journalisten Ilaria Alpi og hennes kameramann i den somaliske havnebyen Bosaso i 1994. Disse skal ha kommet over lasting av radioaktivt avfall, og skal ha blitt drept for å dekke over dette.

Flere miljøorganisasjoner har arbeidet med å kartlegge omfanget av virksomheten. Blant annet har både Greenpeace og andre organisasjoner ført lister over skip som er forsvunnet utenfor den italienske og greske kysten.

Les flere relaterte artikler fra Wikinytt under kategoriene:


Italy arrests reputed Mafia boss Lo Piccolo

Sicilian Mafia boss Salvatore Lo Piccolo, considered to be one of the successors of the former "boss of bosses" Bernardo Provenzano (arrested in April 2006), was arrested at 9:30 a.m. CET (UTC+1)  in a villa in Giardinello, between Cinisi and Terrasini on Sicily. He had been on the run since 1983. His son Sandro Lo Piccolo and two other top mafiosi, Gaspare Pulizzi and Andrea Adamo, were arrested as well. All four men were among Italy's top 30 most wanted Mafia suspects, according to police officials.

Police fired  several warning shots in the air as they moved in against the mafiosi, who were all armed but apparently did not put a fight. Sandro Lo Piccolo, in tears, shouted "I love you dad!" several times as he was being handcuffed. The four were put into a police helicopter and flown towards Palermo's main police station. At the police station there were scenes of jubilant disorder. As the convoy of police vehicles hurtled towards the entrance, officers wearing face masks gave "V for victory" signs to applause from a crowd outside.

The arrests came on the day that Palermo held a day of memory for all victims of the Mafia. Outside the Palermo police-station a crowd of dozens of curious onlookers began to gather as well as anti-Mafia activists.

After the arrest of Corleonesi boss Provenzano, Salvatore Lo Piccolo and Matteo Messina Denaro were thought to be the new leaders of Cosa Nostra. Pizzini (small slips of paper used to communicate with other mafiosi to avoid phone conversations) found at Provenzano's hide-out indicated that Provenzano’s joint deputies in Palermo were Salvatore Lo Piccolo and Antonio Rotolo.

A 'pax mafiosa' initially settled in after Provenzano's arrest because neither Lo Piccolo nor Messina Denaro appeared to have sufficient forces to seek control of Cosa Nostra, according to the Italian news agency ANSA. Subsequent investigation revealed that Lo Piccolo and Messina Denaro had reached an accommodation and that the real threat to Lo Piccolo came from Rotolo who was arrested in June last year.

According to Ansa, "police were concerned by a couple of top-level hits they feared might spark a full-blown war of succession. Police said Lo Piccolo had the upper hand because he had been Provenzano's right-hand man in Palermo and his greater experience won him the respect of the older generation of bosses as they pursued Provenzano's policy of keeping as low as possible while strengthening their power network. These bosses had been reined in by Provenzano when he put an end to the Riina-driven war against the state that claimed the lives of Mafia crusaders Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino in 1992."

Lo Piccolo is believed to have strengthened the links between the Sicilian and American mafia. Sicilian families, who were forced to flee the island in the 1980s after losing the power struggle with the Corleonesi, were being brought back from the US to fill the void left by the arrests of Provenzano and many of his lieutenants.

In August, police arrested 14 people in an operation which uncovered close ties between local Cosa Nostra families and the US-based Mafia. According to investigators, the trans-Atlantic alliance uncovered in August involved drug trafficking and money laundering.

Lo Piccolo was reportedly betrayed by one of his closest lieutenants, Francesco Franzese, who was arrested in August. He started to collaborate with the authorities and members of Franzese's family were taken to an undisclosed location for their protection.


Palermo: arrestati Salvatore e Sandro Lo Piccolo

I noti boss mafiosi Salvatore e Sandro Lo Piccolo sono stati arrestati nella mattinata di oggi a Carini, vicino Palermo. Nell'operazione della Polizia di Stato sono finiti in manette anche Gaspare Pulizzi e Andrea Adamo.

Salvatore e Sandro Lo Piccolo erano ricercati rispettivamente da 25 e 6 anni per diversi crimini, tra i quali omicidi e spaccio di sostanze stupefacenti. Dopo la cattura di Bernardo Provenzano (con il quale si erano alleati anni prima), avvenuta l'11 aprile del 2006, si suppone che abbiano assunto una posizione molto importante nelle gerarchie mafiose.

I quattro fermati erano inseriti nella lista dei 30 maggiori ricercati in Italia.

Grande soddisfazione per la cattura è stata espressa da Francesco Messineo, procuratore capo di Palermo, che ha detto: «Dall'arresto dei due ci attendiamo la disarticolazione dell'apparato criminale sul territorio. I due grandi latitanti erano punto di riferimento dei capimafia che esercitavano il controllo sull'apparato economico. Adesso ci attendiamo una conseguenza positiva anche sul piano della possibilità della collaborazione dei cittadini».

Un particolare rilevante è stato il fatto che gli uomini, a differenza di quanto fece Provenzano durante la latitanza durata oltre quattro decenni, abitassero in appartamenti facilmente accessibili e non in rifugi o abitazioni di campagna.


IWF reverses censorship of Wikipedia

On December 7, Wikinews first reported that some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the United Kingdom, were filtering access to an image and an article on the popular, free online encyclopedia Wikipedia, amid allegations that they contain child pornography. The filter was brought into play by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which has stated that today they have removed the ban.

The IWF said, in a statement on its website, that "the decision has been taken to remove this webpage from our list." However, the organization does maintain that "the image in question is potentially in breach of the Protection of Children Act 1978."

At approximately 19:45 UTC, the ban was removed for customers of Virgin Media, who were previously unable to access the Virgin Killer article or the associated image.

The image and article in question is that of the 1976 album Virgin Killer, a studio album by the Scorpions, a German rock band.  The controversy began after the image of the album's original cover, which depicted a naked prepubescent girl, was reported to the IWF in early December. Wikinews first discovered the controversial image in May 2008 after there were several attempts to delete it on Wikipedia. The image had been blocked because the IWF considered it to be "potentially illegal". As a result, the IWF have contacted authorities in the United States and in the UK.

The measures applied redirect Wikipedia-bound traffic from a significant portion of the UK's Internet population through a small number of servers which can log and filter the content that is available to the end user. A serious side-effect of this is the inability of administrators on Wikimedia sites to block vandals and other troublemakers without potentially impacting hundreds of thousands of innocent contributors who are working on the sites in good faith.

Contributors or individuals attempting to view an affected image or file, depending on their ISP, may get a warning saying, "we have blocked this page because, according to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), it contains indecent images of children or pointers to them; you could be breaking UK law if you viewed the page.". Other ISPs provide blank pages, 404 errors, or other means of blocking the content.


互聯網觀察委員會停止對維基百科的內容審查

經過兩天對維基百科的封鎖之後，英國的互聯網觀察委員會（IWF）最終在12月9日宣布將維基百科從其網站的黑名單中除名，在IWF的官方網站發表的一篇聲明說「已經將網頁從我們的名單中除名」，不過他們仍然有所保留地說「存在問題的圖像有可能觸犯1978年兒童保護法案」。

倫敦時間19:45，維珍媒體，六間前兩天封鎖維基百科部分頁面的網絡供應商之一，解除了對維基百科的封鎖。隨後陸續有其它網絡供應商解除封鎖。

從12月7日開始，互聯網觀察委員會因為維基百科的一個條目的內容可能涉嫌兒童色情而將維基百科列入其黑名單，英國六家主要網絡供應商因此而封殺維基百科部分頁面。

引起爭議的是Virgin Killer條目（可參見英文版條目Virgin Killer）的一張圖片，該圖片其實是著名德國樂隊蝎子樂隊的《Virgin Killer》專輯的封面。封面是一個10歲左右的赤裸女童。維基百科合理使用了此圖像，雖然這個爭議的圖片在維基百科引起了多番熱烈討論，但是最終還是決定保留。於是IWF以這張圖片「可能違法」為由對此作出封殺。

兩天來的封鎖引起了很大的反應。大部分英國的維基百科用戶都受到影響。部分重要的管理員不能順利登錄，而導致維基百科不能有效地對付破壞和搗亂。許多用戶的編輯也不能順利保存。在維基媒體網站和世界各地不少論壇上都有熱議此事件，當中大部分網民都對IWF封殺維基百科表示不滿。


Jailed American journalist in Iran sentenced to eight years in prison

Roxana Saberi, 31, an Iranian-American journalist who was accused of spying on Iran, has been sentenced to eight years in prison. This marks the first time that an Iranian court has convicted and sentenced a journalist who they accused of spying.

"The eight-year sentence is true. I will appeal the verdict," said Abdul-Samad, Saberi's attorney. Saberi could have been sentenced the maximum of 10 years in prison, under Iranian law. The court did not allow Saberi's lawyer to ask for bail.

Saberi was originally arrested then charged for purchasing alcoholic beverages and reporting without the proper media credentials. During the trial, Iranian officials accused her of spying and sending information to U.S. intelligence agencies overseas. According to Iran's national media, Saberi admitted to spying.

"It's normal for somebody who has violated our law to be sentenced. It has nothing to do with [international] bargaining chips or with President Obama. [...] I do hope her case will be soon over, but Iran has its own national interests, and issues such as nuclear technology are sensitive and some countries are trying to undermine our interests through someone posing as a journalist," said a former spokesman for Hesbollah in Iran.

The U.S. condemns the arrest and sentence calling the charges against Saberi "baseless and without foundation." They call for Saberi's immediate release.

Saberi was working for BBC News and National Public Radio (NPR) which is located in Washington, D.C.. She was arrested two months ago, but according to NPR, Saberi has been in custody for three months.


Америчка новинарка осуђена у Ирану због шпијунаже

Техеран / Иран (Глас Америке) Америчка новинарка Роксана Сабери, која поседује и иранско држављанство осуђена је на осам година затвора због оптужбе да је шпијунирала за Сједињене Америчке Државе. Њен адвокат је изјавио да ће се жалити на пресуду иранског суда.

Бела кућа је саопштила да је председник Обама "дубоко разочаран" пресудом која је изречена америчкој новинарки. Денис Мекдонау, заменик Саветника за националну безбедност председника Обаме рекао је да је сабери америчка новинарка која се једноставно бавила својим послом. Државна секретарка Хилари Клинтон изјавила је  да ће амерички званичници наставити да упућују жустре протесте иранској влади у вези са тим случајем.

Тридесет-једногодишња Сабери радила је у Ирану за неколико медијских кућа, а ухапшена је крајем јануара, јер наводно није имала одговарајућу акредитацију. Иранске власти убрзо потом су подигле оптужницу за шпијунажу, објаснивши да је користила професију да пренесе поверљиве податке америчким обавештајним агенцијама. САД одбацују ту оптужбу као неосновану.


Jamaica: Violence kills at least 30

Authorities in Jamaica say that gunfights in the capital Kingston have left at least 30 people dead, as hundreds of troops and police search for an alleged drug kingpin wanted by the US. At least 25 people were injured as well.

The violence has been triggered by the Jamaican government's efforts to extradite Christopher "Dudus" Coke, the alleged leader of the "Shower Posse" group. Armed security forces stormed the Tivoli Gardens slum of western Kingston on Monday in an effort to locate Coke, who has not been found. Last week, Coke's supporters barricaded the area in an attempt to thwart his arrest.

The trouble has forced the closure of schools and businesses across the capital, and the government has appealed for blood donations for the wounded. A state of emergency is in effect for parts of Kingston.

The US has issued a travel alert to warn citizens against visiting the island nation. Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding has promised "strong and decisive" action to restore order.


ஜமேக்கா வன்முறைகளில் 30 பேர் உயிரிழப்பு

ஜமேக்காவின் தலைநகர் கிங்ஸ்டனில் இடம்பெற்ற சூட்டுச் சம்பவங்களில் குறைந்தது 30 பேர் கொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளதாகத் தெரிவிக்கப்படுகிறது. அமெரிக்காவினால் தேடப்பட்டுவரும் போதைப் பொருள் கடத்தல் தலைவர் ஒருவரைத் தேடி நூற்றுக்கணக்கான படையினர் தேடுதல் நடவடஇக்கையில் ஈடுபட்ட போதே இவ்வன்முறை வெடித்துள்ளது. 25 பேர் வரையில் காயமடைந்துள்ளனர்.

கிறிஸ்தோபர் கோக் என்ற போதைப்பொருட் கடத்தல் தலைவரை நாடு கடத்த ஜமேக்க அரசு நடவடிக்கை எடுத்ததை அடுத்தே வன்முறை வெடித்தது.

கோக்கைக் கைது செய்வதற்காக திங்கட்கிழமை அன்று மேற்கு கிங்ஸ்டனில் டிவொலி கார்டன்சைச்க் காவல்துறையினர் முற்றுகையிட்டனர். ஆனாலும் கோக்கைக் கண்டுபிடிக்க முடியவில்லை. கோக்குக்கு ஆதரவாக ஆயிரக்கணக்கானோர் அங்கு திரண்டிருந்தனர்.

தலைநகரில் பள்ளிகள் மற்றும் வர்ததக நிறுவனங்கள் மூடப்பட்டிருந்தன. கிங்க்ஸ்டனின் பல பகுதிகளில் அவசரகால நிலை கொண்டுவரப்பட்டிருந்தது.

சட்டம் மற்றும் ஒழுங்கை நிலைநாட்டுவதற்குத் தேவையான சகல நடவடிக்கைகளும் எடுக்கப்பட்ம் என்று தலைமை அமைச்சர் புரூஸ் கோல்டிங் அறிவித்தார்.

தான் ஒரு சட்டபூர்வமான வர்த்தகர் என்றும் கிங்ஸ்டனில் வறுமையில் வாடும் பல்லாயிரக்கணக்கானோர் தமக்கு ஆதரவாக இருக்கின்றார்கள் என்றும் 41 வயதுள்ள திரு. கோக் கூறுகிறார். ஆனாலும் இவரை உலகின் மிகவும் ஆபத்தான போதைப்பொருள் கடத்தல் காரர் என்று ஐக்கிய அமெரிக்க நீதித்துறை தெரிவித்துள்ளது.


Japan asks "Where's the beef?"

Shortages of beef in Japan prompted consumers to submit a petition with about 1.19 million signatures to Japan's Agriculture Minister Yoshinobu Shimamura on Tuesday. The petition was presented by a group led by Takashi Sakamoto, president of a chain of used book outlets.

Japan has banned imports of U.S. beef for 15 months, citing concerns about mad cow disease after authorities discovered a cow with the disease in the United States.

Japanese health and agriculture ministers said they would ask their country's food safety commission to approve lifting the ban.

"We will ask the commission to decide if resuming U.S. beef imports is safe based on safety measures taken in the U.S.," said health minister Makoto Kanie.

Analyst Kazuhiko Saito says this may cause a delay "until later this year", telling Bloomberg, "The Commission has been very slow on reviewing domestic mad cow tests and will also be slow to review the U.S. beef import plans."

U.S. lawmakers and diplomats have pressed Japan to re-open their market, and some Washington lawmakers have even threatened Japan with sanctions should beef imports not resume soon. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice brought up the matter earlier this month during her visit to Japan.

So far, the Japan Food Safety Commission has only taken the step of loosening inspection rules, such that mad cow testing is not required for all imported live cattle.

Japan has dealt with 14 cases of mad cow disease of their own.


Japoneses perguntam: onde está o meu bife?

A falta de carne de vaca no Japão incitou nesta terça-feira consumidores a submeter uma petição com aproximadamente 1,19 milhões de assinaturas ao Ministro de Agricultura Yoshinobu Shimamura,  do Japão. A petição foi apresentada por um grupo conduzido por Takashi Sakamoto, o presidente de uma rede de  lojas de livros usados.

O Japão interditou as importações de carne bovina dos Estados Unidos da América durante 15 meses, porque as autoridades ficaram temerosas ante a possibilidade de se depararem em seu país com o mal da vaca louca, principalmente depois que  descobriram que uma vaca nos EUA teve essa doença.

Os ministros da agricultura e saúde japonesa disseram que  pediriam à comissão de segurança de alimentos do  país para aprovar a suspensão da proibição.

"Pediremos à comissão para decidir se a retomada das importações de carne bovina americana é segura, tendo em vista só as medidas de segurança já tomadas nos Estados Unidos," disse o ministro de saúde Makoto Kanie.

O analista Kazuhiko Saito deu a entender que pode demorar este ano para os japoneses  terem acesso à carne americana. Segundo entrevista que ele concedeu à Bloomberg: "a comissão costuma ser  muito lenta na revisão de casos locais relacionados ao mal da vaca louca  e portanto também será lenta para rever os planos de importação de carne de vaca dos Estados Unidos."


Japan bans possession of child pornography

Japan banned possession of child pornography though a bill passed in the Upper House of Japanese Parliament yesterday. The ban prohibits owning a real life image of child pornography depicting a child under the age of eighteen. However, this does not include depictions of children in computer-generated or drawn forms, such as anime and manga.

Japan banned child pornography production and distribution fifteen years ago, however possession had remained legal until now.

Possession of child pornography under these new laws may involve financial penalty of up to one million yen (about US$10,000 or euro7,000) or a year in jail. Individuals who currently possess child pornography are to be given a year to dispose of the material as the penalties are to be unenforced for the first year the law is in effect.

Bill supporter Kiyohiko Toyama of the New Komeito Party, speaking to Reuters, said "For too long, there was a poor understanding of children's rights. Ultimately, that's why it's taken so long [...] By outlawing the possession of child pornography with the intent to satisfy sexual interest, we make it harder for people to trade in such material."

While sexual images depicting real-life children have been banned, depictions in anime and manga have not. Last month the metropolitan government of Tokyo did restrict manga comics depicting incest by prohibiting their sale to children.

Justice Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said on Tuesday, "We must fight against a tendency of looking at children as sexual objects, and allowing them to be taken advantage of, sexually and commercially".

Some manga artists, publishers, and free-speech activists have objected to the censure of manga content, saying it encroaches on the right to free speech. Some objectors cite Japanese government press controls during the lead-up to World War II.


El Parlamento de Japón proscribe la posesión de pornografía infantil pero sin incluir al anime manga

El Parlamento del país oriental ha prohibido este martes la posesión de material obsceno referente a la pornografía infantil, pero excluye a los subgéneros ecchi y hentai, pertenecientes al anime manga en las que figuren menores de edad como personajes en actividades sexuales.

Esta norma es originada por una enmienda de una ley aprobada en 1998, en la que se permitía producir material pornográfico sin ilegalizar su tenencia por parte del público, después de que la Cámara de los Consejeros recibiera el visto bueno de la Cámara de Representantes y en base a ello los que tengan posesión de estos artículos se podrían enfrentarse a una multa económica de un millón de yenes (7280 euros), urgiendo además a los proveedores de Internet a colaborar con las autoridades sobre posibles violaciones a fin de evitar mayor divulgación, según reportajes de las agencias de noticias Kiodo y Reuters.

Si bien la ley revisada define la pornografía infantil cuyo objetivo sea las partes intimas de los niños, para los defensores del anime y manga la medida no les cayó de total agrado, ya para la Asociación de Editores de Revistas de Japón la medida "podría llevar a una regresión de la libertad de expresión y limitar a los artistas y la cultura editorial", algo que el parlamentario Masatada Tsuchiya, del Partido Liberal Democrático, si bien defiende los géneros gráficos mencionados, alega que "hay algunas cosas tan depravadas que no hay porque defenderlas".

Además de los liberales, otros partidos como el Nuevo Kōmeitō y el Democrático han intentado incluir en la ley una investigación que relacione la pornografía infantil en el anime, manga y otros medios de comunicación en la violación a los derechos de la infancia; cosa por el cual el ministro de justicia Sadakazu Tanigaki solicita un cambio cultural por el cual se deje de cosificar a los niños con fines comerciales y sexuales.


Japanese Buddhist priest arrested for child prostitution

A 73-year-old Buddhist priest and temple nursery school director was arrested for soliciting a child prostitute, police reported on Friday.

Itsushi Ehara, chief priest of Komyoji Temple in Aki-ku, Hiroshima, is alleged to have violated the Japanese Anti-Child Prostitution and Pornography Law.

Police state that Ehara admitted to the allegations during questioning, responding "I did it to alleviate my work stress." Police also claim that he confessed to membership in child prostitution clubs, and has paid several high school girls to have sex with him on more than 20 occasions.

Tokyo police allege that Ehara paid 80,000 yen to a 15-year-old girl, a first-year high school student, to have sex with him at a hotel in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, in August 2004.


Un prêtre bouddhiste japonais arrêté pour pédophilie

Un prêtre bouddhiste de 73 ans, directeur d'un orphelinat, a été arrété pour avoir sollicité la prostitution infantile selon la police.

Itsushi Ehara, prêtre supérieur du temple de Komyoji à Aki-ku, Hiroshima, est accusé d'avoir violé la loi japonaise de lutte contre la prostitution infantile et la loi sur la pornographie.

La police a indiqué que M. Ehara aurait admis, durant son interrogatoire, avoir commis ces agissements pour se « détendre du stress de son travail ». Les enquêteurs ont également révélé que M. Ehara était membre de clubs, où la prostitution infantile est légion, et a payé plusieurs high school girls enfin d'avoir des rapports sexuels avec lui, plus d'une vingtaine de fois.

La police de Tokyo a déclaré que M. Ehara aurait payé 80 000 yens à une jeune fille de 15 ans, étudiante, en août 2004, afin d'avoir des rapports sexuels avec lui dans un hôtel de Tokyo.


JFK airport terminal evacuated due to suspicious package

According to reports, a terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport located in New York, New York was evacuated after authorities found a suspicious package outside the main American Airlines terminal.

Reports say that the package was found outside the terminal on a street curb just before 10:30 a.m. (eastern time), and turned out to be men's cologne.

"There was a suspicious package that was found at 10:20 a.m. curbside at Terminal 9, which is American Airlines. It turned out to be a package containing cologne," said Steve Coleman, a spokesman for American Airlines.

At approximately 11:35 a.m. (eastern time) authorities began to let passengers back into the terminal, giving it the all clear.

No flights were affected by the incident.

The United States had raised the presence of police and bomb sniffing dogs at airports across the U.S. after a terrorist attack in Glasgow, Scotland.


Evacúan el Aeropuerto Internacional John F. Kennedy por un dispositivo sospechoso

1 de julio de 2007Nueva York, Estados Unidos —

De acuerdo a reportes, el Aeropuerto Internacioanl John F. Kennedy localizado en la Ciudad de Nueva York fue evacuado luego de que las autoridades encontraran un "dispositivo sospechoso" fuera de la terminal de American Airlines.

Los reportes dicen que el dispositivo fue encontrado en las afueras de las teriman en una calle poco antes de las 10:30 (tiempo este), y terminó siendo colonia de hombre.

"Había un dispositivo sospechoso que fue encontrado cerca de las 10:20 a.m. cerca de la terminal 9, que es de American Airlines. Al final era un paquete con colonia de hombre", dijo Steve Coleman, un portavoz para American Airlines.

A alrededor de las 11:35 a.m. (tiempo este), las autoridades dejaron pasar a los pasajeros nuevamente a la terminal.

Ningún vuelo fue afectado por el incidente.

Los Estados Unidos de América han aumentado la presencia de policías y perros detectores de explosivos en los aeropuertos luego del ataque terrorista en Glasgow.


Na lotnisku w Nowym Jorku znaleziono podejrzany pakunek

1 lipca na międzynarodowym lotnisku im. Johna F. Kennedy'ego w Nowym Jorku, znajdującym się w południowo-wschodniej części miasta, znaleziono podejrzany pakunek. Leżał on na krawężniku. Ewakuowano osoby znajdujące się na Terminalu 9., który obsługują linie lotnicze American Airlines (m.in. loty do Brukseli, Buenos Aires, Londyu-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Rzymu, Zurychu, Toronto, Waszyngtonu), Finnair (Helsinek) i Malév (Budapesztu).

Po zbadaniu paczki przez saperów okazało sie, że wewnątrz była woda kolońska. Rzecznik prasowy linii American Airlines poinformował, że zdarzenie nie spowodowało poważnych utrudnień w ruchu lotniczym portu.

W związku z wydarzeniami jakie miały miejsce w Wielkiej Brytanii, Stany Zjednoczone wprowadziły zaostrzone środki bezpieczeństwa na portach lotniczych.


Jimmy Wales: First draft of new version of GFDL license expected soon

According to Wikipedia founder, Jimmy Wales, the first draft of the new version of the GNU Free Documentation License is expected to be released soon.

Jimmy Wales, who is visiting Poland to establish the Polish branch of Wikia, was speaking on the occasion of the fifth "birthday" of the Polish language Wikipedia, on 23rd September.

Wales, asked what he is planning to do to make usage of Wikipedia content easier, admitted that the current GFDL license (version 1.2) under which the whole content of Wikipedia is released, is very complicated and parts of it are hard to understand. However, he said that earlier in the day, he received a call from Eben Moglen, main lawyer of Free Software Foundation, which created the license, who promised that the first draft of new version of GFDL license would be released soon and it would solve the problems present in current version.


Jimmy Wales: Wkrótce szkic nowej wersji licencji GFDL?

Według Jimmy'ego Walesa, założyciela Wikipedii, wkrótce możemy się spodziewać pierwszego szkicu nowej wersji licencji GNU Free Documentation License.

Jimmy Wales, który gości w Polsce z okazji otwarcia polskiego oddziału firmy Wikia, wspomniał o tym podczas dyskusji odbywającej się 23 września podczas bankietu na piąte urodziny polskiej Wikipedii. Wales, zapytany o to, co ma zamiar zrobić, by wykorzystanie materiałów z Wikipedii było łatwiejsze, przyznał, że obecna licencja GFDL (w wersji 1.2), na której udostępniana jest cała treść Wikipedii, jest skomplikowana i niezrozumiała. Powiedział jednak, że tego samego dnia rano dzwonił do niego Eben Moglen (główny prawnik Free Software Foundation opiekującej się GFDL), który obiecał, że w najbliższych dniach w Internecie pojawi się pierwszy szkic nowej wersji licencji wolnej dokumentacji GNU, która ma usunąć problemy i niejasności obecne w starszej wersji.


Judge declares mistrial in Bill Cosby sexual assault case

On Saturday, Judge Steven O'Niell of Norristown, Pennsylvania declared a mistrial in the trial of U.S. actor Bill Cosby for sexual assault because the jury had become deadlocked, unable to arrive at a unanimous guilty or not guilty verdict.  Prosecutors immediately announced plans to retry the case.

Brian McMonagle, one of Cosby's lawyers, addressed the jury, "We came here looking for an acquittal but like that Rolling Stones song says, 'You can't always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you need.'"

The jurors had deliberated for a total of 53 hours, longer than the testimony of all witnesses combined. They had already declared themselves deadlocked Thursday morning, at which time Judge O'Niell told them to return to deliberations and try again. On Friday, they emerged to request copies of previous testimony and phone transcripts.

During their deliberations, the jury asked to review the testimony of alleged victim Andrea Constand, particularly her testimony about the 2004 night the alleged assault took place, which produced over 300 pages of transcripts. Constand claims that, in 2004 when she was working for Temple University, Cosby invited her to his home, where he gave her pills that left her "immobilized" and unable to speak and then touched her breasts and genitals and placed her hand on his exposed genitals.  Cosby claims their contact was consensual and that the pills he gave her were ordinary Benadryl, though he has admitted on-record that he gave women quaaludes for sex in the 1970s. Cosby was accused of three charges of aggravated indecent assault, these being assaulting Constand without her consent; whilst she was unconscious; and after using drugs to impair her ability to give consent.  On each charge, a guilty verdict could have placed Cosby, now 79, in prison for up to ten years.  Many other women have claimed that Cosby assaulted them as well, with specifics ranging from inappropriate touching to rape, but the statute of limitations for many of these complaints has expired, meaning that the crime happened too long ago for the government to legally prosecute Cosby. However, Pennsylvania law does allow for the testimony of such victims in other sexual assault trials, and one of these women, Kelly Johnson, testified in last week's proceedings.

Constand did file a complaint with police in 2005, and the district attorney at the time, Bruce Castor, decided against charging Cosby.  Constand then sued Cosby in civil court and the matter was settled with an undisclosed sum. However, during his deposition for this civil case, Cosby admitted on the record to giving women quaaludes.

When asked why he thought the jury was unable to come to a unanimous verdict in this case, former Philadelphia prosecutor Kevin Harden Junior said that the jurors probably had doubts regarding Constand's credibility and cited the fact that only one of Cosby's other accusers had been allowed to testify: "By limiting evidence of other accusers, the Court focused the jury on whether the prosecution presented enough credible evidence to convict Cosby of this particular assault. [...] It would be reasonable, based on the evidence presented, for the jurors to agree that Cosby is a sexual predator and still disagree on a verdict as to the assault of Constand."

University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias commented on the prospects for a new trial: "The fact that the case turned substantially on one person's testimony may have made it difficult to win and the defense counsel made many efforts to undercut her testimony. The retrial happens next, and the prosecution may try to call other accusers."


Rechtszaak tegen Bill Cosby nietigverklaard

Een twaalfkoppige jury in Norristown heeft meer dan 50 uur lang onderling overlegd in de lopende rechtszaak wegens misbruik tegen Bill Cosby, maar ze zijn niet tot een eensgezind oordeel gekomen. Een rechter heeft de rechtszaak daarom vandaag geseponeerd. De komende vier maanden moeten de aanklagers besluiten of ze een nieuwe zaak willen beginnen, of dat ze de aanklacht tegen Cosby laten vallen.

De 79-jarige Cosby wordt ervan beschuldigd in 2004 de 44-jarige Andrea Constand te hebben gedrogeerd en haar daarna seksueel te hebben misbruikt. Indien hij schuldig wordt bevonden, kan hij tien jaar celstraf krijgen. Daarnaast zijn er nog twee lopende aanklachten tegen hem. Hij is daarnaast beschuldigd van nog veel meer seksuele vergrijpen (in totaal meer dan 60 vrouwen hebben een aanklacht tegen hem ingediend), maar deze zaken zijn al allemaal verjaard. Volgens Cosby's advocaten rammelt de verklaring van Constand, de twee zouden in werkelijkheid geliefden zijn geweest.


Judge delivers verdicts in 2004 Madrid train bombing trial

The Audiencia Nacional of Spain (National Court of Spain) has found 21 of 28 defendants guilty in connection with the 2004 Madrid train bombings.

The defendants were facing charges including murder, forgery and conspiracy to commit a terrorist attack. 27 of them are men and one is a woman. 19 are mostly Moroccan Arabs and nine Spaniards.

Chief Judge Javier Gomez Bermudez read the verdicts which came after three months of deliberations.

Jamal Zougam, Otman el Ghanoui and Emilio Trashorras were found guilty of murder. The three were given sentences of 42,924 years in prison, although the most one can serve in Spain is 40 years. As far as the other guilty verdicts, no one was given more than 23 years for their part in the crime.

Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, aka "Mohamed the Egyptian", was acquitted although he is serving a ten-year sentence in Italy on other terrorism charges. Jose Maria de Pablos, spokesman for a victims' association, said: "We're very surprised by the acquittal. If it wasn't them, we have to find out who it was. Somebody gave the order."

"I'm not a judge or a lawyer but this is shameful, outrageous," said Isabel Presa, who lost her youngest son in one of the explosions. She told journalists of her outrage at what she thought were lenient sentences.

The 2004 Madrid train bombings (also known in Spain as 11-M) consisted of a series of coordinated bombings against the Cercanías (commuter train) system of Madrid, Spain on the morning of March 11, 2004, killing 191 people and wounding 2,050.


Urteile im Prozess gegen die Attentäter von Madrid

Madrid (Spanien), 31.10.2007 – Der Nationale Gerichtshof in der spanischen Hauptstadt hat heute die Urteile im Prozess gegen die Bombenattentäter von Madrid verkündet. Bei einem Anschlag auf einen Nahverkehrszug am 11. März 2004 waren 191 Menschen getötet und 1800 verletzt worden. Dabei waren insgesamt zehn Bomben eingesetzt worden. Für das Attentat wird eine islamistische Terrorzelle verantwortlich gemacht, die sich von dem Terrornetzwerk al-Qaida inspirieren ließ.

Islamisten hatten sich zu dem Attentat bekannt und es als einen Akt der Rache wegen der Beteiligung Spaniens am Irakkrieg bezeichnet.

Angeklagt waren insgesamt 28 Personen, sieben von ihnen wurden freigesprochen. Gegen die übrigen Angeklagten wurden hohe Haftstrafen verhängt, teilweise mehrere tausend Jahre. In Spanien ist die Höchstdauer für die Verbüßung einer Haftstrafe jedoch auf 40 Jahre begrenzt.

Mit Überraschung wurde der Freispruch des Ägypters Rabei Osman el Sayed aufgenommen, den die Anklagevertretung als einen der Hauptverantwortlichen des Attentats angesehen hatte. Die Anklage hatte für ihn ein Strafmaß von 38.962 Jahren gefordert. Weitere sieben Haupttäter hatten sich bereits drei Wochen nach den Anschlägen dem Gerichtsverfahren und einer möglichen Verurteilung durch Selbsttötung entzogen. Als die Polizei ihre konspirative Wohnung im Madrider Vorort Leganés umstellte, sprengten sie sich in die Luft.

Die Hälfte der 28 verurteilten Angeklagten stammte aus Marokko, weitere neun kamen aus Spanien. Außerdem waren zwei Syrer und je ein Täter aus Ägypten, Algerien und dem Libanon unter den Verurteilten.

In der Urteilsbegründung schloss der Vorsitzende Richter Javier Gómez Bermudez eine Beteiligung der baskischen Separatistenorganisation ETA ausdrücklich aus. Dafür gebe es keine Beweise. Die damalige konservative Regierung hatte wenige Tage vor den Parlamentswahlen die baskische Terrororganisation ETA für die Anschläge verantwortlich gemacht. Die Angeklagten plädierten alle auf „nicht schuldig“. Es wird erwartet, dass sie gegen das Urteil Rechtsmittel einlegen werden.

Den zahlreichen Opfern des Anschlages wurden durch das Gerichtsurteil Ansprüche auf Entschädigungen zwischen 30.000 Euro und 1,5 Millionen Euro pro Person zugesprochen.

Die Gerichtsverhandlung fand unter strengen Sicherheitsmaßnahmen statt. Polizeihunde hatten den Gerichtssaal zuvor nach Sprengstoff abgesucht, während der Urteilsverkündung kreisten Hubschrauber über dem Gerichtsgebäude. Der 600-seitige Text der Urteilsbegründung war bis zuletzt geheim gehalten worden.


España: condenan a tres de los principales sospechosos del 11-M

31 de octubre de 2007Madrid, España —

La justicia de española condenó a casi 40.000 años de prisión a tres de los ocho mayores sospechosos de los atentados del 11 de marzo de 2004, ataque atribuido a Al Qaeda y que causó 191 muertos y 1.841 heridos.

Los sospechosos condenados son Othman El-Gnaoui, un responsable de la célula terrorista, Jamal Zougam, autor de una de las explosiones, y José Emilio Suárez Trashorras, confidente de la policía española y suministrador de los explosivos. La Audiencia Nacional de España condenó a los dos primeros a 40.000 años de prisión, mientras que Suárez Trashorras fue condenado a 35.000 años luego de tomarse en cuenta la atenuante de que el acusado padecía de "anomalía psíquica".

No obstante, en una decisión sorpresiva, el tribunal decidió absolver a Rabei Osman, "El Egipcio", acusado de ser el autor intelectual del atentado; Youssef Belhadj, por quien la fiscalía pedía 39.000 años de prisión – acusado de ser un autor intelectual y de ser el principal portavoz de la red terrorista en Europa – fue condenado a 12 años por la pertenencia a la red. Lo mismo se aplicó a Abdelmajid Bouchar, acusado de ser autor material y cuyas huellas fueron encontradas en una casa donde crearon los explosivos, y quien fue condenado con 15 años de prisión por la pertenencia a la red.

El marroquí Hassan Al Haski, sospechado de ser la mente tras los atentados, fue solamente condenado a 15 años de prisión; el último sospechoso principal y confidente de la policía, Rafa Zouhier, y quien habría actuado en la entrega de explosivos, fue sentenciado a 10 años.

La Audiencia Nacional también decidió absolver a Antonio y Carmen Toro, relacionados con Trashorras, y otros acusados – Emilio Llano, Mohamed Moussante, Javier González Díaz e Iván Granados – también fueron absueltos.

El Presidente de España, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, declaró que "hoy se ha impartido justicia, y sobre esta justicia tenemos que seguir adelante fortaleciendo la conviviencia", quien también felicitó a la justicia por su labor. Sin embargo, el opositor Mariano Rajoy manifestó que el veredicto no cierra el caso "ya que los acusados como inductores o autores intelectuales, en los términos que utiliza la sentencia, no han sido condenados como tales".

Esa mañana del 11 de marzo de 2004, 10 bombas explotaron en cuatro trenes llenos de trabajadores, oficinistas y estudiantes que se dirigían a la Estación Atocha, dejando 191 muertos y 1.841 heridos.

En total, 309 testigos y 71 expertos han comparecido en el juicio, que ha quedado concluido hoy.


Espagne : la justice condamne les accusés du 11 mars à plusieurs milliers d'années en prison

La justice espagnole a condamné à presque 40 000 années de prison, trois des huit suspects des attentats du 11 mars 2004 à Madrid, attaque attribuée à Al-Qaida qui a entraîné la mort de 191 personnes et laissé 1 841 blessés.

Les hommes condamnés sont Othman El Gnaoui, un responsable de la cellule terroriste, Jamal Zougam, auteur de l'une des explosions et José Emilio Suárez Trashorras, informateur de la police espagnole et fournisseur des explosifs. La Audiencia Nacional de España a condamné les deux premiers à 40 000 années de prisons, tandis que Suárez Trashorras a été condamné à 35 000 années puisqu'on a pris en compte son « anomalie psychique ».

Toutefois, la décision surprend parce que le tribunal a décidé également d'acquitter Rabei Osman, dit « El Egipcio » (« L'Egyptien »), accusé d'être le cerveau de l'attentat. Youssef Belhadj, pour lequel l'accusation demandait 39 000 ans de prison, en raison de son rôle de cerveau de l'attentat ainsi que de porte-parole principal du réseau terroriste Al-Qaida en Europe, a été condamné à douze ans en prison pour son rôle dans Al-Qaida. Il en fut de même pour Abdelmajid Bouchar, condamné à quinze ans de prison ; accusé d'être impliqué dans l'attentat, ses empreintes digitales furent trouvées dans une maison où furent fabriqués les explosifs.

Le marocain Hassan Al-Haski, suspecté d'être l'un des cerveaux derrière l'attentat, a été condamné à quinze ans de prison. Finalement, le dernier suspect principal et informateur de la police, Rafa Zouhier, qui aurait participé à la livraison des explosifs, a été condamné à dix ans de prison.

Le tribunal a décidé d'acquitter Antonio et Carmen Toro, personnes connues de Trashorras, ainsi que d'autres accusés : Emilio Llano, Mohamed Moussante, Javier González Díaz et Iván Granados.

Le président du Conseil espagnol, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, a approuvé la décision du tribunal et l'a félicité pour son travail. Toutefois, le leader de l'opposition, Mariano Rajoy, a dit que le verdict ne ferme pas le dossier, puisque « certains accusés, instigateurs ou cerveaux, dans les termes utilisés par le tribunal, n'ont pas été condamnés comme tels ».

Le 24 mars 2004, dix bombes avaient explosé dans quatre trains pleins d'employés et d'étudiants se dirigeant à la gare d'Atocha, au centre-ville de Madrid, laissant 191 morts et 1 841 blessés.

Le tribunal a vu passer 309 témoins et 71 experts pendant le procès, clos aujourd'hui.


40 mil anos de prisão por atentados

A Justiça espanhola condenou 21 dos 28 acusados de planejar, executar ou auxiliar na preparação dos atentados terroristas de 11 de março de 2004.

A ação, considerada a pior da história européia, feita por terroristas islâmicos, matou 191 pessoas e feriu outras 1800.

No dia do ataque, dez mochilas explodiram em trens do metrô da capital espanhola no horário de pico do movimento, quando muitos seguiam para o trabalho.

O juiz do caso, Javier Gomez Bermudez, leu os veredictos em uma sala de audiência, com esquema de segurança reforçada.


Judge orders Paris Hilton to return to jail

A day after being released to house arrest, Paris Hilton was brought back into court today in handcuffs, and ordered to serve out her sentence in jail.

Upon the judge ordering her to serve out the remainder of her full 45-day sentence in jail, Hilton was escorted from the courtroom screaming and crying. "It's not right!" she shouted. "Mom!" she called out to her mother in the gallery.

Hilton was ordered to reappear in court as prosecutors and the judge who sentenced her expressed outrage that Sheriff Lee Baca released her from jail. A Los Angeles County spokesman said Hilton was released "due to a medical condition." She was to be allowed to serve out her sentence at her home on King's Road, fitted with an ankle bracelet, under house arrest.

But Judge Michael T. Sauer specifically said that Hilton was not to be placed under house arrest, and prosecutors are considering holding Baca in contempt of court.

"The decision whether or not Ms. Hilton should be released early and placed on electronic monitoring should be made by Judge Sauer, and not the Sheriff's Department," said Chief of the City Attorney's Criminal Branch in Los Angeles, California, Jeffrey Isaacs.

A motion to have Hilton return to jail was filed by prosecutors just hours after her release yesterday. The hearing was scheduled to take place at 9:00 a.m. PT.

Sheriff's deputies brought Hilton to the courtroom in handcuffs. She wore no make up, her hair was unkempt and she wore a gray sweatshirt over slacks. She cried all during the proceedings, her body shaking, and she would turn around to face her parents in the gallery and mouth the words "I love you."

Reports first indicated Hilton would attend the hearing, but then was reported that she would be there by telephone. In the end, a court spokesperson clarified, saying that Hilton had been ordered to appear.

Hilton's attorney, Richard Hutton, asked for a hearing in the judge's chambers, in which testimony would be offered about Hilton's medical condition. Sauer did not respond to that suggestion. Her attorneys also argued that it was up to the sheriff's department to run the jail and decide how prisoners were to be housed.

Papers documenting Hilton's medical condition were scheduled to be delivered to the court, but never appeared, with Judge Sauer noting the time during the proceedings and saying the papers still hadn't arrived.


Paris Hilton po czterech dniach na wolności wróci do więzienia

Sąd w Los Angeles na wniosek prokuratury uchylił decyzję sędziego z biura szeryfa hrabstwa Los Angeles, który pozwolił Paris Hilton na dalsze odbywanie kary w domu pod dozorem elektronicznym. Wróciła ona 8 czerwca z powrotem do więzienia.

"To niesprawiedliwe! Mamo!" - krzyczała Hilton po ogłoszeniu wyroku do siedzącej na sali sądowej matki.

26-letnia Paris Hilton została skazana 4 maja przez sąd w Los Angeles na 45 dni więzienia za naruszenie warunków dozoru sądowego (nałożonego za jazdę pod wpływem alkoholu). Następnie wyrok skrócono jej do 23 dni, ponieważ władze stwierdziły, że zachowanie skazanej daje dobre rokowanie ponieważ pojawiła się w sądzie na ostatniej rozprawie. 3 czerwca trafiła do więzienia. 7 czerwca opuściła zakład karny i wczoraj ponownie do niego wróciła.


Judge orders YouTube to hand over video view records

This past Tuesday, a United States federal judge ordered the popular video sharing website YouTube to hand over a record of every video that users have watched, including registered accounts and IPs.

Viacom, which owns several U.S. television networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon, launched a $1 billion lawsuit last year alleging that YouTube wasn't doing enough to stop its copyrighted material from appearing in over 160,000 unauthorized clips that have been viewed over 1.5 billion times. Viacom argued that since they claimed that copyright material is more popular than user-made videos, they needed access to the information to strengthen the case, in which US District Court judge Louis L. Stanton agreed and ordered Google to turn over such information.

Google argued that this would cause privacy issues, but Stanton said it was just speculation. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco-based privacy advocate group, said the ruling was "a setback to privacy rights, and will allow Viacom to see what you are watching on YouTube." said EFF's senior staff attorney Kurt Opsahl.

Viacom had also requested for the code used to search keywords for each video and access to Google's advertising database to see if Google was receiving revenue from ads from the alleged videos, but these requests were denied by the judge, arguing that code and ad data was too valuable.

There are concerns that Google is violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act which allows a video provider service to not to be sued if it removes copyrighted material.


גוגל תעביר פרטים מזהים על גולשי יוטיוב

יוטיוב, אתר שיתוף הוידאו הפופולרי בבעלות גוגל, קיבל בשבוע שעבר צו משופט המורה להעביר את פרטיהם המזהים של כל הגולשים אשר צפו בסרטוני וידאו באתר - www.youtube.com.

ויאקום, שבבעלותה מספר רשתות טלוויזיה אמריקאות דוגמת MTV, הגישה בשנה שעברה תביעת-ענק על-סך מיליארד דולר נגד יוטיוב, בטוענה כי יוטיוב לא עשתה מספיק על-מנת למנוע הצגת תוכן מפר זכויות יוצרים בלמעלה מ-160,000 סרטונים ללא היתר, שנצפו מיליארד וחצי פעמים. ויאקום טוענת כי משום שלטענתה התכנים מפרי זכויות היוצרים היו פופולריים יותר מאלה שאינם מפרי זכויות יוצרים, הרי שעל יוטיוב (וחברת האם - גוגל) לספק את כל המידע על-מנת לחזק את תיק התביעה. השופט הפדרלי לואיס ל. סטנטון ניאות לקבל את הבקשה והוציא צו המאלץ את גוגל ואתר יוטיוב להעביר את מלוא המידע לוויאקום.

גוגל גרסה מנגד כי צו זה מעורר מספר קשיים מבחינת זכות הגולשים לפרטיות, אך סטנטון אמר כי טענות אלה אינן אלא בגדר ספקולציה. קרן החזית האלקטרונית, קבוצת-לחץ עצמאית שמקום מושבה בסן-פראנסיסקו, מסרה בתגובה כי הפסיקה הינה "פגיעה בזכות לפרטיות, ותאפשר לוויאקום לדעת מה בדיוק צפיתם מעל-גבי יוטיוב", כך מסר עורך-הדין קורט אופסול מטעם קבוצת-הלחץ.

ויאקום אף הגדילה ודרשה את הקוד בו נעשה שימוש לחיפוש מילות-מפתח לכל סרטון וידאו, כמו-גם גישה למאגר נתוני הפרסום של גוגל על-מנת לבחון האם גוגל קיבלה הכנסות מפרסומות בעמודי הסרטונים מפרי זכויות היוצרים, אך בקשות אלה נדחו על-ידי השופט, בקובעו כי הקוד ונתוני הפרסום הינם מידע עסקי יקר ערך.

הועלו חששות לפיהם גוגל מפרה את חוק זכויות היוצרים האמריקאי המאפשר לספק שירותי וידאו ליהנות מחסינות מפני תביעה במידה והוא מסיר את התכנים מפרי זכויות היוצרים ברגע היוודע לו דבר היותם שכאלה.

4 ביולי 2008


法官下令Google交出YouTube資料

美國聯邦法官2日晚裁定，下令Google的子公司YouTube提供其數百萬使用者的視頻觀看記錄等資訊，給娛樂媒體Viacom公司。

事件最初是美國傳媒企業 Viacom入稟法院，指 YouTube 的影片侵犯電影電視節目版權，要求所屬公司 Google賠償10 億美元，以及披露影片瀏覽者的資料。

最後於一個地區法院審議後裁定，YouTube 要向 Viacom 提供所有影片瀏覽者的資料，包括用戶名稱、IP 位置及影片資料等記錄。

Viacom 強調資料只會用於收集 YouTube 侵權的証明，並非要找出個別侵權者。但此裁決已遭到網上權益組織批評，認為會損害網民私隱權。

【2008年7月4日讯】


Jury acquits three in Politkovskaya murder trial

On Thursday three individuals accused of involvement in the October 2006 killing of journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya were acquitted by a 12-person Russian jury.  Not present for the trial nor among the defendants was Rustam Makhmudov, the accused trigger man, suspected to be hiding out abroad.

Makhmudov's two brothers, Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov, were accused of acting as accomplices in the murder.  Former police officer with the Moscow Directorate for Combating Organized Crime Sergei Khadzhikurbanov was the final defendant in the trial, charged with engaging the Makhmudov brothers for the contract-style killing and providing the pistol with silencer used.

Pavel Ryaguzov, a former FSB agent, was a suspect in a separate and unrelated case who was tried concomitantly to the other three due to a previous association with Khadzhikurbanov.  Ryaguzov was also acquitted in his case.

In what has been described in many reports as an assassination, Politkovskaya was shot five times in the elevator of her apartment building in central Moscow while returning from a trip to the supermarket on 7 October 2006.  She was 48 years old at the time of her death and a mother of two.  The date of the event coincided with then-president Vladimir Putin's birthday.

Politkovskaya was a harsh and prominent critic of the Kremlin, many aspects and institutions of contemporary Russian society such as the secret services and high-level corruption, and the Moscow-backed government of Ramzan Kadyrov in Chechnya.  Domestic and international sources have claimed government involvement in her death.  With or without government complicity the murder may along with other recent killings indicate that journalists can be slain with impunity, a situation that seriously hampers the rule of law in Russia.

Family of the defendants cheered upon the jury forewoman's recitation of the verdict.  As the judge declared them free to go the three burst from the metal courtroom cage to join their supporters.

Defense attorney Murad Musayev hailed the acquittal as a rare triumph of justice within the Russian court system.  Prosecutor Vera Pashkovskaya announced an intent to appeal the ruling.