Today’s news: In Israel, the relatives of the victims of October 7 are again demanding in an alternative ceremony that the responsibility of the Netanyahu government be investigated. Duterte runs again for mayor of Davao to support Sara against Marcos. Call for Ren Zhiqiang, the former Chinese real estate magnate imprisoned for “corruption” after criticizing Xi Jinping. Catholics for peace persecuted in Belarus.
SINGAPORE
Just weeks before Pope Francis’ visit, the Singapore government used an anti-disinformation law to force the Transformative Justice Collective – a group opposed to the death penalty – to retract its criticism of the capital punishment handed down on October 4 against Mohammad Azwan bin Bohari, a man convicted of drug trafficking. Transformative Justice Collective questioned the fact that the execution took place despite the fact that Bohari, along with 30 other death row inmates, had filed an appeal on September 19 on the constitutionality of certain provisions introduced in the framework of the post-execution implementation. appeal in capital punishment cases.
ISRAEL
While at the official state ceremony Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised his government’s response to the October 7 massacre, the victims’ families of the Hamas massacre, present last night at an alternative commemorative event, once again pointed out the Israeli government for its responsibility by renewing their request for a commission of inquiry, which was never accepted by the prime minister. Gathered in Tel Aviv for the national memorial ceremony for grieving families, they sharply criticized the government, demanding that its leaders take responsibility for abandoning southern Israel on the dark day of Hamas-led atrocities.
PHILIPPINES
former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte officially filed his candidacy for mayor of the southern city of Davao in the midterm elections scheduled for next year. Davao is the stronghold of the Duterte family: the former president’s decision to run is seen as a move to galvanize support for his daughter Sara, who is expected to run for president in 2028, following her bitter and public breakup with the family of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, with whom she was elected vice president in 2022.
CHINA
The daughter of Ren Zhiqiangthe former real estate tycoon serving an 18-year prison sentence for corruption after criticizing Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, has written to Xi to request that his father be released from prison on parole to receive treatment abroad, alleging the deterioration of his health due to untreated asthma and prostatitis. In September 2020, a People’s Court had found Ren guilty of “bribery, extortion, embezzlement of public funds and abuse of power” as a senior manager of a state-owned company, in a move that analysts said was aimed at eliminating any public challenge to Xi Jinping’s authority.
SOUTH KOREA
He global K-pop music streaming on Spotify, the world’s largest music streaming platform, has increased dramatically over the past five years. According to data from the service, listeners of South Korean singers in 2023 increased by 362% in the global market and 182% in the United States compared to 2018 figures. In Southeast Asia, where K-pop is especially popular, the streaming increased up to 423% in the same period.
BELARUS
New cases of persecution of Catholics are reported in Belarus, according to Khristianskaya Vizja in the Vitebsk region, where a parishioner from the city of Glubokoe was accused of “spreading extremist material” for pamphlets wishing for peace. A priest from Shumilino was outraged with false accusations while serving five months in prison for posting a Ukrainian flag on social media.
AZERBAIJAN
Just over a month before the start of Cop29 in Baku, scheduled for November 11, several international human rights associations express their misgivings about the choice of venue, due to the persecution in Azerbaijan of hundreds of political prisoners. , among activists, journalists and even environmentalists.
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