In a coalition agreement signed last November, the three-party government led by Olaf Scholz stated its intention to make it legal to sell cannabis to adults for recreational purposes. Since then, however, the government has become noticeably quieter on promises of a draft law in the autumn. A legal analysis by the German parliament’s research service warned that a move to legalise cannabis would contravene European regulations in more ways than one.
Source: The Guardian
The European Commission has proposed a new law that will forbid EU countries from interfering in editorial decision-making, searching and seizing corporate premises, and conducting surveillance operations against journalists and their relatives. Using spyware to infiltrate and track a journalist's device will also be banned except ‘on the grounds of national security’.
Source: Euronews
Minister of Education of Lithuania talked about his intention to “revise” all Russian-language textbooks amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The move comes after criticism of one Russian-language textbook that glorified Moscow and portrayed Russia as an attractive democratic state, inviting Lithuanian school students to visit Crimea. Lithuanian publishers have also been instructed by the government to review the learning resources they provide.
Source: Euronews
Members of the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation asked the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Igor Krasnov to clarify the basis on which prisoners with unserved terms are sent to Ukraine to participate in a "special military operation." Earlier, information about the recruitment of prisoners became known from numerous Russian media, including state channels. Journalists also report the existence of unconfirmed information about the forced sending of convicts to war.
Source: Meduza
French President Emmanuel Macron announced a national debate on broadening legislation on the end-life options, notable on the possibility of allowing assisted suicide as a part of his electoral campaign. The current law allows patients to request "deep, continuous sedation altering consciousness until death" provided that their condition is likely to lead to a quick death. A lot of terminally ill patients are obliged to travel to seek other options in the European countries, which allow euthanasia under certain conditions.
Source: Le Monde
The EuroPride week, a pan-European LGBT event has begun on September 12 in Belgrade. The opening passed without incident despite intense protests by religious and nationalist groups and a warning of the President Aleksandar Vucic that the event could not take place. The Interior Ministry is to hand down a final decision by September 14 on whether or not Serbian authorities would allow the event to go ahead.
Source: RadioFreeEuropeRadioLiberty
The pressure group Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report documenting illegal population transfers of Ukrainian civilians from Mariupol and the Kharkiv region — many of whom were also subjected to security screening processes used to forcibly deport civilians, known as "filtration". The forcible transfer of civilians is prohibited under international humanitarian law, or the laws of war, and can be prosecuted as a war crime and a crime against humanity.
Source: euobserver
EU lawmakers introduced a draft law banning production of products with the use of forced labour or importation of such into the EU member states. This ban should apply to products (including their components) for which forced labour has been used at any stage of production, manufacture, harvest or extraction, including working or processing. This decision was made in concern about multiple human rights violations in Chinese province of Xinjiang.
Source: Reuters
City Haarlem in The Netherlands set the first case of a ban most meat ads from public spaces because of the food's climate impact. The authorities of the city has not yet decided if the ban will be applied to the sustainably produced meat. As the decisionmakers meet some opposition from meat producers, the ban will be enforced in 2024.
Source: BBC
The Baumann court of Moscow granted the claim of the Russian media regulator to revoke the print license of Novaya Gazeta, a top independent Russian newspaper. The media regulator is also seeking to shut down Novaya Gazeta's website and a print magazine that it launched in July.
Source: Le Monde
The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the citizens of Russia can no longer receive visas or residence permits for the purpose of studying in Estonia. At the same time, Russian and Belarussian workers can no longer register employment in Estonia with visas issued by other EU countries.
Source: Reuters
Germany is firing up old coal plants as a part of a pan-European dash to ditch Russian natural gas. Some experts warn the coal revival may make it harder for Germany to meet its climate goals.
Source: Washington post