CPCL Vows To Continue Attacks Despite Recent Loss In Court
4th Sykios District Court - The trial of Daniel Gothrow, a young Christian male whom was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit theft, assisted burglary, and resisting arrest, has ended, despite a staunch defense by attorney's provided by Citizens for the Protection of Civil Liberties, or CPCL. Although Gothrow admitted to dismantling the lock on Radi's Jewelry, the CPCL argued that Gothrow had been arrested purely for on the basis of his Christian faith and his Edomite heritage, as well as during his arrest was verbally and physically abused by two members of Internal Security.
The Department denied the accusations and maintained that Gothrow was uncooperative during his arrest and subsequent questioning, and that his arrest was based in fact on eyewitness accounts of his actions that night. The CPCL provided lawyer, Dragos Nemeș, unsuccessfully argued to the judge that the Domestic Security Act had infringed on Gothrow's legal rights and allowed Internal Security to act without proper protocol in it's arrest. The Judge, the Honorable Luca Cioban, concluded otherwise.
Despite the loss, CPCL spokesperson Costel Diaconu assured reporters that the organization would continue to fight against the Domestic Security Act, which is labeled as an 'illegal tool of oppression' on the CPCL's website. Diaconu maintained that the Act had to be challenged at every opportunity, or further exploitations of innocent citizens would continue.
The Domestic Security Act was introduced earlier this year following the outbreak of civil war in New Edom and the terrorist attacks in Adiron, and was stated to provide the Department of Internal Security "The tools and know how to combat insider threads against the Confederation and it's people." The bill itself is a wide umbrella that covers many facets from immigration, border security, and while some elements are intended to streamline current processes, several provisions have come under scrutiny by watchdog groups.
In particular is Section C's Article 5, which allows Law Enforcement to conduct "unofficial investigations" aimed at individuals deemed to be acting "in a manner that indicates malevolent intentions towards the nation and the Jedorian people." The vague wording of the provision has been blasted for opening the door to subversion of privacy rights, along with the additional condition that Internal Security will no longer require a warrant to monitor web activity and telecommunications of suspected malcontents.
Since it's inception into the Jedorian legal systems, reports from the Department of Internal Security confirmed that arrests of minorities, including Christians and Magi, were up by nearly 200%. Internal Security maintains all have been done in the interest of national security, and while many have been released after questioning, the sheer amount of arrests have been criticized by groups like the CPCL as evidence of the growing erosion of civil rights for Jedoria's religious minorities, especially of those of the Christian and Orthodox faith.
In other news, the Jeodrian Navy announced plans to contrust a chain of underwater listening posts stretching from southern Jedoria to Peregrino, then from Peregrino north towards an unspecified location near Novitera.
The Duke's Hearth,
Strana Mechty, Jedoria
The television set blared away on yet another report about the Domestic Security Act, and once more the Duke felt a pang of regret. When he had been sat down months ago to hear the official report, everything had sounded just fine; it would help curb terrorist attacks on Jedoria, and prevent potential home grown terror cells from taking up residence within the Confederation. But now it seemed everytime he heard about it, there was some kind of controversy about it. It made accepting his part in making it law a lot harder.
The leader of the Jedorian Government was momentarily distracted by a giggle, which caused him to turn his head sideways. Sitting at the other end of the couch was his husband, Darius, with their daughter, Isabella, whom was giggling as her other father concluded yet another joke. But that seemed enough for her; her eyes suddenly closed and her mouth widened in a yawn.
"Daddy, I'm tired."
Darius grinned and replied with "Hello Tired, I'm Dad."
Isabela laughed in protest and said "Daddy, you always tell that joke!"
The two continued the conversation as Dorius picked up the child and carried her lovingly to her room, laying her to bed and closing the door as he turned off the lights. He was greeted with a smiling Duke when he returned. "What's so funny?" He asked, moving in closer to Victor.
"Nothing," he replied. "It's just nice to see you too together."
"Yeah well, enjoy it. Not everyone can."
"Yeah...I know."
They sat together in silence for a few minutes, idly looking at the TV without really watching it. Finally, Darius spoke up. "What about New Edom? How many gay couples do you think wish they could be like us?"
"You mean in charge of an entire nation?"
Darius playfully hit Victor's shoulder. "No, you oaf, I mean like this. Able to sit at home with our child, not afraid of getting arrested or anything?"
The Duke of 107 million Jedorians shrugged. "I don't know what to think. I don't like it, but I can't go over there and just change it. New Edom's a complicated place."
"Maybe if you talked to someone..."
"With who? Nobody but the Adirans really see New Edom for what it is; an incredibly complex place that's come pretty far since the civil wars started. But I can't even talk to the freaking Cabinet without everyone assuming it's the same place it was 3 years ago when Perrin was in charge. Hell, the only guy that really gets it is Vadam, and he's the freakin' Field Marshall."
"Well, can you blame them? At the end of the day, it's still just another strong man in a uniform talking about protecting Edomite culture and honor."
"But it's not that!" the Duke protested. "So much has changed! But even our own people think New Edom is still just a barbaric Christian state."
"People only see what's in front of them. If the Edomite Deputy Chamber got as much attention here as did their King talking about FODE, don't you think that would change?"
"Maybe..." Was the Duke's only reply. The solution, as ever, remained out of reach.