scholarly journals The Political Penal System in the Honecker Era Prison system, detention conditions, political prisoners and the Ministry of State Security in the GDR (1970–1989)

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 266-302
Author(s):  
Tobias Wunschik ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Political Prisoners ◽  
Penal System ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Secret Police ◽  
The Public ◽  
State Security ◽  
Degrading Treatment ◽  
Political Persecution

In the German Democratic Republic (GDR), both political and criminal prisoners after their conviction were kept together in prisons under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior. Formally, the same rules applied to them, but opponents of the regime (as in many dictatorships) were often treated more strictly. Supervision by the public prosecutor’s office was mostly limited to formal questions. Compared to the 1950s, detention conditions improved until the era of Erich Honecker: assaults by the guards became less frequent and contacts with family were more often tolerated. However, after phases of liberalisation, the conditions of detention also tightened time and time again. Basically nothing changed in the degrading treatment and omnipresent regimentation. Compared to the early years, work assignments were even better organised, which led to an increased workload for the inmates. The surveillance measures of the State Security (Stasi), which employed many informers among the prison staff as well as among the inmates, were also perfected in the later years. As a form of “disruptive measures”, the secret police occasionally saw to it that the very persons who did not cooperate but appeared to be particularly “dangerous” to the secret police were thought of as informers. Concealing political persecution in this way was the result of a subtle regard for public opinion in the West, which had a comparatively strong impact on the penal system of the GDR. Another peculiarity was the ransom of political prisoners, which from 1963 led to the early release of an average of 1200 prisoners per year.

scholarly journals ‘Embarrassing the State’: The ‘Ordinary’ Prisoner Rights Movement in Ireland, 1972–6

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 388-410
Author(s):  
Oisín Wall
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Political Prisoners ◽  
Penal System ◽  
Small Minority ◽  
Prisoner Rights ◽  
Penal Reform ◽  
Public Debates ◽  
Emerging Issues

This article explores the early years of the campaign for ‘ordinary’, not politically-aligned, prisoners’ rights in Ireland. It argues that this campaign has often been overshadowed by the activities of ‘political prisoners’, who only constituted a small minority of prisoners in the period. The article follows the development and changing tactics of the ordinary prisoners’ movement, through the rise and fall of the Prisoners’ Union (PU) (1972–3) and into the early years of the Prisoners’ Rights Organisation (PRO) (1973–6), which would become the longest-lasting and most vocal penal reform organisation in Ireland, until the formation of the Irish Penal Reform Trust in 1994. It argues that the movement constantly adapted its tactics to address emerging issues and opportunities. Ultimately, it contends that by 1976 the PRO was an increasingly legitimate voice in Ireland’s public discourse on prisons. It shows that, although the campaign did not achieve any major penal reforms in this period, it had a significant impact on public debates about prisons, prisoners’ mental health, the failures of the penal system, and prisoners’ entitlement to human rights.

A Science Show Debate: How the Stasi Staged Revisionism

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Till Düppe
Keyword(s):  
German Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Socialist Economy ◽  
Secret Police ◽  
East German ◽  
Academy Of Sciences ◽  
Science Show

Abstract In the early years of the East German Democratic Republic, in particular after Khrushchev's speech breaking with Stalinism, there was hope among leading economists that new reforms would usher in a truly democratic socialist economy. The newly-founded Institute for Economics at the Academy of Sciences, under the leadership of Friedrich Behrens, put forward ideas that the party soon labelled ‘revisionist’. This article reconstructs the dismantling of this group of reformist economists using detailed documents of the secret police, the Stasi. I demonstrate how the Stasi staged a show debate analogous to the known show trials under Stalin. In spite of its forced character the show debate allowed the party to both resist reform and claim their policies to be a scientific undertaking.

Access to Secret Police Files, Justice, and Vetting in East Germany since 1989

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Bruce
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
East Germany ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Secret Police ◽  
State Security ◽  
File Access ◽  
Security Service ◽  
History Of ◽  
Autonomous Institution

In order to situate the current debate on whether the Federal Commission for the Files of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic (the Stasi Archive) should cease to be an autonomous institution in the larger context, this article traces the history of the Stasi Archive and of the Stasi Files Law since 1989. Key to understanding the Stasi Archive and access to its files is the 1989 revolution which saw demonstrators demand access to information gathered by the secret police. Although the research quasimonopoly that the Stasi Archive enjoys would be ended by integration into the federal archives, file access for Stasi victims-the raison d'être of the archive-would be jeopardized. Calls for the dismantling of the Stasi archive are, therefore, premature. Some criticism can be directed at the vetting and trial process in East Germany since 1989, but it is important to remember that the Stasi Archive acted only in a support capacity for those activities.

Solidarity for Political Prisoners

2020 ◽  
pp. 96-110
Author(s):  
Montse Feu
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Space ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Prisoners ◽  
Radio Stations ◽  
The Public ◽  
International Attention ◽  
Political Persecution ◽  
Dance Orchestras

The Confederadas and its supporters held hundreds of rallies, pickets, and demonstrations across the United States to protest political persecution in Spain. In their cultural fundraisers, antifascist plays were performed, artists danced and sang, speeches were delivered, dinners were served, dance orchestras played, lotteries were held, and funds subsequently collected. España Libre reviewed the extraordinary activism for political prisoners in each of its issues. Protest was extended to other media, too. Members published letters of protest in American mainstream papers and rented radio space in several radio stations. The Confederadas’ numerous forms of protest and occupation of the public space garnered international attention for the incarcerations and executions of dissenters in Spain.

Reconstruction of Life Imprisonment in Prison System in Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 499
Author(s):  
Boma Wira Gumilar ◽  
Gunarto Gunarto ◽  
Akhmad Khisni
Keyword(s):  
Justice System ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Prison System ◽  
Penal System ◽  
Legal Research ◽  
Life Imprisonment ◽  
The Public ◽  
Prison Life ◽  
The Future ◽  
Research Types

The most important part in a Book of Criminal Law (Penal Code) is a prison, because the prison contains rules about the size and implementation of the criminal. The position of life imprisonment in the national criminal justice system is still considered relevant as a means of crime prevention, it can be seen from the number of offenses punishable with life imprisonment. However, life imprisonment is considered contrary to the penal system. This study aims to investigate the implementation of life imprisonment, weaknesses, and the solution in the future. The approach used in the study is a non-doctrinal legal research with socio-legal research types (Juridical Sociological).The results of research studies show that life imprisonment is contrary to prison system, and life imprisonment become an obstacle to fostering convicts back into society. Bill Criminal Code of September 2019 can be used as a solution to life imprisonment change in the future. Presented advice, in order to be disseminated to the application of the criminal purpose of the Criminal Code of Prison adopted in the future, so that the public and experts no longer make the criminal as a form of retaliation.Keywords: Reconstruction; Crime; Prison; Life Imprisonment; System; Corrections.

GOOD GOVERNANCE, AKUNTANSI PEMERINTAHAN DAN EKONOMI KERAKYATAN

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuskar Yuskar
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Financial Economic ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Governance Mechanism ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Government

Good governance is a ware to create an efficient, effective and accountable government by keeping a balanced interaction well between government, private sector and society role. The implementation of a good governance is aimed to recover the public trust for the government that has been lost for the last several years because of financial, economic and trust crisis further multidimensional crisis. The Misunderstanding concept and unconcerned manner of government in implementing a good governance lately have caused unstability, deviation and injustice for Indonesia society. This paper is a literature study explaining a concept, principles and characteristics of a good governance. Furthermore, it explains the definition, development and utility of an efficient, effective and accountable government in creating a good governance mechanism having a strong impact to the democratic economy and social welfare. It also analyzes the importance of government concern for improving democratic economy suitable with human and natural resources and the culture values of Indonesia.

The Prelude to Nationwide Surveillance in East Germany: Stasi Operations and Threat Perceptions, 1945–1953

2003 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 3-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary S. Bruce
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
East Germany ◽  
German State ◽  
Threat Perceptions ◽  
State Security ◽  
West Berlin ◽  
East German ◽  
Nationwide Surveillance ◽  
Vast Network ◽  
Socialist Unity

Many observers have been puzzled by the extent of the uprising that swept through East Germany in June 1953, given the legendary efficiency of the East German state security (Stasi) forces and their vast network of informants. Some scholars have even attempted to explain the Stasi's inability to foresee and prevent the uprising by arguing that the Stasi conspired with the demonstrators. The opening of the archives of the former German Democratic Republic has shed valuable light on this issue. Based on extensive research in the archives of the Stasi and of the former Socialist Unity Party of East Germany, as well as materials from the West German archives, this article shows that the Stasi did not fail its party superiors in being unable to foresee the uprising of June 1953. There was, in fact, no way that the organization could have foreseen the rebellion. Prior to 1953 the Stasi was not outfitted with a massive surveillance apparatus, nor was it mandated for broad internal surveillance. Rather, it primarily targeted well-known opposition groups at home and anti-Communist organizations based in West Berlin. The criticism directed against the Stasi after the uprising was attributable mainly to Walter Ulbricht's embattled leadership position and his need for a scapegoat.

Sense of Community and its Sustenance in Africa

Human Affairs ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olatunji Oyeshile
Keyword(s):  
Public Sphere ◽  
Public Good ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Social Order ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Political Marginalization

Sense of Community and its Sustenance in AfricaThere is no gainsaying the fact that Africa is inundated with many problems which have made the development and the attainment of social order, conceived in normative terms, daunting tasks. It is also a fact that there are many causes of this scenario such as political marginalization, ethnic chauvinism, economic mismanagement, religious bigotry and corruption in its various facets. However, in this disquisition we identify the lack of the development, internalization and application of the sense of community, loosely tagged community consciousness, as a major factor that has aggravated the African crisis and which if addressed can reverse the order of things positively. It is the contention of this paper that fundamentally in the case of Africa, as shown in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria, there has been a blind pursuit of private or individual interests to the detriment of the public sphere or public good. Ironically too, when leaders put up repressive laws in the pretense to pursue the public good, the underlying motive has always been the pursuit of selfish private whims and caprices. We noted that in contemporary Africa a major way towards a desired level of social order and development consists in engendering the required sense of community (a situation in which there is mutual co-operation, interdependence and fellow-feeling) on which other developments can be predicated. Although, the quest and realization of the sense of community is not a grand solution to our myriad of problems in Africa, at least it forms the basis on which we can start to address our problems in Africa in a meaningful way.

scholarly journals Design public spaces to enable all 0-5 year children flourish

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Rubczak ◽  
Keyword(s):  
City Planning ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Numerous Investigation ◽  
Healthy Development ◽  
The Public ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
New Public ◽  
Research Questions

The Public Spaces of Tomorrow are places that enable young children 0-5 to flourish. Contemporary places support healthy child development. The early years are the foundation for lifelong physical and mental health, wellbeing, and social skills. Designing, planning, and building new public spaces for our babies and toddlers should take into consideration the wellbeing of their caregivers. Engage parents, grandparents, siblings, or pregnant women in the design process provides for the ability to create new types of public spaces. Knowledge of how to do it for wellbeing in specific circumstances, places, social or natural environment is the purpose of the work (for ex. the Covid-19 pandemic is still unfolding but the principle of healthy development or caregiver isn`t changing). Responsibility of local authorities, urban planners, architects, park managers, all people engaged in city planning and functioning, have their role to play. During the collaborative workshop Mentor and Student Research Lab 3 in Poland (Gdańsk University of Technology) numerous investigation and methods were tried to answer research questions on how to resolve problems of designing public spaces of tomorrow.

scholarly journals POLITICAL CRIME IN THE IRANIAN PENAL SYSTEM AND THE POSITION OF CONSTITUTIONAL CIVIL LIBERTIES IN CRIMINALIZING POLITICAL CRIME

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1099-1112
Author(s):  
Mehrdad Soleiman Fallah ◽  
Abdolvahid Zahedi
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Law ◽  
Civil Liberties ◽  
Penal System ◽  
International Level ◽  
Related Research ◽  
The Public ◽  
History Of ◽  
Political Crime ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Historical Periods

Purpose: This study aims to analyze political crime in the Iranian penal system and the place of civil, constitutional freedoms in the criminalization of political crime. Methodology: In this study, we have tried to study articles and related research in this field and analyze the results of each to make a proper conclusion about the relationship between the Iranian systems in dealing with political crimes. Therefore, the only tools used in this study are documents related to political crimes at the international level. Main findings: Political Crime Law enacted in 2016, despite the basic forms of extensive discretion and lack of specific criteria for the judicial authority in determining whether a crime is political or non-political, practically made this law ineffective, regardless of the problems mentioned. Application of the study: Since the commencement of the country, political wrongdoing has been viewed as wrongdoing against the public authority. Therefore, the results of this study can be very effective in improving the performance of governments in preventing possible crimes against governments. Novelty/Originality: Given the multiplicity of political crimes in our country, as well as the complexities involved in the case of political crimes, it seems that in the history of our criminal law, there has been a will to legislate and determine the exact causes of political crime, and governments in most historical periods, they have made great efforts to identify political criminals. The novelty of this research lies in investigating the effect of political crimes on legal confusion in legislating political offenses.

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