Worldwide: Crime

The Supreme Court of New South Wales recently refused to impose strict post-release supervision on a young man convicted of vandalism and arson, finding that his anti-Israel graffiti constituted political expression rather than antisemitic hate speech. This landmark judgment clarifies the legal boundaries between criticism of a foreign state and racial or religious hatred, while rejecting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism as too imprecise for Australian la

The evolution of criminal procedural laws in India reflects a delicate balance between ensuring justice and safeguarding individual rights.

The Constitution of India protects children as a distinct category requiring special protection, that the objective of juvenile justice legislation is meant to penal in rehabilitative and not penal in nature.

The Supreme Court of India, in a criminal appeal decided on 17 July 2026 by a Bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, has set aside a long chain of concurrent convictions under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, on the ground that the cheque in question was materially altered. The case, arising out of Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 17025 of 2025, highlights the fundamental principle that a materially altered negotiable instrument cannot form the basis of criminal liability for its dishonour.

The advent of AI has introduced revolutionary changes across many fields, but some developments have taken a dangerous turn. As courts and society grapple with sexual crimes committed through artificial intelligence, new legislation targets the creation of AI-generated child abuse material and adult deepfakes, raising questions about enforcement capabilities and the balance between protecting victims and preserving legitimate expression.

Japanese police have arrested an alleged first uploader on Nyaa, the torrent index at the heart of anime piracy, marking a strategic shift from blocking sites to targeting source distributors. Using attribution tools developed under CODA's Cross-Border Enforcement Project, investigators identified and detained a Kanagawa resident suspected of seeding an NHK drama and numerous other works. This case signals a new enforcement approach focused on chokepoints in the distribution chain rather than endless domain

The present appeal arose from acquisition proceedings initiated under the National Highways Act, 1956. Pursuant to notifications issued under Sections 3A and 3D of the Act, the land belonging to Respondent No. 1 was acquired and vested in the Central Government. The Competent Authority passed an award determining compensation under Section 3G(1) of the Act.

Can the police arrest an accused merely because a private criminal complaint has been filed before a Magistrate? Is anticipatory bail necessary after receiving summons in a complaint case? These questions have long created uncertainty among litigants and legal practitioners, particularly in jurisdictions where anticipatory bail applications became routine immediately after the institution of complaint proceedings.

The NSW government has proposed landmark reforms to close a legal loophole in break-and-enter laws that currently prevents prosecution of former partners who forcibly enter homes they have a legal interest in. The Crimes Amendment (Breaking and Entering Offences) Bill 2026 introduces new conditions specifically targeting intimate partner violence, requiring courts to determine whether an accused is an "occupant" based on factors like relationship status and prior agreements, while also mandating that a pers