Arrest

• Ecuador’s security forces recently conducted a raid on the Mexican embassy in the country’s capital city, Quito.
• Against the backdrop of rampant narco-terrorism and escalating regional tensions, concerns have been raised about Ecuador’s respect for these fundamental principles.
• The police raid on April 5 has drawn widespread criticism targeting Ecuador’s president, Daniel Noboa.
• The country’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, condemned what it called the “despicable authoritarian” raid which is declared to be in violation of international law.

A political raid

• To an extent the raid on the Mexican embassy is bound up with the Ecuadorian government’s aggressive approach to the country’s problems with drugs and gang violence.
• Noboa’s initially high approval ratings have been falling thanks to the public perception that his hardline policies have done little to address the issue.
• But Noboa’s referendum appears to serve a dual political purpose.

Sovereignty and security

• So the raid on the Mexican embassy has raised doubts in many people’s minds as to whether a government with apparently scant regard for international law can be trusted not to abuse its new security laws.
• The importance of Mexico’s relationship with Ecuador is central to addressing the mobility crisis in the region.
• To protect people’s security in the region, diplomatic collaboration between countries such as Ecuador and Mexico is vital.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• SSR Mining Inc. (SSRM) Securities Fraud Class Action:
  Over the past month, it has been one negative news story after another for SSR Mining.
• 8, 2024, the Denver, Colorado-based precious metal producer, SSR announced that its Chief Financial Offer Alison White left the company effective Mar.
• Apart from suspending operations and provoking the ire of Turkish regulators, the devasting landslide triggered a securities class action against SSR and its senior management.
• These events have caused the price of SSR securities to plummet, injuring SSR investors.

• SAN FRANCISCO, March 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman urges SSR Mining Inc. (NASDAQ: SSRM) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now .
• SSR Mining Inc. (SSRM) Securities Fraud Class Action:
  SSR shares are down nearly 60% over the past month in the aftermath of a catastrophic event at the Company’s gold mine in Eastern Turkey, which has triggered a securities class action against SSR and its senior management.
• These events have caused the price of SSR securities to plummet, injuring SSR investors.
• “We’re investigating whether SSR may have intentionally misled investors about its commitment to safety in its core mining operation,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

• The arrests are a clear indication of how Russia has come full circle on its persecution of sexual minorities under Vladimir Putin.
• On March 21, the district court of Orenburg city in south-western Russia ordered the arrest of nightclub owner Vyacheslav Khasanov.
• At the end of November 2023, the Russian Supreme Court ruled that the “international LGBT movement” is an “extremist organisation”.
• Read more:
  30 years of LGBTQ+ history in Russia: from decriminalisation in 1993 to 'extremist' status in 2023

Russia’s ‘gay propaganda law’

• In 2013 Russia enacted the so-called “gay propaganda law”.
• In one case, people were fined for holding a banner with the words: “Children have the right to know.
• Homosexuality is natural and normal.” Sharing LGBT-related information on social media or posting photos of people of same-sex kissing were also deemed to be LGBT propaganda and subject to legal sanction.

Homophobia unleashed

• One of the first victims of the newly amended “gay propaganda law” were seven migrant trans women from Central Asia.
• The seven sex workers were fined and then deported in March 2023 under the propaganda laws after they published their profiles on a dating website.
• At around the same time, six different online streaming platforms were penalised for airing movies with LGBTQ-related scenes.
• The supreme court’s decision to label the international LGBT movement as extremist has effectively re-criminalised homosexuality.

What can be done?

• One way would be to support LGBTQ organisations that are still operating in the country.
• These groups need resources to keep providing legal advice and support to those facing arrest and prosecution.
• Another is to write letters of support to people facing imprisonment for their “extremism” as members of the LGBT community.

Sergey Katsuba does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.