FREEDOM OF SPEECH / FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION


FREEDOM OF SPEECH / FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak without censorship and/or limitation. The synonymous term freedom of expression is sometimes used to indicate not only freedom of verbal speech but any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used [United Nations, 1966, 1976]. The right to freedom of speech is recognized as a human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The ICCPR recognizes the right to freedom of speech as "the right to hold opinions without interference. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression". Furthermore freedom of speech is recognized in European, inter-American and African regional human rights law [United Nations, 1966, 1967]. Freedom of speech, or the freedom of expression, is recognized in international and regional human rights law. The right is enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights [Andrew Puddephatt & Hodder Arnold, 2005; Kumar, Ambika, 2006].

In Islamic ethics freedom of speech was first declared in the Rashidun period by the caliph Umar in the 7th century. In the Abbasid Caliphate period, freedom of speech was also declared by al-Hashimi (a cousin of Caliph al-Ma'mun) in a letter to one of the religious opponents he was attempting to convert through reason.

According to George Makdisi and Hugh Goddard, "the idea of academic freedom" in universities was "modelled on Islamic custom" as practiced in the medieval Madrasah system from the 9th century. Islamic influence was "certainly discernible in the foundation of the first deliberately-planned university" in Europe [Boisard, Marcel A., 1980].

* Selected REFERENCES / Sources:


Amnesty International: Annual Reports: URLhttp://www.amnesty.org/ailib/aireport/index.html Andrew Puddephatt & Hodder Arnold. (2005). Freedom of Expression: The Essentials of Human Rights. United Publishers. Boisard, Marcel A. (July 1980), "On the Probable Influence of Islam on Western Public and International Law", International Journal of Middle East Studies 11 (4): 429–50. Goddard, Hugh. (2000). A History of Christian-Muslim Relations. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Kumar, Ambika. (2006). ‘Using Courts to Enforce the Free Speech Provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.’ Published by Chicago Journal of International Law. Summer 2006. URLhttp://www.allbusiness.com/corporate-governance/4082846-1.html United Nations: ‘International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.’ Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16th December 1966: Entry into force 23 March 1976, in accordance with Article 49. URLhttp://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm (United Nations) Wikipedia. (2010). ‘Freedom of Speech.’ Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. URLhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_expression

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26 June 2009

Senjata Taser Boleh Mendatangkan Bahaya Kpd Orang Ramai..




Source: http://www.hmetro.com.my/Current_News/myMetro/Friday/Setempat/20090626071414/Article/index_html (26th June 2009)

Taser X26 senjata ‘mesra nyawa’ ?!
KUALA LUMPUR: Taser X26 yang bakal digunakan Polis Diraja Malaysia tidak lama lagi. Selepas sekian lama menggunakan senjata pistol diisi peluru hidup, Pasukan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) beralih kepada dimensi baru apabila bakal memperkenalkan senjata baru dikenali Taser X26 berkuasa renjatan elektrik bagi melumpuhkan penjenayah serta-merta.Senjata baru berkenaan yang dianggap ‘mesra nyawa’ menjadi pilihan PDRM berikutan ia dianggap praktikal untuk menundukkan penjenayah kurang berbahaya tanpa mendatangkan kecederaan serius atau kesan kesakitan jangka panjang. Difahamkan, senjata Taser X26 yang digunakan polis Amerika Syarikat dan kebanyakan pihak berkuasa di Eropah menjadi pilihan PDRM baru-baru ini dan bakal dibekalkan kepada anggota polis di setiap kontinjen bagi rondaan cegah jenayah tidak lama lagi. Berdasarkan maklumat sebanyak 210 unit senjata Taser X26 sudah dibeli PDRM menerusi syarikat ejen pengedaran PDT Ventures beribu pejabat di ibu kota.


Komen:


Memang betul polis di negara maju seperti Amerika Syarikat, Britain, Australia, dan sebagainya, menggunakan senjata Taser. Tetapi perlu diingat bahawa di negara maju tersebut, kereta polis sentiasa dilengkapi dengan kamera (yang dipasang dalam kereta peronda). Kamera ini penting supaya polis tidak menyalahgunakan kuasa mereka dengan menggunakan senjata Taser tersebut sesuka hati.


Bayangkan kalau polis 'sentiasa merasakan' yang orang yang mereka hendak berkas itu 'susah' (atau berbahaya). Dan perlu ingat, setiap orang yang diberkas polis tidak semestinya bersalah (atau dianggap sebagai penjenayah) sehinggalah mereka dibuktikan bersalah oleh mahkamah. Justeru itu, polis tidak boleh mengganggap mereka yang diberkas (polis) itu penjenayah atau orang berbahaya. Orang itu mungkin mereka yang 'tersalah' diberkas oleh polis.


Persoalan saya ialah, kalau polis menyalahgunakan kuasa mereka dan menggunakan senjata Taser setiap kali hendak memberkas orang ramai, siapa yang akan memantau keadaan mereka tersebut? Senjata Taser ini syok digunakan, senang digunakan, sebab itulah penyalahgunaannya juga tinggi (dengan senjata hidup pula, polis tidak boleh sesuka hati tembak orang ramai, sebab itulah penyalahgunaannya juga mudah dikesan).. Saya memang tidak syor PDRM menggunakan senjata Taser! NGOs perlu menyuarakan pendapat mereka!


03 June 2009

Child Abuse and Child Love

Comments:

Below WE have TWO extreme cases, one case was where the parents become so wacky (mad, crazy) that they starved their child (a 7 year-old girl) to death. I do not know the real (or rational) reason behind that, but there are sure some crazy people who just simply care less of their child welfare and well-being, not enough of these may be less acceptable - But to abuse, and subsequently 'murder' one's child is definitely a crime - whether by definition of law or religious value! Child abuse is part and parcel of their life, and nothing seems to be extremely wrong with it. Blaming one's bad background and bad environment upbringing as attributed to one's abusive actions is definitely not an excuse (in the eyes of the laws or religious laws!).

Source:
URLhttp://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/mp/5622463/childs-head-was-skull-wrapped-in-skin/ (3rd June 2009)

On the other hand, WE have cases of parents who extremely love their son/daughter more than gold and/or more than diamond. Loving one’s child is definitely not a crime, BUT loving so much, to the extends of spoiling one’s own child, so much so that every wish of the child is fulfilled, and even to commit suicide IF one’s child suddenly dies – Thus, according to religious teaching, is a ‘moral decay’ and/or a moral crime (and religious crime).

Source:
URLhttp://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5622017/couple-jump-off-uk-cliff-with-dead-child/ (3rd June 2009)

Child Abuse and Child Love


Child's head was 'skull wrapped in skin'
AAP June 2, 2009, 5:40 pm
It would have been clear a seven-year-old girl was dying from starvation because her head resembled a skull wrapped in skin, a medical specialist has told a jury. The seven-year-old was found dead at the family's home at Hawks Nest, north of Newcastle, on November 3, 2007.
Her parents, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to one count each of murder.

Gastroenterologist Dr Edward O'Loughlin told the jury on Tuesday the girl was probably unable to walk or even sit up on the night before her death. "Very unlikely - in fact, I think it would have been highly likely to an onlooker she was in the process of dying," Dr O'Loughlin told the court. But, he said, he believed the girl could still have been saved had she been treated even hours before death. "In the last days of her life, she would have been incapable of eating or drinking," Dr O'Loughlin said.

"(But) even if hours from death from malnutrition you could salvage the patient and save them." Dennis Stewart, for the mother, asked the specialist whether it was possible the girl could have resisted food the day before her death. "That's possible, but when you get to that point you should be in a hospital being treated," Dr O'Loughlin replied.

The gastroenterologist earlier told the jury he had reviewed the case, including evidence from a post-mortem examination. He said it was one of the most severe cases he had seen after treating "many hundreds" of malnourished children over 25 years. "(I've) never looked after someone so malnourished," he said. "I've seen pictures in textbooks and of Holocaust victims but I've never treated anyone this malnourished."
Asked to describe the girl's state of emaciation, he said it gave her the "appearance of a skull wrapped in skin". "There was faeces in her hair, which would indicate, to me, a serious state of neglect. "She was one of the most profoundly malnourished images I have ever seen. She needed to be in hospital in an intensive care unit."
On the final day of prosecution evidence, the court also heard police advised the parents to leave (??) their Hawks Nest home to escape constant media pressure just seven days before their arrest on NSW's south coast. Detective Sergeant Robert Gregory said police had difficulty finding the couple after they left Hawks Nest and launched a media appeal on November 16, 2007, to find them. They were arrested the next day at Albion Park Rail, south of Wollongong.
Sgt Gregory said the father needed medication when the couple were taken to Port Kembla police station. "His hands were shaking vigorously. He was extremely pale," he said. The father was given Valium in hospital then taken back to the police station. "He had settled down and wasn't shaking any more," Sgt Gregory said.
The court has previously heard the 47-year-old had been addicted to prescription drugs since he was 18, taking up to 500 Valium tablets each month. The trial before Justice Robert Allan Hulme at East Maitland continues.

Comments:
SO, the parents have taken 500 valium tablets each months, when they were younger, BUT does that justified their crime on their helpless child?

URLhttp://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5622017/couple-jump-off-uk-cliff-with-dead-child/ (3rd June 2009)

Couple jump off UK cliff with dead child
AAP June 3, 2009, 10:05 am

Police say a five-year-old boy whose body was found at a British beauty spot with those of his parents had died from meningitis at his home four days earlier, according to reports. Sam Puttick's body was found in a rucksack, next to the bodies of Kazumi and Neil Puttick, at the bottom of a cliff. It's believed Sam's parents were grief-stricken over his death, and jumped to their deaths.
Coastguards found the three bodies at the base of a notorious suicide spot at Beachy Head, in East Sussex on Monday. A second rucksack found by rescuers nearby was filled with toys. Sussex Police said they were not treating the deaths as suspicious. "We are investigating exactly what led to this terrible tragedy but a line of inquiry is that the parents were so overcome with grief at their son's fairly sudden death that they decided they could not bear to go on without him," a police source told the Daily Mail.
"He had a short illness and died at home, of natural causes. They seem to have been a normal family struck by awful circumstances." Eastbourne Coastguard station officer Stuart McNab said they discovered the two rucksacks, one containing the child's body, and the other filled with toys.
"The bag was closed when I got to it. I saw what I thought was a doll's head, but on closer examination it was a child," he told reporters at the scene.
Friend Sue Capon told the BBC they both lived for Sam. "Neil and Kazumi gave 110% to Sam," she said. "Their life was Sam and without him their life did not mean anything to them. They were devoted to one another as well as to their child and it's just such a sad ending."

Comments:
Is that a wise thing to do, spoiling your own child by giving him 110 %?? Worst still, the parents committed suicide when their child suddenly died of an illness.