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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17 April 2011

Shahnaz Abdul Majid Divorce Case !


Facts and Figures:


Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud (current Chief Minister of Sarawak) = 75 years old

Ragad Waleed al-Kurdi (Tan Sri Taib Mahmud current wife) = Reportedly as 30+ years old

Shahnaz Abdul Majid = Daughter-in-law (of Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud) = 48 years old

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_Taib_Mahmud


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http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Taib_sdaughter-in-law_sdivorcecasegetsApril11date/Article/index_html (24 March 2011)

Taib's Daughter-in-law's Divorce Case Gets April 11, 2011 Date

KUALA LUMPUR: The Lower Syariah Court here Thursday set April 11 for the re-mention of the divorce petition filed by Datin Seri Shahnaz Abdul Majid, 48, the daughter-in-law of Sarawak Chief Ministrer Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. Judge Mohd Amirul Adam Ahmad set the date after syariah lawyer Saadiah Din, who is representing the defendant, Datuk Seri Mahmud Abu Bekir Abdul Taib, informed the court that her client had initiated divorce proceedings on Feb 14. She said the case had come up for mention on March 3 and had been set for re-mention on April 11. "My client's divorce proceedings were initiated before the petition filed by the plaintiff," she said. Earlier, she had told the court that her client was not able to be present in court because he was having health problems and was receiving treatment. Syariah lawyer Dr Mohd Rafie Mohd Shafie, who is representing Shahnaz, then asked the court to have both cases heard together as they involved the same issues.

However, judge Mohd Amirul Adam said the court could not accede to this as it was beyond his jurisdiction and furthermore, a divorce petition took a long time, up to a year and perhaps even more. He said the court was giving the same re-mention dates for both the cases and would first looking into the husband's case, and if this was settled, it would apply to the petition as well. Shahnaz, 48, who is also the sister of Malaysian jazz queen Datuk Sheila Majid, had filed the petition on Feb 22 citing grounds that her husband had failed to discharge his marital duties since 2001. She is seeking RM100 million for 'mutaah' [alimony; financial support to ex-spouse: maintenance paid to a former spouse. Encarta ® World English Dictionary, 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation] and RM300 million for 'matrimonial property' from her estranged husband. The couple were married on January 9, 1992, and have a son, Raden Murya Abdul Taib Mahmud, 17. - BERNAMA

Bahasa Sarawak:


http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/10wf-2-2/201104011023021301624582.09/Article/index_html

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