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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11 August 2011

Wajib berjihad pertahankan Islam !


http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0811&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_04.htm
(11 Aug 2011)

Wajib berjihad pertahankan Islam

KUALA LUMPUR 10 Ogos - Umat Islam wajib berjihad dengan menerangkan tentang kesucian agama tersebut selain mengembang dan mempertahankannya daripada dicemari dan dijadikan bahan provokasi oleh mana-mana pihak termasuk mereka yang cuba memurtadkan penganut agama itu.

Mufti Perak, Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria berkata, kewajipan itu tidak boleh dipandang remeh kerana umat Islam boleh dianggap kufur sekiranya mereka reda dengan tindakan pihak bukan Islam mencemari agama suci itu. Menurutnya, jihad tersebut merupakan fardu ain ke atas umat Islam dan mati kerana berjuang mempertahankan Islam adalah mati syahid.

Kata beliau lagi, kerajaan juga wajib mempertahankan Islam kerana telah termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan Negara bahawa Islam adalah agama rasmi Persekutuan. "Walaupun agama lain dibenar diamalkan di negara ini namun ia tidak wajib dipertahankan oleh kerajaan.
"Malah, sekiranya berlaku pertikaian antara agama, Islam mesti didahulukan kerana ia telah termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan Negara.

"Justeru, saya menyokong penuh kenyataan Mufti Selangor, Datuk Seri Mohd. Tamyes Abd. Wahid kerana ia merupakan jihad yang perlu dilakukan setiap umat Islam,'' katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Mohd. Tamyes yang menyeru umat Islam di negara ini bersatu mempertahankan akidah Islam daripada diganggu gugat oleh musuh agama, sekalipun terpaksa menghadapi apa sahaja rintangan sebagaimana yang disiarkan dalam laporan muka depan Utusan Malaysia hari ini.

Harussani dalam pada itu berkata, pihak gereja Methodist dan sesiapa yang dikaitkan dengan pemeriksaan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) atas dakwaan cuba menyebarkan agama lain ke atas penganut Islam perlu didakwa di mahkamah sekiranya laporan itu terbukti benar.
Katanya, pihak itu seharusnya menerima apa yang telah termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan yang wujud sejak kemerdekaan lagi.

Sementara itu, Harussani berkata, pemeriksaan JAIS ke atas gereja Methodist di Petaling Jaya itu membuktikan dakwaan beliau sebelum ini yang mendedahkan laporan Persatuan Paderi Malaysia yang mengisytiharkan lebih 230,000 umat Islam memeluk Kristian adalah benar.

"Cubaan pihak ini untuk memurtadkan umat Islam telah lama berlaku namun ia tidak dipedulikan termasuk parti politik yang mendakwa mereka memperjuangkan Islam.

"Dakwaan saya selama ini telah dibuktikan namun hanya segelintir pihak sahaja yang mahu membangkitkan isu ini,'' katanya.

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PERLEMBAGAAN MALAYSIA

Perkara 3: Agama bagi Persekutuan.
(1) Islam ialah agama bagi Persekutuan; tetapi agama-agama lain boleh diamalkan dengan aman dan damai di mana-mana Bahagian Persekutuan.

Perkara 11: Kebebasan beragama.
(1) Tiap-tiap orang berhak menganuti dan mengamalkan agamanya dan, tertakluk kepada Fasal (4), mengembangkannya.