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 December 2011

Lelaki Melayu Kahwin Lelaki Mat Saleh !


Pemuda Melayu 'kahwin' lelaki?

Oleh ILAH HAFIZ AZIZ
pengarang@utusan.com.my


GAMBAR yang diambil daripada sebuah laman web, perkahwinan pasangan gay melibatkan seorang pemuda Melayu dan lelaki Inggeris bergambar bersama jemputan di suatu lokasi dipercayai di luar negara.

KUALA LUMPUR 16 Dis. - Seorang pemuda Melayu mencetuskan kontroversi apabila beberapa keping gambar perkahwinannya dengan seorang lelaki warga asing, tersebar di dalam sebuah laman web bigayweddingproject.com.

Apa yang mengejutkan, pada majlis perkahwinan sejenis yang dipercayai berlangsung dalam sebuah gereja di luar negara, pemuda berusia lingkungan 20-an itu memakai baju Melayu berwarna hitam, lengkap bersamping serta tanjak berwarna emas.

Pasangannya yang dianggarkan berusia lewat 30-an pula mengenakan busana sut lengkap warna hitam yang biasanya dipakai ketika majlis perkahwinan masyarakat Barat.

Laman web yang dipercayai menyokong perkahwinan homoseksual itu telah memuatkan sebanyak 15 keping gambar sepanjang majlis 'perkahwinan' itu berlangsung.

Antara yang disiarkan adalah pasangan itu bergambar di dalam kumpulan dan sedang diraikan setelah selesai menjalani proses bergelar 'suami-isteri'.

Terdapat dua keping gambar lelaki warga asing itu sedang bersiap sedia melangsungkan perkahwinan sambil dibantu rakan-rakannya.

Turut menarik perhatian ialah gambar yang menunjukkan lelaki Melayu itu disarungkan cincin oleh pasangannya.

Menurut keterangan yang dipaparkan bersama kepingan gambar yang dipercayai dimuatkan pada 20 September itu, pasangan terbabit merupakan klien pertama bagi projek penggambaran majlis perkahwinan golongan homoseksual dikendalikan laman web berkenaan.


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Comment:

Gay and lesbian marriages, so much talk and lots of publicity by the mass media, making us believing that they are must be a 'very large number' of gays and lesbians out there, but the FACT is, the gays and lesbians are so small in number, that it is possible to even named and counted them (i.e. due to their very very small number, in comparison with the very large population of a country).

Why then are the gays and lesbians receive so much publicity then? That's because its all boil down to 'business as usual' in the mass media industry - making MONEY from the stories they published - and because the story is 'unusual', henceforth this 'unusualness' will create demand for such story, and hence, sell like hot cakes.

Coming to the conclusion, STILL, that does not meant that the number of gays and lesbians are large in number (to demand anything from the government, as to their special needs), so don't be deceived by such tactics, such as, the Gay and Lesbian Movements, and the so-called Human Rights Movement for Gays and Lesbians, etc.

WHAT right? When ALL religions, Christianity, Islam, and even Hinduism, Buddhism, prohibit such unusual (filthy) marriage!! It was even written clearly in the Bible and Quran that such a 'filthy marriage' will soon receive God's wrath, retribution and punishment, in this world and the Hereafter!

Note: I further believe that the 'increasing' occurrences or incidents of natural disasters, such as, floods, hurricanes, Tsunami, to droughts and landslides, to name a few, are all due to the acts of disobedience to God's commandments and prophetic's teachings.



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