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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21 April 2012

Shah Rukh Khan Airport Detentions !



COMMENT: 

Detention and apology routine in USA airports, are getting too f**king old, and obsolete! I know these USA personnel never watch a Bollywood movies their whole life, but that does not give them the right to 'detent' anyone that looks like they are from the Middle-east, Arabs, Pakistan, and Muslim. 

Imagine IF Asia countries and Middle-east airport officers detent celebrities from the USA??! Sure there are going to be a huge uproar, in the USA mass-media.   

Also why is there no news or protest among USA celebrities about Shah Rukh Khan detention by airport authorities? So much about the civil society concept and philosophy of the USA, I guess it ONLY applies to USA citizens only.

Another country that has the same outlook is Australia. Don't be surprised IF they detent Middle-east, Arabs, Pakistan, and Muslim - as they too has similar profiling method.

HELLO, Mr Shah Rukh Khan arrives in a private aircraft... does that tells you anything about him?? How rich, how popular, how well-known... OH I see, a TERRORIST arrives in a private aircraft... And how often does that happens? USE your f**king heads you stupid arrogant USA immigration officers, don't you guys even attend universities or colleges???  

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(21 April 2012) 

21 April 2012 | last updated at 08:45am

'Detention and Apology' Routine is Getting Old
By Nuraina Samad | news@nst.com.my


MY NAME IS KHAN: And I shouldn't be profiled

WHEN my son, Adel Hakim, was searching for a university that offered actuarial science three years ago, I was hoping he would skip the list in the United States. He did not but he narrowed it down to those in the United Kingdom and Canada, finally choosing the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

 I was quietly relieved because, silly as it may sound, I was worried that he'd be the subject of racial profiling by US immigration officers. Never mind if, at that time, it was almost a decade after the 9/11 incident. 

 His name is spelt in a typically Arabic way. If you Google his name, you will find many Adels from the Middle-east and Pakistan.

 At that time, images of the notorious Guantanamo and its prisoners played on my mind. The mighty US could detain anyone they suspected of being a terrorist. A tall dark Malaysian Muslim with a name like Adel Hakim seemed a likely candidate for Gitmo. Yes, I was paranoid.

 There had been too many first-hand stories from people. That same year, the King of Bollywood aka Shah Rukh Khan was detained at Newark Airport in New Jersey. According to reports, he was allowed out only after extensive questioning.

 I mean, Shah Rukh Khan for heavens' sake -- Bollywood heartthrob and immensely recognisable with, according to the Indian press, fans numbering in the billions. You could not but ask "why"? There was no good answer. So you ask: was the actor a victim of racial profiling in an Islamophobic America?

 Following that incident, US officials attempted to justify Khan's "detention". There were reports citing US sources that "Bollywood stars and other Indian artistes were under the scanner for financial transactions, including illegal cash payments, that some of them get through dodgy promoters".

 Khan is not the only Indian celebrity to have that immigration experience. Among others were Aamir Khan, John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Irfan Khan.

Last Thursday, the 46-year-old Khan was detained for the second time -- this time at the airport in White Plains, New York.

 He arrived in a private aircraft, en route to deliver a lecture at Yale University where he was inducted as a Chubb Fellow. He was detained for 90 minutes. Yale University officials had to intervene after which he was released.

 Such irony. Life imitating art. In 2010, he starred in the movie My Name is Khan in which he got to say many times "...and I am not a terrorist".

 So, Mr Khan may have adoring fans the world over but at the airport in White Plains, he was just another Khan whose name (must have) matched those on the Interpol blacklist or the database of terrorist suspects.

 The Indian government pressed for an explanation from the US as there was "deep concern that has been expressed nationwide in India over this incident".

 The Indian embassy in Washington also sought the State Department's intervention "to put in place measures so that such incidents are not repeated in future".

 The US embassy in India issued a statement last Friday apologising for the incident. Mark Toner, spokesman for the State Department, in remarks on Khan's detention, ruled out any pattern or racial profiling. The US Customs and Border Protection addressed a letter to India's New York Mission with "profound" apologies for the incident.

 But, as they say "sorry is no cure" and to the Indian government it just "won't do". Its Minister of External Affairs S. M. Krishna remarked that this "habit of detention and apology cannot continue."

 Khan, who was delayed by three hours for his Yale event, was reported to have told his audience that this "always happens when I come to America".

 "Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself I take a trip to America. These immigration guys, they kick the stars out of stardom", he jested.

 The US tightening of security and preventive measures allows for random selection, which is supposed to be more effective, but security experts say that one setback is the singling out of many innocent people.

 Adel plans to visit his buddies in the US. I hope he drops the idea. I'm not convinced that  US immigration officers have all got over their ignorance, paranoia and phobia of anyone who resembles a Middle-eastern person or who has a strange-sounding name.

 As I have said, with a name like Adel Hakim, anything can happen. He's no celebrity and I don't have a sense of humour.

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NOTE:

Shah Rukh Khan had a big big headache after the First Airport Detention, then comes the Second Airport Detention... What is wrong? Is it because of my poor outlook one would ask? NO, Shah Rukh Khan dressed just beautifully... IS it because I am poor? NO, Shah Rukh Khan came into USA in a private jet, that tells the airport authorities who he is, even without a spoken word... So what is the conclusion??

Singling out Muslims, paranoia of Muslims, and Islamophobia - that's the exact words! Well to cut short the story, USA airport authorities use the manuals (books), which are written by the JEWS, who typically hated the Muslim (e.g. Pakistan, India, Middle-east, and some parts of Asia). The airport authorities are just the 'underdogs' who are trained to read the manuals, written by the Jews. Had the airport authorities read manuals written by other than the Jews, the cases of racial and religious discrimination, and 'unnecessary profiling', would definitely reduced by almost more than half !!

DON'T get big headache from these detentions... you don't need to obtain a degree in philosophy in order to understand, just like I said, the Airport Manuals and Security Manuals - are written by the JEWS... So profiling the Muslims are the 'natural' procedure, and 'necessity procedure.' WHO hated the Muslims more IF not the JEWS ?? I hope the readers understand.  

Believe me... the Jews do not favor the Christians too, but they need the Christians as soldiers for their missions! (e.g. the airport security officers who screen/examine/scrutinize the Muslims at the airport entrances).