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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12 August 2013

4,000 kanak-kanak didera tahun lepas !


Comment: 

The 4000 cases below are those that are being reported to the authorities, it should be estimated that another 4000 to 8000 more cases are NOT reported to the authorities. Henceforth, making the TOTAL number standing at around 8000-12,000 cases per YEAR.... That is a worrying number ?!

The ministry concerned SHOULD take the matter of child abuse cases more seriously, by convicting the abusers in the court of laws, and come out with prudent policies/laws to help reduced the number of child abuse cases, and setup MORE protection centers for the children concerned.

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http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Dalam_Negeri/20130811/dn_21/4000-kanak-kanak-didera-tahun-lepas---Menteri  (11 Aug 2013)

4,000 kanak-kanak didera tahun lepas - Menteri




KUALA LUMPUR 11 Ogos - Kes penderaan kanak-kanak di negara ini menunjukkan peningkatan dengan 3,831 dilapor menjadi mangsa tahun lepas, bertambah 403 orang berbanding tahun sebelumnya.

Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim berkata, statistik itu adalah berdasarkan laporan yang diterima oleh Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM).

"Bagi tempoh Januari hingga Mac tahun ini pula, sebanyak 1,023 orang mangsa dilaporkan dan 669 daripada mereka adalah perempuan," katanya kepada Bernama baru-baru ini.

Menurut Rohani, antara kes yang sering diterima pihaknya membabitkan penderaan fizikal, emosi, seksual termasuk kes kanak-kanak dibuang. Bagi menangani masalah ini, kementerian melaksanakan pelbagai langkah jangka pendek dan panjang, katanya.

"Antara langkah jangka pendek ialah menempatkan kanak-kanak yang didera di rumah perlindungan kanak-kanak atau di bawah jagaan seseorang yang layak dan sesuai selama tempoh dinyatakan oleh mahkamah dengan pengawasan seorang pelindung, iaitu pegawai kebajikan masyarakat," katanya.

Untuk langkah jangka panjang pula, JKM menjalinkan kerjasama dengan pelbagai agensi seperti Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM), Kementerian Kesihatan dan Kementerian Pelajaran selain menggalakkan penyertaan komuniti dalam usaha menangani dan mencegah masalah ini.

Mengenai faktor penderaan kanak-kanak, beliau berkata, terdapat banyak faktor namun semuanya bermula daripada ibu bapa sendiri yang antaranya mungkin mengalami tekanan seperti tekanan di tempat kerja, masalah kewangan serta sebagainya dan mereka melepaskan tekanan kepada anak-anak.

Justeru, ibu bapa yang mempunyai masalah disaran berjumpa dengan pakar motivasi atau JKM sendiri untuk diberi bimbingan dan kaunseling, katanya. Individu yang didapati melakukan penderaan boleh didakwa mengikut Seksyen 31 Akta Kanak-kanak (AKK) iaitu kesalahan penganiayaan, pengabaian, pembuangan atau pendedahan kanak-kanak yang membawa hukuman denda tidak lebih RM20,000 atau penjara tidak lebih 10 tahun atau kedua-duanya, kata beliau. - BERNAMA


Artikel Penuh: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Dalam_Negeri/20130811/dn_21/4000-kanak-kanak-didera-tahun-lepas---Menteri#ixzz2bfkLGENB




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