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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05 December 2013



Comment:  One will be fuking mad and angry IF the FBI or CIA put one's name on their list, just because he/she is a Muslim. And one will be 10 times mad IF one's name was put there by mistakes !! Such ignorant and arrogant organizations (i.e. FBI/CIA).

I remember, a few years back, a professor from UTM, Malaysia was also accused of being a terrorist, but later discovered that the FBI/CIA made a mistake. What a SHAME !!

Will the USA law makers/senators/legislators...  Please 'check' what the FBI and CIA are doing !! Please !!

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http://my.news.yahoo.com/profesor-didakwa-pengganas-cabar-amerika-syarikat-di-mahkamah-012111380.html

Profesor didakwa pengganas cabar Amerika Syarikat di mahkamah





Profesor Rahinah Ibrahim (gambar) akhirnya berjaya mencabar tindakan Amerika Syarikat (AS) yang memasukkan namanya sebagai pengganas dalam pengkalan data rahsia mereka di mahkamah San Francisco semalam.

Profesor didakwa pengganas cabar Amerika Syarikat di mahkamah

Rahinah, dekan fakulti rekabentuk dan arkitek, berjuang selama lapan tahun dalam sistem keadilan Amerika bagi membuang namanya dalam pengkalan data itu selepas ditahan di lapangan terbang San Francisco 2005 lalu ketika dalam perjalanannya dari Malaysia dan singgah di Hawaii.
Menurut laporan Associated Press (AP) yang memetik kenyataan peguam Rahinah, Elizabeth Pipkin, adalah hampir mustahil untuk membuang sebarang nama yang dimasukkan ke dalam data itu. Peguam berkata demikian dalam kenyataan pembukaan dalam perbicaraan di San Francisco.
Rahinah memberitahu AP, namanya tersilap dimasukkan ke dalam pangkalan data itu kerana beliau berasal dari Malaysia dan beragama Islam.
Wanita berusia 48 tahun itu menafikan sebarang kaitan dengan mana-mana kumpulan pengganas ketika disoal siasat oleh Biro Penyiasatan Persekutuan (FBI) pada 2004.
Sejak penahanannya pada 2005, beliau disekat daripada memasuki AS, lapor AP berdasarkan laporan akhbar Amerika, San Jose Mercury News.
AP juga melaporkan, beliau dilarang memasuki AS walaupun untuk membuat kenyataan dalam perbicaraannya.
AP melaporkan bahawa saman Rahinah itu menghadapi kesukaran kerana keistimewaan maklumat rahsia kerajaan AS yang membolehkan ia menolak penzahiran sebarang keterangan penting jika ia dianggap boleh memberi ancaman kepada keselamatan negara boleh ditunjukkan oleh pendakwa raya.
Pipkin juga dihalang oleh peruntukan keselamatan negara AS dan perintah mahkamah daripada meneroka terlalu mendalam senarai mereka yang disyaki pengganas atau golongan yang bersimpati dengan mereka.
AP melaporkan bahawa Hakim daerah AS,William Alsup juga mengarahkan  supaya tiga slaid yang mengandungi maklumat rahsia dibincangkan secara tertutup.
Pendakwa juga membuat bantahan berterusan apabila Pipkin menyebut status larangan terbang Rahinah dan bagaimana namanya muncul di pangkalan data.
Pendakwa persekutuan Lily Farel dilaporkan memberitahu hakim bahawa kepentingan keselamatan negara menghalang kerajaan AS melayan tuntutan Rahinah.
AP melaporkan Pipkin sebagai berkata, tidak jelas bagaimana seseorang boleh dimasukkan dalam senarai larangan terbang di Amerika Syarikat.
Sebelum penahanannya pada 2005, Rahinah mengembara secara berkala ke sana, sehingga dia menganggap AS adalah rumah keduanya.
Beliau juga bertemu suaminya di AS dan melangsungkan perkahwinan di Seattle pada 1986. - 4 Disember 2013