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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18 February 2014

NSTP diPerintah Bayar Husam RM360,000 !


http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/Mahkamah/20140218/ma_05/NSTP-diperintah-bayar-Husam-RM360000  (18 Feb 2014)

NSTP diperintah bayar Husam RM360,000


KUALA LUMPUR 17 Feb. - Mahkamah Tinggi hari ini memerintahkan syarikat penerbitan akhbar, New Straits Times (M) Bhd. (NSTP) membayar ganti rugi RM360,000 kepada Naib Presiden Pas, Datuk Husam Musa kerana menyiarkan artikel berbaur fitnah terhadap beliau, hampir tujuh tahun lalu.

Hakim Datuk Su Geok Yiam menetapkan jumlah tersebut di kamar beliau di sini setelah mahkamah pada 12 April tahun lalu memutuskan bahawa satu kenyataan akhbar pada penghujung November 2007 telah memfitnah Husam.

Menurut peguam, Md. Yunos Shariff yang mewakili Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Salor itu, jumlah tersebut meliputi ganti rugi am, ganti rugi teladan, ganti rugi teruk dan kos.

Mahkamah turut membenarkan permohonan NSTP untuk menangguhkan sementara bayaran ganti rugi tersebut dengan syarat notis berhubung perkara itu difailkan pada atau sebelum 17 Mac ini.
Hadir bagi pihak NSTP ialah peguam Rishwant Singh.

Husam asalnya memfailkan saman RM6 juta pada 31 Januari 2008 terhadap ADUN Bukit Bunga, Mohd. Adhan Kecik dan ADUN Paloh, Datuk Nozula Mat Diah masing-masing dinamakan sebagai defendan pertama dan kedua serta NSTP defendan ketiga.

Bagaimanapun, pada 9 November 2009, bekas Exco kerajaan Pas Kelantan itu telah menarik balik saman tersebut terhadap Mohd. Adhan dan Nozula selepas kedua-dua ADUN itu membuat permohonan maaf secara terbuka pada awal Jun tahun sama di akhbar berbahasa Melayu (bukan Utusan Malaysia).

Kes terhadap NSTP diteruskan dengan perbicaraan dan pada 12 April 2013 mahkamah memutuskan bahawa Husam berjaya membuktikan tuntutannya terhadap syarikat penerbitan akhbar itu.




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