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 2018

Ask National Security Council about Yemen ops, Hisham tells Liew !!



Source: 
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/12/05/ask-national-security-council-about-yemen-ops-hisham-tells-liew/?utm_medium=push&utm_source=webpush


Ask National Security Council about Yemen ops, Hisham tells Liew

Adam Abu Bakar
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Former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
KUALA LUMPUR: Former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein today skirted questions on the Ops Yemen 2, carried out during his watch purportedly without Cabinet approval, telling Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong to seek clarification from the National Security Council (NSC).
Hishammuddin did not respond to media questions on whether the operation in support of the Saudi-led Arab Alliance offensive in Yemen needed Cabinet approval.
“He (Liew) should know what the NSC is. I think he has forgotten the NSC. He said the operation was not brought up in Cabinet, so what about NSC? Ask NSC, ask them what we actually did.
“However, the information must be declassified as it is of national importance,” he told reporters at Parliament
Liew told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that Malaysian Armed Forces clandestinely aided the Arab Alliance under Ops Yemen 2 which had no prior Cabinet approval.
He said Malaysia’s involvement was limited to tactical and logistical support for Saudi Arabia.
Amanah’s international bureau chairman Raja Kamarul Bahrin then accused the previous Barisan Nasional government of conspiring with the Arab Alliance to “commit sin” against the Yemeni people.
He said Malaysia’s action to provide logistical support for the war in Yemen was no different from the US’ supply of weapons to the Israeli military to kill Palestinians.
“Our hands are stained with the blood of the Yemenis killed by the bullets and explosives we supplied,” he said.
Hishammuddin said he was prepared to be investigated over whether his actions were appropriate or had contravened provisions in the Federal Constitution.
“I don’t fear anything. There are those who say there is blood on our hands, but these people don’t talk about our troops rescuing Malaysians in Yemen,” he added.
He said he was puzzled as to why this issue was still being raised even though he had explained it many times as the defence minister in the previous administration.
“Maybe this (deputy) minister still has the opposition mindset, unable to change, pointing fingers, finding fault.
“I believe they are trying to divert attention from their weaknesses,” he said.
Meanwhile, when approached by reporters, Liew reiterated that the Cabinet must approve all matters requiring government funding.
“This matter definitely was not decided in Parliament or the Cabinet, and it was a major decision that involved an expenditure of RM14 million over three years.
“It also involved a large number of Armed Forces personnel,” he said.



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