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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15 April 2020

Almost 15,000 people arrested nationwide for defying MCO during phases 1 and 2



SOURCE:
https://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/bukit-aman-almost-15-000-064447313.html


Bukit Aman: Almost 15,000 people arrested nationwide for defying MCO during phases 1 and 2

Kenneth Tee

Federal Criminal Investigations Department director Datuk Huzir Mohamed speaks during a press conference in Bukit Aman April 15, 2020. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — A total of 14,922 individuals have been detained to date for flouting the movement control order (MCO) enforced nationwide since last month.
Federal Criminal Investigations Department director Commissioner Datuk Huzir Mohamed said the arrests comprised those during phase one of the MCO from March 18 until March 31 and phase two of the MCO from April 1 until April 14.
“A total of 3,627 people were picked up during phase one, while 11,295 people were nabbed during phase two.
“Of the total arrested, 5,830 people have been prosecuted in court,” he said during a press conference at Bukit Aman here.
He also revealed that from the total arrested, six individuals were repeat offenders.
Huzir also stressed that the police will not compromise anymore during the third phase of the MCO, which took effect from today, as there are still those who continue to disregard the MCO.
“We will not hesitate to take action during the third phase of the MCO. We will arrest and charge (you) in court. We will open an investigation paper and charge the offenders.
“No more compounds. No more compounds, I repeat,” he said.
According to Huzir, many of those arrested were unable to provide a reasonable excuse as to why they had left their homes during the MCO.
“The order is perfectly clear, only those who have permission and within the essential service or emergencies are allowed to move around.
“Stern action during the third phase will be enforced. This is to break the Covid-19 chain of infection as quickly as possible,” he said.
This follows the announcement made by Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday, saying the police will be focusing less on issuing compound notices to flouters of the MCO and will now book them to be brought straight to court, seeing how many are still defying the MCO.
Ismail Sabri said the decision to charge violators directly instead of issuing compounds was due to the burden the latter added to the enforcement of the MCO.
On April 8, Federal Internal Security and Public Order Department (KDNKA) director Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said that MCO violations would automatically result in a fixed RM1,000 compound instead of arrest and prosecution.
Acryl explained that the move was to address concerns that custodial sentences for MCO violations created the risk of exposing the prison population to Covid-19.
Malaysia entered its third phase of the MCO beginning today for a period of two weeks until April 28.

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