Category: freedom of expression

The Niqaab issue is too important to be left to liberal instinct – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 18th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, Islam, judgments, judiciary, juries, news, public interest, religious discrimination, women by sally

“Yesterday, before His Honour Judge Peter Murphy ruled that a female Muslim defendant in a criminal trial must remove her face-covering veil (niqaab) whilst giving evidence, Home Office Minister Jeremy Brown said he was ‘instinctively uneasy’ about restricting religious freedoms, but that there should be a national debate over banning the burka.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 17th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Wearing veil should be the woman’s choice, says Theresa May – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, Islam, news, religious discrimination, women by sally

“The government should not tell women what to wear, the home secretary has said, amid ongoing debate over the use of full-face veils.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.com

Muslim woman must remove veil to give trial evidence – BBC News

Posted September 16th, 2013 in contempt of court, courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, Islam, juries, news, religious discrimination by tracey

“A Muslim woman can stand trial wearing a full-face veil but must remove it to give evidence, a judge has ruled.”

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BBC News, 16th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Niqabs in court: should full-face veils be banned? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted September 16th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, Islam, juries, news, religious discrimination by tracey

“We’re finally up against it now, aren’t we? After years of dancing round the issue, the law is finally called upon to make a specific ruling on the wearing of the niqab. So let’s make sure we know what we are talking about, because without a doubt there will be proponents and opponents alike who seek to interpret the decision (whatever it may be) to suit their cause.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 16th September 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Government defamation costs reforms ‘could have chilling effect’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 16th, 2013 in consultations, costs, defamation, freedom of expression, media, news, privacy, vexatious litigants by tracey

“Government proposals to allow people of ‘modest means’ to sue for libel without having to pay the other side’s legal costs if they lose could have a ‘chilling effect’ on free speech, a leading media lawyer has warned.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge to decide if defendant can wear niqab – The Guardian

Posted September 16th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, Islam, juries, news, religious discrimination by tracey

“Decision due on Monday on whether woman must show face in court or will be allowed to wear full-face veil.”

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The Guardian, 16th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Veils in Court, Grayling and the Left & Legal Aid Anxieties – The Human Rights Roundup

Posted September 16th, 2013 in closed material, freedom of expression, human rights, immigration, judicial review, legal aid, news, religious discrimination by tracey

“Welcome back to the UK Human Rights Roundup, your regular breakfast cereal variety box of human rights news and views. The full list of links can be found here. You can find previous roundups here. Post by Sarina Kidd, edited and links compiled by Adam Wagner.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 16th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

EDL loses Tower Hamlets march route High Court case – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2013 in demonstrations, freedom of expression, judicial review, news, public order by tracey

“Leaders of the far-right group the English Defence League have lost a
High Court fight for the right to demonstrate in an area of east London.”

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BBC News, 7th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

NSA leaks: David Cameron’s response is intimidation, says world press body – The Guardian

Posted August 27th, 2013 in documents, freedom of expression, government departments, intelligence services, intimidation, media, news, public interest, terrorism, whistleblowers by tracey

“David Cameron has been told that the government’s attempt to destroy sensitive leaked documents about mass surveillance was ‘an act of intimidation’ that risks a chilling effect on press freedom. The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has written to the prime minister over the government’s ‘deeply regrettable’ response to files leaked by the National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.”

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The Guardian, 26th August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

WordPress pulls interview with anti-gay group Straight Pride UK – The Guardian

Posted August 14th, 2013 in copyright, freedom of expression, homosexuality, internet, news by sally

“Campaign group for ‘heterosexual equal rights’ uses US copyright law to issue a takedown notice.”

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The Guardian, 13th August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Twitter users and the law – timeline – The Guardian

Posted July 30th, 2013 in defamation, freedom of expression, internet, news, perverting the course of justice, publishing by sally

“Libel, racism, threats, harassment and the naming of people in defiance of court orders.”

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The Guardian, 29th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Beware of the web – New Law Journal

Posted July 22nd, 2013 in appeals, complaints, disciplinary procedures, dismissal, employment, freedom of expression, harassment, human rights, internet, news, privacy, professional conduct by sally

“Employers must get their social media policies in order, say Chris Bryden & Michael Salter.”

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New Law Journal, 19th July 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Former Huddersfield rugby star’s Twitter sacking illegal – BBC News

Posted July 18th, 2013 in damages, freedom of expression, news, professional conduct, sport, unfair dismissal by tracey

“A rugby league star sacked by his club after a photo of a team-mate’s bottom was posted on his Twitter account was unlawfully dismissed, a judge ruled.”

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BBC News, 18th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gay marriage: freedom of speech and conscience – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted July 17th, 2013 in belief discrimination, bills, civil partnerships, conscientious objection, equality, freedom of expression, homosexuality, marriage, news, sexual orientation discrimination by sally

“At the beginning of 2013 11 countries allowed gay marriage to be performed. By the middle of the year that number had increased to 15 with more to come. Some states in the US and Mexico also allow gay marriages to take place and some jurisdictions recognise same-sex marriages conducted elsewhere but do not perform them. While civil partnerships were introduced throughout the UK in 2004, England and Wales and Scotland look likely to be the next jurisdictions to allow same-sex marriage. The Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill 2012-13 to 2013-14 regarding England and Wales is already in the House of Lords and the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill has just been introduced. Northern Ireland, by contrast, looks set to stick solely with civil partnerships (and will recognise the other jurisdictions same-sex marriages as such).”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 16th July 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Theresa May considers ‘second-tier’ banning orders – The Guardian

Posted July 17th, 2013 in freedom of expression, incitement, Islam, news, proscribed organisations, select committees, terrorism, universities by sally

“Ministers are ‘actively considering’ a second-tier banning order that would outlaw groups that are not outright terrorist organisations but promote extremism and hatred on the streets, the home secretary, Theresa May, has confirmed.”

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The Guardian, 16th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Global Torch Ltd v Apex Global Management Ltd and others; Apex Global Management Ltd v Fi Call Ltd and others – WLR Daily

Posted July 15th, 2013 in documents, freedom of expression, human rights, law reports, news, privacy, private hearings, public interest by sally

Global Torch Ltd v Apex Global Management Ltd and others; Apex Global Management Ltd v Fi Call Ltd and others [2013] EWCA Civ 819; [2013] WLR (D) 276

“The court would only depart from open justice if strictly necessary. An application to depart from the principle of open justice would fall to be decided by reference to established principles, whether the proceedings were at an interim or final stage. A significant erosion of the open justice principle could not be justified where adequate protection existed in the form of vindication of the innocent through the judicial process to trial. The public airing of allegations which might embarrass a litigant was not a good reason to close the doors of the court.”

WLR Daily, 10th July 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Anti-Semitic teacher loses tribunal claim that his views are a legitimate ‘philosophical belief’ – The Independent

Posted July 8th, 2013 in belief discrimination, equality, freedom of expression, Judaism, news, racism, teachers by sally

“A primary school teacher sacked after allegations of anti-Semitic abuse has lost his attempt to argue that his views were a ‘philosophical belief’ covered under the Equality Act.”

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The Independent, 5th July 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Senior lawyer takes out injunction to cover up affair – The Independent

Posted July 5th, 2013 in freedom of expression, injunctions, news, privacy, solicitors by tracey

“A senior lawyer has taken out a gagging order typically reserved for philandering footballers to cover up details of his affair with a younger woman.”

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The Independent, 4th July 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

US bloggers banned from entering UK – BBC News

Posted June 27th, 2013 in freedom of expression, immigration, inciting religious hatred, internet, news by sally

“Two prominent US bloggers have been banned from entering the UK, the Home Office has said.”

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BBC News, 26th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Free speech rights should influence CPS decisions on whether to prosecute over social media communications, says guidance – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 24th, 2013 in Crown Prosecution Service, freedom of expression, internet, malicious communications, news, proportionality, prosecutions, public interest by sally

“Prosecutors should be mindful of observing individuals’ rights to free speech when deciding whether to initiate legal action against them over grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or false comments made on social media, according to new guidelines.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 21st June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com