Speak no evil: the limits of freedom of speech – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted February 13th, 2012 in freedom of expression, homosexuality, news, threatening behaviour by sally

“The limits of free speech and freedom of religion are presently on trial once again with the reported prosecution of a Christian street preacher, Michael Overd, in the Magistrates’ Court. The case arises out of threatening remarks Mr Overd allegedly made in public to a homosexual couple.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th February 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Reporting on celebrities’ private lives can be legitimate, European Court of Human Rights rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 8th, 2012 in freedom of expression, human rights, media, news, privacy, public interest by sally

“The media can legitimately publish articles and photographs about celebrities without their approval providing they have balanced their rights to freedom of expression with the individuals’ privacy rights, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 8th February 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Contempt laws are still valid in the internet age – The Guardian

Posted February 8th, 2012 in contempt of court, freedom of expression, internet, media, news by sally

“Social media undoubtedly poses a challenge for enforcement, but the Contempt of Court Act is a sound piece of legislation.”

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The Guardian, 8th February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Times contempt challenge thrown out in Strasbourg – UK Human Rights Blog

“The European Court of Human Rights has rejected as ‘inadmissible’ Times Newspaper’s challenge to its 2009 conviction for contempt of court. The decision, which was made by six judges, is a good example of an early stage ‘strike-out’ by the Court which is nonetheless a substantial, reasoned decision (see our posts on the ‘UK loses 3 out of 4 cases at the court’ controversy).”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 8th February 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Twitter joke case reaches high court – The Guardian

“A Doncaster man who said on Twitter that he would blow up a snowbound airport if it was not reopened in time for him to fly to see his girlfriend will appeal to the high court in London on Wednesday to overturn a criminal conviction for menacing use of a public communication system.”

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The Guardian, 8th February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Met police investigators at News Corp jeopardise press freedom, say lawyers – The Guardian

Posted February 6th, 2012 in freedom of expression, interception, media, news, police by sally

“The Metropolitan police has a team of up to 20 detectives based at News Corporation’s internal investigation unit in Wapping, a move which leading media and human rights lawyers say puts press freedom in jeopardy.”

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The Guardian, 5th February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Comedians can say ‘mong’ on TV, rules Ofcom – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 24th, 2012 in complaints, freedom of expression, media, news by sally

“Media regulator Ofcom has rejected three complaints about comedian Ricky Gervais’s use of the word ‘mong’ during his Channel 4 show Science.”

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Daily Telegraph, 23rd January 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

You Can’t Read This Book: why libel tourists love London – The Guardian

Posted January 17th, 2012 in choice of forum, defamation, freedom of expression, media, news, publishing by sally

“In an exclusive extract from You Can’t Read This Book, the Observer columnist Nick Cohen presents a damning indictment of how the English legal system helps the wealthy and powerful suppress inconvenient truths.”

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The Guardian, 15th January 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Babar Ahmad ruling is a victory for freedom of expression – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2012 in BBC, extradition, freedom of expression, news, public interest by sally

“The justice secretary certainly acted unlawfully in refusing to allow the BBC to interview Babar Ahmad, a British prisoner wanted in the US on terrorism charges, as the high court has found. But once the judgment came out, Ken Clarke showed none of the stubbornness associated with previous prisons ministers, telling the court that he would not be seeking to appeal.”

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The Guardian, 12th January 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BBC wins right to broadcast prisoner interview – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2012 in detention, freedom of expression, human rights, media, news, public interest, terrorism by sally

“The High Court has ruled that Justice Secretary Ken Clarke was wrong to stop the BBC filming a terrorism suspect held for seven years without trial.”

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BBC News, 11th January 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Is internet access a human right? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 11th, 2012 in freedom of expression, human rights, internet, news by sally

“A recent United Nations Human Rights Council report examined the important question of whether internet access is a human right.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th January 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Dr Naik, hate speech and the principle of expectation – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 4th, 2012 in freedom of expression, immigration, inciting religious hatred, news by tracey

“The Court of Appeal has confirmed that the exclusion of an Indian Muslim public speaker from the United Kingdom after making statements which breached the Home Office’s ‘unacceptable behaviours policy’ was lawful, and that any interference with his rights was justified.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 29th December 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

 

 

 

Bid to evict St Paul’s protest camp begins at high court – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2011 in demonstrations, freedom of expression, news by tracey

“The City of London Corporation has lost control of St Paul’s Cathedral, the high court will hear on Monday, with members of an activist camp ‘setting rules and policing behaviour’ in the churchyard. A trial, lasting up to four days, will determine whether Occupy London protesters can stay on the land outside the building or not.”

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The Guardian, 18th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rio Ferdinand settles privacy dispute with Sunday Mirror – The Guardian

Posted December 15th, 2011 in freedom of expression, media, news, privacy by sally

“Footballer Rio Ferdinand has ended his privacy battle with the Sunday Mirror over a ‘kiss and tell’ story published by the tabloid after reaching an eleventh-hour agreement.”

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The Guardian, 15th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Attorney General: Contempt – a balancing act – Attorney General’s Office

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in contempt of court, freedom of expression, media, speeches by tracey

“Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC MP at City University London: ‘Contempt – A Balancing Act.
Balancing the freedom of the press with the fair administration of justice.’ ”

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Attorney General’s Office, 1st December 2011

Source: www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk

Freedom to report on Parliament is not set in stone, warns Attorney General – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in freedom of expression, media, news, parliamentary privilege by tracey

“Journalists could be prosecuted for reporting what is said in parliament, the Government’s top law officer warned on Thursday, putting a 170-year tradition in jeopardy.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Fair trials and the freedom of the press: when fundamental principles conflict – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 23rd, 2011 in contempt of court, freedom of expression, internet, media, news, trials by sally

“Two principles fundamental to English law are open justice and freedom of the press. The right of the public to know via the press who has been charged with what is one of the key features that distinguishes a free society from the sort of tyrannies where those deemed not to be on message politically disappear and are never heard from again.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 22nd November 2011

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Should swearing be against the law? – BBC News

Posted November 22nd, 2011 in consultations, freedom of expression, news, public order by sally

“A High Court judge has ruled that people should not be punished for hurling obscenities in public because such words are now so common they no longer cause distress. Should the courts punish profanity?”

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BBC News, 21st November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Freedom of information – no longer the Cinderella of rights – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 18th, 2011 in freedom of expression, freedom of information, news by tracey

“There is no doubt that freedom of expression plays a starring role in the human rights fairy tale. While she is carried aloft on the soaring rhetoric of citizens’ rights from the newsrooms to protesters’ rallies, the right to information, her shy stepsister, is rarely allowed out. How can that be? Surely we can’t have the one without the other?”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 17th November 2011

Source: http://ukhumanrightsblog.com

Press regulation poses a real danger, says Patten – BBC News

Posted November 14th, 2011 in complaints, freedom of expression, media, news by sally

“Statutory regulation of the press would ‘pose a real danger,’ BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten has told the Society of Editors conference.”

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BBC News, 13th November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk