Digital rights group criticises EU proposal to impose illicit content censorship – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 6th, 2011 in EC law, freedom of expression, internet, news by sally

“EU proposals to force internet service providers (ISPs) to block illicit content are not clear, would restrict freedom of speech and impose censorship across Europe, the European Digital Rights group (EDRi) says.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th May 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Privacy law: what’s the way ahead? – The Guardian

Posted April 26th, 2011 in freedom of expression, human rights, news, privacy, public interest by sally

“David Cameron says he is ‘uneasy’ about the development of a privacy law by judges based on the European Convention. How can we balance the right to publication with the right to privacy?”

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The Guardian, 26th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Have super-injunctions killed the kiss’n’tell? – The Guardian

Posted April 21st, 2011 in freedom of expression, injunctions, media, news, privacy by sally

“For the best part of half a century, kiss’n’tell stories have been guaranteed sales-winners for popular newspapers. The earliest examples – Christine Keeler and Diana Dors spring to mind – were tame stuff compared with their modern equivalents.”

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The Guardian, 20th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Freed man in court secrecy battle – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 11th, 2011 in freedom of expression, injunctions, news, rape, social services by sally

“A businessman cleared of rape was told by social workers that he could not live with his young daughter and was then banned from asking his MP for help.”

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Daily Telegraph, 10th April 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

John Kampfner: The worrying rise of the rich man’s weapon of justice – The Independent

Posted April 1st, 2011 in anonymity, freedom of expression, injunctions, news by sally

“Just when you think you are over the worst, the forces of secrecy bite back. No sooner had the Government published a draft Defamation Bill, going some way to reversing many of the most hideous aspects of Britain’s libel laws, than the judiciary set a dangerous new precedent.”

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The Independent, 1st April 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Superinjunction scores legal first for nameless financier in libel action – The Guardian

Posted March 30th, 2011 in anonymity, defamation, freedom of expression, injunctions, internet, news by sally

“A wealthy financier involved in a family dispute has made British legal history by winning anonymity in a libel case. This latest court attempt to censor internet material has led to claims that free speech is being further eroded in Britain.”

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The Guardian, 29th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Goldsmith wins high court orders – The Independent

Posted March 23rd, 2011 in freedom of expression, injunctions, news, privacy by sally

“Tory MP Zac Goldsmith, his ex-wife Sheherazade and sister Jemima Khan have won High Court orders preventing the disclosure of private information, it emerged today.”

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The Independent, 22nd March 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Libel reform: government’s proposals – The Guardian

Read the draft defamation bill and consultation in full

The Guardian, 15th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Libel law reform announced – Ministry of Justice

“New measures to support free speech, enable people to protect their reputation and help stop the use of unreasonable threats of being sued for libel were announced today.”

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Ministry of Justice, 15th March 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Defamation Bill intended to kill off ‘libel tourism’ – The Independent

Posted March 15th, 2011 in bills, choice of forum, defamation, defences, freedom of expression, internet, news by sally

“Major changes to Britain’s antiquated defamation laws will be outlined by ministers today with the publication of a bill to provide greater protection for free speech and an end to ‘libel tourism’.”

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The Independent, 15th March 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sir Fred Goodwin, RBS chief, takes out gagging order – Daily Telegraph

“The existence of the injunction was revealed by John Hemming, a back-bench Liberal Democrat MP, during a business debate in the House of Commons yesterday morning. His comments are protected by parliamentary privilege, which means he cannot face court proceedings for revealing the injunction’s existence.”

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Daily Telegraph, 11th March 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Fresh bid to evict peace campaigner Brian Haw

Posted March 1st, 2011 in demonstrations, freedom of expression, London, news by sally

“The mayor of London has returned to the High Court in a fresh bid to evict veteran peace campaigner Brian Haw from Parliament Square Gardens.”

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The Independent, 28th February 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Crisis of identity: why English law needs to protect our personalities – The Guardian

Posted February 24th, 2011 in confidentiality, defamation, freedom of expression, media, news by sally

“Portrayals of real people in docudramas and novels have made millions for authors and film-makers. But what of their subjects?”

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The Guardian, 23rd February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Luton army parade protesters lose High Court appeal – BBC News

“Five Muslim men who disrupted a march by soldiers who had just returned from Afghanistan have lost an appeal against convictions for public order offences.”

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BBC News, 16th February 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

General Synod backs ban on clergy joining the BNP – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 9th, 2011 in clergy, freedom of expression, news, political parties by sally

“The Church of England has backed draft legislation paving the way for a ban on clergy membership of the BNP – in spite of warnings about creating ‘martyrs’ to free speech.”

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Daily Telegraph, 8th February 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Essex dinner lady Carol Hill loses compensation bid – BBC News

Posted February 2nd, 2011 in employment tribunals, freedom of expression, news, unfair dismissal by sally

“An Essex dinner lady, who was sacked after telling parents their daughter had been bullied, has lost her claim for compensation.”

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BBC News, 2nd February 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

JIH v News Group Newspapers Ltd – WLR Daily

JIH v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 42; [2011] WLR (D) 27

“Where a claimant applied for an injunction restraining publication of private information and sought reporting restrictions, in balancing the rights of the individual to confidentiality against the public interest in freedom of expression, generally the court would either direct that the claimant’s name be anonymised but disclosure of the nature of the information was permitted, or direct that the claimant could be named but the nature of the information was not to be identified.”

WLR Daily, 1st February 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Campbell libel ruling exposes ‘deeply flawed’ CFA system – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 28th, 2011 in costs, defamation, fees, freedom of expression, news by sally

“Bumper success fees for lawyers in libel cases will soon be a thing of the past following last week’s ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the Naomi Campbell case, solicitors predicted this week.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 27th January 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

MI5 and MI6 secrecy move ‘threatens press freedoms’ – The Guardian

“Proposals by MI5 and MI6 to extend courtroom secrecy to civil trials would unfairly restrict the right of the media to act as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the public, the supreme court heard today (25 January).”

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The Guardian, 25th January 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Koran-protest US pastor Terry Jones banned from UK – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 21st, 2011 in freedom of expression, immigration, inciting religious hatred, news by sally

“The American pastor who sparked a global controversy when he threatened to burn the Koran has been banned from entering Britain by the Home Office.”

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Daily Telegraph, 19th January

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk