Category Archives: Freedom of Speech

Supreme Court strikes down Section 66A of IT Act, says it violates right to speech
In a landmark judgment on the Right to Freedom of Speech on the Internet, the Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed Section 66A of the Information Technology Act that empowers the police to make...

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Eddie Griffin Stand Up 2015 - Freedom of Speech Comedy Full
Eddie Griffin Stand Up 2015 - Freedom of Speech Comedy Full, Eddie Griffin Stand Up 2015 -, Freedom of Speech, Comedy Full, eddie griffin stand up comedy, eddie griffin stand up 2014, eddie...

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Eddie Griffin Stand Up 2015 - Freedom of Speech Comedy Full - Video

Discussion on Supreme Court Section 66(A):Supreme Court Sides With Free Speech| iNews
The Supreme Court has scrapped a contentious law that was seen as a major b of the freedom of speech online because it allowed the arrest of a person for posting "offensive" content. Section...

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SC On section 66A of IT Act : Freedom of Speech Wins - The Newshour Debate (24th March 2015)
In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court today struck down a controversial provision in the cyber law providing for arrest for posting allegedly "offensive" content on websites saying, it is...

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SC On section 66A of IT Act : Freedom of Speech Wins - The Newshour Debate (24th March 2015) - Video

An attempt to clarify my view on freedom of speech
Communication is difficult... 🙂 One of my main points is that being intolerant of intolerance and arguing against a statement that you find bigoted is still an exercise in free speech. When...

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An attempt to clarify my view on freedom of speech - Video

ISTANBUL - A high school student, a former beauty queen and a slew of Turkish journalists are among a growing number of people facing prison sentences for engaging in political dissent, part of what critics say is a widening government crackdown on freedom of speech.

In the last week alone, Turkish authorities questioned, detained or indicted more than a dozen people accused of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, which - along with berating other top government officials - is forbidden under Turkey's penal code.

While Turkish journalists who run afoul of the government line have long complained of political pressure and outright censorship, ordinary citizens - including teenagers - are increasingly facing harsh penalties and jail time.

"There's been a huge escalation in punishment for speech. The traditional modes of censorship that had been applied to Turkish journalists are now starting to be applied to social media users," said Nate Schenkkan, a Turkey expert at Freedom House, a non-profit group in Washington that seeks to encourage democracy. "President Erdo?an is visibly and clearly seeking to consolidate power under himself."

A key U.S. ally in a volatile region and NATO member, Turkey was until the past couple years held up as a model democracy in an unstable part of the world. But the latest restrictions have drawn rebuke from lawmakers in Washington. Citing intimidation of media and censorship of the press, 74 senators last week called on the State Department to take up the issue with the Erdo?an administration.

While the country is no longer known as the world's leading jailer of reporters, prosecutions remain an issue. The Turkish Journalists' Association this week reported government officials have filed more than 100 lawsuits against at least 60 reporters since 2013. On Tuesday, two cartoonists from the satirical magazine Penguen were convicted and fined $2,700 each for insulting Erdo?an in a caricature that made a reference to the difficult environment for journalists in the country.

Turkey's insult laws have been on the books for years, but analysts say they've been used more aggressively since Erdo?an became the country's first directly elected president in August after serving as prime minister for more than a decade.

Merve Buyuksarac, a model and 2006 Miss Turkey winner, faces up to two years in prison for sharing a poem on Instagram that prosecutors claim insults the president. The same fate could await a 16-year-old student, who is on trial for insulting Erdo?an during a student protest in the central Anatolian city of Konya. Last month, police questioned a 13-year-old boy over a Facebook post.

There are other signs of a clampdown on free speech. Last week the parliament approved new Internet controls that would allow cabinet members to block websites without a court order. More than 67,000 websites are already inaccessible in Turkey, including those of an atheist association and the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. While last year's ban on Twitter was eventually overturned, the company received more content removal requests from Turkey than any other country.

Government officials insist they are simply upholding the rule of law. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu defended Turkey's censorship record in January, saying that "freedom of expression does not mean freedom to insult."

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Teens targeted as Turkey cracks down on speech

Its a big day for freedom of speech in India. The countrys Supreme Court today scrapped an ambiguous and controversial law which governed the consequences of posting sensitive and offensive content on the web. The ruling challenges the IT Act, including Section 66A, Section 79, and Section 69. With this decision the Supreme Court -- the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal under the Constitution of India -- ruled against the Central government which had defended the section.

The bench which consisted of Justice Chelameswar and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman struck down Section 66A of the IT Act. For a refresh, the Section 66A orders 3 years imprisonment for anyone making offensive statements on the web; Section 79 forces the intermediary to take down the content from the web; and Section 69 allows blocking of online content.

Over the past couple of years, as an increasing number of Indians started connecting to the internet for business, education, health, entertainment, and other purposes, the laws defined in the IT Act started to seem out-of-date, unclear, and -- in some cases -- irrelevant. Today Justice Nariman sheds lights on the "three aspects of freedom of expression: discussion, advocacy and incitement", and notes that only when the discussion and advocacy reach the level of incitement that we apply Article 19 (2). The article in question allows restrictions on freedom of speech whenever applicable.

Today, Nariman also admitted that what could be offensive and annoying to one may not be observed as same by others. "Governments come and governments go, the law persists. And the law must be judged on its own merit. 66A is invalid and it cannot be saved even if the government says it won't abuse the law," he added.

The government, however, still supports Section 69, which gives it the power to block offensive content, whenever applicable. Section 79 and the IT rules are also subject to reasonable restrictions whenever applicable, but an intermediary will be provided with a court order or a government order. This is interesting, but it still leaves a possibility that the law could be misused. We will see how this shapes up in the months to come.

The ruling has given millions of Indians a hope of freedom of speech on the internet. The 66A had users "punished for sending offensive messages through communication service, etc.". Furthermore, if the content sent by a user via a communication device was found "grossly offensive" or of "menacing character", or caused "annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, or ill", it was treated with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and a fine.

Because of its ambiguous nature, Section 66A act was often misunderstood and misused. In the past, we have seen several incidences when people were arrested because they clicked on the Like button on Facebook, or shared something offensive. In 2012, two girls were arrested over a Facebook post. Last December, Indian government had ordered a ban on more than 52 websites including Vimeo, Archive.org, and Github because the local government found some content on the websites as offensive.

Image Credit:nenetus /Shutterstock

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India's Supreme Court protects freedom of speech -- strikes down 'unconstitutional' IT Act Section 66A

J-Bizz X.T.C - Freedom of speech
Artists: J-Bizz X.T.C Song: Freedom of speech Twitter: @Theviperjbizz @XTClassic, @MayjaMedia Suscribe!

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J-Bizz & X.T.C - Freedom of speech - Video

Empty Cup Scenario (freedom of speech)MCFS
We all need to look at the positive side of an obviously negative situation to make a video about it , that #39;s exactly what i did . the consequent events that have hurt our freedom of speech...

By: Devansh Tiwari

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Empty Cup Scenario (freedom of speech)MCFS - Video

(MUST WATCH) Not in the Name of Ethiopia!
They say freedom! freedom! But when someone tells the truth about them, they are the one who do their best to restrict the freedom of speech of anyone who speaks against them. No one will...

By: mesfin Bezu

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(MUST WATCH) Not in the Name of Ethiopia! - Video