|
|
| FREE SPEECH & PROTEST A scene from the G20 protest in London on 1 April 2009  Protest and free speech are crucial parts of political life, with a strong British history, yet a variety of measures undermine them.
Laws intended to combat anti-social behaviour, terrorism and serious crime are routinely used against legitimate protesters.
Free Speech has been a victim on the 'War on Terror', with offences of 'encouragement' and 'glorification' of terrorism threatening to make careless talk a crime.
Non-violent political organisations can be classified along with Al-Quaeda, with membership or association with them a serious criminal offence.
Meanwhile, the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 has extended the offence of incitement to racial hatred to cover religion, threatening to seriously undermine legitimate debate.
For more on the impact on protest rights of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act and Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, visit the pages listed on the left. Latest NewsToday the judicial review hearing of Ofcom’s decision to uphold complaints against the radio talk show host Jon Gaunt begins in the High Court. Liberty, the human rights group, has intervened in the case because of its wider importance to free speech. 14.06.2010
| |
Visit the 'right to peaceful protest' pages of our dedicated information website, Your Rights. | |
Liberty’s Second Reading Briefing on the Defamation Bill in the House of Lords, July 2010 (PDF) Statement on free speech in the context of the Danish cartoons, Feb 2006 (PDF) Response to the Government consultation, Nov 2005 (PDF) Briefing on the Bill as it passed through parliament, June 2005 (PDF)
Liberty’s Briefing on the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill for Committee Stage in the House of Commons, October 2009 (PDF) Liberty’s response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights:
“Demonstrating Respect for Rights? A Human Rights Approach to Policing Protest”, May 2009 (PDF) Liberty’s Briefing on the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill for Report Stage in the House of Commons, February 2010 (PDF) Liberty’s Second Reading Briefing on the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill in the House of Lords, March 2010 (PDF)
 |
|
