22 Apr 2010 | News and features, United Kingdom
The ballots are in, they’ve been badly counted and the winner of last night’s completely unscientific poll is Dr Evan Harris, the Liberal Democrats science spokesman*
1. Who do you think defended freedom of speech the best?
Michael Wills — Labour 2
Evan Harris — Liberal Democrat 55
Dominic Grieve — Conservative 12
2. Whose proposed reforms of our libel laws were you most favourable to?
Michael Wills —- Labour 2
Evan Harris — Liberal Democrat 58
Dominic Grieve — Conservative 9
3. Whose arguments did you find the most convincing?
Michael Wills —- Labour 3
Evan Harris — Liberal Democrat 52
Dominic Grieve — Conservative 15
***This is in no way an endorsement of any political party by Index on Censorship
21 Apr 2010 | News and features, Uncategorized
Last night the Libel Reform campaign hosted the official “Free Speech Hustings” of the general election 2010 in association with English PEN, Index on Censorship and Sense About Science
Speaking at the event were Dominic Grieve from the Conservatives, Evan Harris from the Liberal Democrats and Labour’s Michael Wills.
21 Apr 2010 | Uncategorized
File this one under “interesting”.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that a ban on videos portraying animal cruelty contravene’s the country’s First Amendment, which guarantees free speech.
Laws were introduced in 1999 to prevent the distribution of “crush” videos, showing small animals being stepped on by stiletto heels (yes, really).
But Supreme Court judges voted 8-1 in declaring the laws on depictions of animal cruelty too broad. While there are laws against animal cruelty itself in place, the Supreme Court was unwilling to draw up a new category of prohibited expression. Campaigners had warned that the law was too broad, and could incriminate depictions of bullfights, and even hunting magazines.
Read more here
21 Apr 2010 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
Boay Roeuy, journalist working for Khmer Machas Srok, a Cambodian newspaper with ties to the Sam Rainsy Party, has alleged that he has been receiving death threats from bodyguards working for the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). Hang Chakra, the editor for Khmer Machas Srok was recently released from prison after serving a 10 month sentence for disinformation. He published a series of articles accusing deputy prime minister An Sok of corruption.
