Index on Censorship’s Kirsty Hughes talks to Sir Hugh Orde, one of the UK’s most senior police officers, about protest, public order and politics
“Human rights are not an impediment to effective policing”
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CATEGORY: United Kingdom
Bahrain is Britain’s shame
At her speech in the House of Commons, Maryam Alkhawaja asked MPs to put pressure on Bahrain to commit to reforms and free political prisoners, including her father and sister. Here, the prominent human rights defender denounces Britain’s indifference
Arts organisations taking the offensive
Index on Censorship’s conference
Taking the Offensive, held at London’s Southbank Centre highlighted how artistic freedom in the UK is under threat. The conference focused on how arts organisations support artistic freedom especially when controversy is arises
PLUS: Artistic freedom under threat, says Southbank director
Downloading evil
Writing for Index on Censorship magazine in 2007, the late Stan Cohen argued that child pornography and jihadi violence were testing the limits of tolerance
Leveson: The way ahead for a free press in the UK
A tough but voluntary regulator is the best way to ensure a free press and a fair society, Index says in a new policy note
Plus: Why Leveson’s recommendations are more worrying than you think
High threshold set for social media prosecutions
Guidelines issued today on when criminal charges should be brought against people posting offensive or abusive comments on social media sites could boost free speech
Plus: Read the guidelines here
Index Press Release: Social media guidelines recognise there is no right not to be offended
Why journalism and politics should remain independent
Leveson’s “statutory underpinning” is no way to protect press freedom, says Kirsty Hughes
Communications Data Bill: Setback for UK government as “snooper’s charter” slammed
Home Secretary Theresa May’s plan to store information on every citizen’s use of email, the web, and phones have been dealt a severe blow by a parliamentary committee. Padraig Reidy reports
UK: Public Order Act may drop “insulting” as an offence
Section 5 of the 1986 Public Order Act could be adjusted to remove the word "insulting" from legislation, it was announced today (10 December). Director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer has said that past cases could be classified as "abusive",...
Libel tourism: Blogger sued in the UK by Tanzanian media tycoon wins case
A blogger sued for libel by a Tanzanian media tycoon won her case today (30 November). At the High Court in London, Mr Justice Bean ruled in favour of Sarah Hermitage, who used her Silverdale Farm blog to criticise Reginald Mengi, Executive...