The answer to extreme ideas is more discussion, not less . . . – The Times
“Freedom of expression is valued because truth tends to be promoted, and error exposed, by allowing free debate.”
The Times, 26th February 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Category: freedom of expression
Archbishop of Canterbury calls for new law to punish ‘thoughtless or cruel’ words – The Times
“The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has called for new laws to protect religious sensibilities that would punish ‘thoughtless and cruel’ styles of speaking.”
The Times, 29th January 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Hate groups could land social networking sites in court – The Guardian
“Social networking forums, where users give full vent to their gripes about everyone from gas providers and airline companies to the local bus operator, have caught the eye of media lawyers, who warn that such postings may be leaving sites such as Facebook and MySpace open to libel actions.”
The Guardian, 21st January 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Sadistic’ video game beats ban – The Guardian
“A video game banned for its ‘casual sadism’ will be released in Britain after its makers yesterday won an appeal against censors. Manhunt 2, the first game in a decade to be banned, was prohibited by the British Board of Film Classification in June for its ‘unrelenting focus on brutal slaying’.”
The Guardian, 11th December 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Brighton to ban ‘murder music’ in clampdown on hate artists – The Times
“Brighton and Hove is to become the first British city to prohibit art that incites racist, homophobic or sectarian violence.”
The Times, 6th December 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
‘Nanny’ row over political blogs – BBC News
“Plans to examine if politicians’ blogs could break their code of conduct have led to claims of ‘nanny state culture’.”
BBC News, 21st November 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Police action over TV film ‘undermined free speech’ – The Times
“MPs have accused West Midlands Police of seeking to undermine freedom of speech by making a ‘perverse’ complaint about a Channel 4 programme that exposed extremism in a British mosque.”
The Times, 20th November 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Christians seek right to sue BBC for blasphemy – The Guardian
“A Christian group trying to prosecute the producer and broadcaster of Jerry Springer – The Opera under blasphemy laws will take its case to the high court in London today.”
The Guardian, 20th November 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Free speech must not threaten the vulnerable – The Times
“There have been many cases in recent years involving celebrities and the extent of their rights to privacy. But what about privacy for vulnerable people who were never celebrities in the first place? Is their protection against press intrusion stronger or weaker than the famous? Is the situation exacerbated by the fact that the subject of prurient interest happens to be a child?”
The Times, 8th November 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Court rejects media gag order in Bermuda – Reuters
“Bermuda’s media should not be banned from reporting further extracts from a leaked police dossier about corruption at the British territory’s public housing corporation, London’s Privy Council ruled on Monday.”
Reuters, 30th October 2007
Source: www.reuters.com
Foreign Offfice gag on memoirs angers former diplomats – The Guardian
“A former British diplomat yesterday denounced a lifetime confidentiality agreement demanded by the Foreign Office as ‘unworkable and draconian’, and has refused to sign it.”
The Guardian, 12th October 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
UK diplomats ‘face lifetime gag’ – Daily Telegraph
“The Foreign Office has been accused of trying to gag diplomats for life after regulations were issued stopping them from commenting on international issues even after retirement.”
Daily Telegraph, 10th October 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Religious hatred: a crime from October, but exemptions are wide – OUT-Law.com
“The Racial and Religious Hatred Act comes into force in October, carrying a threat of prison terms for a person who tries to stir up religious hatred. However, its free speech exemptions are so wide that convictions could be difficult, a lawyer said.”
OUT-Law.com, 13th September 2007
Source: www.out-law.com
Brian Haw: ‘It is strange that they are spending so much money prosecuting me’ – The Independent
“As the Camp for Climate Action began planning in earnest for next week’s protest at Heathrow, one veteran protester against the Iraq war was also enjoying a moment of vindication.”
The Independent, 7th August 2007
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd. and Others v. Vetplus Ltd – Times Law Reports
Comparative advertisements must not be misleading
Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd and Others v Vetplus Ltd
Court of Appeal
“No interim injunction would issue to inhibit comparative advertising, whereby one trader promoted his goods over those of a rival, unless the claimant could show the advertising was misleading and he would probably win a permanent injunction at trial.”
The Times, 27th June 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only availble free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
Negative advertising harder to block, lawyers warn – The Times
“Businesses will find it harder to protect brands from the negative effects of comparative advertising – in which one company promotes its products by drawing comparisons with rivals – after a landmark ruling this week, lawyers have warned.”
The Times, 22nd June 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd. and ors v. Vetplus Ltd. – WLR Daily
Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd. and ors v. Vetplus Ltd. [2007] EWCA Civ 584
“Where a trader sought to publish in comparative advertising the results of tests of a rival trader’s product, an important issue of freedom of expression was engaged, even though the comparative advertising would be aimed at diverting trade from one trader to another; and therefore the court would not grant an interim injunction to prevent such publication unless the court was satisfied that the applicant would succeed at trial in obtaining a final injunction.”
WLR Daily, 20th June 2007
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.
EU aims to criminalise Holocaust denial – Financial Times
“Laws that make denying or trivialising the Holocaust a criminal offence punishable by jail sentences will be introduced across the European Union, according to a proposal expecting to win backing from ministers Thursday.”
Financial Times, 18th April 2007
Source: www.ft.com
