Suella Braverman to consider giving anonymity to suspected criminals – The Guardian

‘The home secretary will examine the possibility of giving anonymity to suspected criminals after concern over the identification and treatment of high-profile people wrongly accused of sexual abuse.’

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Do Marginalised People Get The Same Level Of Free Speech As Others? – Each Other

‘Article 10 and Article 11 of the Human Rights Act (HRA) state that everyone has the right to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. However, this does not always hold true for marginalised groups.’

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Each Other, 21st September 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

Christian group brings discrimination case against Cambridge college – BBC News

‘A Christian campaign group is taking legal action against a Cambridge University college after an event booking was rejected.’

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BBC News, 15th September 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Research Briefing: Commonwealth and Human Rights Research Briefing Published Tuesday, 30 August, 2022 – House of Commons Library

‘Describes the Commonwealth’s work on human rights and the issues it seeks to address, such as the economic empowerment of women and preventing modern slavery.’

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House of Commons Library , 30th August 2022

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

What impact might the Bill of Rights have on freedom of expression cases? Part II – Constitutional Law Matters

Posted September 1st, 2022 in bills, freedom of expression, human rights, media, news, public interest by sally

‘In this second post, Godwin Busuttil explains how the proposed Bill of Rights would change how courts were required to interpret the scope of Convention rights in the freedom of expression context. The Bill if enacted would mean that UK courts no longer needed to take account of decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. UK courts would also be expected generally not to interpret Convention rights in a way that was more expansive than interpretations placed upon those rights by the European Court of Human Rights. However, they would be allowed to do so when this was to protect freedom of expression.’

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Constitutional Law Matters, 24th August 2022

Source: constitutionallawmatters.org

What impact might the Bill of Rights have on freedom of expression cases? Part I – Constitutional Law Matters

Posted September 1st, 2022 in bills, freedom of expression, human rights, media, news, public interest by sally

‘In the first of two posts, Godwin Busuttil, a barrister at 5RB specialising in media and communications law, sets out how the Bill of Rights Bill may change the law relating to freedom of expression. Convention rights can be used to protect freedom of speech by protecting journalists from having to reveal their sources. This helps to promote freedom of expression as it means journalists can print stories without concerns that legal action may be taken against their source – e.g. if they have leaked a story that is in the public interest – which in turn would risk such sources ‘drying up’.’

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Constitutional Law Matters, 23rd August 2022

Source: constitutionallawmatters.org

Employment, freedom of speech and Evangelical views on sexuality: Walters – Law & Religion UK

‘In Rev Keith Walters v The Active Learning Trust Ltd & Anor [2022] UKET 3324619/2019 the claimant, the minister of an independent Evangelical congregation, supported himself by working as full-time caretaker at the Isle of Ely Primary School [34]. When the dispute arose, the parties agreed that Mr Walters believed that his role as a minister took precedence over his employment and that there might be times when he would need to be released from school to fulfil his ministerial duties such as funerals [37]. The Trust, however, disputed his contention that it had been agreed that, so long as he was present at the start and end of the day, there was no issue with how he spent his time and, further, that he reserved his right to be “unequivocal in publicly stating the Christian doctrine on various issues, some of which may be unpopular” [38]. The ET accepted that there was an agreement to be flexible but did not accept that Mr Walters was either free to do what he wanted during work time or had carte blanche to make public statements against the school’s policies [39]. Further, he had agreed to the Trust’s policies and procedures, including the staff Code of Conduct [40 & 41].’

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Law & Religion UK, 29th August 2022

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Sarah Everard vigil protester sues Met police after conviction – The Guardian

‘A woman who was arrested and charged after attending the vigil for Sarah Everard in Clapham last year has launched civil proceedings against the Metropolitan police.’

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The Guardian, 16th August 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Online Safety Bill is not fit for purpose, say IT experts – The Independent

Posted August 12th, 2022 in bills, freedom of expression, government departments, internet, news by tracey

‘A survey of industry professionals has found many are uncertain if the proposed internet safety laws are workable in their current form.’

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The Independent, 12th August 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Discrimination and Freedom of Belief in the Sex and Gender Debate – UK Human Rights Blog

‘We do not usually cover first-instance employment tribunal judgments on this blog, but two cases handed down in the last three weeks – Forstater v. CGD Europe and Bailey v. Stonewall Equality Ltd and Garden Court Chambers – have attracted so much attention that we feel an exception must be made. Both cases involved women with ‘gender critical’ beliefs who faced hostility in their workplaces after expressing them. Both succeeded in their claims of direct discrimination and victimisation on grounds of belief under the Equality Act 2010. Although neither of the cases sets a binding precedent for other courts or tribunals, they contain interesting legal analysis and comment about the importance of freedom of expression and freedom of belief in the context of work which is of wider significance.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 3rd August 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Allison Bailey: Barrister awarded £22,000 in discrimination case – BBC News

‘A barrister has won part of her employment tribunal claim that she was discriminated against because of her gender-critical views.’

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BBC News, 27th July 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Crackdown on corrupt elites abusing UK legal system to silence critics – Ministry of Justice

‘The Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has today (20 July 2022) set out a package of measures that take aim at so-called “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation” (SLAPPs).’

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Ministry of Justice, 20th July 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

MoJ considers £5,000 costs cap to protect defendants against SLAPPs – Legal Futures

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has suggested that people defending themselves from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) could be protected by a £5,000 costs cap.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd July 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

English courts get new powers to dismiss Slapp cases against reporters – The Guardian

Posted July 20th, 2022 in abuse of process, freedom of expression, media, news, public interest by sally

‘Courts in England and Wales are to be granted new powers to dismiss lawsuits employed by wealthy claimants to stifle free speech, the government has said.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is The Prevent Programme Compatible With Human Rights? – Each Other

Posted July 19th, 2022 in equality, freedom of expression, human rights, news, terrorism by sally

‘Many organisations and individuals have criticised the government’s Prevent programme, which forms part of the UK counter-terrorism strategy.’

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Each Other, 18th July 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

The Bill of Rights Act 2022 and employment law: free speech implications – by Gus Baker – UK Labour Law

‘The “Bill of Rights Bill” (the “Bill”), introduced to Parliament on 22 June this year, has the potential to have significant implications for employment law. Once tribunals and courts accept the Bill’s exhortation to give “great weight” to freedom of speech, the consequences for workplace relations may be profound.’

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UK Labour Law, 6th July 2022

Source: uklabourlawblog.com

Tech platforms face UK ban on blocking news providers before appeal – The Guardian

Posted July 8th, 2022 in appeals, bills, freedom of expression, internet, media, news by sally

‘Tech platforms will be barred from taking down news content in the UK until an appeal has been heard against the decision, ministers have said.’

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The Guardian, 7th July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Maya Forstater was discriminated against over gender-critical beliefs, tribunal rules – The Guardian

‘A researcher who lost her job at a thinktank after tweeting that transgender women could not change their biological sex has won her claim that she was unfairly discriminated against because of her gender-critical beliefs.’

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The Guardian, 6th July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Warning new internet laws will hand ministers ‘unprecedented’ powers – The Independent

‘New internet legislation will hand ministers “unprecedented” censorship powers, with significant implications for free speech, new research warns.’

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The Independent, 27th June 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bill of Rights to strengthen freedom of speech and curb bogus human rights claims – Ministry of Justice

‘Freedom of speech and the views of elected lawmakers will be given greater weight in law under a Bill of Rights introduced to Parliament today (Wednesday 22 June).’

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Ministry of Justice, 22nd June 2022

Source: www.gov.uk