Post by ibrake4rappers13 on Jan 15, 2015 21:03:39 GMT -5
French arrests draw charges of free speech hypocrisy
In the debate over freedom of expression, what makes one form a fundamental right and another a crime?
That question has taken on particular meaning in the week following theParis terror attack on the satirical paper Charlie Hebdo, which has seen both an enormous rally in support of free speech and scores arrested by French authorities for hate speech and defending terrorism.
The crackdown by French authorities, including the arrest of a controversial French comedian for comments he posted on Facebook, has sparked a backlash among some free speech advocates who see "cherry picking" in the application of laws surrounding speech.
"What I would say is on occasion those laws are unevenly applied," said Karin Deutsch Karlekar, who specializes in freedom of the press at Freedom House, a nonprofit that promotes freedom, democracy and human rights. "And certain people are charged, or arrested or prosecuted under the laws and others are not."
Compared with much of the rest of the world, France has broad protections for freedom of expression, but it also has tough laws against hate speech, including Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism, as well as a law making it a crime to condone acts of terrorism.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that 54 people had been arrested on such charges as of Wednesday, none of whom had been linked to the violent attacks of last week. Le Monde reported Thursday that nearly 70 legal proceedings had been opened for "apology and threats of terrorist attacks" since the Charlie Hebdo attack, and that five sentences had been handed down, including one for a man who had reportedly yelled in the street: "I am proud to be a Muslim, I do not like Charlie, they were right to do that."
The arrests have led to charges online and around the world that there is a double standard regarding freedom of expression and who has the right to offend.
www.cbsnews.com/news/french-arrests-draw-charges-of-free-speech-hypocrisy/
In the debate over freedom of expression, what makes one form a fundamental right and another a crime?
That question has taken on particular meaning in the week following theParis terror attack on the satirical paper Charlie Hebdo, which has seen both an enormous rally in support of free speech and scores arrested by French authorities for hate speech and defending terrorism.
The crackdown by French authorities, including the arrest of a controversial French comedian for comments he posted on Facebook, has sparked a backlash among some free speech advocates who see "cherry picking" in the application of laws surrounding speech.
"What I would say is on occasion those laws are unevenly applied," said Karin Deutsch Karlekar, who specializes in freedom of the press at Freedom House, a nonprofit that promotes freedom, democracy and human rights. "And certain people are charged, or arrested or prosecuted under the laws and others are not."
Compared with much of the rest of the world, France has broad protections for freedom of expression, but it also has tough laws against hate speech, including Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism, as well as a law making it a crime to condone acts of terrorism.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that 54 people had been arrested on such charges as of Wednesday, none of whom had been linked to the violent attacks of last week. Le Monde reported Thursday that nearly 70 legal proceedings had been opened for "apology and threats of terrorist attacks" since the Charlie Hebdo attack, and that five sentences had been handed down, including one for a man who had reportedly yelled in the street: "I am proud to be a Muslim, I do not like Charlie, they were right to do that."
The arrests have led to charges online and around the world that there is a double standard regarding freedom of expression and who has the right to offend.
www.cbsnews.com/news/french-arrests-draw-charges-of-free-speech-hypocrisy/