Free Speech DCC and the State's Human Rights duties.

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Sunday April 08, 2007 20:04

by Mick Butler - CFSD

Underpinning the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS adopted and proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on December 10th 1948. These legal instruments are wholly pertinent for political activists, in the broadest meaning of that term, in dealing with organs of the state such as DCC.

It is noteworthy that the preamble of the above U N document in it's second paragraph refers to freedom of speech and at Article 19 defines this human right. The second and third paragraphs state :

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear of want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, Whereas it is essential if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and opression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law...Now, therefore, The General Assembly

Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achivement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Re Freedom of Speech : Article 19 promulgates :Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 30 : Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perfom any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

Later we shall review and take stock of DCC's actions regarding this core human right, no doubt other councils and organs of the state are violating their legal and constitutional duties, log and record everything would be a suggestion to activists for now.