Results for Freedom of Speech

There is no such thing as an own goal in rugby, but Rugby Australia, the game’s governing body in Australia, has done its very best to score one by terminating the contract of Israel Folau. In doing so, it has lost the services of a star fullback who has played 73 tests for Australia. ... But once we allow, as a ground for restricting someone’s freedom of speech or action, the claim that someone else has been offended by it, freedom is in grave danger of disappearing entirely. By Peter Singer

A workshop on "Parliament and the Media" held in Tonga this week called on the Tongan government to draft and enact a Freedom of Information Act "as a matter of priority". It also highlighted the need for the relationship between Government, Parliament and the Media to be taken into account during the political reform process, and urged the Speaker to make provision of media and public gallery and broadcast facilities in parliament. By Pesi Fonua.

The status of the Tonga government's Human Rights Practices during 2004, according to the US Department of State was “Poor”.

Day Four of the Judicial Review challenging the Amendment of Clause 7 of the Constitution last year, concluded the submissions made by the legal counsel Dr Rodney Harrison for the 173 plaintiffs, and Paul Radich for the defendant, the Kingdom of Tonga.

Tonga copied Singapore's suppressive media laws when it drafted its new media legislation that came into force this year, Tongan journalists marking World Press Freedom Day in Tonga on May 3 were told.

The Tonga Government gagged Press Freedom when it amended Clause 7 of the Tongan Constitution last year, Laki Niu, the President of the Tongan Law Society, told Tongan media operators on February 9.

A total of 152 plaintiffs are signatories to a writ, calling for a Judicial Review of the media legislation enacted by the Tonga government last year, which curtailed freedom of speech and introduced restrictive print media licensing.

Tongan Police raided village shops in Tonga last week confiscating copies of the Taimi 'o Tonga newspaper, and also seizing cash from shops that had sold newspapers.

Between 2,000 to 3,000 Freedom Marchers gathered at the Catholic Basilica of St Anthony of Padua, Nuku’alofa, at mid-day on October 6, and marched to the Tongan Parliament to present petitions calling for protection of Freedom of Speech, threatened by a Government Bill to change the Tongan Constitution. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 18, no. 3, December 2003.