Freedom of Speech and Expression – News – Times Topics …

Jul. 7, 2015

Singapore court releases 16-year-old blogger Amos Yee, who was convicted on several charges after posting video celebrating death of former leader Lee Kuan Yew; episode illuminates country's tight speech restrictions. MORE

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard defends bill under review that would restrict Islamic face coverings for women and hateful speech meant to incite violence; says government must 'draw a line in the sand' on freedom of expression. MORE

Supreme Court, voting 5 to 4, upholds Texas' right to refuse to allow specialty license plates bearing the Confederate flag; majority interpreted plates as part of government speech, rendering them immune from First Amendment attacks. MORE

Supreme Court rules unanimously that town of Gilbert, Ariz violated the First Amendment by limiting size of signs announcing church services; local church challenged ordinance restricting political, ideological and directional signs. MORE

Committee to Protect Journalists reports at least 452 journalists worldwide were forced into exile since 2010, with 101 from Syria, 57 from Ethiopia and 52 from Iran; attributes Syria's majority to threat of government reprisals and attacks by militant groups. MORE

Editorial condemns effective death sentence handed down to blogger Raif Badawi in Saudi Arabia; observes Badawi will receive 1,000 lashes for what amounts to free expression; calls for clemency from King Salman bin Abdulaziz. MORE

David Brooks Op-Ed column warns that current generation of college students is admirably engaged in trying to right historical wrongs like gender and sexual discrimination in way that is bordering on form of zealotry; holds that where students go wrong is in trying to root out and punish incorrect thought, in some cases by targeting college professors who have done nothing more than bring politically incorrect language into public square. MORE

Op-Ed article by former New York Lt Gov Betsy McCaughey opposes ban on private political advertising by mass transit agencies in Washington, New York and Philadelphia; acknowledges bans are intended to avoid potentially offensive and hate-fueled material, but holds they effectively grant government a monopoly on political speech; expresses hope that restrictions will be reversed if Supreme Court takes up cases. MORE

Amarin Pharma brings novel free-speech suit against Food and Drug Administration, saying agency has no constitutional grounds to bar pharmaceutical companies from discussing off-label medication usage with doctors; argues FDA has no right to bar transmission of accurate information, but critics say promotion of off-label use dangerously sidesteps agency's authority. MORE

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