The Components of the Right to Freedom of Expression in International Human Rights System

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor In Public Law, Payam Noor University, Yaz, Iran

Abstract

Abstract
It can be said that the right to freedom of expression, which is prerequisite to enjoy other human rights, is reflected in the first national and international human rights documents. However, the definition of this right and the emphasis on its different components has changed over the time. But it can be claimed that most of the universal and regional documents on human rights have offered very similar definitions of this right. Acording to these definitions, the right to freedom of expression is the right of "every person" to express their "information" and "ideas" with "any Medium" and even "over the domestic borders".
However, some documents such as "the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam" have not stipulated all of the components of the right to freedom of expression and have not presented a transparent definition. But these documents cannot violate the above definition, because these documents are not binding and signatory States of them have ratified the international instruments on freedom of expression, especially International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
 
 

Keywords

Main Subjects


منابع
الف. فارسی
جعفری تبریزی، محمدتقی (1370). تحقیق در دو نظام حقوق جهانی بشر (از دیدگاه اسلام و غرب) و تطبیق آن دو بر یکدیگر، تهران: دفتر خدمات حقوقی بین‌المللی جمهوری اسلامی ایران.
سروش، عبدالکریم (1382). «آزادی بیان (بر اساس سخنرانی آقای سروش)»، بازتاب اندیشه در مطبوعات روز ایران، پیاپی 37: 7-19.
سودمندی، عبدالمجید (1390). «افترا و ممنوعیت آن در نظام حقوق بشر»، پژوهش‌های حقوق تطبیقی، دوره 15، شماره 1، 61-82.
سید فاطمی، سیدمحمد قاری (1382). حقوق بشر در جهان معاصر، تهران: انتشارات دانشگاه شهید بهشتی.
صفایی، سیدحسین (1370). «حقوق بشر در اسلام و اعلامیه جهانی حقوق بشر»، مجله دانشکده حقوق و علوم سیاسی، دانشگاه تهران، شماره 27، 1-15.
مرادی غیاث‌آبادی، رضا (1384). گزیده‌ای از کتاب منشور کورش هخامنشی، کمیته بین‌المللی نجات پاسارگاد، قابل دسترسی در: www.savepasargad.com/1.Far/Documents/cyrus%20declaration-qiyaas.htm(20/06/1391)
هاشمی، سیدمحمد (1384). حقوق بشر و آزادی‌های اساسی، تهران: نشر میزان.
ب. انگلیسی
African charter on human and peoples' rights, signed on 27 June 1981, came into force on 21 October 1986.
American Convention on Human Rights, signed on 22 November 1969, came into force on 18 July 1978.
American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, adopted by the Ninth International Conference of American States, 2 May 1948.
Arab Charter on Human Rights, signed on 15 September 1994, came into force on 15 March 2008.
Articles of Confederation, United States, 1 March 1781, Available at: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/artconf.asp. (20/06/1391)
Constitution of North Carolina, 1776, Available at: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/nc07.asp. (20/06/1391)
Convention on the Right of the Child, adopted by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989, came into force on 2 September 1990.
Davis, G. R. C. (1989). Magna Carta, Available at: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/magnacarta.html. (20/06/1391)
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (French: Déclaration des droits de l'Homme et du Citoyen), National Assembly of France, 1789.
Declaration on the Freedom of Expression and Information, adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 29 April 1982, at its 70th Session.
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, signed on 4 November 1950, came into force on 3 September 1953.
European Convention on Transfrontier Television, signed on 5 May 1989, came into force on 1 May 1993.
European Court of Human Rights (1976), Handyside v. the United Kingdom, (Application No. 5493/72), Judgment of 7 December 1976.
European Court of Human Rights (1988), Muller and Others v. Switzerland, (Application No. 10737/84), Judgment of 24 May 1988.
European Court of Human Rights (1990), Autronic AG v. Switzerland, (Application No. 12726/87), Judgment of 22 May 1990.
Hussain A. (1994), Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, UN Doc. E/CN.4/1994/33.
Hussain A. (1995), Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, UN Doc. E/CN.4/1995/32.
Hussain A. (1996), Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, UN Doc. E/CN.4/1996/39.
Hussain A. (1999), Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, UN Doc. E/CN.4/1999/64.
Hussain A. (2001), Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2001/64.
Inter-American Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, approved by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights during its 108 regular session, 2000.
 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, adopted by General Assembly resolution 2106(XX) of 21 December 1965, came into force on 4 January 1969.
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/158 of 18 December 1990, came into force on 1 July 2003.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966, came into force on 23 March 1976.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, adopted by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966, came into force on 3 January 1976.
Jahangir A. and Diène D. (2006), Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, and the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, UN Doc. A/HRC/2/3.
Jonathan, G. C. (1985). "Human Rights Covenants", Encyclopedia of Public International Law, Vol. 8: 297-303.
Ligabo A. (2005), Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2005/64.
Ligabo A. (2006), Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, UN Doc. E/CN.4/2006/55.
Mill, J. S. (1859). On Liberty, Available at: www.utilitarianism.com/ol/one.html. (20/06/1391)
The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, adopted and Issued at the Nineteenth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers of Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Cairo, 5 August 1990.
UN Commission on Human Rights Resolution 1993/45, 5 March 1993, UN Doc. E/CN.4/RES/1993/45.
UN General Assembly Resolution 110(II), 3 November 1947 UN Doc. A/RES/110 (II).
UN General Assembly Resolution 127(II), 15 November 1947, UN Doc. A/RES/127 (II).
UN General Assembly Resolution 59(I), 14 December 1946, UN Doc. A/RES/59 (I).
UN Human Rights Committee (1989), Communications Nos. 359/1989 and 385/1989, UN Doc. CCPR/C/47/D/359/1989 and 385/1989/Rev.1.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 217A of 10 December 1948.
US Supreme Court (1977), Wooley v. Maynard, 430 U.S. 705.