[WikiEN-l] Re: Trading with the Enemy

Sun Feb 29 03:20:17 UTC 2004

Delirium a écrit:
> Anthere wrote:
> 
>>
>>
>> Rick a écrit:
>>
>>> Where would you suggest?  In France, it's illegal to criticize the 
>>> government.  In Germany, it's illegal to display Nazi memorabilia.  
>>> In the UK there's the Official Secrets Act to deal with.
>>>  
>>> RickK
>>
>>
>>
>> May I *seriously* suggest that you consider avoiding libel and 
>> comments that might anger your peers RickK ?
> 
> 
> Well, according to the World Press Freedom Committee's document "Insult 
> Laws: A Insult to Press Freedom" 
> (http://www.wpfc.org/site/docs/pdf/Publications/Insult%20Laws-An%20Insult%20to%20Press%20Freedom-1996%20booklet.pdf):
> 
> "...the primary form of this crime became known as 'insult to the 
> president of the republic,' whose classic form was set in the French 
> press law of 1881.  It remains the basic press legislation in France 
> today.  The 1881 law also carries serious penalties for insulting 
> foreign chiefs of state, foreign ministers or ambassadors of friendly 
> countries, and official bodies like parliament, the judiciary, and armed 
> forces... Similar provisions are on the books in Austria, Germany, the 
> Netherlands, Norway, and Spain."
> 
> The report goes on to note that the French law was last actually used 
> under Charles de Gaulle in the 1960s, when a spectator was arrested for 
> crying out "hoo hoo" at him.  More recently the Sun was threatened with 
> a lawsuit for insulting Chirac, though this never materialized.
> 
> The report also notes that the French law has served as an example for 
> many laws in other countries, especially less-developed countries, and 
> especially former French colonies, that *are* enforced, and those 
> countries defend their law under "well, France has such laws, so why 
> shouldn't we?"
> 
> So "illegal to criticize" is going too far, but it's not entirely 
> without basis either.
> 
> -Mark

So...wait a minute here...

If I understand well...

There is a law that says it is illegal to criticize the french governement

That law was used only *once* in 125 years.

It was exactly *44* years ago

And *we* should be considered responsible that freedom of speech is 
*not* respected in *other* countries, because other countries took 
example on us ?

And *that* would be an argument to claim France does not respect freedom 
of speech and should not host Wikipedia ?

And *this* is not meant to be insulting ?

Please, consider this very carefully

http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2003/countryratings/france.htm
http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2003/countryratings/usa.htm

Compare
http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2003/countryratings/israel-israeliadmin.htm

And consider
http://www.amnestyusa.org/waronterror/guantanamo/index.html