Law Lib of Congress presents 'Limits on Freedom of Expression' report

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Washington, Aug 2 (Canadian-Media): the Law Library of Congress presents the report 'Limits on Freedom of Expression', which examines the scope of protection extended to freedom of speech in 13 selected countries, Library of Congress reports said.

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The scope of protection extended to freedom of speech in 13 selected countries, has been examined by this report  with main focus on the limits of protection that may apply to the right to interrupt or affect in any other way public speech. ​

The availability of mechanisms to control foreign broadcasters working on behalf of foreign governments is also addressed by the report.

The terms “freedom of speech” and “freedom of expression” as used in this report are interchangeable.

The report consists of individual surveys for the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Germany, France, New Zealand, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. Countries surveyed were selected from various continents based on relevance as well as on available staff’s expertise. 

The surveys were prepared by foreign law specialists and analysts at the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress.

All of the countries apply limitations on public speech at varied levels, with broad restrictions on speech in China and Ukraine.  

Specific Prohibitions on Disruption of Public Speech and Deliberations were found in Brazil, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand and United Kingdom.

Indirect Limitations on Public Speech applies to France, Germany, Israel, Canada and Netherlands. 

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)