(Jan. 19, 2021) On December 14, 2020, the South Korean National Assembly passed a bill to amend the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act (Act No. 7763, Dec. 29, 2005). The amendment, Act No. 17763, was published in Gwanbo (official gazette) on December 29, 2020. The amendment added a provision that prohibits acts that violate an […]
Topic: Constitutional law, Diplomatic and consular relations, Freedom of speech, Human rights and civil liberties
(Nov. 10, 2020) On September 3, 2020, the Austrian federal chancellor’s office published and introduced to the National Council (the lower house of the Austrian Parliament) a draft bill to fight hate on social media and to protect communication platform users. The Draft Federal Act on Measures to Protect Users on Communication Platforms (English translation) […]
Topic: Civil law, Crime and law enforcement, Freedom of speech, Internet, Legislative process, Social media
(Oct. 16, 2020) On September 22, 2020, the Finnish Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of Nordiska Motståndsrörelsen (NMR) (Nordic Resistance Movement), an unregistered neo-Nazi association. The Supreme Court found that the association is unlawful because its activities and stated objectives violate law and good practice. It also found that the association’s activities are not protected […]
Topic: Freedom of assembly, Freedom of speech, Hate crimes, Human rights and civil liberties, Racial and ethnic relations
(Oct. 13, 2020) On September 14, 2020, Minister of the Interior Ulrich Mäurer of the city-state of Bremen, Germany issued a decree banning the public flying or use of the German imperial war flag. Flying such a flag on private property where it is clearly intended to be and is visible to everyone is also […]
Topic: Crime and law enforcement, Crimes against the state, Freedom of assembly, Freedom of speech, Hate crimes, Police power, Protest and dissent, State and local government
(Oct. 12, 2020) On September 21, 2020, Israel’s Supreme Court, sitting as a High Court of Justice, unanimously ordered the minister of justice and the attorney general (AG) to file a disciplinary action against the rabbi of the city of Safed for a series of offensive statements attributed to him. The statements involved disparaging comments […]
Topic: Church and state relations, Freedom of speech, Government, Officials and employees
(Oct. 9, 2020) On September 30, 2020, the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) plenum, by a vote of 46-38, passed legislation authorizing the government to declare, during a national lockdown, a “special state of emergency due to the coronavirus” and impose travel restrictions and other restrictions on the movement of persons as well as on public gatherings. […]
Topic: Constitutional law, Emergency management, Epidemics, Freedom of assembly, Freedom of speech, Human rights and civil liberties, Infectious and parasitic diseases, Protest and dissent, Public health, Supreme court
(Sept. 17, 2020) On March 26, 2020, the president of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, signed a law amending the country’s criminal code, criminal procedure code, and code of administrative responsibility. The law entered into force upon publication. (Law No. 3RU-613 of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Amendments and Additions to the Criminal and […]
Topic: Administrative law and regulatory procedures, Criminal code, Criminal procedure, Emergency management, Epidemics, Freedom of religion, Freedom of speech, Freedom of the press, Infectious and parasitic diseases, Internet, Law, Public health
(Aug. 27, 2020) On August 19, 2020, Israel’s Supreme Court, sitting as a High Court of Justice, rejected a petition filed by 60 Jerusalem residents to relocate or place limitations on protests taking place near the official residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Protests against the prime minister, who has been indicted on […]
Topic: Constitutional law, Emergency management, Epidemics, Freedom of speech, Government, Human rights and civil liberties, Infectious and parasitic diseases, Public health, Supreme court
(July 6, 2020) On June 24, 2020, an amendment to the German Criminal Code entered into force that makes the desecration of European Union (EU) flags and the EU hymn a crime punishable by imprisonment for up to three years or a fine. In particular, it criminalizes desecrating the EU flag or hymn publicly, in […]
Topic: Crime and law enforcement, Freedom of speech, National symbols
(June 29, 2020) On June 18, 2020, the Conseil constitutionnel, France’s constitutional court, struck down key provisions of a bill on online hate speech. This bill, known as the “Loi Avia” (the Avia Law) for the name of its principal sponsor, National Assembly member Laetitia Avia, was initially submitted on March 20, 2019, and finally adopted […]
Topic: Constitutional courts, Constitutional law, Freedom of speech, Internet, Social media
