SRINE: June 2012

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

a 'dark day' for freedom of expression

More Ethiopian government opponents have been convicted on trumped up terrorism and treason charges in what Amnesty International called "a dark day" for freedom of expression.

Iconic dissident journalist Eskinder Nega and leading members of the political opposition, Andualem Arage and Nathnael Mekonnen, along with five other men, were found guilty on charges of "terrorist acts, "encouragement of terrorism", "high treason" and several other charges.

a 'dark day' for freedom of expression

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Four essential human freedoms

Four freedoms are essential to a flourishing democracy: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

The first is freedom of speech and expression — everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way — everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want — which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants - everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear — which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor — anywhere in the world.

Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere.