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| Europe |
| Sweden: MPs want to limit press freedom |
| 2007-08-24 |
| Swedish politicians favour tough restrictions on press freedom, according to a new survey. A majority of Swedish members of parliament want to forbid 'sexist' advertising, force newspapers to gain permission when they publish photos of celebrities and to ban the publication the names of suspects in criminal trials. In results described as "frightening" by the Swedish Newspaper Publishers' Association, 60 percent of MPs want to make it possible for companies to sue media for defamation. Especially state-owned companies, staffed with political cronies. The findings are the result of a survey of all members of parliament carried out by polling company Sifo. Of Sweden's 349 MPs, 227 responded to the questions. PeO Wärring, deputy chairman of the Swedish Newspaper Publishers' Association, said that MPs "do not understand the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of the press for an open and democratic society." Au contraire, mon amis, the communists understand all to well how freedom of speech interferes with their "special, unique, and precious" right to deliver ukazes from the imperial conference table. 77 percent of MPs replied that newspapers should be banned from publishing names and photos of crime suspects until they are convicted. 55 percent said sexist advertisements should be banned. That's how a police state works: Suspects cannot be named when sought; suspects cannot be named when arrested; suspects cannot be named when indicted; suspects cannot be named when tried. Why, then, bother with public trials? 59 percent said that police should be banned from leaking details of investigations to the media. Sweden's current freedom of speech laws mean they can usually speak to the media about investigations without fear of disciplinary action. 55 percent wanted a law to limit the rights of media to report on famous people. As with most of the other issues, support for restrictions was reduced since the survey was carried out last year, when the Social Democrats were in power. Then, 74 percent of MPs wanted restrictions. "Famous" people, being first and foremost, political rulers and their cronies. 55 percent of those asked said that damages in cases involving press freedom should be "raised substantially." "Freedom of the press and freedom of expression have been won by the people through political struggle. Our politicians must not forget this, and should take their responsibility for the citizen's right to know," said PeO Wärring. How brave. What you should have said is that the survival of liberty in Sweden requires that these political thugs be kicked out of office in the next election. That's "democracy". |
| Posted by:mrp |
| #4 Can't the Swedes just outlaw Entertainment Tonight instead? |
| Posted by: ed 2007-08-24 18:29 |
| #3 Portray politicians as a whole in the worst possible light, greedy, corrupt, perverted, filthy drunks and drug abusers So, in other words, portray them accurately. |
| Posted by: Unutle McGurque8861 2007-08-24 14:45 |
| #2 If the Swedish press has any sense, they should hound and torment the politicians who support this mercilessly. They literally have to ruin any politician who supports this, or they are ruined themselves. They really need to go tabloid on them with mean allegations, carefully written to avoid libel laws, but horrifying to the typical reader. And they should attack the parliament as a whole, to undermine their power as a group, so that voters are disgusted with them. Portray politicians as a whole in the worst possible light, greedy, corrupt, perverted, filthy drunks and drug abusers. They will get the message. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-08-24 14:33 |
| #1 If they asked me if I favored limiting rights to media people focusing on celebs, I might say yes. I think that the media should not have the right to stalk celebrities the way they do. Everyone, even celebs should have reasonable rights to privacy. So what does it matter if 55% say yes to that? Talk about bait and switch. That I agree that celebs should not be legally stalked by the press does not mean that I would want the tough restrictions on press freedom as described here. |
| Posted by: Unutle McGurque8861 2007-08-24 13:33 |