{"id":4012,"date":"2017-09-01T12:19:37","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T03:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/?p=4012"},"modified":"2023-10-25T09:44:23","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T00:44:23","slug":"media-threats-freedom-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrn.or.jp\/eng\/news\/2017\/09\/01\/media-threats-freedom-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"Media reports on threats to freedom of speech in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to FACTA Magazine<\/a> (article in Japanese), a leaked memo produced by Japanese officials for intelligence agencies revealed that Kazuko Ito was under surveillance ahead of UN Special Rapporteur David Kaye\u2019s visit in Japan. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, as well as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders directly addressed the Japanese government<\/a> about those allegations at the Human Rights Council on May 30, 2017 <\/p>\n

This alleged surveillance was reported in the context of growing concerns over the \u201canti-conspiracy\u201d bill that passed on June 15, 2017. In an article on the topic the Asia Times quoted Kazuko Ito who described the threat to freedom of speech such a legislation constitute: \u201cEven if the judiciary narrowly determine and exonerate the targeted people in the end of the day, they are already targeted for arbitrary surveillance, wiretapping, arrest or detention \u2013 these are enough to smash civil society activities and will cause a significant chilling effect.\u201d
\nAsia Times [17\/06\/27]: Whither Japan’s Democracy?<\/a><\/p>\n

The Japan Times wrote about Kazuko Ito who pointed out the law was going against promises made by Japan during its campaign for membership at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
\nThe Japan Times [17\/05\/23]: Lawmakers ram conspiracy bill through Lower House as U.N. expert slams Tokyo<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

According to FACTA Magazine (article in Japanese), a leaked memo produced by Japanese officials for intelligence agencies revealed that Kazuko Ito was under surveillance ahead of UN Special Rapporteur David Kaye\u2019s visit in Japan. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, as well as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders directly addressed the Japanese government about those allegations at the Human Rights Council on May 30, 2017 This alleged surveillance was reported in the context of growing concerns over the \u201canti-conspiracy\u201d bill […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[154,106,145,102],"countries":[248],"class_list":["post-4012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-media","tag-defenders-democratic-space","tag-freedom-of-assembly","tag-freedom-of-speech","tag-human-rights-defenders-independence-of-judiciary","countries-japan"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t