‘Bhushan’s conviction is against international law’ - The Hindu - 02-09-2020

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan’s conviction for criminal contempt of court by the Supreme Court seemed to be inconsistent with the freedom of expression law guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Details:

“While some restrictions of freedom of expression are permitted by international standards, a particularly wide scope must be preserved for debate and discussion about such matters as the role of the judiciary, access to justice, and democracy, by members of the public, including through public commentary on the courts”, it stated.

ICJ considers that the conviction appears to be inconsistent with international standards on freedom of expression and the role of lawyers.

It added that the judgment risked having a “chilling effect on the exercise of protected freedom of expression in India”.