https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/124359 2026-04-09T01:06:18Z 2026-04-09T01:06:18Z Zammit, Stephanie https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/124659 2024-07-16T10:41:22Z 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: [Book review] Freedom of expression and human rights : historical literary and political contexts Authors: Zammit, Stephanie Abstract: Freedom of expression is seen by many as an essential cornerstone of a democratic society: where one mentions a restriction on the freedom of expression, many immediately think of abuse of power and threats to democracy. [excerpt]

2006-01-01T00:00:00Z Turki Ben Cheikh, Hella https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/124658 2024-07-16T10:34:36Z 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Children's rights in the United Kingdom : rhetoric or practice? Authors: Turki Ben Cheikh, Hella Abstract: This comment explores the Condition of the Child in the United Kingdom. The purpose is to evaluate the extent of respect of children's rights in this State and to reveal whether the government's policy honours fully its commitment to the national and international legislation. The first part deals with the British policy which is known for a great quantity of laws and national service frameworks produced for the benefit of children. In fact, the state enacted a series of Acts of Parliament and each Act amends a previous one. At international level, the country ratified a regional Convention which is the European Convention on the Exercise of Children's Rights that stems directly from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Then, there is a focus on the State Reports submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. The Committee welcomed the number of developments in the UK with positive implications for the protection and promotion of children's rights and encouraged the efforts of the State Party in different areas. Nevertheless, it noted that the Reports submitted by the State Party contain little information on the difficulties experienced by some children in the country. It advised the UK Government to provide additional information and statistical data on the issues that children face and even urged the outline of the strategies used in the state to prevent poverty, child abuse, neglect and abandonment. Each country has its own history and culture and different problems to comply with the values of the international principles. However, are the UK's promises to children put into practice?

2006-01-01T00:00:00Z Hanafi, Hassan https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/124648 2024-07-16T09:09:04Z 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Democracy : an end or a tool? Authors: Hanafi, Hassan Abstract: Democracy has become a keyword in contemporary socio-political jargon after September 11th 2001. The drama of the whole world is due to the lack of democracy and consequently the necessity of democratization of the non-democratic world, namely the Muslim World, since the authors of September 11th are Arab Muslims. However, democracy is a tool not an end. It is a means to implement something else, namely national objectives. Democracy as a concept may differ from a culture to another. In the West, it is a quantitative concept based on majority-minority criteria. It is based on the concept of the individual. Other cultures are more oriented towards groups. A multiparty system based on free election, one man one vote, is a formal concept. The multi-party system did not prevent corruption: undeclared funds for election campaigns. Political propaganda and the power of the mass media have a big impact on the vote. Democracy in the West did not prevent the rise of extreme right wing parties. The Islamic concept of democracy is a qualitative concept based on the right of every person to express himself freely. An Islamic political regime is not a theocracy. The real ruler is not the executive power but the legislative power. The objective of democracy is to implement the universal intentions of the law, based essentially on the public welfare.

2006-01-01T00:00:00Z Zammit, Maria https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/124647 2024-07-16T08:58:04Z 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: An appraisal of the legality principles in relation to genocide and crimes against humanity in contemporary international law Authors: Zammit, Maria Abstract: This article examines the principles of legality enshrined in the maxim "nullum crimen sine lege" in relation to genocide and crimes against humanity in contemporary international law. In particular, it aims to assess the relevant provisions of the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) with a view of ascertaining whether the principle of "nullum crimen sine lege" will stand in the way of the progressive development of international law with respect to the definitional compass of the two mentioned crimes. Findings are based on a number of sources, including writings by eminent scholars, the Statutes and case-law of the ad hoc International Criminal Tribunals, and the travaux preparatoires and text of the Rome Statute.

2006-01-01T00:00:00Z