M.U.N Position Paper Sample

◊ SAMPLE POSITION PAPER

Committee: Human Rights
Topic: Internet freedom of speech
Country: Japan

Freedom of speech is the political right to communicate one's opinions and ideas. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used.
Freedom of speech and expression has a long history that predates modern international human rights instruments. It is thought that ancient Athens’ democratic ideology of free speech may have emerged in the late 6th or early 5th century BC. The values of the Roman Republic included freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
Today freedom of speech, or the freedom of expression, is recognized in international and regional human rights law. The right is enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights

Japan believes Internet freedom of speech to be crucial for the maintenance of human rights and considers that it is an essential human need. Japan provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and the government respects these rights in practice. These freedoms extend to speech and expression on the Internet. An effective judiciary and a functioning democratic political system combine to ensure these rights. There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or reports that the government monitors e-mail or Internet activities. Individuals and groups engage in the peaceful expression of views via the Internet, including by e-mail. Furthermore, our government received glowing reports from the international press for our stance on the issue. Freedom House's Freedom in the World 2011 reports that "Internet access is not restricted" in Japan, while their Freedom on the Net 2013 reports Japan's "Internet freedom status" as "free".

Japan supports internet freedom of speech as it :

Give people the right to have their opinions heard and considered
Guarantees that all opinions can be taken into account
Guarantees True Democracy
Allows us to know what opinion are in minority and which are in the majority
The Japanese government is also aware of the various cons of the issue such as :
Freedom of speech is an innately vague concept that calls for a clear definition and interpretation with regard to the meaning and permissible limits of ‘free speech’.
It can be misused to promote odious ideas, such as terrorism, racism, sexism and fascism.
Freedom of speech during war like conditions can be detrimental to the integrity and security of the nation
Freedom of speech can also lead to undesirable physical acts. For instance, hate speeches and pornography can often lead to hate crimes, rebellions, and rapes.
Hate speeches against religions can harm the right of citizens to practice religion of their choice.
Freedom of Speech on internet and other sources of media have made it essential to protect minors from being exposed to obscene and otherwise potentially harmful materials.
Japan supports the “the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet” resolution that passed on July 2012.This implies that they share the concern put forward in the resolution for: “Affirmation that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression, which is applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of one’s choice, in accordance with articles 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights” . Japan thinks that is no ambiguity about the various advantages of freedom of speech, but with it come the adverse state of affairs that are detrimental to the evolution of the human society. Therefore, to make best use of the freedom of speech, it is essential to put a stop to its misuse by groups that advocate offensive ideas, such as terrorism, racism, sexism, and fascism.