Prashant Bhushan: on freedom of speech and contempt of court | BOOM

What does freedom of speech mean? Have the judgement previously passed by the Supreme Court of India changed anything in terms of the freedoms we enjoy and the safeguards that should exist in a democratic society? What are the exceptions to this law?

Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan was recently sentenced to a fine of Rs 1 by the Supreme Court of India because they found him in contempt of court for making statements criticising the Supreme Court. He says that freedom of speech is perhaps one of the most fundamental and important rights a citizen can have in a democratic society. It can be restricted only by way of reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of multiple issues like security, integrity, decency, morality and defamation among others.

Watch BOOM's Govindraj Ethiraj interview Prashant Bhushan on what is classified as free speech, the difference between free speech and hate speech and ultimately, the way forward.