Analysis of Laws in Different Countries on Sedition

Freedom of speech and expression is not an absolute right as it has restrictions attached to it. One of the justifications for restricting freedom of speech and expression is sedition, which however, is not recognised as a restriction. The connotation of sedition is significantly different across the globe. In English law, the term “sedition” has had varied degrees of significance, as 150 years ago holding a meeting or taking out a procession was considered Sedition. In Roman times, the term “sedition” came from the Latin word “sedition,” which meant insurrectionary schism (military or political), civil unrest, insurgency, or mutiny. It should be emphasised that though the term “sedition” does not occur anywhere in the Indian constitution but under Article 19 it is envisaged as a crime against the state, however, in the Indian Penal Code it is considered as a state-sponsored crime though not specifically stated as such. In India’s current discernment, sedition refers to any act, whether verbal, physical, or written, that is believed to disrupt the state’s tranquilly and incite uninformed people to defame the government. Against this background it is pertinent to understand the law of sedition in different countries specifically in relation to pre-constitution rulings; regarding speech; publication; voting; statutory law; privileges and fundamental rights; non-fundamental rights issues; solutions to avoid conflicts and the complementary role of this chapter also elaborates upon the Sedition laws of countries like ‘USA’, ‘Australia’ and ‘England’.