Gag order

As a gag order is called " the ( temporary ) prohibition to hold public (political ) speeches " or the prohibition to speak generally about a particular subject. Colloquially, is also spoken of " muzzle".

The term is not precisely defined and is mainly used for intervention in the freedom of expression. But the commandment to rest in churches and libraries is referred to it.

Legal situation in Germany

The state has the right to limit individual fundamental rights in order to evade opponents of the liberally democratic basic order the room for maneuver - this includes the restriction of freedom of expression, for example, at events and in public media. Basically violates such issuing a ban on speech, although contrary to Article 5, paragraph 1 of the Basic Law, but because it is used as a weapon of democracy Belligerent for defense of their opponents, abuse has not been defined. This means existed in the Weimar Republic.

The law in the United States

A National Security Letter ( NSL) under U.S. law also includes a gag (gag order).

Speech ban as a means of censorship

Internally, the instrument of speech ban the discussion (for example, about dealing with works in a company ) is prohibited on certain issues or conditions and, thus, to a certain degree of internal negative discussions and resulting unwanted actions reduced and suppressed outward bad publicity are. Outwardly, the release of unwanted items can be suppressed.

Political speech ban means the exclusion of unpleasant positions from the current political discourses. Deviants are " back into line " forced by proactively gag order on certain subjects or either excluded from certain discussions in advance. In this way, their opinion is effectively removed from the public eye and is not or hardly noticed by larger segments of society. The result is Outwardly, the impression in the policy rule on certain issues, a general consensus that does not really exist.

Of particular concern are speech prohibitions against journalists, since in this case the journalistic activity that really should not be obstructed, can be restricted without legal consequences and thus the " Fourth Estate " can fulfill only limited its role of opinion in democratic systems. An example of this is the so -called " gag order " by the Berlin School Senators Klaus Bögner, was banned by the teachers of the city of Berlin to speak to journalists about the abuses at their schools.

In repressive, non-democratic regimes, the instrument of the speech ban is often used to political opponents that have a large well known or are otherwise invulnerable, generally to silence, as in the example of Aung San Suu Kyi. If a system has enough international power, it can prevent unwanted opinions or reporting even outside its own borders by overt or covert expressions of displeasure.

Gag order as part of bullying

Speech ban is by Heinz Leymann also a component of bullying: the Bullied (usually under threat of further reprisals ) forced by bullies to silence.