There were laws in place to protect free speech, even if they were occasionally disobeyed. Although there was no direct legislation establishing freedom of expression in Mesopotamia, there were legal limitations on what people could say. According to the Code of Ur-Nammu, which was created about 2100 BC, a person could be punished for speaking slander or making false accusations. The Code of Hammurabi, which was enacted about 1750 BC, also protected free expression. It said that if a person made an accusation against someone and could not provide proof of the person's guilt, the person making the accusation would be penalized . There were times, though, when these rules were disregarded, especially when the government felt its authority was in jeopardy.