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Freedom of Expression. a Guide to the Précis N 2: La Liberté D’Expression

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Freedom of Expression. a Guide to the Précis N 2: La Liberté D’Expression hrhb2_2nded.book Page 1 Wednesday, January 28, 2004 3:46 PM Freedom COUNCIL CONSEIL of expression OF EUROPE DE L’EUROPE A guide to the implementation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights Monica Macovei Human rights handbooks, No. 2 hrhb2_2nded.book Page 2 Wednesday, January 28, 2004 3:46 PM hrhb2_2nded.book Page 3 Wednesday, January 28, 2004 3:46 PM Freedom of expression A guide to the implementation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights 2nd edition Monica Macovei Human rights handbooks, No. 2 hrhb2_2nded.book Page 4 Wednesday, January 28, 2004 3:46 PM Already published in the “Human rights handbooks” series Handbook No. 1: The right to respect for private and Précis no 1: Le droit au respect de la vie privée et fami- family life. A guide to the implementation of Article 8 liale. Un guide sur la mise en œuvre de l’article 8 de la of the European Convention on Human Rights (2001) Convention européenne des Droits de l’Homme (2003) o Handbook No. 2: Freedom of expression. A guide to the Précis n 2: La liberté d’expression. Un guide sur la mise implementation of Article 10 of the European Conven- en œuvre de l’article 10 de la Convention européenne tion on Human Rights (2001) des Droits de l’Homme (2003) Précis no 3: Le droit à un procès équitable. Un guide sur Handbook No. 3: The right to a fair trial. A guide to the im- la mise en œuvre de l’article 6 de la Convention euro- plementation of Article 6 of the European Convention péenne des Droits de l’Homme (2003) on Human Rights (2001) Précis no 4 : Le droit à la propriété. Un guide sur la mise en Handbook No. 4: The right to property. A guide to the im- œuvre de l’article 1 du Protocole no 1 à la Convention plementation of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Euro- européenne des Droits de l’Homme (2003) pean Convention on Human Rights (2001) Précis no 5: Le droit à la liberté et la sûreté de la per- Handbook No. 5: The right to liberty and security of the sonne. Un guide sur la mise en œuvre de l’article 5 de person. A guide to the implementation of Article 5 of la Convention européenne des Droits de l’Homme the European Convention on Human Rights (2002) (2003) Handbook No. 6: The prohibition of torture. A guide to the Précis no 6: La prohibition de la torture. Un guide sur la implementation of Article 3 of the European Conven- mise en œuvre de l’article 3 de la Convention euro- tion on Human Rights (2003) péenne des Droits de l’Homme (2003) The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the Directorate General of Human Rights author and do not engage the responsibility of the Council of Council of Europe F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex Europe. They should not be regarded as placing upon the legal instruments mentioned in it any official interpretation capable of © Council of Europe, 2001, 2004 binding the governments of member states, the Council of Europe’s 1st impression, November 2001 statutory organs or any organ set up by virtue of the European 2nd impression (with corrections), February 2003 2nd edition, January 2004 Convention on Human Rights. Printed in Germany hrhb2_2nded.book Page 3 Wednesday, January 28, 2004 3:46 PM Contents Introduction . 5 Three requirements for legitimate interference with the exercise of freedom of expression . .29 General considerations on Article 10 . 6 Freedom of expression and national security/territorial integrity/public safety . .36 Protection of freedom of expression – 1st paragraph . 8 Freedom of expression and prevention of disorder or crime . .44 Freedom to hold opinions . 8 Freedom of expression and morals . .47 Freedom to impart information and ideas . 8 Freedom of expression and reputation and rights of Freedom to receive information and ideas . 10 others. .49 Freedom of the press . 11 Freedom of expression and the authority and impartial- Freedom of radio and television broadcasting . 13 ity of the judiciary . .57 What is protected under paragraph 1? Protection of journalistic sources and legitimate aims . The Court’s jurisprudence on specific issues . 15 . .59 The system of restrictions with the exercise of the right to freedom of expression – 2nd paragraph . 20 Table of cases . .61 3 hrhb2_2nded.book Page 4 Wednesday, January 28, 2004 3:46 PM hrhb2_2nded.book Page 5 Wednesday, January 28, 2004 3:46 PM Introduction The European Convention on Human Rights is the individuals in the states concerned derive rights and most important form of expression of the attachment duties from the Convention, so that in the national pro- of the member states of the Council of Europe to the cedure they may directly invoke its text and case-law, values of democracy, of peace and justice, and, which must be applied by the national courts. Moreover, through them, to the respect of the fundamental the national authorities, including the courts, must give rights and freedoms of the individuals living in these priority to the Convention over any national law conflict- societies.1 ing with the Convention and its case-law. The European Convention on Human Rights (“the The text of the Convention may not be read outside Convention”) was signed on 4 November 1950 in Rome. its case-law. The Convention functions under the common Over the last fifty years the Convention has progressed law system. The judgments of the European Court of both by the interpretation given to its texts by the Euro- Human Rights (“the Court”) explain and interpret the text. pean Court of Human Rights and the European Commis- They are binding precedents whose legal status is that of sion of Human Rights2 and by the work of the Council of mandatory legal norms. Therefore, once the Convention is Europe. The Council has adopted additional protocols ratified, the national authorities of all signatory States, that have broadened the scope of the Convention, resolu- including those that practise a civil (continental) law tions and recommendations that have developed and pro- system must consider the Court’s judgments as binding posed to the member states standards of behaviour, and law. For this reason this handbook refers extensively to the imposed sanctions on the states failing to comply with the Court’s jurisprudence. In this respect, one must under- provisions of the Convention. stand that nowadays even the traditionally civil legal sys- Almost all the States Party to the European Conven- tems practise a mixed civil and common law system where tion on Human Rights have integrated the Convention into the jurisprudence is given equal value to that of the laws their national legislation. The Convention is thus part of enacted by the Parliament. the internal legal system and is binding on the domestic The interpretation of the Convention’s text is courts and all public authorities. It further follows that all dynamic and evolutive, making the Convention a living 1. Introduction to European Convention on Human Rights – Collected texts, Council of Europe, 1994. 2. In accordance with Protocol No.11, the European Commission and the European Court on Human Rights joined together in a single body, the European Court of Human Rights. 5 hrhb2_2nded.book Page 6 Wednesday, January 28, 2004 3:46 PM instrument which must be interpreted in the light of the ently, and the degree of discretion allowed to the states present day conditions. Accordingly, the Court is (and varies according to the context. A state is allowed a con- must be) influenced by the developments and commonly siderable discretion in cases of public emergency arising accepted standards in the member states of the Council under Article 15 or where there is little common ground of Europe. between the contracting parties, while the discretion is The overall scheme of the Convention is that the ini- reduced almost to vanishing point in certain areas, such as tial and primary responsibility for the protection of the the protection of freedom of expression. rights set forth in it lies with the Contracting States. The This handbook is designed to assist judges at all Court is there to monitor states’ action, exercising the levels in ensuring that all cases involving freedom of power of review. The domestic margin of appreciation thus expression are handled in conformity with states’ obliga- goes hand in hand with the European supervision. The tions under Article 10 of the Convention as developed by doctrine of the margin of appreciation is applied differ- the Court in Strasbourg. General considerations on Article 10 In the context of effective political democracy and expression can conflict with other rights protected by the respect for human rights mentioned in the Preamble to Convention, such as the right to a fair trial, to respect for the Convention, freedom of expression is not only impor- private life, to freedom of conscience and religion. When tant in its own right, but also it plays a central part in the such conflict occurs, the Court strikes a balance in order to protection of other rights under the Convention. Without a establish the pre-eminence of one right over the other. The broad guarantee of the right to freedom of expression pro- balance of the conflicting interests, one of which is freedom tected by independent and impartial courts, there is no of expression, takes into account the importance of the free country, there is no democracy. This general proposi- other. The Court has repeatedly stated that tion is undeniable.3 Freedom of expression is a right in itself as well as a Freedom of expression constitutes one of the essential founda- component of other rights protected under the Convention, tions of a democratic society, one of the basic conditions for its such as freedom of assembly.
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