Danileţ v. Romania: Sanction against Judge over Facebook posts held to Violate Freedom of Expression by ECtHR Grand Chamber
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has held that a disciplinary sanction imposed on the applicant, a judge, by the Romanian national judicial authorities for messages posted on his Facebook account violated his right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the Convention. The applicant had posted two messages on […]
Media Defence amicus filed at ECtHR in Georgia Foreign Agent Law case
Media Defence has filed a third-party intervention at the European Court of Human Rights (‘ECtHR’) in the case of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and Others v. Georgia. The case concerns a challenge to the Transparency on Foreign Influence Law which requires NGOs, print and broadcast media that receive a certain percentage of their annual income […]
Media Defence Submits Amicus Brief in Atresmedia v. Spain before the European Court of Human Rights
On 21 August 2025, Media Defence submitted an amicus curiae brief to the European Court of Human Rights in the case Atresmedia Corporación de Medios de Comunicación S.A. v. Spain (Application no. 29807/25). The case concerns the decision of the Spanish electoral authorities to prohibit Atresmedia, a private television broadcaster, from airing a political debate on its own […]
Protecting Democracy Without Silencing Dissent: Media Defence submits written observations to the IACHR
On June 23, Media Defence submitted its written observations to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in response to the request for an advisory opinion presented by the Republic of Guatemala on “Democracy and its Protection under the Inter-American System of Human Rights.” Media Defence addressed the essential role of freedom of expression in the […]
Media Defence files submissions at ECtHR in hate speech case against France
Media Defence has filed a third party intervention at the ECtHR in the case of Kabtane v France. The applicant in this case alleges a violation of his article 8 Convention rights because the author of the social media post containing alleged hate speech escaped a criminal conviction. Media Defence’s written comments address concerns about […]
Albanian Constitutional Court upholds right to confidentiality of sources
Deciding on a constitutional complaint filed by journalist Elton Qyno after authorities had seized his professional and personal devices, the Albanian Constitutional Court has handed down its judgment on 22 April 2025. The ruling upholds freedom of the press and recognises the importance of the right to confidentiality of sources. The Constitutional Court found that […]
Media Defence Files Intervention at European Court in Case of Danileţ v. Romania
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights is holding a hearing in the case of Danileţ v. Romania on 18 December 2024. The case concerns a disciplinary sanction imposed on a judge by the national judiciary commission in Romania for posting messages on his Facebook account. Read the judgment of the Fourth […]
Media Defence intervenes at ECtHR on question of when entry ban brings journalist within banning state’s jurisdiction
Media Defence has intervened at the ECtHR on a question of when an entry ban brings a journalist within banning state’s jurisdiction. The case involves a Russian national residing in Finland following a granting of refugee status in 2012. The Latvian government imposed an entry ban on the applicant in 2022 on grounds of national […]
Media Defence Files Intervention at European Court to Protect Anonymity Online
Media Defence has filed a third-party intervention before the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Koumiotis v Greece to protect anonymity online. The case concerns criminal proceedings against the applicant, the owner and manager of an online blog. The applicant, following a series of posts criticising a businessman, was convicted of slanderous defamation. The […]
UKSC hears case on malicious falsehood claims with implications for press freedom
The UK Supreme Court has heard argument over two days in the case of George v Cannell and another. The question the Court has to decide is – What does a claimant need to demonstrate to rely on s3(1) of the Defamation Act 1952 in a claim for malicious falsehood? The Facts The respondent sued the […]
European Court of Human Rights issues judgment in Hurbain v Belgium, expanding the application of the ‘right to be forgotten’
On 4 July 2023, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) Grand Chamber delivered its judgment in the case of Hurbain v Belgium. The judgment upheld the lower chamber’s finding that an order to anonymise the subject of an article did not violate the publisher’s freedom of expression. Media Defence, along with a number of […]
European Court of Human Rights issues important judgment on the right to protest in Bryan and others v. Russia
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has today issued its decision in the case of Bryan and others v. Russia. The ECtHR found that Russia had violated the applicants’ rights to freedom of expression and to liberty and security by arresting and detaining them following the protest organised by Greenpeace activists on its Arctic […]