Media Defence Files Intervention at European Court Seeking to Protect Anonymity of Users Online
MLDI has filed a third-party intervention before the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Standard Verlagsgesellschaft MbH v. Austria. In this case, the European Court will examine the circumstances under which an internet service provider can be compelled to disclose the identities of users who post anonymously. “This is a significant case for […]
Restrictions on parliamentary reporting violates free expression: Media Defence files intervention at European Court
MLDI has filed a third-party intervention in the European Court of Human Rights case of Iván Szabolcs Mándli and Others v. Hungary, alongside four other NGOs. In this case, the Court will examine the circumstances under which journalists may be forbidden from entering and reporting from public fora, such as parliamentary premises. “The importance of providing […]
How Far Does the “Right to be Forgotten” Extend? Crucial Case Referred to Court of Justice of the European Union
MLDI has joined with 20 organisations in intervening before one of France’s highest courts, the Conseil D’État, to set out the negative implications that global “de-listing” has on journalistic freedom and the public’s right to receive information. In 2014, the French data protection authority, Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL), demanded that Google “de-list” search […]
Viet Nam condemned strongly by UN Working Group
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has published an Opinion in June 2017 calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the prominent Vietnamese human rights lawyer and blogger Nguyen Van Dai. The UN Working Group Opinion is the result of a petition that was filed by the Media Legal Defence Initiative together with Lawyers for Lawyers, Lawyers Rights […]
Media Defence and Veritas Law Bring Case Before the Constitutional Council of Cameroon Challenging Internet Shutdown
On 8 May, the Constitutional Council of Cameroon will begin hearing a case that challenges the government’s decision to shut the Internet down in the South West and North West of the country. The Internet was shut down on 18 January following protests against the arrest of civil society leaders resisting government efforts to impose the Francophone […]
Defamation Liability Should Not Extend to Publishers for Hyperlinking – Media Defence Files Intervention to European Court
MLDI, along with five other NGOs, has submitted a third-party intervention in Aleksey Navalnyy v. Russia, a case before the European Court of Human Rights. In this case the Court will examine the approach to be adopted in cases where an individual has hyperlinked to allegedly defamatory content available elsewhere online. In its brief, MLDI argues […]
UN calls on Azerbaijan to enable media pluralism
In a recent decision, the United Nations Human Rights Committee held that Azerbaijan violated the right to freedom of expression by failing to hold regular, open and fair competitions for radio broadcasting licenses in the country. The decision is a victory for independent Azerbaijani media, which are dependent on the government’s allocation of licences to be […]
State Controlled Media Regulation is a Threat to Press Freedom: Media Defence Files an Amicus Brief to European Court of Human Rights
MLDI, along with the Russian NGO the Mass Media Defence Centre (MMDC), submitted an amicus brief in the case of Novaya Gazeta and ZAO Novaya Gazeta v Russia on media regulation and its implications for the right to freedom of expression, arguing that state controlled regulation of the media can constitute a serious threat to press freedom. […]
“Defamation of the Dead” and its Chilling Effect on Media Freedom: Media Defence files Brief to European Court
MLDI has filed an intervention before the European Court of Human Rights in a case concerning an individual’s right to a reputation after their death. The intervention highlights the chilling effect defamation laws can have on media freedom, and the greater chilling effect such laws can have if extended to protect the reputations of individuals […]
European Court: newspapers must be free to comment on political matters during elections
The European Court of Human Rights has condemned the use of electoral laws by Russia to restrict critical reporting on politicians. In 2007, the regional Electoral Committee instituted administrative proceedings against Russian newspaper Orlovskaya Iskra Gazeta, which had published reports that were strongly critical of a regional governor who stood as a candidate for parliament. The […]
European Court finds removal of journalists from parliament violates press freedom
The European Court has handed down a significant judgment condemning the forcible removal of journalists from the Parliament of Macedonia in a case brought with the support of MLDI and its partner the Media Development Center. This is a significant decision from the European Court recognising that it is unacceptable for authorities to remove journalists from areas where public interest […]
Legal Team Statement: Two Year Travel Ban On Renowned Journalist & Activist Esraa Abdel Fattah Must Be Lifted Immediately
Egyptian journalist, activist and human rights defender, Esraa Abdel Fattah, has instructed a team of expert international lawyers to challenge her continued mistreatment by the Egyptian State. This mistreatment includes a travel ban, imposed on Christmas Eve 2014, which prevents her leaving the country. Her legal team has filed an urgent appeal with the UN’s […]