Wieder and Guarnieri v UK: Media Defence intervenes in case concerning UK cyber operations abroad
Media Defence has filed a third-party intervention in the cases of Wieder and Guarnieri v United Kingdom at the European Court of Human Rights. The cases are about allegations of interference by UK intelligence agencies with the communications and related data of an Italian national living in Berlin, and a US citizen living in Florida. […]
European Court of Human Rights hands down judgment in Ilıcak v. Turkey (no. 2)
On 14 December 2021 the European Court of Human Rights found violations of the applicant’s rights guaranteed under Articles 5 § 1 and 10 in the case of Ilıcak v Turkey (no. 2). Ms Ilicak is a renowned journalist, columnist and editorial writer. In July 2016, following the attempted coup in Turkey, she posted tweets […]
UK violated journalist’s free speech rights by arresting, charging her under Protection from Harassment Act
The ECtHR has found that the UK violated the right to freedom of expression of a journalist when she was arrested and prosecuted. Rita Pal was charged under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, after she published a news article online and posted several Tweets about an individual who subsequently complained to the police. She […]
Strasbourg court’s right to be forgotten decision will impact public interest reporting
In a worrying expansion of the application of the ‘right to be forgotten’ the European Court of Human Rights (the Court) has decided that a journalist may be held liable for failing or refusing to de-index information published on the Internet. In Biancardi v Italy the applicant, an editor of a newspaper, complained that he […]
Media Defence files intervention in ‘Luxleaks’ case at ECtHR Grand Chamber
The ‘Luxleaks’ case Media Defence has filed a third-party intervention in the case of Halet v Luxembourg (also known as the ‘Luxleaks’ case) at the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The applicant, Mr Halet, was one of two whistle-blowers behind the disclosure of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) internal company documents to a […]
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention urges Viet Nam to immediately and unconditionally release Nguyen Nang Tinh from detention
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) has published an Opinion finding the deprivation of liberty of journalist Nguyen Nang Tinh to be arbitrary and in contravention of international law. Nguyen Nang Tinh was arrested in May 2019 and charged with ‘spreading information, materials and items for the purpose of opposing the State’. In […]
Jineth Bedoya: a landmark judgment for the protection of women journalists
The Judgment The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (the Court) issued a landmark judgment in the case of Jineth Bedoya Lima v Colombia. The case sets key standards for the protection of women journalists. Media Defence’s partner in Colombia, Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP), and the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) […]
Reading List: An introduction to litigating at regional mechanisms in Africa
At Media Defence, we’ve created a Training Resource Hub with lots of great resources on digital rights. The Hub covers ten digital rights themes, such as defamation, privacy and restrictions to online content. In this blog, we’ve put together some resources to help you learn more about litigating at regional mechanisms in Africa. Take a […]
Guinea: Our Application Following the Internet Shutdowns
Media Defence files application to ECOWAS Court against Guinea following government-ordered internet shutdowns Media Defence has filed an application to the ECOWAS Court on behalf of four applicants after Guinea cut internet access across the country in March 2020, and again in October 2020. The shutdowns were imposed at critical moments in Guinea’s democracy. In […]
Guinée: Media Defence Dépose une Requête suite aux Coupures d’Internet
Media Defence dépose une requête devant la Cour de Justice de la CEDEAO contre la Guinée suite aux coupures d’internet ordonnées par le gouvernement Media Defence a déposé une requête auprès de la Cour de Justice de la CEDEAO au nom de quatre requérants après que la Guinée ait coupé l’accès à Internet dans tout […]
ECOWAS Court Adjourns Nigeria Twitter Case
The ECOWAS Court has joined four cases, including a case filed by Media Defence on behalf of nine applicants, challenging the Twitter ban in Nigeria and adjourned the matter to 29 September 2021. Media Defence and Nigerian lawyer, Mojirayo Ogunlana Nkanga, filed an application to the ECOWAS Court on behalf of 5 NGOs, including Paradigm […]
Strasbourg court says no violation of article 10 where newspaper ordered to anonymise article
The European Court of Human Rights (‘ECtHR’) has held that an order by the Belgian courts requiring a newspaper to anonymise the name of a driver responsible for a fatal road traffic accident in an article available through its online archive did not breach the publisher’s right to freedom of expression. The importance of the […]