FACTORS OF DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN EXTREME SPEECH AND LEGITIMATE EXPRESSION IN COMPARATIVE CASE-LAW

Darko Dimovski, Luka Anđelković

DOI Number
-
First page
41
Last page
53

Abstract


The article focuses on the factors which national and international courts take into consideration when making distinction between extreme speech and legitimate expression. It is often difficult to draw the line between these expressions. There are no general rules which can be automatically applied in such cases. However, certain factors, which can serve as guiding principles for courts, have been developed in the jurisprudence: the context of extreme speech, its content, the speaker’s intent, the position of the speaker and audience, the scope and outreach of extreme speech, and the likelihood of resulting harm. The article explores the application of these factors in particular cases, mostly the ECtHR cases as this court has the most developed case-law on this matter. The authors give their critical opinion on certain decisions and, finally, evaluate the real significance of these factors.

Keywords

freedom of expression, hate speech, incitement to violence, ECtHR

Full Text:

PDF

References


Article 19 (2012) Prohibiting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence

Barendt, E. (2009) Incitement to, and glorification of, terrorism; in Hare I and Weinstein J (eds), Extreme Speech and Democracy (OUP 2009)

Benesh, S. (2011) Dangerous Speech: A Proposal To Tackle Violence

Cohen-Almagor R, Speech Media and Ethics The Limits of Free Expression: Critical Studies on Freedom of Expression: Freedom of the Press and the Public's Right to Know (Palgrave 2001)

Hare, I. (2009) Blasphemy and Incitement to Religious Hatred: Free Speech Dogma and Doctrine; in Hare I and Weinstein J (eds), Extreme Speech and Democracy (OUP 2009)

Heyman, S. (2009) Hate Speech, Public Discourse, and the First Amendment; in Hare I and Weinstein J (eds), Extreme Speech and Democracy (OUP 2009)

Keller P. (2011) European and International Media Law: Liberal Democracy, Trade and New Media, OUP

Prunier, G. (1999). The Rwanda Crisis: History of a Genocide (2nd ed.). Kampala: Fountain Publishers Limited

UNCERD General Recommendation No 35, Combating racist hate speech (2013) CERD/C/GC/35

UNGA, ‘Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms While Countering Terrorism’ (2006) UN Doc A/61/267

Abrams v. United States 250 US 616, 630 (1919)

Brandenberg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444, 447

Case Ap. 13470/87 Otto-Preminger-Institut v. Austria

Case Ap. 15615/07 Feret v. Belgium

Case Ap. 15890/89 Jersild v. Denmark

Case Ap. 1813/07 Vejdeland and others v. Sweden

Case Ap. 18788/09 Le Pen v. France

Case Ap. 18954/91 Zana v. Turkey

Case Ap. 23168/94 Karataş v. Turkey

Case Ap. 23462/94 Arslan v. Turkey

Case Ap. 24662/94 Lehideux and Isorni v. France

Case Ap. 24762/94 Surek v. Turkey (No. 4)

Case Ap. 27510/08 Perinçek v. Switzerland

Case Ap. 29221/95 29225/95 Stankov and the United Macedonian Organisation Ilinden v. Bulgaria

Case Ap. 29590/96 Yagmurdereli v. Turkey

Case Ap. 33629/06 Vajnai v. Hungary

Case Ap. 35071/97 Gunduz v. Turkey

Case Ap. 35943/10 Vona v. Hungary

Case Ap. 36109/03 Leroy v. France

Case Ap. 40287/98 Alınak v. Turkey

Case Ap. 4149/04 41029/04 Aksu v. Turkey

Case Ap. 42571/98 İ.A. v. Turkey

Case Ap. 4870/02 Gül and Others v. Turkey

Case Ap. 53984/00 Radio France and Others v. France

Case Ap. 59405/00 Erbakan v. Turkey

Case Ap. 68354/01 Vereinigung Bildender Künstler v. Austria

Case Comm. 34/2004 Mohammed Hassan Gelle v. Denmark (CERD)

Case Comm. 550/1993 Robert Faurisson v. France (HRC)

Case Comm. 736/1997 Malcolm Ross v. Canada (HRC)

ECLI:NL:RBAMS:2011:BQ9001 (The Netherlands)

IV KK 406/06 (Poland)

National Socialist Party of America et al. v. Village of Skokie (USA)

Prosecutor v. Nahimana, Barayagwiza and Ngeze (ICTR)

Rankin v. McPherson, 483 U.S. 378, 387

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (adopted 16 December 1966, entered into force 23 March 1976) 999 UNTS 171 (ICCPR).

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (adopted 21 December 1965), entered into force 4 January 1969) 660 UNTS 195 (ICERD).

European Convention on Human Rights (adopted 4 November 1950, entered into force 3 September 1953) (ECHR).

Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism

Council Framework Decision 2008/919/JHA of 28 November 2008 amending Framework

Decision 2002/475/JHA on combating terrorism [2008] OJ L330/21.

UK Terrorism Act (2006).

Council Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA of 28 November 2008 on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law [2008] OJ L 328/55.

Krivični zakonik Republike Srbije (Criminal Code of Serbia) (2005).


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN 1450-5517 (Print)
ISSN 2406-1786 (Online)