Activity Details (ID# 4984)

Activity Synopsis

The objective of the seminar was to present to lawyers the general principles developed by the European Court of Human rights concerning Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and its application as regards defamation, insult, criticism of public figures, privacy, incitement to hatred, as well as access to information, protection of sources and state secrecy. Case studies on these subjects were discussed with the participants.  

The seminar was very well organised and the level of motivation of participants very high. All participants received a copy of the European Convention on Human Rights, the case law concerning Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights, the rules of the Court and a form to lodge an application to the Court.



The experts made excellent theorical presentations and also drew the participants’ attention to important practical aspects to respect when lodging a complaint in order to avoid it being declared inadmissible by the European Court of Human Rights. This was highly appreciated by the participants.

The discussions were very lively; several questions were raised on the following topics: libel and defamation, respect for private life, the protection of sources and the definition of state secrecy. Participants regretted that it was not possible to have more time to discuss these subjects further.

An evaluation quetionnaire was distributed to participants at the end of the seminar and the conclusions are the following : they were convinced of having much learned during the Seminar, but expressed doubts as to their possibility to contributing to the application of the Convention in their country because of the lack of knowledge or willingness of domestic judges to take the European Convention of Human Rights and the case law of the Court into account.
 

The seminar was indeed a success. The level of motivation and participation was high.

The participants expressed the wish to participate in additional seminars on other Articles of the Convention (Article 5 and Article 9 of the Convention as well as Article 1, Protocol No. 1 of the Convention) and the organisers recommended that seminars of the same kind be organised again, in particular, in the provinces.

Two participants in the seminar were selected to participate in The Media Law Advocates Training Programme Summer School, in Oxford (England) from 28 July to 15 August 2003.
 

The seminar was primarily intended for lawyers. Most were very young, with only a few years’ experience, some were trainees.

 

Mr Frédéric Gras, Barister, Paris, France
Mr Laurent Pouguet, European Court of Human Rights
 

Ms Charlotte de Broutelles, Media Division, Directorate General of Human Rights