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Date: 1998-07-18

Zensur/hochburg Oesterreich


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In Sally Burnheims Analyse der Urteils/praxis des "European
Court of Human Rights" zum Thema "Redefreiheit" ist
Österreich als einziges Land mit gleich drei Muster/fällen
vertreten.

Für .at wichtigster Satz:
"A key ruling on political expression is found in Lingens v.
Austria (1986)(15), in which the Court imported a concept
from the US Supreme Court that politicians must expect and
tolerate greater public scrutiny and criticism than average
citizens."

Die Lektüre wird nachdrücklich empfohlen. (c URL below)
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Freedom of Expression on Trial:
Caselaw under European Convention on human rights
Sally Burnheim
...
This essay will outline the scope and limitations of the
right to freedom of expression as developed through the
significant caselaw of the European Commission and Court of
Human Rights, in the areas of political and artistic
expression.
..
Through its casework, the European Court of Human Rights has
established the range and means of free expression protected
under the European Convention - including political,
artistic and commercial expression through the written and
spoken word, television and radio, film and art.
...
The Court has strongly established the importance of the
media's role in being able to report freely on matters of
public interest. As affirmed in the Handyside passage,
freedom of expression extends to unfavourable information or
ideas, as well as those that are popular or inoffensive.(7)
....

A key ruling on political expression is found in Lingens v.
Austria (1986)(15), in which the Court imported a concept
from the US Supreme Court that politicians must expect and
tolerate greater public scrutiny and criticism than average
citizens. It stressed the media's crucial role in reporting
matters of public interest. Freedom of the press provided
the public with "one of the best means of discovering and
forming an opinion of the ideas and attitudes of political
leaders"(16). The Court stated:

"More generally, freedom of political debate is at the very
core of the concept of a democratic society which prevails
throughout the Convention. The limits of acceptable
criticism are accordingly wider as regards a politician as
such than as regards a private individual."(17)
...
In both Lingens and a later case, Oberschlick v. Austria
(1991)(18), the Court made it clear that freedom of
expression was not limited to verifiable, factual data.(19)
In other words, it was not 'necessary in a democratic
society' for journalists to prove the truth of their
opinions and value judgements about political figures, as
these were impossible to prove anyway.(20)
...
The Court seemed to undermine this reasoning in
Otto-Preminger Institute v. Austria (1994)(46), in which it
also found in favour of the state. However, unlike in the
Müller case, the Institute had restricted the showing of a
'blasphemous' film to paying adults above 17 years of age.
There was little risk that children would chance to see the
film as it was to be screened late at night. Therefore, the
Institute had taken precautions which seemingly precluded
the need for the state to interfere 'for the protection of
morals'. Despite stating that people with religious beliefs
have to tolerate criticism and denial by others, the Court
gave the state a very wide of margin of appreciation,
accepting that its action was necessary in order to keep the
peace. In contrast, the Commission had said that "very
stringent reasons" were needed to justify the seizure of a
film - "which excludes any chance to discuss its message" -
and that these reasons were lacking.(47)
...
...
"The punishment of a journalist for assisting in the
dissemination of statements made by another person in an
interview would seriously hamper the contribution of the
press to discussion of matters of public interest and should
not be envisaged unless there are particularly strong
reasons for doing so."(51)
...
Conclusion

In keeping with its affirmation that freedom of expression
is "one of the essential foundations of a [democratic]
society", the Court has clearly shown a preference for
political expression. This can be seen in its rulings in
favour of political speech, largely through the media, when
it has been balanced against other compelling interests,
such as the administration of justice, confidence in
national security services, and the protection of the rights
or reputation of others. In matters involving artistic
expression - especially that which has raised suggestions of
obscenity or blasphemy - the Court has allowed states a
greater margin of appreciation to determine the restrictions
necessary for the protection of morals.
...
References

15. Lingens v. Austria, Judgement of 8 July 1986, Series A,
No.103; 8 EHHR 103 (1986). Peter Lingens, a magazine
publisher in Vienna, published two articles critical of the
Austrian Chancellor, Bruno Kreisky, and accusing him of
protecting and assisting former members of the Nazi SS. The
Chancellor brought private prosecutions for criminal
defamation. Lingens was convicted and fined, and his
magazine confiscated. He complained to the Commission that
his rights under Article 10 had been violated. The Court
agreed.
....

18. Oberschlick v. Austria, Judgement of 23 May 1991, Series
A, No.204. This case concerned the publication in a
periodical of a criminal summons laid against the
Secretary-General of the Austrian Liberal Party in respect
of remarks he had made during a general election campaign.
The publication led to the conviction of the applicant for
defamation. The Court upheld his complaint of a violation of
Article 10. (Jacobs and White, p.228-229.)

Full text
http://www.derechos.org/koaga/i/burnheim.html

relayed by Margarita Lacabe.

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published on: 1998-07-18
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