Σχόλιο: Ronan O Fathaigh

Political Advertising Bans and Freedom of Expression Introduction For nearly three decades, the European Court of Human Rights has consistently held that there is ‘little scope’ for restrictions on ‘political speech’ under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of expression. [33] So in 2001, when the Court first considered a political advertising ban on television in Switzerland, it was no surprise that a unanimous Court ruled that such a ban, as applied to an animal rights group wishing to broadcast a political advertisement, violated freedom of expression. [34] The unanimous opinion in VgT v Switzerland was joined by both then-president of the Court, Luzuis Wildhaber, and a future president of the Court, Christos Rozakis. Seven years later, the Court was again faced with another political advertising ban on television, this time in Norway, and again, a unanimous Court ruled that the ban was an impermissible restriction on ‘political speech’. [35] The second opinion in TV Vest v Norway was again joined by Christos Rozakis, who was now president of the Court, and Dean Spielmann, another future president of the Court. And one year later in 2009, Switzerland was back again before of the Court,...