The case concerns the banning of distribution, in January 1996, of the book ‘Le Grand Secret’, co-authored by a journalist and President Mitterrand’s personal physician. The book was published by the applicant company nine days after the President’s death. It disclosed that the President had been suffering from cancer, diagnosed as early as 1981 some months after he was first elected President of the French Republic.
After the President’s widow and children had applied for an injunction, the civil courts prohibited the distribution of the book, at first provisionally following the application, then permanently. After finding that both prohibitive measures had been in accordance with the law and pursued legitimate aims within the meaning of Article 10, the European Court noted that the injunction granted as a strictly temporary protective measure could be deemed necessary in a democratic society to protect the rights of the President and his heirs. It held, however, that the absolute permanent ban ordered by the trial and appeal courts no longer met a ‘pressing social need’ and was therefore disproportionate to the aims pursued (violation of Article 10).
Citations:
[2010] ECHR 1433
Links:
Cited by:
Cited – PJS v News Group Newspapers Ltd SC 19-May-2016
The appellants had applied for restrictions on the publication of stories about their extra marital affairs. The Court of Appeal had removed the restrictions on the basis that the story had been widely spread outside the jurisdiction both on the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Human Rights, Media
Updated: 13 September 2022; Ref: scu.440175