(Second Chamber) The applicant historian specialised in the analysis and recording of the secret services of dictatorships, comparative studies of the political police forces of totalitarian regimes and the functioning of Soviet-type States. The applicant requested the Hungarian Ministry of the Interior to grant him access to deposited documents. He obtained judgments of the Hungarian courts holding that he had been wrongly denied access to various documents. The Ministry offered him the documents (apart from one) in confidence provided he did not disclose them. The Hungarian Government conceded that there was an interference with the applicant’s Article 10 rights.
Held: The applicant’s article 10 rights had been violated, saying: ‘The Court observes that the Government have accepted that there has been an interference with the applicant’s right to freedom of expression. The Court emphasises that access to original documentary sources for legitimate historical research was an essential element of the exercise of the applicant’s right to freedom of expression (see, mutatis mutandis, Tarsasag a Szabadsagjogokert v. Hungary . . ).’
Citations:
31475/05, [2009] ECHR 786, (2009) BHRC 335
Links:
Statutes:
European Convention on Human Rights
Cited by:
Cited – Kennedy v The Information Commissioner and Another CA 12-May-2011
The claimant, a journalist, sought further information from the Charity Commission after the release of three investigations into the ‘Mariam Appeal’ and questions about the source and use of its funds. The Commission replied that it was exempt . .
Cited – Kennedy v Charity Commission CA 20-Mar-2012
The claimant sought disclosure of an investigation conducted by the respondent. The respondent replied that the material was exempt within section 32(2). The court had found that that exemption continued permanently even after the inquiry was . .
Cited – Kennedy v Charity Commission CA 20-Mar-2012
The claimant sought disclosure of an investigation conducted by the respondent. The respondent replied that the material was exempt within section 32(2). The court had found that that exemption continued permanently even after the inquiry was . .
Cited – Kennedy v The Charity Commission SC 26-Mar-2014
The claimant journalist sought disclosure of papers acquired by the respondent in its conduct of enquiries into the charitable Mariam appeal. The Commission referred to an absolute exemption under section 32(2) of the 2000 Act, saying that the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Human Rights
Updated: 26 July 2022; Ref: scu.346646