Conference on Anti-terrorism legislation in Europe since 2001 and its impact on freedom of expression and information

Programme

17 and 18 (morning) November 2008
De Bazel Conference Centre
Amsterdam, the Netherlands

17 November

Chairperson:

Mr Erik Jurgens, former Member of the Dutch Senate, former Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

General Rapporteur:

Ms Sandra Braman, Freedom of Expression Professor, University of Bergen, Norway, Professor of Communication, University of Wisconsin, USA

10:00

Welcome: Mrs Hemineke van Boekxmeer, Head of the Media Division, Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Mr Jan Malinowski, Head of the Media and Information Society Division, Council of Europe

10:20

Keynote speech: Developments in national legislations concerning the fight against terrorism in Council of Europe member states since 2001 and their bearing on freedom of expression and freedom of the media: general trends
Mr David Banisar, Director of the Freedom of Information Project, Privacy International

10:50

Presentations: Responses to the keynote speech: Comparing the general trends and specific national experience
Ms Sandra Braman
Ms Galina Arapova, Executive Director, Mass Media Defence Centre, Voronezh, Russia

11:30

Coffee break

11:45

Session 1: Panel discussion: The possible challenges of anti- terrorism legislation and practice for the right to freedom of expression and information and freedom of the media: general trends

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- Have there been examples when restrictions on free speech have put a disproportionate limit on freedom of expression and information? What general conclusions on the drafting of anti-terrorism legislation and policy can be drawn from these specific examples?
- Is there sufficient regard to Council of Europe standards on freedom of expression and information in the context of the fight against terrorism? If not, which standards are not applied and why?

Moderator:

Mr Gerald Staberock, Director, Global Security and Rule of Law Programme, International Commission of Jurists

Panellists:

• Mr Arne König, President, European Federation of Journalists
• Mr Dirk Voorhoof, Professor in Media Law, Gent University
• Mr Olivier Ribbelink, Expert of the CoE Counter-Terrorism Task Force, Head of the Research Department of the T.M.C Asser Institute for International Law, The Hague
• Mr Alexandre Guessel, Council of Europe Anti-Terrorism Co-ordinator

13:00

Lunch

14:30

Session 2: Working groups: Sharing experiences on the possible bearing of legislation on glorification of and incitement to terrorism, surveillance, state secrets/access to information and protection of sources on freedom of expression and information

14:30

Presentation: Glorification of and incitement to terrorism and surveillance of journalists and the relevant Council of Europe standards

Speaker:

Mr Peter Noorlander, Legal Director, Media Legal Defence Initiative, London

14:50

Working group 1: Glorification and incitement to terrorism

Moderator:

Ms Dunja Mijatovic, Director of Broadcasting, Communications Regulatory Agency, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Working group 2: Surveillance

Moderator:

Mr Ben Hayes, Statewatch, London

16:10

Coffee break

16:30

Presentation: State secrets/access to information and protection of sources and the Council of Europe standards

Speakers:

Ms Eva Moraga, Senior Lawyer and Project Director, Access Info Europe
Mr Ádám Földes, Project manager, Access Info Europe

16:50

Working group 3: state secrets / access to information

Moderator:

Mr Tarlach McGonagle, Institute for Information Law (IVIR), University of Amsterdam

Working group 4: protection of sources

Moderator:

Ms Brigitte Alfter, Journalist

18:00

Discussion on the results of the working groups (moderators will briefly discuss outcome of their working group)

18:30

End of day one

18 November

10:00

Summary of day one by the General Rapporteur

10:30

Panel discussion: Protecting freedom of expression and information and freedom of the media in the context of the fight against terrorism

Identifying need for future action:

Which standards need to be borne in mind when balancing different rights?
What should legislators and policy makers be aware of when drafting or revising anti-terrorism legislation and policy in order to protect freedom of expression and information and freedom of the media?
What action should intergovernmental organisations take?
What can the media and civil society do?
What are examples of best practices that should be followed?

Moderator:

Ms Bissera Zankova, Member of the Council of Europe Steering Committee on the Media and New Communications Service (CDMC)

Panellists:

• Ms Agnès Callamard, Executive Director, Article 19
• Mr Hans Verploeg, Journalist
• Mr Mark Muller QC, Chairman, Kurdish Human Rights Project
• Mr Rob van Bokhoven, Legal Advisor, Department of Legislation, Dutch Ministry of Justice

12:00

Conclusions by the Chairperson

12:30

End of the conference