Tribunal appeal: Wilders wins right to enter UK to show film

Unsurprisingly the politically-motivated decision by the now-former Home Secretary to ban a controversial Dutch politician from the UK has been overturned on appeal.

"Substantial evidence of actual harm would be needed before it would be proper for a government to prevent the expression and discussion of matters that might form the opinions of legislators, policy makers and voters,"Judge CMG Ockelton, who chaired the tribunal, said. The ruling said there had been no evidence of public order problems or damage to community relations as a result of a previous visit by Wilders to Britain.

"It was more important to allow free speech than to take restrictive action speculatively," said Ockelton. The judgment goes further, saying that even if there were evidence that Wilders posed a threat to public order it would still not have been necessary to ban him because the police would have been able to ensure no disorder took place and remove him if there was trouble.

Dutch court rules on privacy against international news agency

This case is interesting both for its definition of privacy within the activities covered, the decision to sue news agency rather than the newspapers in Netherlands, the Code of Conduct which Dutch media had signed, and for the implications for other countries, such as France with tighter privacy laws, and the US with almost none.

Geert Wilders wins 17% vote and 4 European seats in election

The anti-Islamic party has big wins, obviously not inconsiderably assisted by the UK Home Secretary's decision to resign - she has since left the British government to retire.

Is Times offset by Jameel?

The recent (March 2009) Times libel case before the ECHR may be offset by the reform of libel law in the Jameel case (2005) before the English Court of Appeal, in which the Chancellor of Essex University Lord Phillips gave judgment.

ECHR fails to prevent permanent liability for UK libel

This decision which effectively removes Internet archives from UK jurisdiction inspired Jack Straw to launch a consultation on Internet libel (partly in response to a Private Eye campaign and US Congressional condemnation of UK Libel law). More academic comment here.

Human rights and the Internet

Excellent overview and analysis of European human rights law and the Internet - and a proposal for a Bill of Rights in the EU - written by Prof. Steve Peers from the law Dept for the European Parliament.

Home Secretary's letter to Gert Wilders

I can't find an official source, but this is a scan of the letter. Wilders attempts to enter the Uk to present himself at the House of Lords this afternoon.