Freedom of Expression of Judges in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abstract
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right protected by the major international human rights instruments and national constitutions. The right to freedom of expression is treated as one of the key elements of a democratic society and it can be considered essential to human dignity. However, this right is not absolute and it can, if certain preconditions are met, be subjected to limitations, as indicated by the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.
Judges also enjoy the right to freedom of expression. Although the participation of judges in debates on matters of public interest is considered very important, especially when it comes to the regulation of the status of judiciary, the nature of the judicial function dictates restrictions on the freedom of expression of judicial office holders in order to protect public confidence in the judicial branch of government and its reputation. Public expression of personal views may raise dilemmas regarding the impartiality of a judge. The paper will draw attention to the importance of protecting the freedom of expression of judges, but also to the issue of necessity and legitimacy of its restrictions. Legal provisions regulating the right to freedom of expression of judges in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be examined, as well as examples from the practice of disciplinary bodies relating to the exercise of the aforementioned right. Legislative solutions adopted in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be compared with provisions adopted in other countries and subjected to critical evaluation.
References
Attila Badó, “’Fair” Selection of Judges in Modern Democracies”, Fair Trial and Judicial Independence: Hungarian Perspectives (ed. Attila Badó), Springer, Cham, Heidelberg, New York, Dordrecht, London 2013, 27-58.
Eric Barendt, “Freedom of Expression”, The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Constitutional Law (eds. Michel Rosenfeld, András Sajó), Oxford University Press, Oxford 2012, 891-908.
David Brink, “Millian principles, freedom of expression, and hate speech”, Legal Theory 7.2/2001, 118-157.
Sandra Coliver, “The Right of Access to Information Held by Public Authorities”, Regardless of Frontiers: Global Freedom of Expression in a Troubled World (eds. Lee C. Bollinger, Agnés Callamard, Columbia University Press, New York 2021, 57-79.
Sietske Dijkstra, S, “The Freedom of the Judge to Express his Personal Opinions and Convictions under the ECHR”, Utrecht Law Review 13.1/2017, 1-17.
Charles R.M. Dlamini, “Towards a regional protection of human rights in Africa: the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights”, Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa, 24.2/1991, 189-203.
María Elósegui, „The Independence of the Judiciary in the Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights”, The Rule of Law in Europe: Recent Challenges and Judicial Responses (eds. María Elósegui, Alina Miron, Iulia Motoc), Springer, Cham 2021, 69-87.
Peter Gilles, “Germany: Judicial Independence and the Involvement of Judges in Party Politics and Trade Union Activities”, Judicial Independence: The Contemporary Debate (eds. Shimon Shetreet, Jules Dechenes), Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht – Boston – Lancaster 1985, 96-116.
Daniel Halliday, Helen McCabe, “John Stuart Mill on Free Speech”, The Routledge Handbook of Applied Epistemology (eds. David Coady, James Chase), Routledge, London – New York 2019, 71-87.
Richard Gittleman, “The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights: A Legal Analysis”, Virginia Journal of International Law, Vol. 22.4/1982, 667-714.
Alan Haworth, Free Speech, Routledge, London – New York 1998.
Jannika Jahn, “Social Media Communication by Judges: Assessing Guidelines and New Challenges for Free Speech and Judicial Duties in the Light of the Convention”, The Rule of Law in Europe: Recent Challenges and Judicial Responses (eds. María Elósegui, Alina Miron, Iulia Motoc), Springer, Cham 2021, 137-153.
Matthew Kramer, Freedom of Expression as Self-Restraint, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2021.
David Klein, Lawrence Baum, “Ballot Information and Voting Decisions in Judicial Elections”, Political Research Quarterly 54.4/2001.
Richard Moon, The Constitutional Protection of Freedom of Expression, University of Toronto Press, Toronto – Buffalo – London 2000.
Roy Peled, Yoram Rabin, “The constitutional right to information”, Columbia Human Rights Law Review, 42/2010, 357-401.
William A. Schabas, The European convention on human rights: a commentary, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2015.
Anja Seibert-Fohr, “Judges’ Freedom of Expression and Their Independence: An Ambivalent Relationship”, The Rule of Law in Europe: Recent Challenges and Judicial Responses (eds. María Elósegui, Alina Miron, Iulia Motoc), Springer, Cham 2021, 89-110.
Jörg Philipp Terhechte, “Judicial Ethics for a Global Judiciary – How Judicial Networks create their own codes of conduct”, German Law Journal 10.4 /2009, 501-514.
Robert Trager, Donna L. Dickerson, Freedom of Expression in the 21st Century, SAGE Publications, 1999.
Dirk Voorhoof, Hannes Cannie, “Freedom of Expression and Information in a Democratic Society", International Communication Gazette 72.4-5/2010, 407-423.
Jacob Weinrib, “What is the Purpose of Freedom of Expression”, University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review 67/2009, 165-190.
* * *
Association Ekin v. France, no. 39288/98, ECtHR (2001), https://www.lawpluralism.unimib.it/en/oggetti/153-association-ekin-v-france-no-39288-98-e-ct-hr-third-section-17-july-2001
Baka v. Hungary, Application no. 20261/12, ECtHR (2016), https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-163113%22]}
Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (https://www.btg-bestellservice.de/pdf/80201000.pdf)
Buscemi v. Italy, Application no. 29569/95, EctHR, 1999, https://jurinfo.jep.gov.co/normograma/compilacion/docs/pdf/CASE%20OF%20BUSCEMI%20v.%20ITALY.PDF.
Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina (https://www.ustavnisud.ba/ public/down/USTAV_ BOSNE_I_HERCEGOVINE_engl.pdf)
Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia (https://www.sobranie.mk/the-constitution-of-the-republic-of-macedonia-ns_article-constitution-of-the-republic-of-north-macedonia. nspx)
Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Official Gazette of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, no. 1/94, 13/97, 16/02, 22/02, 52/02, 60/02, 18/03, 63/03, 9/04, 20/04, 33/04, 71/05, 72/05, 88/08.
Constitution of the Italian Republic (https://www.senato.it/documenti/repository/ istituzione/costituzione_inglese.pdf)
Constitution of the Republic of Srpska, Official Gazette of Republic Srpska, no. 6/92, 8/92, 15/92, 19/92, 21/92, 28/94, 8/96, 13/96, 15/96, 16/96, 21/96, 21/02, 26/02, 69/02, 31/03, 98/03, 115/05, 117/05, 48/11.
Constitution of the Slovak Republic (https://www.prezident.sk/upload-files/46422.pdf)
Cumhuriyet Vakfi and Others v. Turkey, Application no. 28255/07, ECtHR (2014), https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/ eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-126797%22]}
Decision no. 04-02-897-3/2013, the Second Degree Disciplinary Commission of the B&H HJPC, https://vstv.pravosudje.ba/vstvfo/B/141
European Charter on the statute for judges (https://rm.coe.int/16807473ef)
General Comment No. 34, Article 19, Freedoms of opinion and expression. UN Doc. CCPR/ C/GC/34, Article 11, UN Human Rights Committee (2011) (https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/general-comment-no34-article-19-freedoms-opinion-and)
Miller v. Carroll, The court of Appeals of the State of Wiskonsin, 2019, https://law.justia.com/cases/wisconsin/court-of-appeals/2019/2017ap002132.html
Opinion no. 3 on ethics and liability of judges, CCJE (2002) ( https://rm.coe.int/16807475bb)
Opinion no. 25 on freedom of expression of judges, CCJE (2022), (https://www.coe.int/en/web/ccje/ccje-opinions-and-magna-carta)
Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)12 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe: „ Judges: independence, efficiency and responsibilities“ (https://rm.coe.int/16807096c1)
The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, https://www.achpr.org/legalinstruments/detail?id=49
The American Convention on Human Rights (chromeextension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladda cbdfmadadm/https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/unts/volume%201144/volume-1144-i-17955-english.pdf)
The Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct (https://www.unodc.org /pdf/crime/corruption/judicial_group/Bangalore_principles.pdf)
The Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary (https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/basic-principles-independence-judiciary)
The Code of Judicial Ethics of Bosnia and Herzegovina (https://vstv.pravosudje.ba/)
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child)
The European Convention on Human Rights (https://www.ustavnisud.ba/en/european-convention-on-human-rights)
The German Judiciary Act (https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_drig/englisch _drig.html)
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-covenant-civil-and-political-rights)
The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-convention-elimination-all-forms-racial)
In re the Paternity of B. J. M.: Miller v. Carroll, The Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2020, (доступно https://law.justia.com/cases/wisconsin/supreme-court/2020/2017ap002132.html
The Judiciary System Act of the Republic of Bulgaria (http://www.vss.justice.bg/ en/root/f/upload/5/judiciary_system_act.pdf)
The Law on Courts of Brcko District, Official Gazette of Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina, no. 12/20 – refined text.
The Law on Courts of the FB&H (Official Gazette of the FB&H, no. 38/2005, 22/2006, 63/2010, 72/2010 - correction, 7/2013, 52/2014, and 85/2021)
The Law on Courts of the Republic of Srpska – unofficial refined text (https://www.vladars.net/sr-sp-cyrl/vlada/ministarstva/mpr/Documents/закон%20о%20 судовима%20рс,%20интегрални%20 текст-.pdf)
The Law on Courts of the Republic of Croatia, Official Gazette, no. 28/13, 33/15, 82/15, 82/16, 67/18, 126/19, 130/20, 21/22, and 60/22.
The Law on Freedom of Access to Information, Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina, no. 28/00, 45/06, 102/09, 62/11, and 100/13.
The Law on Freedom of Access to Information, Official Gazette of the FB&H, no. 32/01 and 48/11.
The Law on Freedom of Access to Information, Official Gazette of the Republic of Srpska, no. 20/01.
The Law on High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina, no. 25/2004, 93/2005, and 48/2007.
The Law on Protection against Defamation of the Brcko District, Official Gazette of the Brcko District, no. 14/2003.
The Law on Protection against Defamation of the FB&H, Official Gazette of the FB&H, no. 59/2002, 19/2003 and 73/2005.
The Law on Protection against Defamation of the Republic of Srpska, Official Gazette of the Republic of Srpska, no. 37/2001.
The Statute of the Brcko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina (chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/https://skupstinabd.ba/images/dokumenti/ba/statut-brcko-distrikta.pdf)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights)
Todorova v. Bulgaria, Application no. 40072/13, ECtHR (2021), https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre#%7B%22display%22:[2],%22documentcollectionid2%22:[%22GRANDCHAMBER%22,%22CHAMBER%22],%22itemid%22:[%22002-13441%22]%7D