The Right to Freedom of Assembly

A Comparative Study
NIPPOD
ISBN: 978-1-5099-1601-6
Verlag: Bloomsbury 3PL

Buch, Englisch, 314 Seiten, Paperback, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 483 g

In legal decisions and commentary, freedom of assembly is widely cherished as a precious human right and as indispensable for the preservation of democratic governance. But despite this rhetoric assemblies are subject to extensive regulation, such as prior restraints, and restrictions on the time, place and manner of assemblies.

This comparative study examines five influential jurisdictions and reveals similarities and inconsistencies between them. It finds that freedom of assembly is often subjugated to freedom of expression in a way that disregards the expressive potential of assemblies. The shortcomings include the misconstrued content neutrality and public forum doctrines in the US, blanket bans and other restrictions based on intangible and distant harm in the UK, preventative restrictions and viewpoint discrimination in Germany, and the uncertain status of freedom of assembly and opaque judicial reasoning in France. Such inconsistencies also present challenges for the European Court of Human Rights in developing a coherent assembly doctrine. The book argues that it is time for jurisprudence to move away from a narrowly focused concept of expression, and recognise the creative and expressive value of freedom of assembly.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Salát, Orsolya

Fachgebiete

• Rechtswissenschaften Recht, Rechtswissenschaft Allgemein Rechtsvergleichung
• Rechtswissenschaften Recht, Rechtswissenschaft Allgemein Recht mehrerer Jurisdiktionen, Synopsen
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Kultur Menschenrechte, Bürgerrechte
• Rechtswissenschaften Internationales Recht und Europarecht Internationales Recht Internationale Menschen- und Minderheitenrechte, Kinderrechte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction

I. The Challenge of Freedom of Assembly

II. A Concept of Assembly

III. Structure

Chapter 1: Origins, Forms and Values

I. Historical Origins of the Right to Freedom of Assembly

II. Meeting, Marching or Speaking: Forms of Assembly

III. Fundamental Right, or 'Mere' Common Law Liberty

IV. The Value of Freedom of Assembly: Contemporary Judicial Rationales

Chapter 2: Prior Restraints, Exemptions and Bargain

I. Prior Restraint in General

II. Advance Notice or Permit

III. Prior Ban and Conditions

IV. Exemptions, Derogations from the Notification Requirement

Chapter 3: From Violence to Public Disorder to Crime Prevention

I. The Peacefulness Requirement: A Determinant of Scope or a Limit

II. The Would-be Disorderly: Judicial Doctrines of Risk-assessment

Chapter 4: From Coercion to Direct Action to Disruption

I. Nötigung in Germany

II. United Kingdom: Disruption, Obstruction and Many More

III. United States: Inconsistency Masked by Content-neutrality

IV. France: Pressure Inherent in Strike

V. European Court of Human Rights: No Violation

Chapter 5: Dignity as Peace, Truth and Love

I. Germany: Dignity and its Substitute 'Public Peace'

II. France: Dignity as Public Order and Officially Declared Truth

III. United States: Dignity as Non-Argument

IV. United Kingdom: Dignity Under Different Names

V. European Court of Human Rights: Hate Speech Chaos

Chapter 6: Restrictions on the Time

I. Special Days of the Year: The Notion of Public Order in Germany

II. Duration, Time Limit, Frequency

Chapter 7: Restrictions on the Manner

I. Banned and Protected Symbols: Whose Identity?

II. Uniforms and Masks: Whose Fear?

III. One Man's Noise is Another's Music

IV. Modes and Means of Protest as Aesthetic Harm

Chapter 8: Restrictions on the Place

I. Private Public Places

II. Governmental Buildings: Managerial or Authoritarian Protection?

III. Memorial Sites: Identity Fight over Collective Memory

IV. Designated Zones: Speech Pens, Protest Cages

Conclusion

I. Specific Comparative Findings

II. General Evaluation and Suggestions

Über Autor(innen)

Salát, Orsolya
Orsolya Salát is an Assistant Professor of Human Rights and Comparative Constitutional Law at the ELTE University, Faculty for Social Sciences, Budapest.