Legal Dialogue

22/06/2020

France’s top court rejects core of law targeting online hate speech

France’s top court rejected most of a draft law that would have compelled social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter to remove any hateful content within 24 hours. According to the ruling, the law interferes excessively in free speech.

Source: Euractiv

22/06/2020

Romania gender studies ban: Students slam new law as going ‘back to the Middle Ages’

The law approved by Romanian lawmakers would ban all educational institutions from "propagating theories and opinion on gender identity according to which gender is a separate concept from biological sex.

Source: Euronews

29/06/2020

Top German court reimposes data curbs on Facebook

Lead judge Peter Meier-Beck, explaining the decision, said there was no serious doubt that Facebook had a dominant market position in Germany, nor that it had abused terms and conditions banned by the cartel office.

Source: Reuters

29/06/2020

A transgender woman in St. Petersburg won a landmark LGBTQ and labor rights case

She won a lawsuit for unlawful dismissal. Russian court rejected her former employer’s appeal, marking the end of the court proceedings.

Source: Meduza

29/06/2020

Belgium opens criminal proceedings into claims of harassment at EU body

The Belgian public prosecutor is launching legal proceedings against a senior EU official who stands accused of psychological harassment of colleagues. Psychological harassment can be prosecuted under Belgian law.

Source: Politico

29/06/2020

France did not break the law by stripping terrorists of nationalities, top court rules

France did not break the law when it stripped five dual nationals of their French nationality over their ties to an Al Qaeda-affiliated group linked to attacks that have killed hundreds, ECHR has ruled.

Source: The National

29/06/2020

Rape conviction rates rise 75% in Sweden after change in the law

Sweden changed the legal definition of rape in 2018 to sex without consent. Unlike in many countries, prosecutors do not have to prove the use or threat of violence or coercion.

Source: Reuters

06/07/2020

Germany makes ‘upskirting’ a punishable crime

Taking unsolicited pictures or videos of the area under a person's skirt or bustline, as well as photograph or film those who have been killed in accidents, is to become a punishable crime in Germany. Under the new legislation, these crimes will be punishable by a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years.

Source: DW

06/07/2020

Russian journalist accused of ‘justifying terrorism’ avoids prison but gets heavy fine

A military court in Pskov convicted journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva of “justifying terrorism” in an article about a suicide bombing against a Federal Security Service building in Arkhangelsk. Though prosecutors wanted her imprisoned for six years, the court only fined her 500,000 rubles (almost $7,000).

Source: Meduza