DISINFO: ECHR and UN convention on human rights strongly restrict the rights of expression
SUMMARY
The European and UN Conventions on Human Rights reads that all rights of expression are strongly restricted when they come into conflict with local traditions and pose a threat to public order.
RESPONSE
The claim is an attempt to justify violence from hate groups followed by the premiere of Georgian-Swedish gay-themed movie "And then We Danced". The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights protects freedom of expression without imposing any restrictions. The European Convention on Human Rights may restrict freedom of expression only in strictly defined cases. ECHR thoroughly explains the rules and terms of restrictions in its rulings, noting that freedom of expression is a supreme value and that it is essential to ensure democracy and pluralism. In the case of “Otto-Preminger Institut v. Austria,” the European Court of Human Rights ruled that freedom of expression has been violated and explained that “artistic creation and performance, as well as its distribution, is seen as a major contribution to the exchange of ideas and opinions. Artistic freedom and the free circulation of art is restricted only in undemocratic societies.”