Animal Defenders International v United Kingdom: Sensible Dialogue or a Bad Case of Strasbourg Jitters?

In Animal Defenders International v United Kingdom a majority of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights held that the UK's statutory broadcasting ban on political advertisements under the Communications Act 2003 did not breach the right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The judgment departs from the Court's established case law and, it is argued, raises several issues of concern both with regard to freedom of expression, and for human rights adjudication more generally. In particular, the Court's use of a doctrine of ‘general measures’ led it to place a great deal of reliance on the quality and quantity of legislative debate that preceded the UK ban, rather than its actual impact upon the applicant.     

Libel: Its Purpose and Reform

Discussion of libel often fails to define defamation law's purpose and thus properly to assess its value. This article argues that defamation's purpose relates to fundamental human interests in sociality, directly linked to important aspects of human health and well‐being. Protecting such interests is arguably required by the right to private life under ECHR article 8 and should not count as a violation of the right to freedom of speech. Some current reform proposals are criticised as failing to appreciate the importance of protecting sociality. ‘Business’ libel, however, often protects not sociality but purely economic interests. The article therefore argues that the protection of libel law, as opposed to that offered by malicious falsehood and the economic torts, should be withdrawn from purely economic reputation, starting with removing the rights of corporations to sue in defamation, a position compatible with the ECtHR's decision in Karako v Hungary.     

WTO框架下文化产品贸易自由化与文化多样性的冲突与协调——以中美出版物与视听产品案为背景

文化产品具有文化和商业的双重属性。如何实现文化贸易的公平发展以确保文化多样性,就成为WTO自由贸易体制发展中的一个重要问题。WTO对文化产品特殊性制度安排的缺失,使得包括中国在内的WTO成员的文化政策面临挑战。UNESCO推动制定的《文化多样性公约》赋予各缔约国在本国文化表现形式多样性受到严重损害或威胁时采取保护措施的权利,为文化多样性的保护提供了国际法的基础。然而《文化多样性公约》所授权各国采取的措施却可能与WTO法发生冲突,这种冲突既反映了文化产品贸易自由化和文化多样性保护之间的冲突,也反映了不同国际规则之间的冲突。     

论法律行为理论中的纷争

文章通过制度比较与语义分析,在考查德国民法制定时的历史背景的基础上对法律行为理论中的基本问题予以澄清,文章指出：＂合法性＂的争议,毋宁是源自对产生民事法律行为制度的德国社会思想背景的陌生和语言习惯上的差异;而独断地认为法律行为仅为民法的部门法范畴,则是对＂意志自由＂＂、私法自治＂理念的误读与滥用所致;而意志自由与物权行为之间更是存在难以消弭的张力。     

结合刑法修正案（八）探析我国刑罚结构改革——以刑罚轻缓化为视角

我国刑罚结构是以死刑、自由刑为中心,属于重刑结构。刑法修正案（八）彻底贯彻了宽严相济刑事政策,重在完善刑事处罚体系,对刑罚进一步轻缓化具有极其重要的现实意义。但是,此次修法也给我国刑罚体系结构带来一些新问题,因此,还应在刑法修正案（八）的基础上,再进一步地削减死刑罪名,调整死刑与无期徒刑、有期徒刑之间的结构关系,提高罚金刑的地位和增设轻刑刑种等,对刑罚的设置进行结构性的改革。     

The End of Innocence: Open Justice,Free Speech and Privacy in the Modern Constitution – Khuja (formerly PNM) v Times Newspapers Limited

This case note explores the issue of open justice considered by Khuja (formerly PNM) v Times Newspapers Limited in the Supreme Court and argues that the current law is confused and incoherent. Far from settling the debate, it is suggested that the decision further undermines some of the key assumptions underpinning the current approach, especially in the light of the compelling and humane minority judgment. This leaves the area ripe for reconsideration in general terms. This note challenges many of the formulaic slogans and rhetoric in previous case law as well as suggesting that the meaning of open justice has been lost in current discourse. After summarising the facts, this note sets out the majority and minority judgments, before analysing some of the conceptual difficulties raised – particularly those of open justice, privacy, presumption of innocence and freedom of speech.     

现代社会中逃避自由的心理机制——读《逃避自由》

自由是近代以来西方思想中的核心理念,但对自由的追求却陷入一种二律背反之中:人们在获得自由的同时,却又感到深深的孤独和不安,正是这种孤独与不安,使人们逃避自由,甚至放弃自由,这是法西斯主义得以产生的心理学基础.通过结合弗洛伊德的精神分析学与马克思的历史唯物主义,弗洛姆揭示了现代人在面对自由时的这种矛盾心态,指出要摆脱这种矛盾心态,就必须充分发挥人的创造性,走向积极的自由.     

不动产最高额抵押权的变更——兼评指导案例95号

按照指导案例95号,将既有债权转入最高额抵押担保债权范围的,未经登记亦有物权效力,但不得对第三人产生不利影响。该指导案例并非将不动产最高额抵押权变更的模式改变为登记对抗要件主义,而是对概括最高额抵押权之否定立场进行缓和,以便更充分地发挥最高额抵押权的优势。特定债权的转入属于最高额抵押担保的债权范围的变更,其与债权确定期间的变更、债务人基准的变更一样,都不需要后顺位抵押权人等第三人同意,因为不会破坏这类第三人的信赖基础。债权范围的变更遵循实行合同自由原则,其效力与登记无关,只不过当事人不得将非基于正常交易关系产生的债权纳入担保范围,给第三人造成难以预料的损害。这一裁判规则不得类推适用于最高额抵押权的决算期变更、债务人基准变更,为保护不特定第三人对最高额抵押担保债权是否已确定的信赖,这些事项的变更只有在最高额抵押权确定前办理登记,才能产生物权效力。     

当代中国的法治建设——法治和自由的关系视角

法治作为一种生成中的生存方式,内涵了人的自由理想.自由精神是法治产生的动力,法律是自由现实化的基本途径,自由权利是法治的核心内容,法治的终极关怀是人的自由和谐和全面发展.马克思对法律自由关系的认识,是建立在实践的基础上的,在马克思看来,自由就其实质而言是一个实践问题,自由不是纯粹理性的反思,而是人类实践活动的过程.对中国而言,依存于传统文化的现代法治,是其法治之路的特征.     

The Future of Freedom of Information in the United Kingdom

This article investigates the future of Britain's Freedom of Information Act [FOIA]. It argues that the UK FOI regime faces a set of unique opportunities and challenges that may decisively impact upon the shape of FOI policy in Britain.
On the one hand, the increasingly assertive FOIA appeal bodies, constant pressure from requesters, alongside the more open habits practised within the Civil Service, may serve together to 'open up' government information access. This in turn may widen and strengthen the British FOI regime.
On the other hand, a series of potential obstacles may inhibit or undermine the new FOI regime. Delay and inconsistency, potential record management problems and 'gaps' within the scope of the Act, all present possible barriers to further openness. Most of all, following the two recent attempts to limit the scope of the legislation, the intentions and actions of the government will be crucial in shaping the future of FOI policy.