12. Reflections of a Former Judge of the European Court of Human Rights

Abstract

The evolution of the European Court’s interpretation of freedom of expression is interesting. The journalists brought the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, alleging that, through the judgment of its Supreme Court, Denmark had violated their freedom of expression. Jersild versus Denmark and Pedersen and Baadsgaard versus Denmark , like other judgments laid down by the European Court of Human Rights, are examples of the most significant judicial revolution that has taken place over the past four hundred years. For Europe the Universal Declaration had special significance. In connection with the creation of the Council of Europe, in 1950 European states ratified the European Convention on Human Rights. An enormous number of cases have for some years been pending before the European Court of Human Rights. Keywords: Council of Europe; Denmark; European Convention on Human Rights; European Court of Human Rights; Jersild; Strasbourg; Supreme Court