Licensed to kill…discourse? Agents provocateurs and a purposive right to freedom of expression

Undercover police operations have emerged from the shadows and into the spotlight in the United Kingdom as a result of a public inquiry into undercover policing and the enactment of the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act. The inquiry has revealed troubling details about the ways intelligence and police services have wielded their powers to infiltrate and undermine political groups and social movements over the course of five decades. The problem is not exclusive to the United Kingdom, but is seen the world over. Yet despite the widescale nature of the problem, the legality of agents provocateurs – undercover officers who infiltrate social and political movements to manipulate their messaging, instigate violent tactics and undermine public perception – has received scant attention in legal scholarship or the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. This article capitalises on the current spotlight to suggest that agents provocateurs can and should be conceived of as (potential) violations of the right to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights. A purposive approach is required to ensure protection for not only the means of expression – the exchange of information and ideas – but also the ends – vibrant democratic discourse and meaningful public debate

Tinker, tailor, Twitter, lie: government disinformation and freedom of expression in a post-truth era

The spread of disinformation has received significant attention in recent years, yet little has been paid to government disinformation, and whether governments may violate freedom of expression not only in how they regulate disinformation, but also in how they facilitate, sow and spread it. This article analyses whether and to what extent Article 10 of the ECHR is engaged by government disinformation. It extends the analysis from well-established violations of freedom of expression—overt censorship and withholding information—into novel forms of government interference in the ‘post-truth’ age: false claims of ‘fake news’ levelled at the press and intentional lies about matters of public importance. These latter categories warrant further attention, as governments can cause just as much harm to public discourse and debate by intentionally injecting falsehoods as by censoring truth. A purposive approach to freedom of expression is needed to protect not only the means of expression, but also the ends—vibrant democratic discourse and meaningful public debate

States' positive obligation to create a favourable environment for participation in public debate: a principle in search of a practical effect?

In its seminal decision in Dink v Turkey, the European Court of Human Rights recognised that States have a positive obligation, under Article 10, to create a favourable environment for participation in public debate by all persons, enabling them to express their opinions without fear. In the more than decade since, the Court has yet to clarify what the obligation is, what it requires, and when and how it applies. This article traces the recognition and development of the Dink principle, critiques the Court's approach to date, and explores the real-world impacts of an unfavourable information environment. It concludes with a concrete recommendation which would ensure greater cohesion within the Council of Europe and give practical effect to the Dink principle, while addressing polarisation, disinformation and threats against journalists: media and information literacy initiatives

The right of access to ‘reliable’ information under Article 10 ECHR: from meagre beginnings to new frontiers

Recognition of the right of access to information under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights has been marked by fits and starts. This article charts three phases in the jurisprudence – from outright denial (Phase One), through hesitant recognition (Phase Two), to recognition of a limited right in specified circumstances (Phase Three). The Court’s recent judgment in Association Burestop 55 and Others v France may mark a new frontier (or ‘Fourth Phase’), as the Court recognised for the first time that the right necessarily comprises a qualitative aspect – that is, it requires that the information disclosed is sincere, accurate, sufficient, and reliable. This could have important ramifications for the quality of the information environment in the current ‘post-truth’ era. However, several conceptual challenges, practical limitations, and lingering uncertainties will need to be addressed for the promise of the judgment to be fully realised

The archaeology of Brabant Lake

Boreal forest archaeology is costly and difficult because of rugged terrain, the remote nature of much of the boreal areas, and the large expanses of muskeg. As a result of these conditions, northern areas have not been subjected to the same amount of fieldwork as the plains regions. What research has been done has largely focused on the major waterways. The neglect of research in northern Saskatchewan has left researchers with many gaps in the archaeological knowledge of the north. A rare set of environmental circumstances left a region of Brabant Lake devoid of vegetation and organic soils. This exposed a series of archaeological sites on the surface and presented an excellent research opportunity to study archaeology in an area of which little was known. This thesis is the result of three seasons of survey and excavation in this region. The Brabant region has been shown to have a rich culture history extending back to the Early Side-Notched era. A series of recoveries from deep into the clay at one site hints at a much earlier occupation, however no diagnostic artifacts were recovered. Diagnostic recoveries from Early Taltheilei, Laurel, and Selkirk are identified, as is extensive post-contact use of the area. The exposed nature of the archaeological sites also yielded a wealth of information regarding site distribution and land use. These data may be used to enhance predictive modelling and research sampling strategies in other boreal areas

Mapping the Surgical Landscape: Resonances and Divergences Between Theories of Cosmetic and Transsexual Body Modification

This paper explores the limitations of the disciplinary divide between feminist studies of cosmetic surgery and trans studies of sex reassignment surgery, in order to unpack assumptions that may otherwise go unchallenged within each field. We focus on themes of conformity and transgression, and borders and identity. Résumé Cet article explore les limites de la division entre les études des femmes sur la chirurgie cosmétique et les études sur les trans sur les chirurgie de réassignation de sexe, afin de déballer les assomption qui ne serait autrement pas mises au défi chacune dans leur domaine. Nous nous concentrons sur les thèmes de conformité et de transgression, et des frontières et de l'identité

A scalable data taking system at a test beam for LHC

We propose the installation of a data taking system at a test beam for the simultaneous test of LHC detectors, trigger and readout electronics, together with the development of the supporting architecture in a multiprocessor environment. A strong emphasis is put on a highly modular design, such that new hardware and software developments can be conveniently introduced for training and evaluation. One of the main thrusts of the project will be the modelling and system integration of different readout architectures, which are meant to provide a valuable training ground for new techniques. To address these aspects in a realistic manner, we propose to collaborate with two detector R+D projects

Melatonin reduces TNF-a induced expression of MAdCAM-1 via inhibition of NF-kB.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial MAdCAM-1 (mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1) expression is associated with the oxidant-dependent induction and progress of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Melatonin, a relatively safe, potent antioxidant, has shown efficacy in several chronic injury models may limit MAdCAM-1 expression and therefore have a therapeutic use in IBD. METHODS: We examined how different doses of melatonin reduced endothelial MAdCAM-1 induced by TNF-a in an in vitro model of lymphatic endothelium. Endothelial monolayers were pretreated with melatonin prior to, and during an exposure, to TNF-a (1 ng/ml, 24 h), and MAdCAM-1 expression measured by immunoblotting. RESULTS: MAdCAM-1 was induced by TNF-a. Melatonin at concentrations over 100 μm (10(-4) M) significantly attenuated MAdCAM-1 expression and was maximal at 1 mM. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that melatonin may exert therapeutic activity in IBD through its ability to inhibit NF-kB dependent induction of MAdCAM-1