Information Note on the Court’s case-law 238
March 2020
NIT S.R.L. v. the Republic of Moldova (relinquishment) - 28470/12
Article 10
Article 10-1
Freedom of expression
Withdrawal of a company’s licence to operate a television channel for favouring main opposition political party: relinquishment in favour of the Grand Chamber
The applicant company’s television channel was accused by the audiovisual national authority of (i) lack of pluralism, (ii) politically biased programmes, (iii) favouring of one political party from opposition, and (iv) placing of distorted news items. After the applicant company failed to comply with several official warnings by the audiovisual authority, its licence to operate was withdrawn. The applicant company’s court action against the measure imposed on it was not successful.
The applicant company complains under Article 6 of the Convention that the proceedings were not fair and under Article 10 of the Convention that the withdrawal of its licence amounted to a breach of its right to freedom of expression. The applicant company also complains that the withdrawal of its licence amounted to a breach of its right of property as guaranteed by Article 1 of Protocol No. 1.
On 3 March 2020 the Chamber to which the case had been allocated relinquished jurisdiction in favour of the Grand Chamber.
© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights
This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.
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