Freedom of expression is vital for democracy, as well as for the exchange of ideas, transparency, accountability, innovation, and social progress. The Regional Summer School of Human Rights for law students from Western Balkan countries has been organised by the Council of Europe for the past 10 years in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This year, the focus was on freedom of expression and media. The event brought together 34 law students from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo^[1].

The Summer School introduced students to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the role of the Council of Europe, and the interplay with national legal systems, with a special emphasis on the right to freedom of expression. Through discussions on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, students learned that this right includes the freedom to hold opinions and share information without interference, but also entails responsibilities and legal limitations necessary in a democratic society.

With the guidance of tutors and guest lecturers, the students discussed the right to freedom of expression in relation to current challenges such as environmental degradation, the digital age, and the role of journalism and journalists in democratic society, including their protection and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation - SLAPPs. The school concluded with a moot court competition on the final day.

This activity is co-organised by several Council of Europe projects, including the “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina (PRO-FREX-BH)”, implemented by the Division for Cooperation in Freedom of Expression in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe Programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

[1] This designation iswithout prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.