The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Institute for Information Law of the University of Amsterdam and the Council of Europe, hosted by the Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science and Culture are organizing a forum on anti-terrorist legislation and freedom of expression and information on 27 May at Hilton Hotel, Reykjavik, Iceland.

The forum in Reykjavik follows a conference organised by the Council of Europe, the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Institute for Information Law of the University of Amsterdam in Amsterdam last November (to see the results of the Amsterdam conference please go to: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/media/confantiterrorism/ConfAntiTerrorism(2008)003_en.asp) and will take place a day before the 1st Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Media and New Communication Services, Reykjavik 2009.

The aim of the forum will be to exchange experiences on the impact of anti-terrorism legislation and its implementation on freedom of expression and information in Europe. Representatives from the media, civil society, national authorities and independent experts will discuss the respect, in law and practice, of Council of Europe standards that define the rights to freedom of expression and information in the context of the fight against terrorism. Some more detailed discussions on how legislation and practice have changed or should change in order to avoid undue restrictions of Article 10 rights are planned for the second part of the day.

The working language will be English. For more information, including a draft programme, please see: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/media/ConfAntiTerrorism/default_en.asp

Please contact Franciska Klopfer franciskaklopfer(at)coe.int for registration for the Forum.

Further background documents on the subject: http://www.ministerialconference.is/media/images/banisar_enweb.pdf