New dissertation about freedom of expression in armed conflict
In a new dissertation from Stockholm University, Dr Sally Longworth explores how international law regulates the exercise of freedom of expression in armed conflict, and the significance of this, in an increasingly digitalised world.
Sally Longworth defended her doctoral thesis "Freedom of expression in armed conflict: The silence between spaces" on Thursday 6 October 2022. The opponent was Professor Marko Milanovic, University of Reading, UK.
In the study, Sally analyses how international law regulates the exercise of freedom of expression in armed conflicts through international humanitarian law and international human rights law. This is done through a deeper normative examination of the obligations arising from these legal fields, revealing a dynamic relationship that has not been widely explored before, but is becoming increasingly clear and important in our digitized world.
– My research reveals how access to information and freedom of expression are crucial for ensuring respect for international humanitarian law, the area of law that regulates how the parties to the conflict conduct to hostilities and protect people who are not, or are no longer, participating in the conflict.
Need to adapt to digital developments
Sally, who has a background as a researcher in international law at the Swedish Defence University, specialising in the law applicable in military operations, says that her thesis topic was partly inspired by events in Ukraine since 2014, Myanmar and armed conflicts involving ISIS - even though information has been a tool in armed conflicts for centuries. However, technological developments mean that the ability to spread a message is very different today to the past, not least in terms of how quickly and widely information can be disseminated.
Current armed conflicts, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the armed conflict in Ethiopia, have provided many new examples of how the exercise of freedom of expression is open to abuse. This is particularly evident in the dissemination of disinformation by parties to the conflict, as well as in the practice of completely blocking access to the internet in affected zones. This area would therefore be desirable to develop or clarify in order to further strengthen the protection of freedom of expression, says Sally;
- When parties to a conflict spread misinformation, it creates confusion about the events that have taken place and who is responsible for them. As a result, other states and international bodies are unable to respond succinctly to the actual events without first taking a stand and clarifying the allegations that have been made. This creates a space in which other violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law can occur and undermines obligations to respect and ensure the international humanitarian law. So it affects not only the individual, but also society at large.
Ensuring respect for international humanitarian law
The research shows that freedom of expression during armed conflict not only serves a function in ensuring that violations cannot occur in silence, but can also be used as an essential touchstone for predicting where other obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law are likely to be violated. Infringements on freedom of expression can thus serve as a warning bell for future violence.
– Many of the examples from wars today - such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine - show how interference with the right to freedom of expression is a precursor to the violent events that follow, and this is really not that surprising. It is well documented that interference with freedom of expression often precedes and accompanies violations of other rights during highly violent events. But my research highlights how freedom of expression plays a unique role in ensuring the implementation of and respect for international humanitarian law. This ensures that those whose voices are silenced in the conflict are heard.
About the Public defence
Opponent was Marko Milanović, Professor of International Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Reading, UK.
The examining committee consisted of Associate Professor Emily Crawford, University of Sydney, Professor Jessica Almqvist, Lund University, and Professor Emeritus Ove Bring, Stockholm University.
The supervisor and chair of the dissertation was Associate Professor Ola Engdahl, Special Adviser on International Law at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Assistant supervisors was Professor Pål Wrange, Stockholm University, and Professor Inger Österdahl, Uppsala University.
Last updated: October 13, 2022
Source: SU Law