ECtHR, 8 october 2019, Szurovecz v. Hungary, Appl. No. 15428/16

Can I see it? No you can’t! Refusal to grant journalist access to Hungarian Reception Centre for asylum seekers contrary to the right to freedom of expression

Résumé

In the case Szurovecz v. Hungary the Court dealt with the issue of media access to reception facilities for asylum seekers. It held that refusing journalist access to a reception centre, which was meant to gather information on the living conditions of asylum seekers accommodated therein, was in breach of the right to freedom of expression protected under Article 10 ECHR. For the Court, journalistic research and newsgathering represent an essential component of investigative journalism and thus an inherent and protected part of press freedom. The “watchdog” role of the media is crucial and assumes even more importance in matters of great public interest, such as the treatment of asylum seekers arrived and hosted in Europe.