PROTECTION OF THE RIGHT OF PUBLIC SERVANTS TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH: NATIONAL JUDICIAL PRACTICE AND THE CASE-LAW OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of protection of the right to freedom of speech in the context of the public service based on the analysis of case-law of Ukrainian courts and judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. The author reveals the constitutional principles of implementation and judicial protection of the right to freedom of speech, and also describes the grounds for its restrictions. The article provides an analysis of the legal acts establishing the specifics of the exercise of this right by civil servants, officials and officers of local self-government bodies, judges, prosecutors, police officers and members of the Parliament of Ukraine. The author emphasizes that the procedure for exercising freedom of speech by other public servants whose positions are classified as political (in particular, members of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the President of Ukraine) is not currently regulated by the relevant legislation. The author summarizes the decisions of Ukrainian courts and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights in cases where a violation of a public servant’s right to freedom of expression was established. It is noted that within the framework of national judicial practice, cases concerning the protection of the right to freedom of speech relate mainly to publications of employees in social networks, posts in corporate messengers, expressing criticism of the management, expressing criticism of other public authorities and disclosure of confidential and proprietary information. The author concludes that, at the level of ECtHR practice, such aspects of public servants’ activities as discussion of issues related to the functioning of the justice system, disclosure of information of public interest, disclosure or publication of information on the unlawful conduct of other public servants have a high degree of protection. Based on the analysis of the legal regulation of the exercise of the right to freedom of speech by public servants, the author provides recommendations for improving the provisions of the relevant legislation in this part.