CEDH · PRESS;HEARINGS;ENG — 26 juin 2008

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .s40F41F73 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:right } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s7ED160F0 { text-decoration:none } .s3DC36BA9 { font-family:Arial; text-decoration:underline; color:#0069d6 } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .s32B93E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:5pt } .s9B49264A { margin-top:5pt; margin-bottom:5pt } .s9AE6264A { margin-top:5pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .sCB9E0544 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:left } .s69BE285C { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:85.05pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:-85.05pt } .s9A223E1B { width:11.03pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .s595A57E4 { width:85.05pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .sA8C2B9B0 { width:20.37pt; text-indent:0pt; display:inline-block } .s653E6C45 { font-family:Arial; font-size:6.67pt; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 } .sC7EAD8B { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline } .sF6A12959 { width:33%; height:1px; text-align:left } .s2EB42ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt } EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS   477 26.6.2008   Press release issued by the Registrar   CHAMBER HEARING TV VEST AS & ROGALAND PENSJONISTPARTI v. NORWAY   The European Court of Human Rights is holding a Chamber hearing today Thursday 26   June 2008 at 9 a.m. , on the merits in the case of TV Vest AS & Rogaland Pensjonistparti v. Norway (application no. 21132/05).   The hearing will be broadcast from 2.30 p.m. on the Court’s Internet site ( http://www.echr.coe.int ).   The applicants   The applicants are TV Vest AS Ltd. – a television company in Stavanger, Rogaland, on the west coast of Norway – and the regional branch of a Norwegian political party, the Rogaland Pensioners Party ( Rogaland Pensjonistparti ).   Summary of the facts   The case concerns a fine imposed on TV Vest for showing adverts for the Pensioners Party without authorisation prior to the local and regional elections of 2003.   On 12   August 2003 TV Vest notified the State Media Administration ( Statens medieforvaltning ) of its intention to air three, 15-second adverts seven times a day over an eight-day period for the Pensioners Party.   The broadcasts were shown between 14   August and 13   September 2003 at a cost of 30,000   Norwegian   kroner   (NOK) (approximately 3,730   euros   (EUR)) to the party.   On 27   August 2003 the Media Administration warned TV Vest that they could be fined for breaching the prohibition on political advertising on television, imposed under section 10-3 of the Broadcasting Act 1992 and section 10-2 of the Broadcasting Regulation. TV Vest nevertheless continued with the broadcasts, arguing that it was a question of freedom of expression and that the Pensioners Party would otherwise be denied fair media exposure.   On 10   September 2003 the Media Administration fined TV Vest NOK   35,000 (approximately EUR   4,351) for breaching the prohibition on political advertising. TV Vest appealed against the decision to Oslo City Court, submitting that the relevant provisions were incompatible with the right to freedom of expression guaranteed by Article   100 of the Norwegian Constitution and Article   10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Its appeal was rejected. By a judgment of 23 February 2004 the City Court upheld the Media Administration’s decision.     TV Vest then appealed unsuccessfully to the Supreme Court ( Høyesterett ) which found, among other things, that allowing political parties and interest groups to advertise on television would give richer parties and groups more scope for marketing their opinions than their poorer counterparts. The court also maintained that the Pensioners Party had many other means available to put across its message to the public.   Complaint   The applicants complain about the fine imposed on TV Vest, relying on Article   10 (right to freedom of expression) of the Convention.   Procedure   The application was lodged with the European Court of Human Rights on 12   May 2005 and declared admissible on 29 November 2007.   Composition of the Court   The case will be heard by a Chamber composed as follows:   Christos Rozakis (Greek), President , Nina Vajić (Croatian), Anatoly Kovler (Russian), Khanlar Hajiyev (Azerbaijani), Dean Spielmann (Luxemburger), Sverre Erik Jebens (Norwegian), Giorgio Malinverni (Swiss), judges , Elisabeth Steiner (Austrian), George Nicolaou (Cypriot), substitute judges , and also André Wampach , Deputy Section Registrar .   Representatives of the parties   Government :   Therese Steen , Agent ,   Henning Harborg , Counsel ,   Stian Fagernæs, Ingvill Conradi Andresen , Advisers ;   Applicants :   Kyrre Eggen, Counsel,   Sven Egil Omdal , Per Fjeld .     ***   After the hearing the Court will begin its deliberations, which are held in private. Judgment will be delivered at a later date [1] .   Press contacts Adrien Meyer (telephone: 00 33 (0)3 88 41 33 37) Tracey Turner-Tretz (telephone: 00 33 (0)3 88 41 35 30) Paramy Chanthalangsy (telephone: 00 33 (0)3 90 21 54 91) Sania Ivedi (telephone: 00 33 (0)3 90 21 59 45)   The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. [1] This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.