Public Law Studies Quarterly

The Rules Governing on Filtering in the in Light of the Right to Freedom of Communication (with a Look at The Approach of the Council of Europe, Japan and Belgium)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Article

Authors

Hassan poorBaferani 1
Hamidreza Heydarpour 2
Jila Mehrara 3

1 Associate Prof., Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Postdoctoral Researcher in Criminal Law and Criminology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

3 Ph.D. Student in Criminal Law and Criminology, University of Meybod, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2025.381097.3588
Abstract
The aim of this article is to examine the rules governing filtering in light of the right to freedom of communication and with a view to the approach of the Council of Europe and the two countries of Japan and Belgium, and to present the desired solution for the Iranian legislator to deal with filtering cases. The results of this research indicate that filtering is basically a phenomenon that is contrary to the requirements of the right to freedom of communication, and therefore, taking action against it should be considered an exceptional category and based on sufficient rational evidence and wise action by governments that respect freedom of communication among citizens. In addition, the most important exceptional cases in which filtering is permissible include: the occurrence of terrorist attacks or security risks, access by minors to immoral data and systems, and access to criminal (criminal) systems and data. Also since permitted filtering is considered exceptional, the rules governing this type of filtering include: predictability, the ability to object, monitoring, a fixed period, necessity, and legality of filtering. Accordingly the Iranian legislator should seek to enact a filtering law and enumerate the cases of permitted filtering and the rules governing it.

Keywords

The Principle of Freedom of Exchange and Access to Information
Filtering Requirements
The Right to Freedom of Communication
Permitted Filtering
Filtering Act
Permitted Filtering Rules
The Iranian Legal System
Subjects

  1. English

    1. A) Books
    2. Appell, M. (2016). A New Responsibility for Internet Platforms: Germany's New Hate Speech La., American Institute for Contemporary German Studies.
    3. Attoney General Department (2023). Right to Freedom of Opinion and Sxpression (Public sector Guidance Sheet). Canada.
    4. Banett, (2012). Right of Freedom of Internet. Oxford University.
    5. Barry, J. B. (2018). Access to Content: Censorship, Blocking and Filtering )Advanced Modules on Digital Rights and Freedom of Expression Online in Sub-Saharan Africa). Media Deffence.
    6. Council of Europe (2022). Freedom of Expression and Information. ECHR.
    7. DeTan, C., & Shorts, E. L. (ed.) (2012). Public Law and Human Rights. Sweet & Maxwell.
    8. Ferdinand, P. (2013). The Internet, Democracy & Democratization. London: Frankcass.
    9. Howard, C. (2013). The Freedom of Information. Sage.
    10. Kharouni, L. (2013). Africa: A New Safe Harbor for Cybercriminals?. Trend Micro Incorporated.
    11. Master, A. (2023). Modeling and Charcteriztion of Internet Censorship Technologies. A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Purdue University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Technology. West Lafayette, Indiana.
    12. Mcgoldric, D. (2012). The Human Rights Community. Oxford Clarendon.
    13. Ramachander, S. (2016). Access Denied-The Practice and Policy of Global Internet Filtering. London: Cambridge Massachusetts.
    14. Steiner, H. J., & Alston, P. (2013). International Human Rights in Context: Law, Politics, Morals. Oxford University.
    15. UN Committee on the Human Rights (2020). Access to Content: Censorship, Blocking and Filtering (Overview of censoring, blocking and filtering of content). New York.
    16. UNESCO (2022). Freedom of Connection, Freedom of Expression. The Changing Legal and Regulatory Ecology Shaping the Internet, Vienna.
    17. Wacc, R. (2023). Communication Rights in Theory and Practice. New York.
    18. Yau, H., & Heung W. W. (2021). Censorship in Japan، Routledge Culture, Society, Business in East Asia Series. London: Routledge.

     

    1. B) Articles
    2. Bashir, H., & Nasrollahi, M. S. (2018). A Comparative Study of Regulating the Filtering of Cyberspace in the US, the EU and China: Proposals for Policymaking in Iran, Cyberspace Studies, 2 (1), 10-39.
    3. Montero, E., & Van Enis, Q. (2023). Enabling Freedom of Expression in the Light of Filtering Measures Imposed on Internet Intermediaries: Squaring the Circle?. Computer Law & Security Review, 48, 273-304.
    4. Hashemzadegan, A., & Gholami, A. (2022). Internet Censorship in Iran: An Inside Look. Cyberspace Studies, 6 (2), 180-211.
    5. Husovec, M. )2023). Mandatory Filtering Does not Always Violate Freedom of Expression: Important Lessons from Poland v Council and European Parliament. Common Market Law Review, 60 (1), 10-28.
    6. Stoycheff, E. (2018). Online Censorship and Digital Surveillance: The Relationship Between Suppression Technologies and Democratization Across Countries. Information, Communication & Society, 23 (4), 412-433.

     

    1. C) Rules, Recommendations, Announcements & Reports
    2. Country Report: Belgium، Freedom in the Internet, Freedom House, 11 January 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
    3. Declaration of Guaranteeing the Right to Freedom of Communication (2015(
    4. Declaration of the Council of Europe of Freedom of Communication on the Internet (2020(
    5. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights )1966(
    6. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights )1966)
    7. Recommendation of the Council of Europe Regarding the requirements of the Internet Filtering Process and Guaranteeing the Right to Freedom of Communication (2022(
    8. Recommendation of the Requirements Governing the Policies related to Internet Filtering (2022)
    9. The World Declaration of Human Rights )1948(

     

    Referrences In Persian:

    1. A) Books
    2. Biabani, Gh., & Soltanifar, M. (2018). Principles and Foundations of International Communications Law, First Edition, Tehran: Media Studies and Planning Office (In Persian).
    3. Hick, Steven et al. (2007). Human Rights and the Internet. translated by Seyyed Ghasem Zamani and Mahnaz Bahramloo, Tehran: Khorsandi (In Persian).
    4. Mir-Emadi, T. (2019). Fundamentals of Citizen Rights in the Information Exchange Space. Tehran: Humanities Research and Development Institute (In Persian).
    5. Motamednejad, K., & Motamednejad, R. (2019). Communications Law. Volume 1, Ninth Edition, Tehran: Media Studies and Research Center (In Persian).
    6. Plowman, E. (2019). International Communications and Information Law. translated by Bahman Aghaei, Third Edition, Tehran: Ganjdanesh (In Persian).

     

    1. B) Articles
    2. Babazadeh Moghadam, H., & Asadi, A. (2017). Principles of Filtering Internet Information Sites. New Media Studies, (9), 163-194 (In Persian).
    3. Babazadeh Moghadam, H., & Rezaei, M. (2014). Principles of Formulating Laws and Regulations for the Internet with Emphasis on UNESCO and Council of Europe Resolutions. Public Law Research, 15 (42), 43-82 (In Persian).
    4. Fazaeli, M., & Karami, M. (2011). A Reflection on the Protection of the Right to Freedom of Expression in the Case of the European Court of Human Rights Regarding the Blocking of Internet Access. Bi-Quarterly Journal of New Technologies Law, 4, 155-182 (In Persian).
    5. Gorji Azandariani, A. A., et al. (2019). A Study of Rule of Law Approaches for Implementing Filtering in Cyberspace with Crises and Social Threats. Bi-Quarterly Journal of Crisis Management, Special Issue No. 2 (Inactive Defense), 15-27 (In Persian).
    6. Hajipour, A., & Azimzadeh, S. (2003). Free Circulation of Information and Interference of Competencies in the Procedure of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace. Cyberspace Legal Studies, 2 (4), 1-13 (In Persian).
    7. Jalali Farahani, A. H. (2007). Advantages and Limitations of Cyberspace in the Areas of Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Information and Privacy”, Justice Legal Journal, 71 (59), 61-100 (In Persian).
    8. Kadkhodaei, A., & Jalili, S. R. (2014). Reference to National Security in International Legal Procedure”, Quarterly Journal of Public Law Studies, Volume 54, Issue 1, pp. 1-24 (In Persian).
    9. Mirzaei, V., Vatani, A., & Abbasi Sarmadi, M. (2019). Ethical Structure Regarding Freedom of Information and Filtering in Iran. Ethical Research, 10 (2), 265-276 (In Persian).
    10. Mohseni, V., Hashemi, S. M., Javid, M. J., & Abbasi, B. (2019). Analysis and Legal Rationing of Ensuring Citizenship with Filtering. Judicial Law Perspectives, (94), 79-118 (In Persian).
    11. Radmehr, I. (2006). Investigating the Concept of National Security. Military Sciences and Technologies, 3 (5), 25-39 (In Persian).
    12. Rezaei, M., & Babazadeh-e-Moghadam, H. (2014). Principles of Formulating Laws and Regulations for the Internet with Emphasis on UNESCO and Council of Europe Resolutions. Public Law Research, 42, 43-82 (In Persian).
    13. Rostam-Alizadeh, S., & Haji-Molla-Mirzaei, H. (2019). The Legal System Governing Internet Filtering in the United States. Public Law Studies, 50 (4), 1663-1681 (In Persian).
    14. Shahabi, M., & Shahidi, N. (2018). Good Ethics and Public Order as Sources of Legal Principles and Rules: A Reflection on the Transition from Negative to Positive Function of Legal Institutions. Private Law Studies, 48 (3), 511-528 (In Persian).
    15. Soleiman Dehkurdi, E., & Afrasiabi, A. (2015). The Right to Free Access to Information in the International and National Legal System. International Police Studies, 6 (21), 75-100 (In Persian).
    16. Taklu, S., & Moradkhani, F. (2017). Multiplicity of Legislative Institutions with Emphasis on the Position of Resolutions of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace in the Iranian Legal System. Contemporary Comparative Law Studies, 12 (22) 25-67 (In Persian).
    17. Vizheh, R., & Taheri, A. S. (2011). An Analysis of the Law on the Publication and Free Access to Information in the Light of the General Principles Governing Access to Information. Public Law Research, 35, 237-268 (In Persian).

     

    1. C) Theses
    2. Asadi, F. (2010). Human Rights Education to Guarantee the Right to Benefit from Cyberspace. Master’s Thesis in Human Rights, Shahid Beheshti University (In Persian).
    3. Behrouzi, A. (2012). Iran’s Criminal Policy Regarding the Right to Free Access to Information. Master’s Thesis in Criminal Law and Criminology, Imam Khomeini International University of Qazvin (In Persian).
    4. Rahimi, F. (2019). The Right to Access to Information and New Virtual Media in the Light of Human Rights. Bachelor’s Thesis in Human Rights, University of Tehran (Qom Campus) (In Persian).
    5. Sedghi, A. (2019). Evaluation of the Law on the Publication and Free Access to Information in Iran in the Light of the Principle of Freedom of Information. Master’s Thesis in Communication Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Allameh Tabatabaei University (In Persian).
    6. Safari, M. (2019). The Case of the European Court of Human Rights on the Right to Free Access to the Internet. Master’s Thesis in Human Rights, Shahid Beheshti University (In Persian).
Public Law Studies Quarterly

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 22 June 2027

  • Receive Date 18 August 2024
  • Revise Date 31 May 2025
  • Accept Date 04 August 2025

Home

Journal Process Ethics

Peer Review Process

Submission

Indexing and Abstracting

Contact Us