Repost: [Völkerrechtsblog] In Defence of Digital Satire

The European Court of Human Rights’ recent decision in Yevstifeyev and Others v. Russia raises pressing questions about the protection of satirical speech in digital spaces. One of the applications considered in the judgment was Petrov v. Russia, which centres on a video titled “Gay Hunt,” posted by D.K on Instagram during a constitutional referendum campaign. The video, a piece of dark political satire, presents a dystopian vision of state-sponsored homophobia in 2035 Russia. The Court ultimately held that the video, on account of its satirical framing, remained within the bounds of protected expression under Article 10 of the Convention.

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