<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The present paper aims to investigate prisoners’ rights to use and access the Internet, focusing on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The study’s principal objective is to assess the fundamental rights aspects of Internet access, particularly within the context of relevant EU legislation, and to interpret how the digital divide impacts prisoners. The study primarily relies on a thorough review of pertinent literature and legal materials, and it incorporates case studies from Estonia, Lithuania and Türkiye to contextualize the literature findings within specific legal jurisdictions. The research findings suggest that prisoners’ Internet access should be evaluated in accordance with fundamental rights, including Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Regarding the digital divide, the study concludes that limiting prisoners’ access to the Internet could exacerbate the already existing societal gap, potentially hindering their reintegration into society. The particular focus on the above three countries stems from the fact that as per the precedent of the ECtHR, only four countries are involved in cases concerning restriction of access to the Internet (Estonia, Lithuania, Türkiye and Russia); however, Russia ceased to be a party of the European Convention on Human Rights, so analyzing the future of the issue of Internet acces there is highly limited. Our research contributes significantly to the literature on the digital divide, particularly in terms of its legal implications. The study’s comprehensive approach, which integrates both theoretical and practical aspects, is beneficial for domestic legal professionals and researchers engaged in interdisciplinary investigations of EU law and fundamental rights.</p>
</abstract>

The present paper aims to investigate prisoners’ rights to use and access the Internet, focusing on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The study’s principal objective is to assess the fundamental rights aspects of Internet access, particularly within the context of relevant EU legislation, and to interpret how the digital divide impacts prisoners. The study primarily relies on a thorough review of pertinent literature and legal materials, and it incorporates case studies from Estonia, Lithuania and Türkiye to contextualize the literature findings within specific legal jurisdictions. The research findings suggest that prisoners’ Internet access should be evaluated in accordance with fundamental rights, including Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Regarding the digital divide, the study concludes that limiting prisoners’ access to the Internet could exacerbate the already existing societal gap, potentially hindering their reintegration into society. The particular focus on the above three countries stems from the fact that as per the precedent of the ECtHR, only four countries are involved in cases concerning restriction of access to the Internet (Estonia, Lithuania, Türkiye and Russia); however, Russia ceased to be a party of the European Convention on Human Rights, so analyzing the future of the issue of Internet acces there is highly limited. Our research contributes significantly to the literature on the digital divide, particularly in terms of its legal implications. The study’s comprehensive approach, which integrates both theoretical and practical aspects, is beneficial for domestic legal professionals and researchers engaged in interdisciplinary investigations of EU law and fundamental rights.

“Access Denied” – Interpreting the Digital Divide by Examining the Right of Prisoners to Access the Internet in the Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights

PhD Candidate, Pázmány Péter Catholic University of Budapest

Habilitated Associate Professor, Dr., Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest

Baltic Journal of Law & Politics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The present paper aims to investigate prisoners’ rights to use and access the Internet, focusing on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights...

“Access Denied” – Interpreting the Digital Divide by Examining the Right of Prisoners to Access the Internet in the Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights

Published Online: Jun 26, 2024

Page range: 223 - 237

Received: Oct 07, 2023

Accepted: Apr 04, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjlp-2024-0011

Keywords
Digital divide, ECtHR, Internet, right to information, right to education, Baltics, Türkiye

© 2024 Gergely Ferenc Lendvai et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

“Access Denied” – Interpreting the Digital Divide by Examining the Right of Prisoners to Access the Internet in the Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights

Published Online: Jun 26, 2024

Page range: 223 - 237

Received: Oct 07, 2023

Accepted: Apr 04, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjlp-2024-0011

KeywordsDigital divide, ECtHR, Internet, right to information, right to education, Baltics, Türkiye

© 2024 Gergely Ferenc Lendvai et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Digital divide, ECtHR, Internet, right to information, right to education, Baltics, Türkiye