The need for protection of environmental defenders from digital intimidation: an analysis of Article 3(8) of the Aarhus Convention

• Authors: Lien Stolle

Title variants

PL

Potrzeba ochrony obrońców środowiska przed prześladowaniem cyfrowym: analiza Artykułu 3(8) Konwencji z Aarhus

Abstracts

PL

Technologie cyfrowe stają się coraz ważniejsze dla obrońców środowiska naturalnego, zarówno jako narzędzia, które ułatwiają wypowiadanie się w tej kwestii i/lub podejmowanie działań, ale także gdy idzie o (cyfrowe) ryzyko, w obliczu jakiego stają oni ze względu na swoje zaangażowanie w obronę środowiska. Zauważalna jest rosnąca troska w związku z wykorzystaniem rozmaitych form prześladowania tych działaczy w sieci i wspomaganego technologią „zastraszania cyfrowego”. Jeśli przeprowadzone do tej pory badania na temat cyberzastraszania, cyfrowej przemocy i zastraszania w sieci mogą dać pewien wgląd w tę problematykę, to nie ma zbyt wielu badań ani danych na temat wykorzystania takich taktyk przeciwko obrońcom przyrody w szczególności. Pozostawienie tej kwestii poza badaniami prowadzi do braku świadomości, na jakie ryzyko i wyzwania narażeni są obrońcy przyrody, jeśli idzie o ich bezpieczeństwo w sieci czy cyfrowe prześladowanie, co w konsekwencji prowadzi do ograniczenia debaty publicznej na temat środowiska. Na szczęście ochrona gwarantowana Artykułem 3(8) Konwencji z Aarhus oraz utworzony urząd Specjalnego Sprawozdawcy ds. Obrońców Środowiska mogą okazać się pomocne w zapewnieniu ochrony przed cyfrowym prześladowaniem. Niniejsza praca bada zastosowanie Artykułu 3(8) w sprawach cyfrowego zastraszania poprzez decyzje Komitetu ds. Zgodności Konwencji z Aarhus, a także omawia mandat nadany Specjalnemu Sprawozdawcy na Spotkaniu Stron w roku 2020. Analiza pokazuje, że zdecydowanie istnieje potencjał dla ochrony przeciwko prześladowaniu cyfrowemu w świetle Artykułu 3(8) Konwencji, jednak istnieje również potrzeba zwrócenia bardziej konkretnej uwagi oraz rozbudzenia świadomości co do tej kwestii.

EN

Digital technologies are becoming increasingly important to environmental defenders, both in terms of tools that facilitate speaking out and/or taking action, and in terms of (digital) risks they face as a result of their involvement. A growing concern has been expressed about the use of various forms of online and technology-facilitated intimidation or “digital intimidation” against environmental defenders. While the existing research on cyberbullying, digital violence and online intimidation can provide some insight, few studies and data exist on the use of such tactics against environmental defenders in particular. By leaving this issue unexamined, there remains a lack of awareness about the risks and challenges environmental defenders may face in terms of online safety and digital intimidation, which may ultimately curtail public debate on environmental issues. Fortunately, the protections under Article 3(8) of the Aarhus Convention and the recently introduced Special Rapporteur for Environmental Defenders can be useful in providing protection against digital intimidation. This paper, therefore, looks at the application of Article 3(8) to digital intimidation, through the decisions of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee, and also considers the mandate given to the Special Rapporteur at the 2020 Meeting of the Parties. The analysis shows that there is certainly potential for protection against digital intimidation under Article 3(8) AC, but more explicit attention and awareness may be needed.

Keywords

EN

Environmental defenders; Aarhus Convention; digital intimidation

PL

obrońcy środowiska naturalnego; prześladowanie w sieci; konwencja z Aarhus

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Opolski
• Journal: Opolskie Studia Administracyjno-Prawne
• Year: 2022
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 199-219

Dates

published

2023

Contributors

author

Lien Stolle

• University of Ghent

• https://orcid.org/0000000253001387

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Identifiers

DOI

10.25167/osap.4980

Biblioteka Nauki

18105164