Table of Contents
I INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND CAUSE OF THE ACTION ................................................. 4
II PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT ................................................................................... 5
III JURISDICTION ................................................................................................................. 6
IV PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS .............................................................................................. 6
A.
Control of the legality of the Commission’s submission of the case ........................................................ 6
A.1 Arguments of the parties and the Commission .............................................................. 6
A.2. Considerations of the Court........................................................................................ 8
B.
Objection of fourth instance............................................ ¡ERROR! MARCADOR NO DEFINIDO.
B.1 Arguments of the parties and the Commission.............................................................. 9
B.2. Considerations of the Court..................................................................................... 10
V PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS ..................................................................................... 10
VI EVIDENCE ....................................................................................................................... 12
A.
Admission of documentary evidence ............................................................................... 12
B.
Admissibility of testimonial and expert evidence ............................................................... 13
VII FACTS ............................................................................................................................ 13
A.
Regulatory framework .................................................................................................. 15
B.
The logging of alerce trees in Chile ................................................................................. 15
C.
Regarding Carlos Baraona Bray ...................................................................................... 16
D.
Statements made by Carlos Baraona Bray to several media outlets .................................... 17
E.
Criminal proceedings for slander and serious insults against Carlos Baraona Bray ................. 19
F.
Events subsequent to the dismissal of the case ................................................................ 22
VIII MERITS ........................................................................................................................ 22
VIII-1 THE ALLEGED STATUS OF CARLOS BARAONA BRAY AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL
DEFENDER ........................................................................................................................... 23
A.
Arguments of the Commission and the parties ..................................................................23
B.
Considerations of the Court ............................................................................................23
VIII-2 FREEDOM OF THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION IN RELATION TO THE OBLIGATION TO
RESPECT RIGHTS AND THE DUTY TO ADOPT PROVISIONS OF DOMESTIC LAW ESTABLISHED
IN THE CONVENTION .......................................................................................................... 26
A.
Arguments of the Commission and the parties ..................................................................26
B.
Considerations of the Court ............................................................................................28
B.1 Importance of freedom of thought and expression in a democratic society ......................28
B.2 Importance of freedom of thought and expression on environmental issues in a democratic
society.........................................................................................................................30
B.3 Content of the right to freedom of expression .............................................................32
B.4 Permissible restrictions on freedom of expression and the application of subsequent
liabilities ......................................................................................................................32
B.5 Analysis of the specific case ......................................................................................36
B.6. Conclusion .............................................................................................................40
VIII-3 LACK OF LEGALITY OF THE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED ON FREEDOM OF THOUGHT
AND EXPRESSION, IN RELATION TO THE OBLIGATION TO RESPECT RIGHTS ESTABLISHED
IN THE CONVENTION .......................................................................................................... 40
A.
Arguments of the Commission and the parties ..................................................................40
B.
Considerations of the Court ............................................................................................41
VIII-4 RIGHT TO JUDICIAL PROTECTION IN RELATION TO THE OBLIGATION TO RESPECT
RIGHTS ............................................................................................................................... 42
A.
Arguments of the Commission and the parties ..................................................................42
B.
Considerations of the Court ............................................................................................43
IX REPARATIONS ................................................................................................................ 45
A.
Injured party ................................................................................................................47
B.
Measures of restitution ..................................................................................................47
C.
Measures of satisfaction .................................................................................................48
D.
Guarantees of non-repetition ..........................................................................................49
D.1 Adoption of legislation..............................................................................................49
D.2 Training measures ...................................................................................................50
E.
Other measures requested .............................................................................................51
2